Plunkett's Retail Industry Almanac, 2013 edition
NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:
Plunkett's Retail Industry Almanac, 2013 edition
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Plunkett's Retail Industry Almanac, 2013 edition. A complete market research report, including forecasts and market estimates, technologies analysis and developments at innovative firms.
This book includes trends and a thorough analysis of retail technologies, chain stores, shopping centers, mergers, finances and future growth within the industry. Also included in this book are several major statistical tables showing everything from total U.S. retail sales by year and by sector, to shopping center statistics and consumer demographics.
Retail, with nearly 15 million employees in America alone (about one out of 10 workers), is one of the largest industries in the world by number of businesses and number of employees. Retail sales in the U.S. totaled an estimated $4.920 trillion during 2012, according to Plunkett Research.
Total sales were $4.648 trillion in 2011 according to the U.S Census Bureau, and $4.308 trillion in 2010. (Sales at stores selling general merchandise, apparel, furniture and specialty items totaled $1.166 trillion in 2011. This segment is referred to as "GAFO," which is an important distinction. In contrast, retail sales of all types are considered to include automobiles, gasoline and restaurants.)
Factors that will impact the retail sector during 2013 in the U.S. and Europe:
· Surveys show that consumers are focused on increasing their savings and paying down debts.
· Persistently high unemployment levels and a difficult environment for job seekers are reducing retail spending.
· Price-sensitive consumers will continue to be more conservative. When they do spend, they want to feel like they are buying merchandise that is fairly priced, if not a significant bargain.
Meanwhile, competition among retailers has never been tougher. A retailer without a significant competitive advantage doesn't stand a chance. Superstores are battling each other on every major corner, while Internet marketers are stealing customers from stores. Some consumers are using stores as showrooms where they can touch and feel the merchandise, and then making their purchases at lower cost online at sites like Amazon.com. Online selling at deep discounts is even making inroads into major consumer purchases such as jewelry.
Growth in online shopping has been driven by two factors. First, the number of fast Internet connections in U.S. homes and businesses leapt to about 100 million by 2012, plus tens of millions of wireless connections, which makes buying online faster and more interactive. Next, there's the savvy marketing of online giants like Amazon.com (with more than $48 billion in 2011 revenues, by far one of the fastest growing companies in the world), as well as the e-commerce efforts of traditional retailers such as Home Depot and Wal-Mart. These fast Internet connections are extremely important, even at the office, since a large number of workers take time out to shop online from their desktops. Globally, the number of Internet users has passed 2.4 billion.
Analysts at eMarketer reported growth in American e-commerce sales from $188 billion in 2010 to $194.3 billion in 2011. This figure does not include online travel sales or sales of tickets to events. For 2012, the firm forecasted U.S. e-commerce retail to reach $224.2 billion, and for 2015 sales are expected to hit $270 billion. Travel was forecast to grow 11% to reach $119.2 billion in 2012.
After a dismal 2008-09 recession, retailing has bounced back. However, retailers are much more conservative. Stores of all types have been seeking creative ways to cut operating expenses. Methods range from reducing the size of stores to lowering the employee count to reducing inventory exposure. Meanwhile, sales of luxury items have made a strong comeback at many stores in America, while luxury sales have been surging in recent years in developing markets such as China, where high-end stores including Tiffany & Co., Hermes and Gucci do very well.
Typical U.S. and European consumers are focused on buying less, and when they do make purchases, they are seeking the best possible prices. This means that revenues have been strong at so-called "dollar stores" in America, and at other outlets that are known for exceptionally low prices. Elsewhere, many retailers, including department stores, are forced to offer special prices on a frequent basis.
Sales of private-label items are generally growing at a faster rate than those of name brands. At Kroger, for example, house-brands make up 40% of products sold, up from 34% in 2010. Kroger stores stock, on average, about 11,000 private label items. Overall, private-label sales (in supermarkets, drug stores and mass merchandisers) grew 3.92% over the previous year, to reach $92.7 billion in the U.S. in 2011, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association.
Coupons have made a big comeback. Big factors in this growth include the financially challenged consumer and the use of advances in technology. Coupon distribution via cellphones has made a big impact. Also, the fact that consumers now use the Internet to search for and print out coupons caused significant growth. Another huge boost to coupon redemption is web sites that push special offers to members, such as Groupon. The success of this business strategy has led to a massive wave of coupon site startups around the world. It remains to be seen whether they can continue to lure retailers and restaurants to offer immense discounts and then split those discounted receipts with the coupon firms.
The most exciting stories in retail industry growth are in emerging nations, such as China, India and Brazil. In China, many of the world's leading retail chains are rushing to open stores and new malls have been developed at a rapid clip, even in remote cities. This retail trend in China includes middle-of-the-road chains such as Nike and Starbucks, automotive centers including car dealers and tire and accessory stores such as Goodyear, as well as the world's top luxury retailers, including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Fendi. The government in India is taking steps to open up the Indian market to foreign retail chains also.
In the U.S. and Europe, many businesses outside of the luxury field have repositioned themselves as providers of high-value, reasonably priced merchandise. Household product makers are emphasizing lower-priced soaps and detergents, or high-value larger packages. Even companies that were already known for reasonably priced goods have changed strategy to some degree. Ann Taylor, a national U.S. chain of moderately priced women's fashion stores, hired a new designer during the recession and added a selection of trendier, fashion-forward clothes at reasonable prices. Thus, it has been able to retain existing customers while attracting new shoppers who want chic clothing that fits within their restrained budgets. This is a good example of adapting to the new retail era, since many fashion-conscious women have become more conservative about the amount they are willing to spend on clothing. "Shop your own closet first," is the new mantra of some American women who realize they can get more use from the fashions that they already own. Personal spending has shifted more toward goods and services offering quality, durability, affordability and lasting value, with less focus on the purchase of trendy items for fashion's sake. Going forward, consumers will spend their money more wisely while using debt more carefully. Successful manufacturers, home builders, services providers and retailers will respond quickly to this trend.
When consumers spend, they want to do so with confidence that they are using their money in a smart way.
Key Questions Answered:
How is the industry evolving?
How is the industry being shaped by new technologies?
How is demand growing in emerging markets and mature economies?
What is the size of the market now and in the future?
What are the financial results of the leading companies?
What are the names and titles of top executives?
What are the top companies and what are their revenues?
This carefully-researched book covers competitive intelligence, market research and business analysis—everything you need to know about the retail business, including:
Analysis of major retailing and retail store business trends and markets
Profiles of major chain store and specialty store operators
Profiles and trends of top department store chains
Profiles and trends of leading discount store and warehouse club operators
Retail mergers, acquisitions and private equity
Trends in malls and shopping centers
To order this report:
: Plunkett's Retail Industry Almanac, 2013 edition
Contact Clare: [email protected]
US:(339) 368 6001
Intl:+1 339 368 6001
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