The festive season came in fast this year, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday falling well short of expectations. Consumer spending has to remain strong in December to hit lofty Holiday sales targets. Cyber Monday hasn’t been nearly as successful as many had hoped, but the lack of holiday buzz has the retailers worried. A lack of holiday buzz can make customers shy away from returning to stores, or it can spook them enough to make them feel unsafe.
Lack of holiday buzz
Despite the early holiday shopping, analysts are predicting a robust holiday season. Retailers are predicting sales increases of 8.5% to 10.5% this year, with $859 billion in holiday sales possible. The key to the holiday season’s success is to overcome consumers’ worries about a new coronavirus and lure them to buy, despite the lack of holiday buzz. Last year, retailers offered disse er rimelige og bra ranging from 12% to 27%, but those discounts have gotten smaller as the months of November and December approach.
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday were big events, they were not as big as hoped. Retailers had been counting on strong consumer spending in November and December to reach their lofty holiday sales goals. But the news of the omicron variant, which is a virus that causes genital infections, broke just as Black Friday shoppers were gearing up to buy gifts. The lack of holiday buzz has been one of the major problems facing retailers this year.
Rise of smash-and-grab crimes could spook customers from returning to stores
Recent incidents of smash-and-grab thefts have prompted the Los Angeles Police Department to make 14 arrests, but many more suspects remain at large. Authorities attribute this growing problem to the ease with which stolen goods can be sold on the internet. Store owners are advised to make sure they have security measures in place to prevent such attacks. However, it is important to remember that security measures alone will not keep burglars at bay.
As the holiday season approaches, “smash and grab” crimes may increase. As stores stock up before the holiday season, there’s a bounty of merchandise awaiting thieves. But the crimes are not limited to the holiday season. Organized crime groups are also responsible for other types of thefts in retail. Earlier this year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom reinstated a task force to investigate organized theft rings. In Illinois, attorney general Kwame Raoul said that organized crime rings cost retailers $45 billion annually.
Despite being a largely ignored problem, the increase in retail thefts in recent years is still worrying. While “small” thefts may not sound like a serious problem, many of these cases are actually part of larger criminal operations that earn millions of dollars in illicit profits. This crime pattern has prompted law enforcement agencies to form task forces to combat this problem. The first step in tackling this issue is to gather evidence that can be used in court.