Shopping Tips Online

Is the unusually warm weather we’re having on the East Coast and most of the Midwest hurting retail business?

The answer is probably so.

Planalytis Inc. is an advisor to retail companies and other consumer goods manufacturers about the weather and its impact on their businesses. In an article on cnbc.com, Amy Brackin, director of marketing at Planalytics stated, “What the weather will drive is what people buy.”

That means slow sales of sweaters, scarves, and other cold accessories could dampen overall apparel sales, though younger consumers and other slaves to fashion trends will likely buy into the latest styles, regardless of the temperature.

The article points out that the weather has also affected sales of winter sports equipment. Who needs skis if there’s no snow?

I live in an area of the country where there are four distinct seasons, and part of the enjoyment of that is four distinct wardrobes! I have bought only one new heavy sweater this year, and have yet to wear it. It’s just too “wintry” for near-50 degree temps.

How has the weather affected your shopping habits this year?

Warm Winter Weather, Winter Clothes

As a followup to my previous article about compulsive spending I ran across an article in today’s
Salt Lake Tribune about a woman who claims a shopping addiction made her steal over $240,000 from the family owned business where she worked. Last year alone she stole over $50,000 from the small towing and auto repair shop. The 40-year-old was sentenced to 15 years, and was ordered to repay the money. Of course, it’s all been spent.

In this case, the judge didn’t buy her “shopaholic” defense.

1st District Judge Thomas Willmore countered: “Shopping is not an addiction. Deal with it on that level and don’t blame it on something in your mind.”

I disagree with the judge’s comment – I do believe some people are seriously addicted to spending money. I go back to the article I cited from WebMd to point out that for many, many people, shopping and spending money is a behavior that gets completely out of control. This is obviously the case with this woman. However, many shopping addicts have wiped out their checking and savings accounts, gone into serious debt, and lost their homes and marriages but have never resorted to actually stealing money from someone to support their habit.

Bottom line: Do I believe she had a problem? YES. Do I think her claim of shopping addiction should have led to an acquittal? NO.

Shopping Addiction, Salt Lake Tribune, Woman Stole to Shop

The Big Decision (capital B, capital D) for you may be what size to buy, but for most people, it’s when to buy. Because prices keep falling while technology races ahead, how do you know when to make the leap, and exactly how to stay ahead of the technology curve?

The answer is: don’t try. It’s impossible to stay ahead of technology. Next year there will be even better TVs. So the idea is to get what you need, and what you’ll enjoy, at the best price you can find right now.

Here’s a good article on the subject which led me to a blog written by Carlton Bale, an engineer and home theater design consultant. He points out that the important aspects of picture quality are contrast ratio, color saturation, color accuracy and finally, resolution. Higher resolution is only worth the extra money if your viewing distance is optimized for that size screen. In other words, from the distance most people sit from their television, you may not be able to tell the difference. He has a couple of very helpful charts that illustrate this point.

The basic point to remember is that in screens with a diagonal measurement of less than 60 inches, which is what most people buy, it makes little difference whether the TV is 720p or 1080p. That is because if your TV is 10 feet away or more, you cannot tell the difference.

Bale also points out that plasma screens are superior to LCD in the four key picture quality areas.

Cut the Big Decision down to size, and check out these articles if you’re in the market for a big screen TV.

Big Screen TV, Plasma TV

I’m not the greenest person around. I’m more of a shade of green, really. But there is one way I am doing my part to save the world – I use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). The bonus? It saves me money, too.

This morning I heard that Wal-Mart, in an effort to help out, is on a mission to sell 100 million CFLs. The official news release, dated November 29th, quoted Wal-Mart Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Sustainability Andy Ruben as saying, “We have a fundamental belief that all families should have access to affordable, sustainable goods, and compact fluorescent lightbulbs are a great way for our customers to save money.”

The retail giant has developed a multi-faceted approach to encourage more people to switch to CFLS, including interactive and educational displays that will help you choose the right bulb, and an online savings calculator here on the Sam’s Club site. I tried the calculator myself, and found that if I replace just 5 incandescent bulbs with GE Compact Fluorescent 13 Watt bulbs, I save about $35 a year on my electric bill (at 10¢ per Kilowatt hour, the national average). The 8-pack of bulbs on Sam’s Club’s site sells for $10.88. So, the savings more than pays for the bulbs themselves in just one year.

You save money, but what are the benefits to the planet? According to ENERGY STAR, a government-backed program dedicated to helping us save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices, every CFL used keeps 450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere over its lifetime. “If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.”

But, if all that doesn’t seem like enough incentive, consider this. These bulbs last ten times longer than an incandescent bulb. So, even though they cost a little more to begin with, you won’t be replacing them more than once every five years or so!

It’s the simplest and cheapest way to save money, and save the planet. Just change a light bulb!

Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Energy Star, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs, CFL, Protecting the Environment, Saving Money, Saving Energy

This will date me, but I remember buying six-packs of BEER. Generic beer. I was pretty broke at the time, so I didn’t care that it was generic. Tasted fine to me. Those were the days. “Generic” was in. Down with brand names! Up with saving money!

Eventually, though, people equated plain white packages of PEAS (or cans of BEER) with low quality. So, generics became “store brands,” private-labeled goods meant to compete with brand names on price. But, in 1991, according to a study conducted by industry group Private Label Management Association, only 12% of us would admit to purchasing store brands.

In 2006, 41% of us say we frequently buy store brands. They call this the “Target effect.” In the early 90s, Target set the trend by offering their own brand of products that were well-designed and well-priced, and people responded. Retailers like Costco and OfficeMax are applying the same principle to their products, on everything from cruises to ink pens, and they are having some success. Read the whole story in this article in today’s Business Week.

I am a frequent purchaser of store brands. When it comes to food items, I seldom struggle with the decision. Brand-name food manufacturers private-label the same products. It is a few cents cheaper and the quality difference is marginal, in my opinion. There are exceptions, of course – if I feel the need for a gourmet product, I go for the big label. Day to day, though, store brands are just fine with me.

As for other consumer goods, I am probably a lot like most of you. If it’s designed well, the price is attractive, and the function is the same or nearly the same as the brand name, I will go for the store brand.

I have seen this swing occur before, particulary in clothing and accessories. For a period of time, you’re no one if you aren’t wearing a sweater that screams a designer name across your chest. Then suddenly that will seem “so 3 years ago.”

I recently reported about a Japanese clothing company opening a new store in New York City. Uniqlo, called “the Gap of Japan,” is known for it’s almost anti-designer, generic look. It was arguable whether their design sensibilities, as well as their commodtity-priced clothing, would go over in the U.S. Dave, over at Pop Buzz UK had a story not long ago about the trend toward the very “unfashionable” Plimsolls, cheap rubber soled shoes that are being snapped up by very fashionable celebs like David Beckham.

I say these are just signs of the trend toward a new brand – Generic. Keep watching.

Trends, Generics, Store Brands, Plimsolls, Uniqlo, Designers, Brand Names

Do you suffer from “Wrap Rage?” I know I do. I have the experience on a regular basis. In fact, recently I purchased a four-pack of compact fluorescent lightbulbs that were in what’s called a “blister pack,” and shattered one of the bulbs trying to open it. When it comes to blister packs or “clamshell” packages, I frequently resort to a very sharp kitchen knife when wrestling and cussing don’t work. Thankfully, I haven’t suffered anything more serious than a broken nail and a headache from all the screaming.

A USA Today article reports that serious injuries can result from frustrated consumers resorting to unsafe means to open a clamshell package.

“We’re just one center and we see 10 patients a year who get cuts, half of which need surgery, and you have to remember we don’t know how many don’t go to get treated,” says Randall Culp, a surgeon with the Philadelphia Hand Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The injuries he has treated include severed fingers and cut tendons, he says. “I think it’s a real health issue.”

I understand that manufacturers face a different environment now than ever before. They need packaging that is easily merchandised by the retailer, that presents the product in an attractive way, and at the same time is sized and shaped to prevent theft. But you have to wonder if they realize that the consumer will want to get the darn thing open without bodily injury or long-term mental health problems.

Consumer Reports reviewed several kinds of packaging, and then presented the “best” – that is, the hardest-to-open – with their “2006 Oyster Awards.” The clamshell took first place. (more…)

BBC News reported today that the last installment in the Harry Potter series will be entitled “Harry Potter and the Deatlhy Hallows.” If you haven’t already, go to an online retailer like Amazon and sign up for an automatic email when the book becomes available. I would recommend getting on a waiting list – book 6, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” sold a record-breaking 2 million copies on the first day of its release in the UK.

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter 7, Deatlhy Hallows

USA Today reported that FedEx shipped a record 9.8 million packages on Monday – 10% more than last year. That’s 63% more than an average day.

Basically, the ship has sailed for regular, ground delivery – the cutoff was December 15th. You can ship up to December 22 with FedEx Overnight or SameDay. Check their site for specific services. FedEx lists last days to ship here.

If you still want to send your gifts “special delivery,” you’d better get them wrapped and ready!

Something was just not right. The hip hop music was okay. The celeb rappin’ it was okay. But the overall commercial just fell flat. They tried to be cool, but to me, they were blah. That’s unusual – I usually click with Gap ads.

Today I ran across an article on Washingtonpost.com that nailed it for me.

Though its ads featuring music, dance and celebrities have won acclaim for their inventiveness, store traffic is down as teens and young adults flock to trendier retailers Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and Aeropostale Inc. , believing Gap jeans and sweaters are more appropriate for their parents.

Older shoppers, on the other hand, have been confused by Gap’s focus on younger-styled apparel like skinny pants and the use of hip-hop music in ads, analysts and customers say.

The article also points out that the ads focus on one item of clothing, like the hoodie featured in the holiday spots, rather than pushing the whole line. The Gap says that their strategy is working, and they are converting shoppers into multiple-item buyers. But, the same store sales figures don’t add up with that – dropping for 10 months running.

The company’s news release is more positive, of course. And, according to a National Retail Federation survey, the ads rank among consumers’ top 10 for this holiday season.

So, while they are cool ads, in the end, are they effective? I liked this quote from the Washingtonpost.com article:

For example, Kelly Collazos, a 15-year-old New Jersey high-school student, said she liked the music on the ad, but still skipped the store on a recent Christmas shopping trip.

“The music and the commercials are good but the styles, well, it’s a Mom store,” she said. “My aunts shop there.”

It doesn’t look like “peace love sales” for the Gap this year.

While at a Toys “R” Us in Midland, Texas, some shoppers noticed a 3 month old baby unattended in a shopping cart. Apparently, one family member was responsible for taking the kids home so the other adults could shop, but he forgot the baby. Read the article here. Midland police Sgt. Alfredo Grimaldo said that it was a case of family miscommunication, and not child neglect. Thank God for that. I know it’s a crazed time of year and I can sympathize. But people. Let’s keep it together and focus on what’s important – not what’s on sale.

Baby left in shopping cart

They were in, they were out, then they were way out. You probably deny ever having had a pair. But pull them out of the back of the closet – UGGs are back, baby. The sheepskin boots out of Australia are selling like hotcakes again, according to this article on Newsday.com.

So, I hopped on over to the company’s official website and checked out some of their new styles. Of course, the old favorites are still extremely popular, but they do have some fresh looks that aren’t so, well, UGGish. Like these boots with decorative buckles ($400), and some cute driving mocs that come in several colors ($90). And guys, don’t feel left out, they have some boots just for you, like these Arapahoes that retail for $185.

So, go for the classics, or something new, but if you want to be back in the IN crowd, get yourself (another) pair of UGGs.

UGG, Australia, Sheepskin, Boots

Are you feeling the pressure yet? There are only 14 days until Christmas! The National Retail Federation did a poll of 76 online retailers regarding deadlines for shipping orders guaranteed to be received by Christmas day. Here’s the breakdown:

December 14 or earlier – 23%
December 15 - 17 – 32%
December 18 or 19 – 39%
December 20 or later – 6%

So, your best bet will be to get your orders placed within the next 7 days!

Online Ordering, Guaranteed Delivery by Christmas, National Retail Federation

Tiffany & Co. announced today that they will partner with Luxottica Group to design, manufacture and distribute ophthalmic and sun eyewear under the Tiffany name. Luxottica has co-branded eyewear for Donna Karan, Prada, Versace and Polo Ralph Lauren among others. Set for release in ‘08, is will be the first time Tiffany has marketed luxury eyewear.

Tiffany & Co., Luxottica, eyewear, glasses, sunglasses

Since 1962, Havaianas (pronounced ah-vai-YAH-nas) have been the coolest flip flops going. They are made from a special rubber formula that makes them feel terrific on your feet. Now they can make you feel good in another way. Style West, the exclusive U.S. distributor of Havaianas Sandals will donate $1 for every pair purchased from this site to the Autism Research Institute. With styles for men, women and kids, I think these would make an awesome stocking stuffer! Not only that, you’d be helping the 1 in 166 kids who are affected by autism. Flip on over there and check them out!

Sandals, Charity, Autisim Research Institute, Havaianas

When I am skiing, I am concerned about a few things – getting off the lift without causing a pileup and not killing myself on the moguls. At those moments, fashion is the furthest thing from my mind. However, it’s not far from my mind before we leave for the ski trip. Like most people, I spend a little time putting together my ski “outfit.” That usually consists of trying to look like I know what I am doing, while looking fetching in the ski lodge, where I am when The Bob decides to goes to ski the blacks.

Designers know we care about our look on the slopes (and in the lodge), so three high-profile companies are outfitting the pros, and us amateurs, with some new ski wear that blends function and fashion.

Prada has outfitted the pros at St. Moritz, Switzerland in what appears to be a pretty conservative look – basic blue with a red chest stripe. Leather and faux fur detailing give it a lift. They will roll out the consumer version of this in 07-08. The word on the slopes is that their moon boots with an all-sheepskin lining are the hot accessory to jump for.

In Aspen/Snowmass, the ski pros wear
RLX Ralph Lauren. (more…)