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January 27, 2014 Sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 414,000 units in December, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.  Despite the monthly drop, home sales in 2013 were up 16.4 percent over... Read more »

January 27, 2014 Revelations of job cuts at leading retailers, the latest involving Sam’s Club, are a reminder that pro-active expense control remains retailers’ best friend when it comes to ensuring profitability when faced with a murky outlook for consumer spending. Sam’s Club on Friday became the latest retailer to disclose plans to eliminate 2,300... Read more »

January 28, 2014 The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had rebounded in December, increased again in January.  The Index now stands at 80.7, up from 77.5 in December.  The Present Situation Index increased to 79.1 from 75.3.  The Expectations Index increased to 81.8 from 79.0 last month. “Consumer confidence advanced in January for the... Read more »

January 23, 2014 U.S. retailers are getting 2014 off to a heavily promotional start, building on last year’s deep-discounting trends, according to Morgan Stanley Analyst Kimberly Greenberger.  The 26 retailers she covers are about 40% more promotional than they were during the same month last year, she wrote in a research note.  “Our data indicates... Read more »

January 24, 2014 The Home Depot has acquired Blinds.com, the Houston-based online window coverings retailer.  In explaining the appeal of the partnership, Home Depot cited Blinds.com’s integrated user experience, on-demand staff and knowledge base. “We’re delighted to welcome the Blinds.com team into The Home Depot family,” said Home Depot chairman and CEO Frank Blake.  “The... Read more »

January 21, 2014 Nordstrom plans to open its third fulfillment center at Conewago Industrial Park in Elizabethtown, PA, in summer 2015.  The approximately 672,000 sq. ft. building, with an additional 470,000 sq. ft. mezzanine, will enable faster delivery for Nordstrom.com, Nordstrom mobile app and Nordstrom catalog orders. In its first three years, the new fulfillment... Read more »

January 23, 2014 Hudson’s Bay Company plans to launch a new mobile shopping application for both Hudson’s Bay and Lord & Taylor.  HBC is partnering with Pounce, a consumer-facing mobile app, to integrate traditional media with m-commerce, providing customers the opportunity to purchase merchandise displayed in print media using tablets and smartphones.  According to Pounce,... Read more »

January 15, 2014 In an effort to expand its service capabilities, Lowe’s has partnered with Porch.com, a home improvement network that connects homeowners with over 1.5 million professionals.  The partnership aims to connect customers with home improvement pros for nearly any project outside of what Lowe’s currently offers as part of its installation services.  “Working... Read more »

January 24, 2014 Dillard’s, Inc. announced today that it will make a significant contribution of more than $1 million to local chapters of Ronald McDonald House Charities.  This donation was made possible through the sale of Dillard’s exclusive Southern Living Christmas Cookbook. For the sixth time, Dillard’s offered a special custom edition of the Southern... Read more »