Drug Topics - December 10, 2007 - (Page 29)

www.drugtopics.com DECEMBER 10, 2007 DRUG TOPICS 29 Chains and Business Will holiday 2007 sales be lean or green? Sandra Levy lumping home prices. High consumer debt. Tight credit. The war in Iraq Consumers have ample cause to be jittery about spending freely on holiday gifts. The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey offers reasons for retailers to be optimistic. The survey, conducted by NRF and BIGresearch, shows that the average consumer plans to spend $816.69 this holiday season, up from $791.10 last year. Here’s a look at what some chains are doing to capture holiday sales: • CVS/pharmacy is hoping to lure shoppers with the Essence of Beauty Winter Weekender Bag filled with seasonal spa-at-home novelties; Markin’s Luxurious Cosmetic Collection; and Sarah Peyton Home Collection, which features a threepiece microwaveable Comfort Spa. The company anticipates that kids will ask for the Radio Controlled Lo-Rider and the Sky Scrambler Wireless Indoor Helicopter under their Christmas tree. Other hot items include the Life Fitness Dual Watch and Heart Rate Monitor, Life Fitness pedometers, the HoMedics Neck & Shoulder Massager, CVS/pharmacy photo book, and the Anne Geddes Vanilla Visa Gift Card. The iCraig’s iPod Alarm Clock Radio, which plays and charges all dockable iPod models, is also expected to be a best-seller. For stocking stuffers, there’s a 25-piece mini tool set, and a combination clock and pen holder. On Black Friday, CVS plans to offer the CVS Battery Box, containing a variety of batteries in a storage box, for $9.99. Immediately following Halloween the chain urged on-line shoppers, “Find great gifts in our holiday shop.” CVS offered customers Triple Extra Buck rewards on all nonprescription orders placed on CVS.com from Nov. 3 through Dec. 7 with its ExtraCare loyalty card. • Lewis Drugs, Sioux Falls, S.D., dressed up its Web site right after Halloween with its exclusive collectibles of lo- S cal landmarks, including St. Joseph’s Cathedral, First Lutheran Church, Minnehaha Courthouse, and The Train Depot. Mark Griffin, Lewis’ president/CEO, said he expects the holiday season will be successful. “It will be good—not great, but it will be better than naysayers’ predictions.” Griffin anticipates Nintendo Wii will be the Walgreens to customers: Let the holiday shopping begin! rage. He also predicts that Nintendo DS, Guitar Hero electronic guitar, digital picture frames, Webkinz (interactive stuffed animals) Barbie MP3 doll, and High School Musical dolls will be snatched up. When it comes to decorations, he said, tube lights and inflatable holiday decorations will be popular. Other hot items include Shania, Celine, and David Beckham fragrance gift sets. Griffin plans to hold a Black Friday Extravaganza (after Thanksgiving) with stores open at 6:00 A.M. “Some items will be outrageously priced,” he noted. • Not to be outdone, Walgreens anticipates fragrance sets, gift cards, as-seen-on-TV products, and i-Pod accessories to be scooped up. The chain expects in-store and on-line sales of digital cameras and camcorders to be brisk. On-line and in-store offerings also include a variety of fun pet toys and accessories. An exclusive on-line offering is a collectible die-cast 12-in.-long model of a Walgreens delivery truck. DT Photos: Sandra Levy http://www.drugtopics.com http://CVS.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - December 10, 2007

Drug Topics - December 10, 2007 Latebreakers Latebreakers in Depth Letters Health-System Edition - Cover Story Clinical Practice Professional Practice Special Report Technology Community Practice Unraveling Medicare 150 Years of American Pharmacy Rx Care In the Pipeline Cover Story: Fair or foul? Self-Care Chains and Business Government and Law Continuing Education: Natural Medicines for Bone Health New Products Advertisers Index Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - December 10, 2007

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