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.
Sarah Burke, editor-in-chief of Them, spoke with Cheddar News about how its digital magazine offers a different setting for the LGBTQ+ community from other magazines. "From the very beginning, the intention was to create a platform that had a foundation of inclusivity and intersectionality across the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum," Burke said.
Imagine having a viral video with 5 million views but not even using a cell phone. That is the paradox of a Greek great-grandma touching hearts around the world just by doing her thing. Take a look at this.
Glenda Jackson, a two-time Academy Award-winning performer who had a second career in politics as a British lawmaker before an acclaimed late-life return to stage and screen, has died at age 87.
Cold plunges are super hot on social media right now. Experts say they boost mental health, soothe sore muscles, and even promote weight loss. Cheddar's Ashley Mastronardi visited Kardashian favorite, Remedy Place, to get the skinny on ice baths.
New details are emerging about Carrie Fisher's last film. Here's a look at Fisher in the upcoming fantasy movie Wonder Well, which co-stars Rita Ora. Deadline is reporting that the film has a theatrical release date of June 23.
An auction of artwork and furniture from philanthropists Ann and Gordon Getty is taking place at Christie's Wednesday with online sales set for Thursday. Cheddar News takes a peek at some of the arts and objects from the family's Temple of Wings home in Berkeley, Calif.
A former manager at the Harvard Medical School morgue, his wife and three other people have been indicted in connection with the theft and sale of human body parts, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced Wednesday.
