Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 192,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The National Retail Federation calculated month-to-month retail employment increased 18,200 in March and 229,000 …
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Heavy Lifting: Retailers, Suppliers Weather the Storm
Retailers can’t predict the future, but if they’re preparing for seasonal and inclement weather, they have to try. If they guess incorrectly, they might find the disruption in product delivery can be as catastrophic as the weather itself. By looking …
Read More »HR STOCK INDEX: February Markets Recover from January’s Slump
Despite ups and downs in housing-related stocks due to severe winter weather patterns across much of the country, the Hardware Retailing Stock Index handily recovered from January’s downturn, adding 69.25 points, or 5.72 percent, to close at 1280.65, outperforming all …
Read More »Trend Spotting: Millennial Buying Habits, Social Media Hot Topics at NRHA All-Industry Conference
They’re tech-savvy multitaskers known to be motivated by instant gratification and recognition. By now, you’ve likely heard about the characteristics of the millennial generation, but how much do you really know about their home buying preferences or how they could …
Read More »When It Comes to ROI, the National Hardware Show® Delivers
If you haven’t yet registered for the 69th Annual National Hardware Show®, you should drop what you’re doing and get signed up now. You won’t want to miss out on access to thousands of new products, big-name brands, renowned speakers …
Read More »Global Harvest Foods Acquires Scotts U.S. Wild Bird Food Business
Global Harvest Foods, Ltd., the producer of the Audubon Park brand, announced that it reached an agreement to acquire the U.S. wild bird food business from subsidiaries of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company for an undisclosed sum. This includes the Songbird …
Read More »Home Hardware Named to ‘Canada’s Best Managed Companies’ List
Home Hardware Stores Limited was recently named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the second year in a row. Having initially received the designation in 2012, the company successfully re-qualified and retained its status for 2013. The designation comes …
Read More »Taking Care of Business: Statistics Show…Retailers Rely on Research
Here are a few quick numbers most everyone is familiar with… Four out of five doctors recommend chewing Trident gum. You only use 10 percent of your brain. Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. My wife …
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