Best Bathrooms in Retail

Lets be honest, when you're shopping, the quality of a retailer's bathroom takes on some significance. I can love my shopping experience, but if I walk into a messy, dirty bathroom, I'm turned off. Take grocery stores for instance. Typically, they're pretty awful. I'll only use Fred Meyer bathrooms if it's an absolute emergency. However, at a recent visit to QFC (incidentally, also owned by Kroger), I was pleasantly surprised. It was clean, tidy and even had hairspray, lotion and other goodies for my use. It was almost like the bathrooms at my favorite boutique hotel--Hotel Lucia. Okay, not quite, but it was nice.

Apparently, I'm not the only one rating retailers on their restrooms. Cincinnati-based Cintas Corp. holds a national "America's Best Restroom" contest each year. Cintas is a restroom hygiene products and services provider, which makes the contest a very clever marketing strategy for them. Ballots are cast online and include a wide range of businesses, including restaurants, hotels and casinos. Qualifying standards are based on outstanding hygiene, style and open access to the public. This year's winner of the 6th Annual Cintas Contest was none other than Fairfield, Ohio-based Jungle Jim's International Market. Check out the photo of Jungle Jim's bathrooms and you'll realize why they took the title. While from the outset the bathrooms appear to be port-o-potties (ick!), they're actually faking customers out. Upon entrance, guests are surrounded by an upbeat jungle motif, complete with 10 stalls, marble accents, green tile, fresh flowers and tropical artwork. A company spokesman said that Jungle Jim's is all about having fun--even when it comes to their restrooms. Now, that's the kind of retailer I want to shop at.

The other four finalists were Virginia Beach, Va.-based Catch 31, Las Vegas-based Mix Lounge at Mandalay Bay, followed by Proctor, Vt.-based Vermont Marble Museum, and Flushing, Mich.-based Fandangles'.

So, this got me thinking--who do WE think has the best bathrooms in retail? Lets say our criteria is based on style, creativity and cleanliness. Any ideas? I would love to hear your nominations. I recently visited Ulta (I know, when am I NOT shopping?!) and loved their restrooms. Very mod. But, unfortunately, I can name more retailers that don't meet this criteria, like Target, Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer and Zupan's. So, help me out--which retailer's bathrooms do you love? Leave a comment with your nominations here.

--Heather Strang

Wool Wear in August?

Have I entered some kind of time warp, or is it really August 2007? Because if it is in fact, August, then can someone please tell me why wool pea coats and Halloween decorations are haunting the aisles of my favorite retailers? This weekend, I was in search of a cute summer dress at Nordstrom and then at Ross (Talk about two ends of the shopping spectrum, but I can't resist Ross's prices!). Instead of oodles of summer lovin' gear, I found sweaters, wool coats, opaque tights and knee-high boots. Sure, there was a smattering of skirts and capris, but mostly just the leftovers that no one else wanted. You know what I'm talking about--it's the clothes that look like the sales clerk nonchalantly tossed them onto the rack and then stuck a large, red Clearance sign on top. Now, all of the attention goes to the beautifully decorated and elegantly positioned racks of coats and other fall and winter goodies.

Retailers obviously have ants in their pants, and I'm more than a little irritated. I had to wear a sundress I already owned from last year. Horror of horrors! But, in all seriousness, what's the rush? It's still August and there's plenty of sunshine to be had. Lets not forget the gorgeous Indian summers that grace the West Coast, maybe even you East Coasters get them too. You know, warm days and deliciously cool evenings. I can't possibly don a wool pea coat for a late summer bonfire. The worst part is, that the new fall lines are anything but interesting. Faux fur--again? I thought we were over that. Of course, there's the endless amount of leather jackets, they never go out of style, except when it's SUMMER. Walking past racks of winter clothes depresses me. It also means, I leave the store empty handed...What kind of marketing tactic is that?!

I'm sure there's a fair amount of back-to-school-ers and their parents purchasing these winter goods, but I can't believe it's happening in large quantities. Although, my visit to Ross did resemble something like, "attack of the tweens and their exhausted parents," while Nordstrom had the rushed, desperate feeling of, "Hurry, get that piece of clothing before someone else does!" Back-to-school mania is certainly in high gear, but what about the rest of us spending our afternoons by the pool and searching for that perfect sundress? I'm positive someone, somewhere is doing this--it is after all, August--have I mentioned that?

If you've purchased a wool jacket, knee-high boots, opaque tights or a turtleneck recently, please leave a comment and let us know. If you're a retailer with an inventory full of winter gear in August, please clue me in on the logic behind this marketing ploy. I'm desperate to know...

--Heather Strang

DDI Tours American Girl Boutique and Bistro

At a press opening on August 17, 2007, American Girl unveiled its new retail concept--American Girl Boutique and Bistro--at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Ga. DDI magazine was at the press opening of the new 12,000-sq.-ft. store, which was designed by FRCH Design Worldwide and which is the first of its kind in the United States. American Girl Boutique and Bistro features a fun environment for girls and their moms (or dads, or whichever other family members are brave enough to take their little ones inside) to shop American Girl products and to also have brunch, lunch, dinner or dessert in the bistro. The store also features a Doll Hair Salon and private party rooms for celebrating birthdays and special events. Step inside the store with DDI and watch our exclusive tour of the American Girl Boutique and Bistro…

Chanel on a Budget

Corporations all across our county, indeed around the world, are wrestling with the disturbing rise of counterfeit goods flooding the market. Estimates suggest that counterfeiting is a $650 billion business. It’s an appalling practice, which is as foul as plagiarism. However, in truth, it is our own fault. We brought it on ourselves. America has sacrificed the sanctity of its unions, in deference to producing its goods in slimy off-shore operations. Which is why when you call information for the phone number for the tour desk at The Empire State Building, someone with an Indian accent in New Delhi will ask you where it’s located. Beyond the crass economic benefits to producing overseas, the darker side of the counterfeiting trade is that most manufacturing facilities in China, Pakistan, India and Indonesia (there are many others) often practice slavery. Often subjecting women and children to insufferable conditions. Lets agree that counterfeiting is wrong. I do take it seriously.

While I don’t lose sleep that conglomerates may loose sales, counterfeiting and piracy demeans the artistic integrity of great institutions. These great institutions like Rolex, Versace, Burberry, Coach, Kate Spade, Nike and Chloe, once exercised control over their own factories, but they, as have their colleagues, in an effort to raise their bottom lines, (i.e., profits) begun to rely on overseas manufacturers that use that cheaper labor base. Out of sight, out of mind. Counterfeiting will only get worse despite frequent crackdowns, raids and custom inspections.

That being said, I must confide I am a hypocrite. I’m as phony as the Louis Vuitton bags, two for $35, one for $21 on Canal Street in lower Manhattan. I appreciate the artistry of a good fake. Several museums have curated shows on fake masterpieces. Like Dolly Levi, “I have extravagant tastes, and a modest pocketbook,” which is why I love NY. I love the “Going Out Of Business Sales” that run for years; I love the free movies in Bryant Park. I love the TKTS Booth in Duffy Square, where you can always score 2 for 1 tickets for a Broadway Show. I love the street peddlers with designer cologne for $10. I stop by the guy at the card table presumably selling Tag Huer and Cartier tank watches, his and hers, for $25. You can get a Pashmina scarf for $5, or two silk ties. I have a white and lavender toile necktie that I’ve worn to death. New York is a bargain driven city. It’s these little pleasures that make this often tough city quite tolerable. We justify our naughty little purchases because of the rental of our miniscule studio apartments and the fare hikes on the subway. 

Which is why today I found myself in a moral quandary. On the corner of 38th and 8th was a practically authentic, almost real, copy, of a copy, of a copy of a Chanel, boucle jacket for just $4.99. Granted slightly reduced from the original version $1,500, which can be purchased at the Chanel Boutique on Prince Street. My fashion pulse began to race. Rest assured, Coco is writhing in her grave, and Jackie O is moaning from heaven, but their pain cannot compete with the squeals of joy as evidenced by tourists picking up a Chanelish treasure in saffron, bubblegum pink or butterscotch. Jackie was a New Yorker and would forgive me my trespasses. Gabrielle Coco Chanel is another matter; I’ll deal with her when I get to heaven. Christmas is just 126 days away, and my nieces from Cranford, N.J., will be as well dressed as Ashley Tisdale in “High School Musical in their faux Chanel jackets. I picked up three and still had enough change for a Venti Awake tea with soy at Starbucks. But wait, it gets better. In NY city we have a pesky 8.6 percent sales tax, which is why we penny-pinching New Yorkers schlep to N.J., to The Newport and Garden State Mall, to avoid our oppressive 8.6 percent. Please do not share this with Mayor Bloomberg, but the purveyor I purchased my Chanelized fashion treasure from didn’t even charge me sales tax. I practically got the vapors!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Enhancing or Hindering the Grocery Experience?

You may need a color-coded key card the next time you shop at Safeway. The lifestyle-focused retailer recently introduced its Eating Right label under the "theory" that the new label will make shopping for healthy foods easier, primarily because the labels shout out a food's nutritional benefits, like "High in Fiber" or "High in Protein." Finally, no more hours wasted reading boring nutrition labels! Instead, Safeway does the hard work for us by color-coding labels that indicate a food's health benefits. The company released the following as their color codes for the new Eating Right brand:

Light Blue = Low Fat
Royal Blue = Light
Red = Whole Grain
Yellow = Low Cholesterol

Whew! It's not really that much to remember, but why light blue and royal blue--couldn't we just stick to primary colors, people? As if grocery shopping wasn't challenging enough (I loathe it!), I'm not so sure Safeway's color-coded labels will make my life easier. But, being the true journalist that I am, I decided to give it a shot.

My first warning sign came when it was nearly impossible to find the "Eating Right" label anywhere in my local NW Portland, Ore. Safeway store; even though I had called in advance to confirm that they did in fact carry the new brand. After asking several employees where I might find this label, I was directed to the frozen foods section where--tada!--several Eating Right labels appeared, looking very much like Lean Cuisine's and/or South Beach's frozen meals. Hmm...competition, anyone? Right now, the frozen food section is the only location with Eating Right labels (at least at this store), but management indicated plans are in the works to expand into most grocery areas.

Pretty soon, we'll all be shopping in a Safeway store filled only with Safeway products. The retailer has an abundant amount of in-house brands, which cuts out the middle man and puts more cash in their pockets. Novel idea, eh? While Safeway used to carry 70 private brands, they've recently reduced that number to 10. As a consumer, that's still a lot of Safeway to stomach. But, on the flip side, in-house brands are more attractively priced and typically carry the same nutritional weight as their brand-name counterparts.

Besides the challenge of actually locating the Eating Right label, the store I visited was beautifully laid out and the staff was remarkably friendly. I even had a pleasant chat with my cashier about the wheat-free cereal I was purchasing. Imagine that--friendly checkers?! I left Safeway feeling fabulous about my shopping experience, and no amount of in-house labels or color codes can take that away from me!

--Heather Strang

Leave the Pets at Home

I truly love my dog and cat, but would I take them shopping? I think that the big pet stores and supercenters have really opened a can of worms for the rest of the world with their open door policy for pets. I understand that bringing Fido or whomever into a pet store makes good business sense, but why would people think that this makes it okay to bring their pets into every other store?

Recently I was out looking for some new furniture (well, if truth be told the wife was looking for new furniture, I was just being dragged along to pay the bill) when in walks a nice looking family, complete with kids and their dog. Now if it had been a nice big dog masquerading as a guide animal, okay. But this little yipper specimen was just obnoxious with its constant noise. But the part that was most concerning was the reaction of the store manager and his staff. The group was rather quickly told to leave the store and to not come back with the dog as there was a serious allergy problem to dogs that one staff member was suffering from and they would be held liable for any hospital bills that resulted from their visit. And did they apologize for their unthinking actions? No, they objected loudly and rather crudely to this ejection.

But it does raise an interesting point. Is it a right to bring your pet with you wherever you go? Should every store have to post their pet policy on their doors along with their hours and credit card preferences? Grocery stores and restaurants have always been no-pet zones, and when I was growing up (back in the Stone Ages it seems) my parents would never have allowed me to bring a pet with us when shopping, so why now does it suddenly seem that it’s okay? I think it goes back to the pet superstores and their heavy advertising budgets telling people to bring their pets into these stores, and now people seem to think that includes all stores. But there are other people in the world with allergy problems, too, and they don’t necessarily have staff members and teammates to run interference for them.

Thank goodness for the well trained working animals that act as eyes for the blind, ears for the deaf, and all of the other things that they do to help people live better lives, but can we please leave Fido and Mouser at home for casual shopping?

--Scott Caldwell, Guest Blogger

JCPenney Mixes It Up

"Style is like science, so start experimenting." These are just a few of the pearls of wisdom you'll find frolicking about on JCP's (as they're now known to the cool kids) Web site, at: jcp.com/mixitup.

To really mix things up, JCP has created a reality Web show called "Flipped." The show is hosted by clothing designers Chip and Pepper Foster, creators of the C7P line, and follows teen cliques at a New Jersey high school. Students are taped as they spend time outside of their usual clique donning completely different outfits, created by Chip & Pepper. The concept so obviously makes sense. I mean, if you're already mixing up your group of friends, why not change up your clothes as well?! You'll laugh and cry as you watch teen girls pressure the newbie into eating sushi (which she hates) or watch some snobby suburbanite talk about how she would rather be at a "house party" than playing mini golf with her new clique. But, hey, she looks good doing it--so who cares, right? There are eight Webisodes total, all appropriately titled, from "Back With the BFF's" to "Lip Gloss vs. Rifle Toss." If you're beginning to suspect that the reality Webisodes are simply ploy's to get teens to buy JCP clothes...well...you're exactly right.

But, have no fear, it doesn't end there! If kids aren't sure which clique they belong to--JCP has that covered, too. In the "Shop by Style" section, cliques are paired with the appropriate matching clothing style, like: Diva, Retro, Class Prez, Baller, Rockstar, Preppie, SK8R and Varsity. And just in case visitors don't feel comfortable boiling their entire self-worth into a label, they have the option to mix and match--add a little preppie to that diva outfit or ball out your class prez gear. Yikes!

The site also features mobile updates, "meet the characters" from each Webisode and online versions of JCP commercials. The new campaign, including the reality Webisodes, was developed by Saatchi and Saatchi in New York. All in all, I have to give them props--it's completely unlike anything J.C. Penney has done before. I love creativity and this campaign is seeped in it. Is it a little over the top? Absolutely. But, with all of the advertising that's running amuck these days, how else does a retailer catch the wandering eyes of a teenage market? While it may seem like a rhetorical question, it's not. If someone has the answer, do tell!

In the meantime, check out the JCP Mix It Up site and send us your thoughts.
Have a similar campaign running? Leave the link in our comments section so we can check it out.

--Heather Strang

High-Fashion & Retail Collide

Gap loves to cause a frenzy. So, what would make the release of their fall campaign any different? Utilizing a little star power, the apparel giant introduced their "Classics Redefined" campaign this summer featuring celebs decked out in Gap gear. They also utilized the photog skills of a certain photographer, you may have heard of her--Anne Leibovitz--to handle the dramatic portrayal of celebrities in wide leg trousers and v-sweaters. And, voila! Can you hear the dollars rolling in? Quite the combination for creating a killer retail marketing campaign.

Gap has all the elements: celebrities, award-winning photographer, black-and-white dramatic prints, and of course, a "new" fall line. I use the word "new" lightly, because honestly, everything at Gap looks exactly the same to me. I know this because I shop there regularly. In fact, I'm wearing Gap jeans as I write this. The "new" fall line is more of the same regular Gap style (which I love!) only prettied up with celebs and great photography. Keep your eyes peeled for:

-John Mayer in a sweater vest
-Lucy Liu in a little black sweater dress
-Liev Schreiber sporting the "Haberdashery" shirt
-Sarah Silverman (pictured), donning wide trousers
-Forest Whitaker, in the "Macintosh"
-Selma Blair, wearing a deep v-sweater
-Ken Watanabe, in a tailored white shirt
-Regina King, in a short-sleeved turtleneck
-Davis Guggenheim, wrapped in a v-sweater
-Twyla Tharp, wearing a french cuff shirt
-Marcel Wanders, snuggling in a soft tailored blazer
-Puffy (wait, there's more than one?!) AmiYumi, donning the wide leg jean

Okay, so I guess we're also using the term "celebrity" lightly, but you get the point. The photography alone will catch a consumer's eye.

But, would this stunning marketing campaign work for Kmart's fall line or JCPenney? Or is it simply the Gaps, Saks and Cartiers of this world that can successfully use celebs to hock their merchandise? In the instance of Kmart/JCPenney, if Anne Leibovitz took the snazzy black-and-white pictures of celebs (even people I've never heard of) I would pay attention. In all honesty, I would probably be more open to buying clothes from the retailer, based on the campaign. How very fickle of me! Turns out, pretty faces and photography affect my opinion of a retailer. On the other hand, Kohl's has teamed up with Fergie (yuck!) and so the opposite occurs--I'm completely turned off. But, Fergie in a B&W Leibovitz photo? Maybe...

What about the rest of you out there, are you as superficial as I am? Does this hot Gap campaign make you want to shop there? C'mon, let us know. It's your turn to share!

--Heather Strang

A Happy Camper

I cannot resist a sale. So when J.Crew ever so kindly sent me a reminder e-mail that its swimwear was on final sale and clearance, I just about started drooling. Earlier this summer, I purchased a gorgeous green two-piece suit (gotta love that mix-n-match style) from the J.Crew Web site, which by the way, has a really cool (and helpful) feature called Swimfinder that lets you search by all sorts of different categories and see the suits on actual bodies. I paid full price for the green number and was very pleased with my purchase--so when I saw the opportunity to snag the same two-piece (in a different color of course, I'm not that shop-crazy) at half the price, I jumped at the chance.

Now, the story gets a little sticky. I ordered the same exact style and size in the top and bottom pieces in a fabulous Flamingo pink (cause after a summer of pool weekends I can actually wear light colors without looking like a ghost now! Don't worry, I always wear some SPF). I excitedly awaited its delivery with easy satisfaction, knowing that no surprises were going to ruin this purchase. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The top of the suit ended up having a huge defect that made it unwearable, automatically sending me into a panic since this was a clearance item/final sale and NOT returnable. I immediately called the customer service line around 7 p.m. and was actually able to speak with a representative. I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful and nice she was to speak with. She placed a special comment under my order number and told me that I would be able to return the suit to a J.Crew store in my area and receive a full refund. Happy with her promise, I headed to a local J.Crew a few days later--still anticipating the ensuing fight with one of the sales associates. Again I was wrong, but this time I was glad that I was mistaken. I gave the associate my order number and receipt along with the suit, and he quickly refunded my money --including the shipping and handling! No problems whatsoever. Even though the purchase didn't work out, it was one of the most pleasant retail experiences I've ever encountered. I will most definitely continue to do business with J.Crew.

Sometimes I find that retailers and their Web sites are not always aligned when it comes customer service goals, return policies or even merchandise offerings. But when a retailer does have synergy with its e-commerce business and its brick-and-mortar locations, it can really boost customer loyalty--and sales. It's refreshing to see that some retailers are taking this to heart and are already making the brand experience one that is all encompassing. I am one happy camper, or more appropriately, one happy shopper. Which makes for one happy (read loyal) customer.

--Jessie Bove

Facebook Takes Over the Retail World

Adults have them, and so do kids. C'mon, I know you've seen the Dr. Phil where he rips into a mother of three because of her scandalous pictures on MySpace. Or what about the beauty pageant winner whose Facebook pictures were used as blackmail? Any way you cut it; social networking is H-O-T, hot. Wal-Mart is all over this, recently launching a "Roommate Style Match" group on Facebook to capture college kids on their way back to school.

Students can take a quiz to discover their "decorating style" and (ta-da!) receive a list of products they can buy at Wal-Mart that best reflects their style, and their roommates', of course. How smart is this?! Students can also search Wal-Mart's Web site for eco-friendly products or download a shopping list of dorm room pieces. The hip, new items can then be shipped directly to the school (no furniture hauling for dad), making life a lot easier for parents and kids. And let's be honest, mom and dad are going to be all over that, even if they don't have a Facebook account. This idea is absolutely brilliant--and I don't even shop at Wal-Mart.

In a world of Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, YouTube and a variety of social networking and media sites, retailers could benefit substantially from plugging in. Securing teen and college kids' dollars is extremely lucrative. Connecting with them on their own platform is invaluable. Apparently, Wal-Mart did its research, because according to the National Retail Federation, the average first-year college student spends $1,112.62 on back-to-school gear. Cha-ching. Who's in for setting up a MySpace account?

In the information age, creativity reigns and it won't be too long before other retailers catch on and start hiring bloggers, launching social networking promotions and posting YouTube videos. Times, they are a-changin'. While we're all just making this up as we go along, the pay-off is potentially huge. Only time will tell, and I look forward to seeing Wal-Mart's quarterly sales results, how about you?

Speaking of you--Are you a retailer that already uses social networking sites for promotion? If so, we'd love to hear about your campaign or your experience interacting with the Facebook/MySpace crowd. Leave a comment or e-mail us!

--Heather Strang

The Hottest Handbag

The hottest handbag of the season is not a Vuitton or a Gucci. It is not even a Liz Claiborne. But it is the hottest bag in town, and people are queuing up, braving the weather--heat and rain--to get one. It’s the “I’m NOT a Plastic Bag” bag, designed by British designer Anya Hindmarch. The bag, white canvas with blue lettering, is sold at Whole Foods for $15 in New York, with a limit of three to a customer. This is the “It” bag of the moment, and it does not make a statement about your status or your bank account; it makes a statement about your commitment to “green.” Crowds recently lined up outside the Houston Street Whole Foods in New York, as early as 7 a.m., in anticipation of buying these bags. [They have ended up on eBay, with asking prices of as much as $300.]  Diva got really excited and inspired to see this much support for the good green cause--until she heard that one customer left the store with the tote inside a [real] plastic bag. After all, it was raining, what’s a fashionista to do?

--Diva

If You Can't Beat 'Em Join 'Em

This is one of those "it’s too hard to believe it’s true" stories. Animal activist organization PETA (Protection for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) recently became a shareholder (purchasing 60 shares) of Panera Bread in an effort to leverage control to move the company toward more ethical forms of killing its chickens and turkeys. PETA has requested that Panera use "controlled atmosphere killing," aka CAK.

According to PETA, with CAK, the oxygen that birds breathe is slowly replaced with inert, non-poisonous gases, putting the birds "to sleep" quickly and painlessly. Granted, this is far more humane that bopping them over the head with a shovel, but I wonder if this standard would hold up if were applied to humans? In truth, the birds aren’t sleeping; they are dead. It doesn’t make me feel that much better about eating fried chicken.

Studies of CAK conclude that in addition to being the least cruel form of poultry slaughter, it results in economic benefits. In short, it’s less bloody and easier to clean up. PETA might benefit from reading “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.”

As part of its campaign to move the food industry toward implementing CAK, PETA has become a shareholder in nearly 40 companies, including McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King. Say what? My PETA, who once threw red paint on fashion models wearing fur? It couldn’t be. PETA, whom I adore and always will, it sounds like what you’re doing is like joining the Taliban and asking them to use gas rather than bullets and bombs. Shouldn’t we be advocating that Panera offer a vegan version, perhaps a soy binder instead of eggs? Where’s the public outcry insisting that McDonald's reduce the price of its salads from $4.99 to one of its dollar meals so that it can compete with their 99-cent hamburgers? Will cows be CAK’d too?

I’m not a vegetarian. I’m not an activist; merely an observer. I try to be a responsible citizen. I carry my reusable tote bag with me so that I do not need to bring home more plastic. I switched from milk to soy. I understand the concept of changing the system from within. I’m all for it--except that it may intrinsically force us to compromise some of our beliefs. Please PETA, I have so few heroes left, stay pure.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Earn Cash While You Sleep

What could be better than earning piles of cash while you peacefully snooze the night away? Well, I can't think of anything better and neither can a few business-savvy retailers. Sears, Kohl's and Dick's Sporting Goods are some of the retailers offering online-only discounts during the midnight hours. As luck would have it, there's a plethora of housewives, college kids and other consumers that turn to the Internet whenever they can't get their ZZZs. And, wonder of wonder's--they want to shop. God bless 'em!

While initially this behavior seems surprising, it's actually not. I watched in disbelief as folks camped out for days awaiting the opening of the Portland IKEA. Harry Potter is another prime example--adults and kids alike stayed up all night to be the first to watch the movie or grab the book. It's not any different in the 24/7 Internet world. Sears offers discounts of 10-20 percent between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. on appliances--a section they want to increase sales in. Ingenious, insomniac-catered discounts! Kohl's promotes its "power hours" of increased savings between midnight and 7 a.m., while Dick's follows the same promotion hours, but calls it "the after hours sale."

With the average peak email reading time of 9 p.m-11 p.m, and spikes at midnight, 2 a.m. and 4 a.m--retailers are spot on. Competition often pushes businesses to extremes, but in this case, it just plain makes sense. If a large portion of your market is surfing the Web at these ungodly hours (that's right, I'm sleeping during all of this!), why not reward them with special offers and discounts? That way you can continue to snooze, and still bring in the cash. Not a bad deal, eh?

So tell us--have you ever made a late night Internet purchase? I must confess Amazon is my late night shopping location of choice--but I would love to hear about yours. Do tell!

--Heather Strang

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. New York is a city of many neighborhoods, most quite lovely and distinctive. Even their names conjure up evocative images, whether it’s Chinatown or Little Italy, Greenwich Village or Harlem. There’s Times Square, and just a block or two away is Hells Kitchen. Once upon a time each community took pride in itself. Each community, like a person, had its own identity. It seems that our towns, like ourselves, are undergoing a cultural schizophrenia. Ideally, I imagine our city is not too different from most cities, and most cities are not too different from most towns in America--each slightly different, special and unique. That being said, the world is moving toward a culture where everything is either Coke or Pepsi, and truth be told, they’re pretty much the same.

I read recently that the eternal city Paris is in a quandary as the once quintessential sidewalk cafés are disappearing right and left, so are the tourists. The Champs Elysées is littered with clothing stores, most discounters and importers. Quel Disastre! The Upper West Side has undergone a similar transformation in recent years--much like most of America. Our newest neighbors include a proliferation of Rite Aids and Duane Reades, the Coke and Pepsi of drugstores. Then there’s Commerce and Chase, the Coke and Pepsi of banks. They are not on every street; they are on every other street. They are punctuated by caffeine conveyor Starbuck’s; in our neighborhood we have two Starbucks on Broadway, one on 93rd and one a full block and a half away on 95th. You can practically wave to one another while buying your Venti coffee. Other recent megastore mainstays include Petco, Payless ShoeSource and Radio Shack. I cannot imagine that the Upper West Side is in need of that many parakeets or groupers, espadrilles or six packs of double AA batteries. They in turn are punctuated by chains--Domino's Pizza, Subway restaurants and Supercuts.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for capitalism and free enterprise, but this comes at a horrific loss--as they have moved in, smaller retailers have been muscled out by escalating rents. Liberty House, a wonderful women’s retailer that sold mostly imported goods made out of cotton and linen, lost their lease after 31 years of service; Little Extra’s, a charming infant and children’s store run by two former retired Bloomingdale's buyers, lost their lease after 21 years, just long enough to serve a full generation of children; and Embassy Florist is now vacant after 25 years, meaning that those little pots of coleus and impatience, two for $5, are no longer available to brighten up our window sills.

The malling of America may be like progress, inevitable. Now the Upper West Side is less a neighborhood, and more a conglomeration. Wouldn’t it be nice if our city administrators passed a zoning law that grandfathered in some businesses and offered rent-controlled, rent-stabilized commercial areas to help protect the character, flavor and essence of our communities?

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Photo: A midblock view on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

This photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Macy's Goes South Beach

Lime. Ocean. Coral. These are South Beach colors, people. And they're also the colors you'll see inside the newly renovated Macy's in South Beach. Macy's is spinning its look to "hip, hot and fashionable"--yes, that IS a direct quote--for its South Beach store in Miami. While the company is keeping silent on the cash spent for the 91,118-sq.-ft. renovation, one can only imagine. The store originally opened in 1953 as a Burdines, and according to several reports, could never keep up with the change in market as more bling entered the area. So, the new store is practically brand new--more windows for natural lighting, the home department has been eliminated, the men's department moved to the first floor, and women's apparel has taken over the entire second floor; as it should be, of course.

In addition to the new look, Macy's hipped it up by adding brands such as Lacoste, Ed Hardy, Paris Hilton (I could find no actual evidence of this line's existence, beyond blog reports, so you decide) and Michael Kors. Fancy, eh? The word is that Macy's is no longer "grandma's" store, as the market shifts dramatically from retirees to heiresses. To make sure the ladies in SoBe, as it's now known, are taken care of, Macy's also added Chanel and Bobbi Brown cosmetics, Coach handbags, Calvin Klein shoes and Betsy Johnson accessories. Sounds so very SoBe to me!

Although this is a dramatically new look for the Macy's SoBe, it's becoming a common Macy's trend as many of their stores in urban areas are featuring a more fashionable look. Personally, I love it. Retailers may want to take note; not only are colors like lime green and ocean blue all the rage, infuse your department store with high-end lines like Michael Kors (but stay away from that Paris Hilton stuff!) and you might maximize your visibility and sales. Besides all of that, your customers will also think you're über cool. And who could put a price on that?

Tell us about a store you know that has also pulled a Macy's and renovated to better appeal to its market. Does it work? Let us know, we'd love to hear your scoop! 

--Heather Strang

Bow WOW!

One of the fastest growing segments of retail today is toys (and a lot of other stuff) for today’s über-spoiled pets. BusinessWeek did a cover story on “The Pet Economy” in a recent issue and proclaimed that Americans now spend $41 billion a year on their pets.

Well, Diva can’t complain. She has just reserved a purebred kitten to be delivered in about a month. Actually, Diva will have to fly halfway across the country to pick up the tike--as soon as he is old enough to leave his mother (there is a waiting list, so the adoption is not assured, but the chances look good). Can’t wait. Then of course, come all the vet bills, extra cat food (Diva has one cat already), and other supplies. Some sources estimate the annual cost of caring for a pet to be an average of around $1,000. And then there is pet health insurance, which is nice if you can afford it. A visit to the vet these days is almost as expensive as a trip to a people doctor.

And while Americans love their pets--they are considered to be “members of the family” now--Austrians really go gaga over Fido. An article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, describes Dogissimo--an ice cream designed for dogs [of course it is fat-free and contains no chemicals or additives]. A Vienna ice cream parlor sells the treat in three flavors: rice, vanilla-rice and soy, and says it is perfect for cooling down pets at the end of a long walk. A large serving costs $10, so Fido will have to very well behaved indeed, to merit such a treat.

Oh well, Starbucks just raised the price of a cup of its coffee [again], so maybe $10 for a big dish of dog ice cream doesn’t sound so bad. But they need to work on those flavors--how about catnip supreme? Or dog bone Rocky Road? Diva doesn’t think Fido will be thrilled with vanilla-rice or soy. But, hey, you never know.

--Diva

Pre-Shoppers Rule the Retail World

Hire that Web geek now. I'm serious. A recent study by Yahoo! and comScore found that 89 percent of consumers shop online, while less than 7 percent actually purchase online. What does that mean? A killer Web site, SEO and online advertising are all retailer musts. The site has to allow customers to find what they want online, so they can then saunter into your store and hand over the cash. Strategically placed online ads help too. At least that's what Yahoo! and comScore tell us. They did survey 175,000 people to get this data, so they may be on to something...

"Pre-shoppers" (the 89 percent) spend, on average, 41 percent MORE in-store than customers who are not surfing the Web prior to coming in-store to shop. Wow. I just got a wake-up call. As a consumer that frequently "pre-shops" (new sassy shopping term), I thought I was being savvy by checking out all of my options online before making a purchase. Turns out, my online education time actually means that I'll spend more money. Good for retailers and I guess, not so bad for me--I do get some great deals on stuff I love. Like my recent entertainment stand purchase. I did my due diligence, surfing the Web until I found one that was in my price range and the style I wanted. Then, I called up the retailer--good ole' Target--and made sure they had one at the store closest to me. Why pay for shipping or wait to receive it? Instant gratification, baby! I figured it was a win-win; I now have a fabulous entertainment stand for the honkin' 42" flat screen TV my partner insisted on buying (BTW--"pre-shopped" online and then bought in-store), and Target gets my cash, biz and continued devotion. Sounds like a fair deal to me.

But, enough about my buying habits, the survey also found that consumers exposed to online advertising were more engaged--meaning once an individual views online advertising, he/she will go on to view six or more pages than if they hadn't seen the advertising. Pretty powerful, right? To put that in cash money terms, customers who view online advertising spend $6 in-store for every $1 online. So, lure them in with a snazzy site and great online ads, and then just wait for the cash register to start ringing. It worked for me!

--Heather Strang

A Dirty Little Secret

Remember when back-to-school ads consisted of oversized rulers and wormy apples? Those were the days. It’s 2007, and mean spirited is one way to describe a new hour-long, reality-based advertorial planned by megastore OfficeMax due to air on Aug. 5. Here’s the back story; New Jersey’s New Milford High School was subject to severe damage due to a flood back in April. The financially strapped school system was threatened to have to cut back on extracurricular activities in order to repair their bricks and mortar. In short, lose the arts program (which are always expendable). Not to fret, here was the back-door deal: very crafty OfficeMax secretly came to the rescue.

In keeping with popular shows like Ashton Kutcher’s MTV show “Punk’d” and Shannon Dougherty’s “Scared To Death” on the WB, 55 innocent kids from the New Milford High School were tricked into being sent to a grueling week-long music rehabilitation camp, under the bogus premise that they need to shape up, as their school has been deemed musically deficient, and is in jeopardy of losing its state funding. That’s not funny. The kids are berated, made fun of, put through the paces by adults all in on the gag. In all earnestness, they do their level best so all the kids at their school can benefit from their efforts. In the end, all is revealed, and shamefully one of my favorite bands All American Rejects makes a surprise visit to plug their album when the kids find out they have been had. OfficeMax purchased one hour of prime time space to air their dirty deed. It looks like a show; it’s really a commercial. In recompense for all their troubles and time, OfficeMax showers the kids with backpacks filled with MP3 players, digital cameras and school supplies. Teachers received laptop computers, and the quid pro quo was that the New Milford High School was rewarded with a $60,000 OfficeMax gift card. Money does not buy happiness. Money is not an equalizer. OfficeMax will further benefit by continuing to push the show called "Schooled" through an exclusive DVD of the special as a free gift with a $50 purchase of school supplies in August. Google will post behind-the-scenes video and deleted footage from the program so everyone can be further humiliated.

I’ll buy my lined paper and file folders at Staples for the time being. Shame on OfficeMax, shame on the adults, parents and school board members privy to placing their children in harms way all for a few laughs and $60,000. That’s about a mere $1,090 per kid.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

It Hurts to Lose

Imagine losing $41.6 billion. Okay, first imagine having that much money (for some of us, that might be a stretch) but work with me here--you have all of this money and then poof! It's gone. Welcome to the world of retail theft. It's big business, and at this point, it looks as though the thieves are winning. According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, retailers lost more than $41.6 billion from employee theft, customer theft, fraud and internal accounting errors, while $13.3 billion of it was from shoplifting alone. Ouch.

Not only is that a lot of money to be losing on an annual basis, but retailers are also facing some pretty savvy thieves. One large woman had leg straps on, which she then adhered a VCR to. Another, commonly known as "Grandpa Booster," looks like a nice, little old man, but in truth steals anything he can get his hands on and then sells it to pawn shops or on eBay. And we thought technology was making our lives easier. Yet another woman wore a girdle (oh, that's what those things are for!) with fish hooks, grabbing slabs of meat and hooking them under her skirt. Can you believe this??? All for meat. Which, by the way, if you're a retailer who sells meat-- increase your security immediately--this is apparently a very hot shoplifting item.

With approximately 23 million shoplifters scouring the nation's stores, being diligent is not only tough, but also hard to put into practice, just from the sheer volume of theft taking place. On average, a typical shoplifting heist results in $157 worth of merchandise. It's not simply for the thief to use either, he or she is most likely selling it on the street, hocking it or doing anything else to get cash for the goods. But, here's the real kicker, shoplifters only get caught, on average, once in every 48 times they steal; and they're only turned into the police 50 percent of that time. So, what's a retailer to do? Retailers and law enforcement officials (a total of 2,600+) attended the National Retail Federation's 30th Annual Loss Prevention Convention in San Diego several months ago to figure it out. I'm not exactly sure what they came up with, but I hope it involves metal detectors and sufficient pat downs, a la airport security (no more fish hooks lady!). Wal-Mart recently lowered the age they'll punish shoplifters to 16, in hopes of catching and prosecuting more thieves, who incidentally, usually start their life of crime during their teen years.

Is there a way to prevent shoplifting that doesn't involve Patriot-Act like measures? Can retailers beat the shoplifting grandpa's and girdle-wearing women of the world? Let us know where you stand...

--Heather Strang

Harry Potter Pandemonium

 

Sydney & I are down by the Scholastic store on Mercer Street at the Harry Potter festival and there's a huge crowd here waiting to get in.  The line is actually two long blocks and I guess they'll be selling lots of books when they go on sale at midnight tonight.  We waited about 40 minutes ourselves, but we were having lots of fun watching the audience.  Lots of folks in costume and we just got a flyer for games from EA that we can downlaod to our cell phones.  I understand that there are events like this at bookstores all over the city and I'm guessing the US and abroad. 

It's great to see this much attention given to a book and I'm sure that booksellers across the land are pretty thrilled as well.  I can't think of a recent book that has generated this kind of excitement in my memory.  Although I have to admit that I haven't read any of the Harry Potter books yet.  I'm thinking that this will be my first one.  (Most of my friends who have read the books have told me not to read this one first!)

Years ago, I hear Jim Lucas, the CMO of LucasArts, give a presentation about the Star Wars movies and how brands needed to become a movement.  And Harry Potter has certainly become a movement. It's not just a book to read, it's a whole world to enter.  And even the back story (or myth) is great.  J.K. Rowling, down on her luck, unemployed.  Sending the book out to lots of publishers, but only one taking it and only doing a 1,000 book initial printing (from the Pen Club radio show transcript, A Cinderella Writer).  Next thing you know, she in one of the wealthiest woman in Britain and the books and movies are all best sellers.

Got into the Scholastic store, where they're taking pre-orders for the book, which you'll come back and pick up at midnight tonight.  The store is packed with a variety of HP themed activities, like making wands, etc.  I've always liked this store (it's just down the block from our offices) and everyone here is certainly enjoying the festivities.

The thing that's most striking about the whole thing is the really wide age range here.  Although Sydney's having a good time making her wand, at 6, she's not really the target audience.  But you see adults, teens and everything in between, all excited about the same thing. It's a great shared experience for everyone here. 

They are doing trivia contests while everyone is waiting and it's really a very festive place.  And these are the true fans of Harry Potter, willing to wait in long lines just to get this book tonight. Yea, reminds me of the Apple stores a few weeks ago!  Same energy, same brand loyalty, same brand excitement.  This is an audience that while they could've read the ending online, they want to read the whole book first.  No shortcuts for this crowd! 

UPDATE:  I actually forgot to post this over the weekend so I can now update the sales info. 11 million books in the first 24 hours -- the biggest book launch ever.  And the reviews have been excellent. I'm trying to hold off reading it and I'm looking to buy first 6 books!

--David Polinchock