JCK eMonday - November 6, 2006
Dear Reader,
If you've been to the JCK Web site in the past few days, you may have noticed some changes. The site has a new look, new content, and new functionality. It even has a new name, JCKonline.com, an extension of our offline brand. JCKonline.com is designed to be the single place on the Internet where jewelry industry professionals can go for superior jewelry industry trade journalism and the best technology for a whole new interactive community and informational experience. We're at the early stages of our new Internet initiative, so take a look around, join the conversation in our three new jewelry industry blogs, and tell us what you think. We will be making more announcements in the coming weeks.
1. Survey: Internet to influence nearly 30% of holiday purchases
2. Third quarter online retail spending jumps 23 percent
3. PREMIERE to launch the ultimate pre JCK event in Las Vegas
4. JCK Events sets trade show dates for 2007
5. Signet wants to convert to U.S. dollars; Says U.S. sales rose 13% year-to-date
6. Zale reports small increases in same-store sales and revenue
7. Consumer Confidence Index declines moderately
8. Consumer confidence among the affluent rises but spending falls
9. Survey: Return fraud will cost retailers $3.5 billion this holiday season
10. Holiday sales to be on par with last year, says Ernst & Young
11. October chain store sales up 3%
12. Colibri names McCombs executive vice president of Global Sales
13. Sproule joins CRJP as director of North American Operations
14. Palladium alliance launches first design contest, newsletter
15. NCDIA launches new Web site
For more news and updates, please go to www.JCKonline.com.
1. SURVEY: INTERNET TO INFLUENCE NEARLY 30% OF HOLIDAY PURCHASES
From browsing to buying, the Internet will play a larger role than ever in holiday shopping this year, according to a new survey conducted for the National Retail Federation by BIGresearch. Shoppers, who are expected to spend $791.10 each this year on holiday merchandise, said they will use the Internet for 29 percent of their shopping. To read more click here.
2. THIRD QUARTER ONLINE RETAIL SPENDING JUMPS 23 PERCENT
Online retail spending (not including travel) increased by 23 percent in the third quarter to $23.1 billion, according to a comScore Networks report. To read more click here.
3. PREMIERE TO LAUNCH THE ULTIMATE PRE JCK EVENT IN LAS VEGAS
The executive board of the Prestige Promenade of the JCK Show ~ Las Vegas has announced the opening of a new exclusive, invitation only pre JCK jewelry exhibition. To read more click here.
4. JCK EVENTS SETS TRADE SHOW DATES FOR 2007
JCK has announced the 2007 dates for its portfolio of events. The JCK Events are designed to serve the worldwide jewelry industry by offering the most comprehensive and complete buying and selling opportunities on a business-to-business basis. Dates, locations, and highlights for each of the 2007 JCK Events can be found at www.jckgroup.com and are listed as follows: To read more click here.
5. SIGNET WANTS TO CONVERT TO U.S. DOLLARS; SAYS U.S. SALES ROSE 13% YEAR-TO-DATE
The Signet Group plc, the London-based parent of Sterling Inc., the second largest U.S. retail jeweler, intends to convert its financial reporting from pounds sterling to U.S. dollars. To read more click here.
6. ZALE REPORTS SMALL INCREASES IN SAME-STORE SALES AND REVENUE
Zale Corp., Dallas, reported Thursday that first quarter same-store sales increased 0.4 percent. Total revenues for the quarter were $432 million compared to last year’s total revenues of $428 million, an increase of 0.9 percent. To read more click here.
7. CONSUMER CONFIDENCE INDEX DECLINES MODERATELY
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which increased in September, edged down in October. The Index now stands at 105.4 (1985=100), down from 105.9 in September. The Present Situation Index decreased to 124.7 from 128.3. The Expectations Index rose to 92.6 from 91.0 last month. To read more click here.
8. CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AMONG THE AFFLUENT RISES BUT SPENDING FALLS
Luxury consumers' confidence rose at the close of the third quarter, as measured by Unity Marketing's Luxury Consumption Index which reached 103.3 points, up from 99.2 at the end of second quarter. But luxury consumers' spending on luxury didn't match their rise in confidence. To read more click here.
9. SURVEY: RETURN FRAUD WILL COST RETAILERS $3.5 BILLION THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Retailers can expect to lose $3.5 billion from return fraud this holiday season, according to a National Retail federation survey. For the year, the retail industry stands to lose $9.6 billion from this practice. Criminals commonly take advantage of companies’ return policies to receive cash for stolen merchandise, launder money or return an item after it has been used, NRF says. To read more click here.
10. HOLIDAY SALES TO BE ON PAR WITH LAST YEAR, SAYS ERNST & YOUNG
Retail holiday sales increase for November and December will be 6.5 percent—down slightly from the actual retail holiday 2005 sales of 6.7 percent, said Ernst & Young LLP Consumer Products Practice in its annual holiday forecast. To read more click here.
11. OCTOBER CHAIN STORE SALES UP 3%
Chain store sales rose by 3 percent for October year-over-year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc. Like September, October continued to feature a shift in where consumers shopped. To read more click here.
12. COLIBRI NAMES MCCOMBS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL SALES
The Colibri Group, Inc. has appointed former Gillette executive Michael McCombs as executive vice president of Global Sales. To read more click here.
13. SPROULE JOINS CRJP AS DIRECTOR OF NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS
The Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices said Catherine Sproule has joined the organization as director, North American Operations. Her appointment became effective Wednesday. To read more click here.
14. PALLADIUM ALLIANCE LAUNCHES FIRST DESIGN CONTEST, NEWSLETTER
The Palladium Alliance International (PAI), formed to actively promote the use and sale of the precious white metal in jewelry, is widening its efforts to inform the industry and public about it. To read more click here.
15. NCDIA LAUNCHES NEW WEB SITE
The Natural Color Diamond Association launched its new Web site Wednesday. To read more click here.
That's all for this week!
Yours,
The Editors of JCK eMonday
