Web Editor's Note
Just this week, I unwrapped my 2008 calendar and began marking the days with deadlines, trade show and conference schedules, holidays, etc. This exercise always causes me to reflect on the last 300-plus days and gain some insight into the possibilities yet to unfold.
To put you in the mood, the editors of VM+SD offered their perspectives on 2007 with our annual " Year in Review" featured in the December issue. Inside, you'll find the best and worst highlights, from the best match-up of the year (kudos to Vera and Kohl's) to questions about what they were thinking at Taco Bell, Circuit City and Gap. We've also compiled a list of the best new products introduced in 2007. Take a moment to relive this year with us. Soon, those calendars will be filled up by a new one.
—Anne DiNardo, VM+SD Senior Associate Editor
Kaufman's Commentary
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Mixed Signals
I believe some truths are beginning to emerge regarding "Black Friday."
11-26-07
I believe some truths are beginning to emerge regarding "Black Friday."
- The malls and stores are nearly always busy, suggesting to us that the shopping season might in fact be more robust than we were expecting.
- Those first-weekend-after-Thanksgiving hopes generally dissolve and the actual results, over the full four or five weeks of the season, are what we expected them to be: mildly to severely disappointing.
- Want to get Americans to spend money the day after Thanksgiving? Drop your prices on costly consumer electronics products.
Once again this year, Best Buy and Circuit City reported a huge amount of interest in flat-panel TVs; laptop computers; MP3 players; video gaming equipment; and digital cameras. Perhaps the surprise item of the year, though — this year's Wii — was navigation equipment using global positioning system (GPS) technology. GPS reportedly sold out almost everywhere at all price points.
Is it too glib to suggest that maybe retailers can use GPS to find their way back to profitability this holiday season?
—Steve Kaufman, VM+SD Editor
What do you think?
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Retail Spotlight
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Shoes on Eight
Saks' big, grand footwear floor is a must-see in New York
Saks Fifth Avenue generated an enormous public relations blitz to announce its renovated shoe department on the eighth floor of its New York flagship. The message to the world — in newspapers, magazines, TV and radio articles and ads — was: "10022-Shoe, a department so big, it needs its own ZIP code."
Step inside this luxurious world of shoes here.
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Join the Discussion
Got your hand on the pulse of the retail industry? Tell us what new retail design concept or product of 2007 inspired you the most? Which one left you wanting more?
Cast your vote here.
Weekly News Recap
INDUSTRY REPORTS
Mixed Signals
Black Friday trends: higher shopper traffic, lower average expenditures
Sales Fluctuations
Unseasonable weather leads to missed sales by Target, Limited Brands
DEPARTMENT STORES
Bon-Ton Moves
Retailer to close an Elder-Beerman store, convert another to a furniture gallery; also names new head of stores
Sears Seeking Restoration
Retailer has made bid for specialty furnishings chain; it's also testing a new retail concept in the Cincinnati area
Looking Good
Nordstrom reports strong third quarter results
SPORTING GOODS
Dick's Picks Chick's
Sporting goods retailer to acquire small Southern California chain
Hoop Heaven
Nike and Foot Locker partner on House of Hoops
SPECIALTY APPAREL
European Aspirations
Guess? hires president for its operations on the Continent
More Karen Millen
British retailer to expand U.S. presence over the next three years
SUPPLIERS
Light Switch
Philips acquires the Genlyte Group of lighting products
ELECTRONICS
Circuit City to Fired Employees: We've Changed our Mind
Retailer asks some of its former staffers to return
Read more news recaps.
Industry News
For the Week of November 26th
RYA Hires Jenny Lucas as Creative Director; USGBC Establishes New Green Organization; PAVE Announces Student Design Winners
Noteworthy New Products
"InfoCaster"
Harris Corp.
The "Instreamer-100" and "Exstreamer-100"
Barix Technology Inc.
Job of the Week
VM+SD’s free job board features regular updates on industry jobs and freelance openings. Here’s the latest posting:
Retail Display Designer
Penloyd
Competitions
Call for Entries: VM+SD Retail Renovation Competition
Deadline is March 26, 2008
Looking for the Best Visual
Enter VM+SD's 15th annual International Visual Competition
Upcoming Events
The NADI Show
December 5-7, 2007
West 25th Street and Starrett Lehigh Building, New York
The NADI Show returns to New York with a collection of showrooms, Shoptalk panel discussions, the PAVE Gala, an Art Walk through Chelsea and nightly cocktail parties. For more information visit, www.thenadishow.com.
Coming Up in VM+SD Magazine
December:
- Playing Around: Playboy shows off its fashionable side in its newest playpen in London, on Oxford Street.
- The Right Step: Pablosky, a Spanish manufacturer of footwear, is embarking on a global retail expansion. Get a look at its first stop — Dubai.
- New York Landmark: Chef/owner Marc Murphy brings his successful Landmarc restaurant to the Time Warner Center. See how designers mixed natural and industrial ingredients for an irresistible dining experience.
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