Correct! When you cover the retail beat, you cover a lot more than going to the mall.

Correct! Although this is not true of all companies, this is a good timeline for when you can expect new reports from many major retailers.

Correct! It's never too early to start thinking about your holiday coverage!

Correct! The data in these reports include a much broader range of retailers than same-store sales. It also measures sales at all stores (net sales), not just those open at least a year (same-store sales).

That's right! Holiday stories should be about what's interesting. While that may be about what is new and different this year, sometimes readers also want to read about something familiar they find interesting, such as the confectioner's process of making chocolates for Valentine's Day.

Correct! This refers to the code used to identify each type of product in a store. For example, all of the Honey Nut Cheerios will have one SKU, while the Multigrain Cheerios will have a different SKU. The number of SKUs in a store can give you an idea of the diversity of products it carries.

Super star! That is correct!

That's right! A store is still private property even though the business is open to the public. You should get permission from a manager before filming or taking photos inside a store.

Correct! These are products that have been in stock for a long time, often due to seasonality or trends. No retailer wants to have dead stock or inventory.

Correct! This is a contender for the biggest shopping day of the year along with Black Friday.