Archive for October, 2007

This year they are using the excuse that they expect the holiday season to be weaker because of the toy recalls.

Christmas started in September this year — at least in the toy aisles at Wal-Mart Stores Inc — even as retailers worry that parents may approach toy shopping with trepidation this holiday season after massive numbers of toys were recalled in recent months.

So to jump-start holiday shopping, the world’s largest retailer began cutting prices on toys in its stores on Sunday, September 30, and will be introducing special price cuts on hot toys each week during October.

“It’s a little bit earlier and a little bit deeper,” Laura Phillips, Wal-Mart’s chief toy officer, said of the timing of this year’s holiday toy promotions and the size of the price reductions.

Truth is, they get earlier and earlier each year when it comes to defining the “holiday sales season”. In a few more years the only “non-holiday” season will be January through March.

It seems, where the market is concerned, even bad news can be good news…

Stocks rose on Monday, lifting the Dow to a record and the Nasdaq to its highest level in more than six and a half years as investors bet that the worst effects of the credit squeeze that roiled the financial sector may be over.

In addition to financial services companies, standouts included shares of technology bellwethers such as IBM (IBM.N) and Intel Corp (INTC.O). Shares of big manufacturers such as plane maker Boeing Co (BA.N) also notched strong gains.

Citigroup Inc (C.N) warned that its third-quarter profit would fall by 60 percent, but investors took comfort from comments by its chief executive that the financial services company would “return to a normal earnings environment in the fourth quarter.”

On normal days, when a company like Citigroup announces their profit will drop by 60 percent, the market would respond with traders falling through the floor. But not today.

As long as investors see a bright light at the end of the tunnel it just doesn’t matter. Unless of course, the bright light is a train, then they better jump out of the way…

Earlier this year, a friend of mine decided to go into business for himself. He’s been making quite a go of it, but he lacks in the same area I do. Marketing and advertising.

Like my friend, I have come up with several ideas over the years, and they end up being real winners. The problem, however, is that no one ever seems to know about them because my skillz are so poor when it comes to those crucial areas.

Luckily my friend found the London Advertising Directory, where he was able to find companies that could help with each of the services he required. He found a great market research agency that helped him come up with a plan to help sell his products. After that he met with a couple of graphic design artists who set him up with everything he would need for the advertising agency.

When all was said and done, the London Advertising Directory helped him get the ball rolling, and soon he’ll be rolling in the cash. Me? Well, I’m just going to have to wait for the next big idea.

we had a customer who ordered some specific products, and theya a specific

Earlier today, a customer from my day job was looking for