Visit our new site at BusinessJournalism.org
Reynolds Center Programs
Daylong Workshops
Online Seminars
One-hour Tutorials
Barlett & Steele Awards
Professors Seminar
Strictly Financials Seminar
Research
Covering Business
Starting Out
Business Writing
Business Design
Business Glossary
Ethics
Five Questions with...
Immigration Series
Business Journalism Resources
Job Listings
Academic Programs
Book Listings and Reviews
Scholarships
Calculators
Web Resources
Tutorials
Article Index
Workshop Registration
The Reynolds Center has announced its 2009-10 free workshop schedule.
Select a workshop and register from the drop-down menu below.
Online Seminars
The Reynolds Center registration for Fall 2009 free online seminars.
Hooked on Kindle
By Chris Roush
Tracking the Business Behind the Tomato
By Jonathan Higuera
Five Questions with Bill Choyke
By Jonathan Higuera
Finding the Economy's Silver Lining
By Dick Weiss
Double Whammy: Oil and Housing
By Jennifer Hopfinger
Annual Comparisons, Shopper Perspective Help Bolster Retail Reporting
By Chris Roush
October 11, 2006
We're heading into the fall shopping season, which means that the business section is going to have more stories about retail sales leading up to and after Christmas/Hanukah and the New Year.
Here's what bothers me when I read retail sales stories: They compare the results to the wrong time period, and too many of them quote economists instead of shoppers.
Don't get me wrong. I'm OK with the occasional economist whose quote helps the reader understand the significance of the increase or decrease in the numbers. But it's the consumers who are -- or aren't -- driving the numbers, and talking to them while they are in the malls or major department stores helps a reader understand what it's like to be out there.
As for the monthly retail sales statistics, there is the number put out by the federal government, and then there is the data that the major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and others release about their stores on a monthly basis as well. Both regularly merit coverage.
Too often, however, stories about those numbers look at the previous month instead of the same month a year ago. (For example, the AP story on August retail sales compared the growth to July's performance.) Think of it this way: You don't write earnings stories comparing the third quarter to the second quarter, do you?
Let me put it another way. Every retailer, and I mean every retailer, would love for reporters to write stories comparing November sales to October sales. Why? Because November is the beginning of the holiday sales season, and their sales are going to be much higher that month than in October, when all consumers buy are Halloween costumes and new winter coats.
A comparison of November 2006 retail sales to November 2005 retail sales is the better thing to report because it tells readers whether the retailers are performing better this year than last.
And if they're not performing better, then watch out for the follow-up story: What retailers are offering sales early in the holiday season.
Email this article
Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
The Reynolds Center has announced its 2009-10 free workshop schedule.
Select a workshop and register from the drop-down menu below.
The Reynolds Center registration for Fall 2009 free online seminars.
By Chris Roush
Tracking the Business Behind the Tomato
By Jonathan Higuera
Five Questions with Bill Choyke
By Jonathan Higuera
Finding the Economy's Silver Lining
By Dick Weiss
Double Whammy: Oil and Housing
By Jennifer Hopfinger
Annual Comparisons, Shopper Perspective Help Bolster Retail Reporting
By Chris Roush
October 11, 2006
We're heading into the fall shopping season, which means that the business section is going to have more stories about retail sales leading up to and after Christmas/Hanukah and the New Year.
Here's what bothers me when I read retail sales stories: They compare the results to the wrong time period, and too many of them quote economists instead of shoppers.
Don't get me wrong. I'm OK with the occasional economist whose quote helps the reader understand the significance of the increase or decrease in the numbers. But it's the consumers who are -- or aren't -- driving the numbers, and talking to them while they are in the malls or major department stores helps a reader understand what it's like to be out there.
As for the monthly retail sales statistics, there is the number put out by the federal government, and then there is the data that the major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and others release about their stores on a monthly basis as well. Both regularly merit coverage.
Too often, however, stories about those numbers look at the previous month instead of the same month a year ago. (For example, the AP story on August retail sales compared the growth to July's performance.) Think of it this way: You don't write earnings stories comparing the third quarter to the second quarter, do you?
Let me put it another way. Every retailer, and I mean every retailer, would love for reporters to write stories comparing November sales to October sales. Why? Because November is the beginning of the holiday sales season, and their sales are going to be much higher that month than in October, when all consumers buy are Halloween costumes and new winter coats.
A comparison of November 2006 retail sales to November 2005 retail sales is the better thing to report because it tells readers whether the retailers are performing better this year than last.
And if they're not performing better, then watch out for the follow-up story: What retailers are offering sales early in the holiday season.
Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism