Holiday sales increased 5% over last year, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse report, marking the largest year-over-year increase since 2011. Christian Magoon, CEO of Amplify, and Melissa Gonzalez, CEO and Founder of Lion'esque Group, join The Long and The Short to recap retail in 2017 and make predictions for 2018.
According to the Mastercard survey, aggressive promotions early in the holiday season were the main driver for the uptick in retail sales. As for the specific categories that saw growth: sales of electronics and appliances increased by 7.5%, and home furnishings and improvement sales jumped 5%. However, women's apparel was negative over the entire year.
Magoon believes mobile commerce is growing by leaps and bounds, which is a direct result of retail sales going up. This is a white-hot growth opportunity for retailers, as smart devices, faster internet, and more trusted mobile payment technology push mobile sales above desktop or foot-traffic. Gonzalez says that retail stores need to start offering perks to their shoppers to get them in the store. Additionally, aggressive discounts were a main driver this year.
Animal care shelters in New York City are reaching capacity. Cheddar News spoke to the director of Animal Care Centers of NYC, the largest in the city, who said it's been the worst she's seen in years. The shelter said it's seen a 20% spike in animals.
Charitable giving declined in 2022 for only the fourth time in the past four decades. Inflation and cost of living are believed to be the key factors behind the drop.
With summer officially here, parents are looking for seasonal camps for their children to keep them busy and experience the great outdoors. Cheddar News spoke with two mothers about the best way to prepare as kids set off for camp and activities.
Chef John Fraser, who owns restaurants in New York, California and Florida, is giving back to restaurant workers with a new initiative called "The Industry Table," which provides hospitality employees the chance to eat at restaurants at cost. Chef Fraser explained the program to Cheddar News.
Chef John Fraser, a three-time Michelin Star recipient and founder of JF Restaurants, joined Cheddar News from La Marchande to cook up a breakfast dish and discuss his favorites in the kitchen.
PWC Forecasts Entertainment and Media Market
Andrew Tate, a social media personality known for expressing misogynistic views online, was charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women, prosecutors said Tuesday.
From Trevor Noah's new podcast to the statue Adele demanded, here's what's happening in entertainment.
Travel expert and author Sarah Dandashy offers some tips on how to troubleshoot your vacation when things don't go as planned.
The celebration of Juneteenth continues as Black Restaurant Week kicks off in New York.
