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Prices Climb At The Pump
The price of gasoline has gone up more than seven cents in the past three weeks. The record cold temperatures that have hit the nation are partly to blame for…
Wireless Technology a Hit at Consumer Electronics Show
if it’s wireless it’s getting attention at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
AB’s Real Men Campaign Works On TV Too
It was originally created as a radio campaign, but Bud Light’s “Real Men of Genius” campaign is making consumers sit up and take notice of the brand even if the…
e-Bay Stores Opening
Five companies have opened stores where sellers can drop off merchandise to be auctioned on eBay.
Soft Dollar Drives Overseas Purchases on U.S. Sites
The Evening Standard of London says that a weak American dollar has meant that consumers overseas are finding great deals on goods on U.S. e-tail Web sites.
Retailers Discounting Away Profits
Last minute shoppers drove up sales numbers but the deals that brought them in meant lower margins for retailers.
Slots Real Issue Behind Grocery Labor Strife
Reliance on slotting allowances has put the grocers involved in the lockout/strike in Southern California at a competitive disadavantage.
NRF Predicts 5% Growth in ’04
The National Retail Federation is predicting an improved economy and more jobs will add up to sales growth of 5% this year.
Campbell Celebrates Its 100 Year Old Kids
The cute company icons known as the Campbell Kids(tm) are celebrating their centennial birthday. The two were first illustrated by artist Grace Drayton whose husband was bidding for Campbell’s streetcar…
U.S. Payrolls Rise By Only 1000 Jobs In December
The Labor Department reported only a slight improvement in the jobless rate today as compared to the 150,000 additional jobs expected by analysts. The unemployment rate decreased to 5.7 percent…
Best Buy Same-Store Sales Up 9.3%; Total Sales Up 19%
A successful end to the holiday season boosted consumer electronics retailer Best Buy’s December sales to $4.64 billion, a 19% jump over last year. Based on the encouraging results, the…
Ahold Up On News That Sales Loss Meets Guidance
Relieved that a 10.5 percent drop in 2003 sales was no larger than expected, investors sent Ahold stock prices up 6 percent in trading today. Sales would have climbed 2.7…
Apple iPod To Be Sold With H-P Label
Apple announced yesterday that it will license its iPod technology to Hewlett-Packard, which will produce iPod digital music devices bearing the H-P brand and place an Apple iTunes jukebox software…
BSE Safeguards Stipulated By USDA
Following up last week’s announcements of further BSE prevention measures, the USDA issued four new regulations specifically addressing the way product is marked during the inspection process; the classification of…
A&P Narrows Loss on Divestitures
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company reported a 3rd quarter earnings loss of 65 cents per share, narrowing from a loss of 77 cents in the previous year period….
Disappointing Holiday Sales Send Gap Shares South
Shares of Gap Inc. dropped as much as 13 percent yesterday as investors expressed anxiety over a slight 1 percent increase in combined holiday period same-store sales at Gap, Old…
Kraft Reorganizes to Reset Global Marketing Strategy
The consumer packaged goods giant is moving former co-chief exec Betsy Holden into a newly established president of global marketing and category development position as part of a big restructure…
Target’s December Sales Up Almost 10 Percent
Target Corp. saw total retail sales jump 9.9 percent in December compared to the previous year. Comparable-store sales were up 4.1 percent for the same period.
P&G Raises Earnings Forecast
Procter & Gamble raised its quarterly earnings guidance yesterday saying the company saw sales of its health care products increase as a result of the early arrival of the cold…
Wal-Mart’s December Better Than Expected
A late surge of shoppers raised Wal-Mart’s same-store sales in December to 4.3% above the same period in 2002.
Not Everyone Has the Hang of Self-Checkouts
Baltimore Sun columnist discusses his personal mishaps trying to use self-checkout stations.
Wrigley Buys Gum and Candy Company in Spain
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. has agreed to buy the Joyco food business in Spain for $272 million in cash.
Home Networking Buzz at CES
Having a totally connected and automated home is the buzz of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. It is still, however, more dream than reality,
Smoke Free Pubs Gain More Customers
Pubs in the UK are going smoke-free and finding they’re gaining more customers than they are losing in the process.
Industry Has Plan to Reopen Japanese Market
Beef industry officials have a plan to certify American beef free of mad cow disease so that exports to Japan may resume.
No Confirmation If Missing Parmalat Funds Found
A Web site report that creditors of Parmalat have traced 7 billion euros back to a bank account in the U.S. has yet to be confirmed.