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Catalogs

Brighton Awarded $6.7 Million in Case against Coldwater Creek

Brighton Collectibles has been awarded $6.7 million by a US District Court jury in San Diego, California, which found that the Idaho-based national chain Coldwater Creek had infringed on Brighton’s intellectual property rights.

In making the award, the jury found infringement of both Brighton’s Carolina Heart design copyright and its trade dress, known as the “Brighton Look.”

Coldwater Creek...
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Facing Tough Holiday Season, Bloomingdale’s Promotes Luxury, ‘Fun’

Many holiday season retail campaigns are stressing value and affordability to lure cash-constrained shoppers, but others - like Macy’s New York-based Bloomingdale’s - are promoting luxury brands and invoking feelings from past “good times,” writes the New York Times.

Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury car model, will sponsor Bloomingdale’s holiday windows at the flagship 59th Street store in Manhattan....
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Holiday 2008 Sales to Fall 5% - Survey

Planned holiday spending for 2008 is, on average, $775 - down 5% from a year earlier, according to a Brand Keys, Inc. national survey of 16,000 consumers in the nine US census regions.

“Given that there isn’t any increase in anticipated spending this year, you’ll see retailers competing for fewer consumer dollars,” noted Brand Keys President, Robert Passikoff.

“There are always lower product...
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Consumer-Led Recession Hits Retail Sectors

In anticipation of a worsening economy and lackluster holiday spending, retailers are cutting inventory and prices drastically, writes the AP.

Holiday orders were already about 15% below last year’s levels, and some stores are now canceling orders completely. Ann Taylor LOFT and Old Navy, for example, are putting up signs that advertise 60% and 50% off, respectively. Restoration Hardware emailed...
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DM Profitability Growth Despite Revenue Decline in Q2

Direct-marketing business performance in the second quarter declined overall from the year-earlier quarter, despite growth in profitability, according to the Q2 Quarterly Business Review (QBR) issued by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

The QBR Revenue Index vs. same quarter last year (SQLY) for Q2 was 47 - a one point decline from Q1’s 48.

In the QBR Index, scores below 50 represent a...
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High-End Dept Stores Pull out Stops to Attract Customers

As shopping at high-end department stores diminishes, Macy’s and Saks are making efforts to stimulate sales by exploring some alternative sales offerings and marketing campaigns this fall, reports the New York Times.

Macy’s, which had negative same-store sales growth and earnings loss last quarter, is planning to launch a fall campaign at its Bloomingdale’s stores that will focus on music -...
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Paper Catalog Still Primary Remote Sales Channel

The paper catalog is still the largest revenue generator - nearly 50% of sales in both 2007 and 2008 - among all channels used by companies that sell goods to consumers and businesses from a remote location, though web sales continue to grow, a new study finds.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) released its ”State of the Catalog Industry, 2008 edition,” which found that similar to prior...
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Casual Male Retail Gets Bigger, Taller

Specialty retailer Casual Male Retail Group Inc. has acquired assets of Dahle Management Corp., purchasing seven of its Big & Tall men’s apparel stores, writes Retail Exec.

The stores, totaling $5 million in annual sales, will convert to the Casual Male XL brand before the 2008 holiday season. The addition of the stores in the new regions will bring Casual Male’s presence to 47 states.

By the...
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