The Big Picture Although inflation numbers have been slowly coming down, overall retail sales took a dip in December, declining 1.1%. This was the biggest drop in a year, and
How Healthy Is Your Business? This Simple Formula Tells You

Cash Flow is an important measurement of whether your business is doing well, or poorly, but it can sometimes be hard to measure since cash flow fluctuates. That’s why at
Dec. ’22 Retail Report &: What Clothing Retailers Can Expect In 2023

Holiday Sales Rebound The Big Picture While retail sales started to slow in October and November, consumers were determined to have a merry holiday season. Total retail sales over both
Nov. ’22 Retail Report: Sales Cycle Finally Begins To Flatten

The Big Picture| Inflation began to ease last month, coming in 7.7% higher than a year ago, as overall retail sales stayed positive. Sales were up 1.3% in October, thanks
Are Customers Trading Down? KPIs Will Tell You This & More

Comprehensive inventory planning isn’t just about open-to-buy plans. You also want a full picture of your business and where it is heading. That’s why Blacks likes to track retailers’ key
Oct. ’22 Retail Report: Fall Sales Are Firm, But Supply May Complicate 2023

The Big Picture Overall retail spending stalled last month as consumer prices continued to rise, clocking in 8.2% higher than a year ago. While sporting goods and home furnishings saw
Top 5 Mistakes Retailers Make During Slowdowns

With decades in the business, our analysts have seen countless cycles of retail growth, followed by contractions. This has allowed us to identify both winning and losing strategies for managing
Sept. ’22 Retail Report: Retailers Face Mixed Messages Heading into Fall

The Big Picture Although the August inflation number of 8.3% shook investors, retail sales continued to notch up last month. Overall sales climbed 0.3%, which was better than expected, but
How Do You Plan for Multiple Retail Stores?

Anyone who owns a retail store will tell you that inventory planning can be complicated. You need to account for your open-to-buy, sell-through rates, sales trends, and of course your
Aug. ’22 Retail Report: Better Stores See August Uptick

The Big Picture While inflation and gas prices both came down over the last month, consumer spending was nearly flat in July. According to the U.S Commerce Department, retail sales