ArchivesCategory: Tips

by Doug Desjardins Strong November retail sales and a promising start to December have prompted analysts to raise their sales forecasts for the holiday season. The National Retail Federation (NRF) revised its forecast and raised its projected sales increase from 2.3 percent to 3.3 percent for the holiday season. NRF president Matthew Shay said the Continue Reading

Apparel Sales Lead the Way in Holiday Retail Rebound by Doug Desjardins After two consecutive holiday seasons of dismal sales, the apparel category has rebounded this year in a big way for retailers. Department store chains and apparel retailers who watched their business disappear or migrate to low-priced mass merchants in 2008 and 2009 have Continue Reading

Hopes are High that Strong November Sales Continue by Doug Desjardins Retailers coming off a strong November are hoping to sustain that momentum throughout December and, so far, that seems to be the case. Or at least it’s the case for online sales, which started the month with a $1-billion sales day on Cyber Monday. Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins Thanks to a strong Black Friday and record Cyber Monday, retailers reported a better-than-expected jump in November sales. According to a Thomson Reuters survey of 30 major retailers, retail sales jumped 6 percent in November and nearly doubled the company’s earlier November forecast of 3.6 percent. That was the largest single-month increase Continue Reading

I should really subtitle this "What ISN'T on sale in December?"  It seems that you can find great prices on all kinds of pantry staples this month.  Stock up if you've got the space; it'll come in handy during the January snowstorms.  After all, you don't want to spend a whole blizzard eating nothing but Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins Analysts were expecting a big jump in Cyber Monday sales, and the results lived up to the hype. According to research firm comScore, Cyber Monday was the busiest online shopping day in history, with sales topping $1 billion in a single day for the first time. The $1.03 billion in total sales Continue Reading

Whether you're looking for Christmas or Hanukkah gifts or just purchasing some needed items for your household, December is a great time to get deals on all sorts of things. Look for major markdowns on: Electronics, including TVs Computers Carpeting and flooring Tools Toys Winter clothes Cars Motorcycles NFL tickets:  there are several more weeks Continue Reading

Black Friday Results Signal Strong Holiday Sales by Doug Desjardins The early results are in for Black Friday and nearly all signal a strong holiday shopping season. The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) said its index of 30 major retail chains reported a 3.5-percent increase in sales for the week of Thanksgiving, strong results Continue Reading

High-Tech Gadgets Top Kids’ Holiday Wish List by Doug Desjardins The results of a new survey from research firm Nielsen shows that most kids aged 6 to 12 are hoping to find an iPad under their Christmas tree this year. The annual Nielsen survey of the most coveted high-tech gifts among kids found that 31 Continue Reading

by Doug Desjardins If you missed out on Black Friday door-buster sales on high definition TVs don’t worry, because chances are even better deals lie ahead. Analysts expect prices on plasma and LCD TVs to fall throughout the holiday season as retailers and manufacturers work to unload a glut of product that’s built up during Continue Reading