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.
Harry Belafonte has died at age 96. He was a dedicated activist and award-winning actor and singer.
The top entertainment headlines for April 25, 2023.
Cheddar News reporter Ashley Mastronardi took a deep dive into the "crystal culture" popular among children and teens.
Best Practices For Americans Tasked With Family Caregiving Duties
The Walt Disney Co. will be laying off several thousand employees this week, a second round of cuts that’s part of a previously announced plan to eliminate 7,000 jobs this year.
How to Plan the Perfect Party Without Breaking the Bank
From Mario the money maker to AI the music maker, here are your top entertainment headlines.
Longtime CNN host Don Lemon is out at the cable news network a little over two months after apologizing to viewers for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, CNN announced Monday.
Prince William gave a British restaurant customer the surprise of their life. While on an official visit to the city of Birmingham, William and his wife Kate Middleton stopped by a popular Indian restaurant, and the prince took a call from a customer looking to book a table.
Fox News says it has agreed to part ways with Tucker Carlson, less than a week after settling a lawsuit over the network’s 2020 election reporting.
