Content about Jeff Green Column

May 15, 2013

For the first time in quite some time, attendees at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Spring Convention in Las Vegas (RECon) might be hoping that what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas.

For the first time in quite some time, attendees at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Spring Convention in Las Vegas (RECon) might be hoping that what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. There is no doubt in my mind that all the signs are pointing to an event that looks very different than the last few years. The convention runs from Sunday, May 19th through Wednesday, May 22nd at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and will play host to more than 30,000 attendees, around 1,000 exhibitors, and a renewed sense of enthusiasm about the future of our industry.

May 2, 2013

Last August in this space, I discussed the troubling sales trends and tumbling earnings from iconic retailer J.C. Penney, mentioning that the growing pains associated with implementing CEO Ron Johnson’s ambitious brand overhaul might have been a case of “too much too soon.”

Last August in this space, I discussed the troubling sales trends and tumbling earnings from iconic retailer J.C. Penney, mentioning that the growing pains associated with implementing CEO Ron Johnson’s ambitious brand overhaul might have been a case of “too much too soon.” Given that Ron Johnson is now ex-CEO, it’s clear that those growing pains were too much to overcome.

April 18, 2013

I recently attended Chain Store Age’s 49th annual Store Planning, Equipment, Construction and Facilities Services Seminars (SPECS) in Dallas, Texas.

I recently attended Chain Store Age’s 49th annual Store Planning, Equipment, Construction and Facilities Services Seminars (SPECS) in Dallas, Texas. While SPECS always gives me plenty to think about, this year was especially interesting thanks to the debut of a new segment on Real Estate Development. In addition to other workshop “tracks” like Facilities, Business Strategies, and Planning & Design, the inclusion of Real Estate Development to the mix really brought new (and important) perspectives.

April 4, 2013

Whether you are a retail analyst or a casual observer, it can be all too easy to get lost in the negativity of recent store closings and retail bankruptcies.

Whether you are a retail analyst or a casual observer, it can be all too easy to get lost in the negativity of recent store closings and retail bankruptcies.

March 22, 2013

The recent announcement that retail giant Walmart plans to open more than 100 of the brand’s Neighborhood Market stores in 2013, and as many as 500 Neighborhood Market locations over the next few years, has industry analysts and observers talking. They have my attention, as well.

The recent announcement that retail giant Walmart plans to open more than 100 of the brand’s Neighborhood Market stores in 2013, and as many as 500 Neighborhood Market locations over the next few years, has industry analysts and observers talking. They have my attention, as well.

March 6, 2013

I have to admit, the recent announcement of the merger between Office Depot and OfficeMax took me by surprise. It’s not as though it doesn’t make sense — it’s logical both logistically and financially — but, while there had been a few rumblings and rumors, this is a dramatic move that took place with relatively little forewarning.

I have to admit, the recent announcement of the merger between Office Depot and OfficeMax took me by surprise. It’s not as though it doesn’t make sense — it’s logical both logistically and financially — but, while there had been a few rumblings and rumors, this is a dramatic move that took place with relatively little forewarning.

February 19, 2013

While I enjoy reading the annual sales predictions and yearly retail real estate outlook columns published each year, they often have a tendency to get bogged down in the details.

While I enjoy reading the annual sales predictions and yearly retail real estate outlook columns published each year, they often have a tendency to get bogged down in the details. When forecasting in the medium- to long-term, it’s often best to focus on the big-picture trends — an approach that not only avoids the all-too-common problem of missing the forest for the trees, but provides important insights about where the industry may be headed, not just in six or 12 months, but in six or 12 years.

February 7, 2013

In case you missed it, one of America’s biggest and most iconic brands was in the news recently for something other than the latest sales figures: Wal-Mart announced an ambitious plan to hire approximately 100,000 veterans over the next five years.

In case you missed it, one of America’s biggest and most iconic brands was in the news recently for something other than the latest sales figures: Wal-Mart announced an ambitious plan to hire approximately 100,000 veterans over the next five years.

January 23, 2013

When Target recently announced its new online price matching policy, I’m sure I wasn’t the only retail analyst whose first thought was: “This could be a pretty big deal.” While a number of retailers (including Target itself) have experimented with similar price-matching or pricing guarantee programs in the past, this new policy takes things to a new level.

January 8, 2013

With all of the pre-holiday buzz and widely optimistic sales projections, anything other than a blockbuster 2012 holiday shopping season was bound to be a letdown.

With all of the pre-holiday buzz and widely optimistic sales projections, anything other than a blockbuster 2012 holiday shopping season was bound to be a letdown. Few expected the numbers that came out just before Christmas: Both MasterCard and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported that sales for the holiday season at that point were up just 0.7%. This was far below the robust predictions that many analysts and observers made before the shopping season was underway (most often between 3%-6%).

December 11, 2012

By Jeff Green, president and CEO, Jeff Green Partners

We’ve all seen the footage that’s become an annual ritual for media outlets reporting on Black Friday: long lines, stampeding crowds and frantic shoppers. But the real drama is how stores fare once the dust settles, and this year was no exception. The length of the lines isn’t the ultimate Black Friday metric; it’s the bottom lines for retailers around the country that tell the tale.

November 21, 2012

Whatever your political views may be, it’s hard not to think about the impact of the recent presidential election on the consumer psyche, and ultimately our industry.

Whatever your political views may be, it’s hard not to think about the impact of the recent presidential election on the consumer psyche, and ultimately our industry. Whether President Obama or Mitt Romney would have been better for the economy in the long run is an issue I’ll gladly leave to the political experts and historians. But I do think that, in the near term, we are less likely to see the big holiday spending numbers that some analysts were predicting.

November 7, 2012

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the media thinks is the “next big thing” in our industry.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what the media thinks is the “next big thing” in our industry. It seems like everywhere I look, there’s another article about new mobile shopping initiatives and retail-related smartphone apps.

October 26, 2012

As we continue to witness the battle of brick-and-mortar versus online shopping, it’s interesting to see Walmart’s latest ploy to “one-up” their online competition.

As we continue to witness the battle of brick-and-mortar versus online shopping, it’s interesting to see Walmart’s latest ploy to “one-up” their online competition. Their new Walmart To Go service is offering customers same-day delivery of online orders for just $10. While the initial test period is expected to last only through the holidays, the possibility that this could stick makes me think that Walmart To Go might ultimately have some huge implications for brick-and-mortar retail. The big question, of course, is will it work? Can Walmart pull it off?

October 9, 2012

I’m sure I wasn’t the only person in the industry to raise an eyebrow when the S&P Retail Index notched an all-time high last month.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only person in the industry to raise an eyebrow when the S&P Retail Index notched an all-time high last month. Closing at $669.26 on Sept.14 to reach that milestone, the index has continued to creep up even further the last couple of weeks. A closer look at the stock market performance of the retail sector shows that both REITs and many individual retailers are continuing a strong positive trend—which makes sense, of course, because REITs will perform better in a strong retail environment when retailers are doing well.

September 26, 2012

Each year, since the “big recession,” retailers have been putting out their holiday decorations and starting their promotional sales as early as mid-October.

Each year, since the “big recession,” retailers have been putting out their holiday decorations and starting their promotional sales as early as mid-October. It used to be that Black Friday was the kick-off that got everyone out to the stores in search of that must-have discounted gift for their loved ones. This year, however, the calendar barely hit September and I saw Christmas trees on display at my local Costco and retailers announcing their layaway program incentives.

September 11, 2012

While I don’t pretend to know what the long-term implications of an Obama re-election or a Romney win would mean for our economy or our country, I do think that what happens on Nov. 6 will almost certainly have an impact on our industry — particularly, shopper sentiment and ultimately holiday sales.

With the political conventions coming to an end, it’s clear now that election season is in full swing. And, while I don’t pretend to know what the long-term implications of an Obama re-election or a Romney win would mean for our economy or our country, I do think that what happens on Nov. 6 will almost certainly have an impact on our industry — particularly, shopper sentiment and ultimately holiday sales.

August 21, 2012

The retail industry, yours truly included, has had a watchful eye on J.C. Penney ever since CEO Ron Johnson took over and announced his plans to revamp the iconic retailer.

The retail industry, yours truly included, has had a watchful eye on J.C. Penney ever since CEO Ron Johnson took over and announced his plans to revamp the iconic retailer. Many experts have shared their concerns over the new direction and, as the second quarter numbers would indicate, cause for concern is clearly warranted. With overall sales plummeting nearly $1 billion dollars, and earnings plunging from an expected $41 million profit to an $81 million loss, the company is down $1.7 billion in sales and $260 million in earnings in the first half of the year, compared to 2011.

August 15, 2012

I’ve written before about the ongoing trend of some of the biggest names in retail downsizing. Now I’m seeing how brands like Target, Wal-Mart and Office Depot are rolling out smaller new store formats in urban environments, and it has me thinking about how this downsizing phenomenon might be even more important than many people realize.

July 25, 2012

If you’ve spent any time in Nordstrom over the past few years, you’ve probably noticed their efforts to integrate some younger, edgier product lines into their more conservative upscale fashion selections.

If you’ve spent any time in Nordstrom over the past few years, you’ve probably noticed their efforts to integrate some younger, edgier product lines into their more conservative upscale fashion selections. It seems they’re taking these efforts one giant step forward with the announcement of their new partnership with Topshop.

July 11, 2012

With recent reports indicating Best Buy Founder and former Chairman Richard Schulze is not expected to present a buyout option to the board in the immediate future, some of the buzz about the iconic electronics retailer has died down.

With recent reports indicating Best Buy Founder and former Chairman Richard Schulze is not expected to present a buyout option to the board in the immediate future, some of the buzz about the iconic electronics retailer has died down. But the handwringing and public speculation about Best Buy’s future has me thinking about what will—or perhaps, should—come next for the brand.

June 27, 2012

I mentioned briefly in my last column that I’ve been a little puzzled by what seems to be an industry-wide reluctance to design and develop, and in many cases redevelop centers into, true mixed-use venues. It’s not that our industry doesn’t get excited about mixed-use spaces — they clearly do. But, something is getting lost between the glamorous articles and design concepts, and the real-world execution.

June 19, 2012

There was quite a bit of excitement heading into this year’s RECon convention. The event is, in many respects, the annual event for retail real estate professionals from around the country (and more recently from around the world). It seemed to have a little bit more industry buzz going for it than in recent years. I think the combination of some encouraging economic indicators and the feeling that the industry is on the cusp of what may be a more sustainable long-term recovery had everyone’s optimism in high gear.

May 24, 2012

I’ve read a few thought-provoking articles recently about the state of the retail real estate marketplace that make the observation that A malls are generally doing better while B malls are continuing to tread water—or even beginning to fade away. Once again, I have to disagree on the B malls.

I’ve read a few thought-provoking articles recently about the state of the retail real estate marketplace that make the observation that A malls are generally doing better while B malls are continuing to tread water—or even beginning to fade away. Once again, I have to disagree on the B malls.

May 16, 2012

This might not come as a huge surprise, but “irrational exuberance” is unlikely to be on prominent display.

This might not come as a huge surprise, but “irrational exuberance” is unlikely to be on prominent display. What have, in the past, been lavish spending habits of RECon attendees have been diminished in recent years, and I think the 2012 event will be no exception.