Forums: Sales

Since the surge in firearms purchases began in October 2008, if one believes the oft-repeated mantra that "most crime guns are rapidly diverted from retailers to the street via straw purchasers," then there should have been a surge in homicides and other violent crime. There was not. In fact, preliminary figures released by the FBI today show that all forms of violent crime were down in 2009 from 2008, with homicides showing the greatest percentage decline (7.2 percent). These declines in crime came during a year when firearm sales were at historic highs.

Retail Sales Surge At Twice Expected Rate -- Stocks Still Heading Lower Joe Weisenthal May. 14, 2010, 8:35 AM Americans sure love to spend money. April retail sales jumped 0.4% in April, which was twice the .2% analysts were looking for. Stocks are still shooting. Dow futures are off 87. Here's the full release.[snip]

Retail Sales Confirm That Wall Street Got WAY Too Optimistic About The Recovery Vincent Fernando, CFA May. 6, 2010, 9:40 AM After March same store retail sales (SSS) rose by a 9.1% year over year thanks to an early Easter, analysts had far more subdued expectations of 1.7% growth for April according to Reuters. Yet the majority of retailers who have reported so far have missed these lower expectations. According to the data below sourced from CNBC, 15 companies have missed their same store sales expectations vs. 9 meeting or beating expectations. 13 companies have reported negative year over year...

Ronald E. Kirkland, former director of sales of Aflac’s U.S. operations, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in federal prison without parole for failing to file tax returns on almost $4 million in income. Kirkland, 65, pleaded guilty in October in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri’s Southern Division to two misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file tax returns in 2002 and 2003. On Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. England sentenced Kirkland to one year for each count, said Don Ledford, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

Here are some of the headlines from my Ward's Auto Subscriber newsletter... January's U.S. Sales Gain Largest Since July 2005 Ward’s estimates Toyota’s sales stoppage cost the auto maker 20,000-25,000 units at month’s end, likely reducing the SAAR by about 200,000 Feds Say LaHood Comments Misconstrued; Prius Brakes Investigated Toyota Grapples With P.R. Bungles, Tarnished Brand Ward's Blogs: Recall's Impact on Toyota's Image? Toyota Blames Overly Sensitive ABS for Prius Brake Problems The software code that will allow the brakes to override the throttle in the Camry is ready to be added. Toyota January Sales Dragged Down; Lowest January...

As a brand, Toyota sales were down 14% in January 2010, suggesting the company’s recall problems had a meaningful sales impact. Toyota’s problems shook up the top 10 list with the Corolla and Camry falling to 5th and 7th place. Last month they held the 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. In addition, the Accord’s rise to third place this month suggests Toyota’s losses were Honda’s gains. SEE 10 BEST-SELLING CARS IN JAN. 2010...

Why Cosmetics Rule the 1st Floor of Department Stores Invariably, in Korea as much as the rest of the world, cosmetics shops dominate the ground floor of department stores. The reason is simple: customers who purchased cosmetics items on the first floor account for more than 70 percent of retailers' total sales. Hyundai Department Store analyzed the sales contribution of customers who paid with department store credit cards during the first 11 months of last year, to find out how much the annual spending of customers who bought specific items contributed to total sales. It showed that cosmetics purchasers make...

WASHINGTON – Retail sales unexpectedly fell in December, leaving 2009 with the biggest yearly drop on record and highlighting the formidable hurdles facing the economy as it struggles to recover from the deepest recession in seven decades. In another disappointing economic report, the number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as jobs remain scarce. Still, many economists, puzzled by the retail sales decline that follows reports from retailers of brighter holidays, cautioned that the December figures don't necessarily signal a big consumer pullback and could be a blip. SNIP---- Meanwhile, the number of...

Retail Sales Unexpectedly Tank In December Joe Weisenthal Jan. 14, 2010, 8:44 AM Wait, we thought retail sales rebounded in December. At least that was the impression we got from per-store measures. Something's amiss. ---- AP: Retail sales fell in December as demand for autos, clothing and appliances all slipped, a disappointing finish to a year in which sales dropped by the largest amount in 27 years of records. The weakness in consumer demand highlighted the formidable hurdles facing the economy as it struggles to recover from the deepest recession in seven decades.[snip]