The winter holiday season means one thing to retailers: sales, sales, sales. Those few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas can bring in between 20 and 40 percent of retailers’ total sales for the year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). This year, holiday sales are projected to reach $586.1 billion, a 4.1 percent increase from 2011 and the most optimistic forecast since the recession.

With consumer confidence at a 4.5-year high, retailers are hoping to lure more customers through new marketing gimmicks and tools. New special shopping days like Gray Thursday, Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday, all of which have sprouted up in the last seven years, are growing in popularity and helping retailers pack a bigger punch. Meanwhile, retailers also are using tools such as social media and apps for tablet computers and smartphones to increase Internet traffic. The NRF forecasts that online sales will reach $96 billion, an increase of 12 percent from 2011.

With all these new tools at retailers’ disposal, the Business Record asked three retail experts what trends they think are here to stay:


Kelly Sharp
Heart of Iowa Market Place

“Leveraging social media more is something we haven’t done in the past. This year, we offered a $5 gift card to use through Facebook on Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday began about four years ago and was created by American Express. It’s definitely grown over the years, I think we did about 20 percent more sales this year than last year. I think a lot more businesses are segmenting themselves, taking part in things that make sense for them. For us, Small Business Saturday is more effective than Black Friday, so that’s what we focused on when it came to marketing.”


Ron Prescott
retail and small business specialist, Iowa State University

“Stores being open on Thanksgiving is something that is here to stay. I think it’ll be like Black Friday, which was a marketing strategy that turned into more of an event. You can go out after dinner and shop. Online sales are increasing with regards to Cyber Monday, but people are shopping as early as October for Christmas gifts, which is a growing trend. One strategy for showroom-type stores, like Best Buy, is having the sales associates wander around with iPads. So associates can fulfill orders even if (a product) is not in the store. It gives customers more options.”


Dan Butler
vice president of merchandising and retail operations, National Retail Federation

“Yes, I think stores are going to continue to be open on Thanksgiving. Retailers reported better-than-anticipated sales this year. I think people enjoy shopping on the holidays; for some it’s the only time they can get out with their family members. I remember when blue laws went away and retailers could be open on Sundays. At first they were going to have shortened hours, but now Sundays can be a huge sales day. Consumers are going to drive preferences. Another big thing, tablets are shaping the ways consumers shop. Retailers are now trying to provide a truly integrated shopping experience. Whether you’re shopping in stores or online, on a computer or through a tablet, they want to enhance consumers’ experiences. Trends now change at a much more rapid pace and technology helps with that.”