The Power of Retail

I’ve found some really fun toys at Big Huge Labs and have created some great wallpapers, calenders and photographs that have been Warholized! That was the best part of the site, I thought, since it is the most unique and different from other sites. I haven’t printed any out as yet, but will definitely be printing a couple of the good ones and maybe even framing them. It’s a cool idea and one that would be a great gift idea as well. I also added a profile strip on my Flickr profile page from Big Huge Labs and am sure to be checking out some of the other stuff as well.

In recent years, the number of cases of those affected with more complicated and serious diseases has radically increased. Take for instance, those affected with mesothelioma, which is caused by an exposure to asbestos, which was used in construction of almost all buildings till it was banned in the 1970s. The rise of patients with this form of cancer is increasing as those who grew up in such buildings grow older, but also due to the advancement of medicine and being able to differentiate between different forms of cancer.

According to a recent survey held by the Nielsen Company, Indian consumers first look to get value for money when they buy products. It’s online survey found that an estimated 91% of consumers polled selected ‘Good Value for Money’ as the most important factor in deciding which grocery shop to buy things at.

Other aspects like price, current promotions and perceptions in regard to the store also play an important part in making their purchasing decision. Rajshree Dave, Director of Client Solutions for The Nielsen Company, states, “For Indians getting valued brands for a lesser price enhances their shopping experience and is a motivating factor for them to be more loyal to the stores.” Additional factors such as store location, parking availibility, superior brands etc also play a role in consumers deciding which store to shop.

Considering we go on vacation at least a couple of times a year, I still find time to dream of some more vacation time. The kind of vacation that we haven’t been on for quite some time is going up to stay in a log cabin in the mountains. I found an interesting site of these Pigeon Forge cabins and thought that we really must plan one of these vacation soon. Since I grew up in the hills, I can never get enough of spending time there and exploring new areas in the mountains across the world. Even it is just a short vacation, but being away in the hills really makes a difference to me. I do hope we can manage to fit in something like this in 2008.

Grocery stores and supermarket chains are getting innovative in attracting customers and are winning points for playing a part in preserving the environment as well. A greater number of stores are going for paperless or digital coupons which consumers can loan onto their store loyalty cards and receive credit at the checkout counter. By attracting customers who spend a lot of time on the internet, grocers are being able to win over newer customers as well as save money in producing and handling paper coupons.

The country’s largest grocery chain Kroger has tied up with Proctor & Gamble Co. for a trial run of digital coupons. The trial period is started last month. Kroger is not the only company to test out digital coupons as several other grocery chains have been testing methods out to move away from the traditional paper coupons.

The concept of online coupons is nothing new, as they have been around for many years for items such as DVDs, books, apparel and so on. Pittsburgh based grocery chain Giant Eagle launched something called “E-offers” in November 2007, where customers could load coupons for more than 20 products on to their store loyalty cards.

According to Ken Fenyo, Kroger’s vice president for corporate loyalty, says that the company is aiming for its digital coupons to complement its traditional paper coupons, but will definitely be expanding its pilot program. Some retail chains are also using “instant coupons” where customers select specially marked items whose discounts are automatically reduced at the checkout counters.

One of the most exciting parts of planning a holiday is selecting the perfect hotel. I find it an especially fun part of organizing a holiday and even though at times it can get pretty tedious, I usually am quite pleased with the results. One trend that I am really seeing quite a bit of is the trend for Condo Hotels which are condos that are in buildings that also function as hotels and you can opt to offer your unit as a rental for the times that you are not there. As baby boomers are retiring the trend for long term vacations is catching on and these vacationers are making the most of taking long vacations as well as earning some rental income from the same property. I think it is a good option if you’re a serious traveler.

One of the biggest home decor trends for 2008 is the shift towards warmer colors of the palette. Greens are of course in, but in a more eco-friendly manner and stay away from themed decor as well. Green design will be one of the most popular trends of 2008, but you must do it right to be trendy. Another major trend is the end of minimalism this year. According to Susan Gurfreund, minimal interiors of white and beige are being traded in for some color and texture this year.

At Ikea too, the design team spokesperson Janice Simonsen is seeing the same trends towards brighter colors. Black and white combinations are alright, as long as there are some bright influxes of color. Adds Ikea’s Simonsen, “In 2008, red tones take on a decidedly soft, warm feel, such as watermelon or a carrot orange. Black and white continues to be used, but with unexpected combinations of yellow, lime orange and fresh green.”

The emphasis this year will be on colors such as kiwi, lime yellow, tangerine, which will be very popular for kitchens. The number one choice of color will continue to be blue and will be combined with camel, tan, pale green and yellow for winning combinations. Mix and matching is on the upswing instead of a complete theme for a room or a home. According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute,“Once there was a theme or mood. For traditionalists, that meant everything in rustic folk craft, but that is dying away. People can be traditional, but you are going to see more mixes.”

Here’s a link to Pier 1’s eco-friendly Go green initiative.

Want to know what 2008’s big trends will be? Forecasting trends is always a tricky business, since there really are no guarantees on the success of a trend, but if you read the signs right then in all likely hood your predicted trends will come to light. According to Frank Badillo, senior economist at TNS Retail Forward, “We’re likely to see more retail shakeout in terms of store closings, mergers and acquisitions. And we’ll see intense price competition in retailing.” Most retail experts agree that trends will by and large vary quite a bit due to consumers who are “inconsistent”, such as shopping at both luxury and discount stores. Read more about trends in 2008.

I recently visited a friends house and saw her collection of engraved plaques that she has been collecting for the past 7 years. I was quite impressed with the quality and range of her collection as she has items from across the world and for a variety of events. Unlike most collections, hers was not enclosed behind glass doors but was mixed with her many plants and books, making it look like a work of art rather than just a collection of items. I have always found that if you are an avid collector of any item, then you must go all out and get as many as you can, from every source possible, to make the collection a worthy one.

Wal-Mart has withdrawn its online download service within a year of it going live. The company reportedly canceled the service once Hewlett Packard stopped powering the technology behind it, according to Amy Colella, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart. The company is reportedly looking for another company to provide the technology now. Wal-Mart declined to specify how many downloads had been sold on its site. The company was the first major retail company to offer download after partnering with all of the big movie studios and TV networks.