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Harder Sell, Softer Landing
Web retailers are
building out site features and planning heavy promotions
to connect with online Christmas
shoppers
By
Mark Brohan
Retailers aren’t expecting
web shoppers to stuff as many stockings or arrange as
many gifts under the tree this holiday shopping season.
The prospect of softer sales is pushing merchants to
think up better ways to drive site traffic and launch
new promotions that can turn visitors into motivated
Christmas shoppers, according to Internet Retailer’s
latest monthly survey.
With the holiday shopping
season already in high gear, the survey finds that web
retailers are launching more promotions and increasing
their spending on search engine marketing. Merchants are
also busy updating their e-commerce sites with new
features or functions and taking steps to improve
performance and customer service—all with an eye on
snagging the Christmas buyer.
Posting solid holiday sales
is important to merchants regardless of size. The survey
finds that 55.3% of retailers count on holiday gift
purchases for more than 25% of their annual sales,
including 9.1% where Christmas makes up 50% or more of
yearly revenue. But unlike previous years when web-based
holiday sales grew by about 25%, most retailers this
season are anticipating softer results as consumers deal
with high energy prices, the threat of a recession and a
slumping housing market. The survey—this one on holiday
expectations and preparations—reveals that 76.9% of
retailers expect online Christmas sales to grow by 20%
or less this year, including 33.8% by 10% or less and
17.7% by no more than 5%.
Early and
often
For the remaining portion
of the article, you may reach it by clicking
here.
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 Tech Tips:
Did you Backup Your
Software Today:
We have several backup
solutions:
·
Removable hard
drives that the client trades out every day or so.
Uses batch files that run form Rpro scheduler (or some
other scheduler) to simply copy files from Rpro / BW to
the removable hard drive into folder named for the day
of the week. This method provides 2 weeks of
backups and the ability to easily replace single files
or whole folders in Windows Explorer. It is
usually scheduled to occur at night, but not during
polling or any other Rpro functions.
·
Tape backups are
more troublesome. We have set them up in the past,
but have shied away from this option for about a year
now. Backup program is usually Veritas or as
provided by the tape drive manufacturer.
·
External backup
drives are usually SUB< AND require PNP OS’s and
hardware. This is becoming the backup of choice,
and works very similar to the removable hard drive
backup system.
·
Rpro provides
the safeguard backup system, which simply zips up key
data files into the Rpro folder. Okay to have in a
pinch, but not an adequate primary backup
system
·
The magical
backup fairy which is the backup that clients look for
when their hard drive on the main master has exploded,
and they haven’t done a backup in over 2 years (when
they were on V6). Apparently only ARMS has access
to this type of backup system, which is why clients call
tech support for their
backups.
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Retail SpotLight
Ptarmigan Sports
Steve Lincks opened Ptarmigan
Sports in July 1998. Ptarmigan Sports has been in
the same location in Edwards CO for all of their 9 years
in business. Steve is the sole proprietor of this
outdoor adventure store. Combining his lifestyle
as an avid outdoorsman and 12 years of industry
experience, Steve opened Ptarmigan Sports with 1,850
square feet of selling space and then it grew to 3,000
square feet of selling space.
Ptarmigan Sports does more
than sell product. They support a lifestyle that so many
people in the Colorado Mountains and those who visit
enjoy.
Advanced Retail Management
Systems is pleased to have Ptarmigan Sports as a Retail
Pro client since 1998. Their first version of
Retail Pro was Version 6.51. In the past few
months they upgraded to Version 8.52. Regarding
the changes Steve stated, "it is super easy to train new
employees." For Steve the biggest thing is the
ease of reports and the reporting capabilities within
Retail Pro Version 8.52. If you are in the Vail
Edwards area of Colorado whether it is winter or not,
Ptarmigan Sports requires a visit. Check them out
at www.ptarmigansports.com.
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Meet
Our
Staff
Andrea Ellerbrock,
Senior Sales Consultant
Andrea is
starting her fourth year with Advanced Retail Management
Systems. In the first 2 years she was a key player in ARMS’
becoming a successful Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management
Systems dealer. From Andrea’s sales efforts ARMS has the
distinction of reaching Microsoft’s President’s Club. In the
early part of 2007 Andrea also began selling Retail Pro. She
has duplicated that success again.
Andrea is a
Colorado native and graduated from Colorado State University
(Go Rams)!! She enjoys the outdoor lifestyle that Colorado
offers and during her free time you will find her
rollerblading, water/snow skiing, and kickboxing.
Andrea is a sales professional with 8
years experience in the telecom industry. She also has
experience with E-Commerce marketing for small business and
has also received her Paralegal certification. Her broad
education and business experience give her the ability to
relate to a variety of business needs. During her time selling
Microsoft Dynamics RMS and Retail Pro Andrea has met a large
variety of new clients, and she enjoys the challenges and
rewards associated with providing them a Point of
Sale/Inventory Control solution.
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Black Friday Weekend Traffic up 4.8 Percent as Consumers
Shop for Smaller Ticket Items
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Kathy Grannis (202) 821-7513 or Scott Krugman (202)
299-6721
Email: grannisk@nrf.com or krugmans@nrf.com
Black Friday Weekend Traffic up 4.8 Percent as
Consumers
Shop for Smaller
Ticket Items
--More Shoppers Helps Make Up for Lower Consumer
Expenditures--
Washington, November 25, 2007 - If
there were any doubts that consumers would be shopping
in full force over Black Friday, they have finally been
put to rest. According to the National Retail
Federation's 2007 Black Friday Weekend Survey, conducted
by BIGresearch, more than 147 million shoppers hit the
stores on Black Friday weekend, up a solid 4.8 percent
from last year.
Consumers spent an average of
$347.44*, down 3.5 percent from last year, but still up
an incredibly strong 14.8 percent from 2005. Retailers
made up for the lower average expenditure with increased
traffic.
"While last year showed a greater
emphasis on high-definition televisions, this year
consumers were focused on lower priced doorbusters like
digital photo frames, laptops and cashmere sweaters,"
said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. "Though Black
Friday weekend was a complete success for many
retailers, the results of the holiday season won't be
determined until the last two weeks of
December."
Black Friday was marked with retailers
opening their doors earlier than ever, with some
choosing to start their sales as early as midnight. This
strategy appeared to pay off as 14.3 percent of
consumers were out shopping before 4:00 AM, compared to
12.4 percent last year.
Men once again proved to
be the better Black Friday customer. With a greater
emphasis on door-buster specials in the consumer
electronics category, men outspent women $393.63 to
$303.95.
"Knowing that consumers would be
challenged by the current economic environment,
retailers hoped that higher traffic would offset lower
individual spending, which it did," said Phil Rist, Vice
President of Strategy for BIGresearch. "With consumers
expecting retailers to be more promotional on Cyber
Monday, the holiday season is off to a good
start."
Though discounters saw a dip in traffic
last year, they rebounded nicely this year as 55.1
percent of shoppers visited discount stores, up from
49.6 percent in 2006. Consumers also shopped in
traditional department stores (38.7%), specialty
retailers (43.2%) and online (31.6%).
The most
popular items purchased were clothing or clothing
accessories (46.8%) as well as books, CDs, DVDs, videos
or video games (41.7%). Other purchases this weekend
included consumer electronics (35.7%), toys (28.2%), and
gift cards (21.0%).
As of Sunday, November 26,
the average person has completed 36.4 percent of their
holiday shopping, showing virtually no change from last
year. Only one in 12 consumers (8.2%) has finished their
holiday shopping.
NRF continues to project that
holiday sales will rise 4.0 percent this year to $474.5
billion.
More article information,
click here.
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2007
Consumer Holiday
Retail Spending
From Melody Vargas,
Your Guide to Retail Industry .
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Annual Holiday
Retail Guide for 2007
Consumer spending accounts for about
two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, so how are U.S.
retailers weathering the 2007 holiday season?
According to the National Retail
Federation (NRF) 2007 Black Friday Weekend Survey, Black
Friday foot traffic in stores was up 4.8 percent from
last year. The NRF estimates that consumers spent an
average of $347.44 over Black Friday weekend, with men
outspending women $393.63 to $303.95, primarily due to
larger ticket purchases of consumer electronics,
particularly door buster specials.
Where Consumers
Shopped Black Friday Weekend
• Discount stores 55.1%
•
Specialty stores 43.2%
• Department stores 38.7%
• Online 31.6%
Most Popular Items
Purchased Black Friday Weekend
• Clothing and accessories 46.8%
• Books, CDs, DVDs, Videos and Video Games 41.7%
• Consumer electronics 35.7%
• Toys 28.2%
•
Gift cards 21.0%
For the remainder of the article,
please click
here.
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8100 Southpark Way # A-10, Littleton, CO
80120
303-738-1800 | Fax 303-738-9563
Denver -
Chicago
www.armsys.com
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