The 2008 National Retail Security Survey was released today (10/5/09) by the National Retail Federation. This year’s shrinkage rate, 1.51%, which translates to $36.3 billion is significantly higher than last year’s shrinkage rate 1.44%. Two potential causes for this rise in shrinkage: (1) pressures on retail managers to reduce labor costs have them cutting back… Continue Reading
Luxury Hotel Crime Puts LP on Their Toes
From the September 28, 2009, USA Today via the AH&LA SmartBrief, a report advising luxury hoteliers to take special care when hiring their workers through the use of, inter alia, frequent background checks, etc. in reference to: Luxury hotel crime a wake-up call on hotel security – Related Stories – AH&LA SmartBrief (view on Google… Continue Reading
Hotels Roll Out Over-The-Top Perks To Bring in Guests
From October 3, 2009, Los Angeles Times, a report of the lengths some hoteliers are going to in order to raise occupancy rates. in reference to: Not your average hotel deals — latimes.com (view on Google Sidewiki)
Breaking News: Food Lion Parent in Talks to Acquire Bi-Lo
From TheState.com (October 5, 2009) South Carolina’s Midlands’ two dominant grocery chains appear headed for a merger. Food Lion parent Delhaize Group said today it’s in talks to buy shops and inventory worth $425 million from Mauldin-based Bi-Lo, which sought bankruptcy protection earlier this year. Delhaize said it was in non-binding talks to acquire “a… Continue Reading
It’s Christmas Time (At Least for Retailers)
Like it or not, the holiday shopping season, in all its gift-giving cheer and consumerist frenzy, is well under way. Though some may criticize, the retailers aver they are only responding to demand. Interestingly, some 40 percent of consumers begin their shopping before Halloween, usually starting off with decorations before moving on to gifts. –… Continue Reading
Looking Forward to a "Non-Recession Holiday Season"
A retail industry report released last week predicted holiday sales will gain in 2009, a year after falling some 5 percent in the first industrywide decline in 40 years. “Retailers will experience their first non-recession holiday season in three years,” said, Michael Niemira, chief economist at the International Council of Shopping. Let’s hope for our… Continue Reading
The 50 Best Things to Eat in the World and Where to Eat Them
From the Guardian News (UK), a listing of the 50 best dishes in the world and where to eat them. After reading this article, my next trip to Manhattan will definitely include a trip to Little Owl in Greenwich Village, home of the world’s best hamburger. Click here for a list of the 50 best… Continue Reading
From The New York Times: Can Amazon Become the Wal-Mart of the Web?
From the September 20 edition of The New York Times, an interesting article on Amazon’s foray into becoming a larger presence on the internet in terms of general merchandise. Amazon is soon expected to sell more general merchandise than media products like books and DVDs. Click here for the full story:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/business/20amazon.html?hp
American Hotel & Lodging Association to Host Webinar on Handling H1N1-Related Issues
AH&LA Webinar: H1N1 101 – September 29, 2009 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (EDT) With the lingering threat of H1N1, make sure you’re prepared to minimize occurrences, address crisis communications, and handle personnel issues according to HIPPA regulations. Join us for a 90-minute webinar to learn practical tactics and tips to effectively combat flu season.… Continue Reading
From Nation’s Restaurant News: Restaurants Fight "Brandjacking" Threat Online
by Christian Stegmaier cstegmaier@collinsandlacy.com From Nation’s Restaurant News: Just as the restaurant industry found during the tech boom of the late 1990s, the Internet continues to bring as much peril as it does promise. While the current growth of social media has provided companies large and small with cheap, effective marketing, it also has exposed… Continue Reading
