holiday sales

Four Tips for a Holiday Strategy

If you’re like most retailers, you depend heavily on holiday to generate the bulk of your sales for the year. So it needs to be a good season.

To make the most of your holiday, it helps to map out the season’s marketing and merchandising plan well before it occurs. Here are four tips to get you started on this. Read more...

Aurora’s Ho-Ho-Host of Holiday Themed Plush Perfect Stocking Stuffers for Santa

Pico Rivera, CA – Leading toy and gift manufacturer Aurora World Inc. announced today the highlights from its annual “Holiday” catalog, which features over 100 winter and Christmas themed plush animals and characters. In addition to the 20 new holiday themed styles for its best selling YooHoo & Friends™ brand, Aurora’s holiday and winter themed Dreamy Eyes™ (second in sales only to YooHoo & Friends), Fancy Pals™, Cheeky Charlie™ and Carmen and the all new Love to Cuddle Bear™ are all ready to warm hearts. Read more...

Flower shop notes surge in Mother's Day spending

Michigan — Mothers Day is expected to bring a big boost to the economy.

According to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, this year people are likely to spend more money on mom compared to last year.

The prediction certainly seems accurate at one local flower shop. Read more...

Flower shops' business blooms for Mother's Day

Florists are traditionally busy just before Mother's Day, and those in the Plymouth area are no exception.

“Pretty much anybody who comes in the store today is going to be a Mother's Day shopper,” Sarah Klatt, co-owner of Magnolia, a floral shop on Forest in downtown Plymouth, said Thursday. Read more...

More being spent on mothers this year

South Carolina — Mother's Day shoppers this year are still skipping the diamonds, but they're back to buying roses as consumers creak open their wallets.

An economic recovery - while still weak - is giving consumers room to be a little less worried about how much a gift for mom costs and a little more worried about whether she will like it as they celebrate on Sunday. Read more...

Most say it with flowers

Whether it's burnt toast in bed from your kids or a beautiful spring bouquet from your spouse, Mother's Day gifts are important and the weak economy won't have a big impact, local retailers say.

Florists, restaurants, department stores and gift shops are hopeful that the National Retail Federation's numbers are right — that spending for the May 9 holiday will increase this year, rather than suffer the 11 percent drop it predicted last year. Read more...

Chocolate and flower shops busy for Valentine's Day

Procrastinating romantics were out in full force Saturday, using the final day before Valentine's Day to pick out the perfect gifts to please their sweethearts.

"Valentine's Day is a last-minute holiday," said Gayle Harte, owner of Gayle's Chocolate, 417 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak. "People don't shop ahead." Read more...

Floral industry sees boost on Valentine's Day

Love is in the air this Valentine's Day. And some Michiana retailers are cashing in on romance. Despite the economy, showing your sweetheart you care is still a top priority.

"It's not last minute; I got a little while still yet," said shopper Gary Showalter.

Goshen's Gary Showalter is still trying to find the perfect Valentine's gift for the love of his life he married some 40 years ago. Read more...

Snow cools Valentine passion

Salisbury -- Love. Say it with flowers, chocolates, wine, and, in a trend of achy backs from snow shoveling, a massage. But say it, with Valentine's Day gifts from area shops that specialize in tokens of the heart, and are open today, hoping for last-minute business from snowbound Romeos.

Across the region this year, businesses that lost time during last week's blizzard have decided to unlock doors today to shoppers who were either snowed in, too -- or simply procrastinated -- and are in need of a perfect Valentine's Day gift. Adding an extra day to their workweek is a chance, too, to make the most of Cupid's arrival on a weekend, when lovers are likely away from the workplace. Read more...

Valentine's a sweet time for shops

Vienna - With Valentine's Day approaching, area chocolate shops and florists experienced a jump in sales the past week.

Holl's Chocolates prepared thousands of online orders to be shipped this week and sold hundreds more at its Vienna location on Grand Central Avenue.

"We really get busy around the holidays," said co-owner Michelle Holl. "We probably sell the most chocolate on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day." Read more...