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| News for the retail industry | December 8, 2010 |  | |
 | | | Editor's Viewpoint | | - Retailers rally for recovery
 | | | Megan Conniff, Senior Editor | The past year in the retail industry can be summed up in one word: recovery. After months of discounting, tough hiring decisions and do-more-with-less strategies, retailers in 2010 began to readjust their pricing, ramp up expansion and hiring, and invest in innovation.
With so much of what happens with the economy affected by actions in Washington, retailers were faced with a variety of issues that affected their efforts to re-create the jobs lost during the recession and bring shoppers back into stores. Health care reform intended to expand coverage included employer mandates that amounted to a tax on jobs, and a Value Added Tax proposed to reduce the deficit threatened to drive up prices for consumers while costing hundreds of thousands of workers their jobs. On the positive side, legislation was enacted that will bring down debit card swipe fees, and retailers made progress on policy issues including organized retail crime, gift cards, estate taxes, Internet sales tax and international trade, among others.
Retailers, enthusiasm buoyed by strong Black Friday weekend sales, are cautiously optimistic about the ongoing holiday season. However, about 61% of holiday shoppers say they'll temper their spending because of the economy, according to an NRF survey, an indication that consumer confidence remains subdued.
Although many retailers have put a hold on the deep discounts of 2009, value is still a buzzword this holiday season. Toys R Us is offering customers 10% back on purchases, Macy's is offering discounts via Facebook, and Wal-Mart and Target are battling to see who can offer the best deals on electronics and other gifts.
The real question for retailers this holiday season is how much holiday spending will happen online. Predictions of a seismic shift toward m-commerce may have been premature, but 44.6% of men and 43.3% of women plan to make holiday purchases online, an NRF survey found.
Weigh in with your thoughts on the retail industry in 2010 by voting in the polls below. Part 2 of this special report will publish next Wednesday, Dec. 15. | | | | |
| The Year's Top Ten |  | | | Top 10 news stories clicked by SmartBrief readers in the past year. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers. Due to the time span, some links may be broken.
 | 14.2% of social-media strategies deemed very effective. Cut through the buzz around social media with sound data and insights from SmartBrief's original research. Discover the obstacles and opportunities in using social media to produce measurable results. Get The State of Social Media for Business — 15% off the list price for SmartBrief readers. | | Your Predictions | | | | - What is your strategy for success in 2011?
 | The emphasis will be on customer service and experience. | | We will play up our "value" messaging and offer promotions. | | Cut operational costs and overhead as much as possible. | | We will focus on reducing shrink. | | The plan is to incorporate more social media into our marketing. |
- Which technology will you invest the most in this year?
| Mobile, including apps and mobile websites. | | Social commerce and social media. | | Developing our e-commerce arm. | | In-store technology, such as RFID. |
- What is the No. 1 way you differentiate yourself from competitors?
| Superior customer service. | | Advanced technology. Our online, in-store and mobile features really stand out. | | A unique brand-loyalty program. | | Niche products not offered elsewhere. |
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Product announcements appearing in SmartBrief are paid advertisements and do not reflect actual NRF endorsements. The news reported in SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official position of NRF. | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com | | | | | | | | | | Recent NRF SmartBrief Issues: - Tuesday, December 07, 2010
- Monday, December 06, 2010
- Friday, December 03, 2010
- Thursday, December 02, 2010
- Wednesday, December 01, 2010
| | | Lead Editor: Megan Conniff
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