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Retail Alliance Newsletter
Greetings!
Your vote counts TONIGHT!
Retail Alliance will host its first Party Politics event on Tuesday, October 28 in conjunction with this year's November elections. It is the first of its kind to be conducted in the Hampton Roads area, and will serve as a vital tool for voters at decision time in November. The event will be held at the Webb Center on the campus of Old Dominion University off Hampton Blvd. and 49th Street in Norfolk.
This is an informal event open to the public enabling Hampton Roads citizens to cast electronic votes on a non-scientific ballot and meet  with several candidates in a casual setting. Attendees will have the chance to voice their concerns and opinions to political candidates and their representatives. Towards the end of the event, the election results will be revealed, and the candidates will have the chance to see where they stand with voters in Hampton Roads. Please join Retail Alliance for Party Politics and engage with your potential politicians.
Here are a list of candidates that will be attending as of today:
Presidential Candidates
Barack Obama Representative (D)
John McCain Representative (R)
Chuck Baldwin Representative (IG)
U.S. Senate
Governor Mark Warner Representative (D)
James "Jim" Gilmore III Representative (R)
Glenda Gail Parker Representative (IG)
William Redpath (L)
U.S. Representatives; 1st District of Virginia
Nathan Larson (L)
U.S. Representatives; 2nd Distict of Virginia
Glenn Nye Representative (D)
Thelma Drake Representative (R)
U.S. Representatives; 3rd Distict of Virginia
Congressman Bobby Scott or Representative (D)
U.S. Representatives; 4th Distict of Virginia
Andrea Miller (D)
This event has a $5 entry fee and we encourage everyone to come out and cast their vote!
Light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar.
For directions to the Webb Center and instructions for parking, click here!
For more information on Party Politics contact Jen Webber at jwebber@retail-alliance.com.
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Retail Training Institute at MacArthur Center
Loss Prevention Tune-Up for the Holidays
Wednesday, November 12 · 8:00 am - 10:00 am
MacArthur Center, 2nd floor by Nordstrom
$16 members/ $26 non-members
Retailers will learn the latest on loss prevention  topics including methods of internal and external theft, what to look for, hiring the right employees, and what you can do to deter shoplifters and vendor errors during the holiday season.
Designed for all retail managers and employees.
To RSVP, please complete the TCC Non-Credit application and then either fax it to Johnna Coleman-Yates at (757) 822-1160 or drop off the completed form at the MacArthur Center Management Office.
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Black Friday Ads Show Up Early on Web
Web sites designed to scoop Black Friday sales
already are posting sales ads and information from retailers this year. BFAds and BlackFriday.info are two sites that have begun posting sales information, but retailer Big Lots sent a letter to BlackFriday.info saying it would take legal action if its ads were posted early.
San Diego Union-Tribune/Reuters has the full story.
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Retail 2 Retail
 6-8 p.m.
November 4
Marco's Pizza
3322 W Mercury Blvd
Hampton, VA 23666
Join fellow retailers for an entertaining evening of networking and fun, complete with refreshments.Retail 2 Retail takes place the first and third Tuesday of each month and is free to RETAIL ALLIANCE members.To RSVP call Jen Webber at 757.455.9323 For directions to this R2R and to view upcoming R2Rs click here. |
Study Predicts 5% Decline in Holiday Sales
Holiday retail sales will drop 5% this year, according to a study. Thirty-five percent of survey respondents said they will spend less on holiday gifts this year -- spending an average of about $775.
Marketing Daily has the full story.
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Discounters, Lower-priced Items to Drive 2008 Holiday Sales
Experts are expecting this year's holiday season to be the softest in terms of retail performance since 2002. Discounters and warehouse clubs are likely to report the best sales as consumers pull back on spending amid the financial crisis.
Detroit Free Press has the full story.
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Report: Americans Cut Back on Food Purchases
More than 50% of U.S. consumers have cut back on the quality or quantity of their food purchases because of rising prices, according to a new report.
American City Business Journals has the full story.
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LEGISLATIVE SCOREBOARD
VA Secretary of Health to Meet with Retailers, WIC Agency Directors
Due to elimination of over 100 grocery stores from Virginia's Women Infant Children (WIC) authorizations, retail trade associations, led by the Virginia Retail Federation (VRF), have gained traction on revamping the agency's unfair slotting system. The VRF assisted Delegate Harvey Morgan in calling a meeting of retail and business organizations to protest agency determinations that these Virginia stores, small and large, are no longer allowed to offer WIC. Working with the Virginia Petroleum Convenience and Grocery Association (VPCGA), the VRF also spearheaded hearings at the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR) which uncovered rampant sanctions against retailers with little or no supporting criteria.
Consequently, Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marilyn Tavvener has called a meeting with representatives from the grocery industry and WIC managers to find solutions. Retailers have agreed to pursue a WIC system that will 1) eliminate slotting, or unfair selection of WIC authorized stores; 2) establish a grocery peer group system that is fair for all retail stores regardless of size and location. The meeting, which will include representatives from VRMA and NFIB, will take place Wednesday, October 29, in Richmond. For more information, contact Margaret Ballard, mballard@retail-alliance.com, (757) 406-9431.
Antique Dealers to Pursue Certification Program
At the VRF's second statewide meeting of antiques dealers and affiliated businesses, including show producers and estate sellers, business owners agreed not to pursue Delegate Joe May's 2008 legislation that would define antiques and call for additional tagging and invoice requirements in transactions. The group could not come up with a definition that would combat the influx of counterfeit antiques into the Virginia market without creating burdensome requirements for small business.
With support from the VRF, the coalition will research and establish a strong certification program for Virginia dealers and businesses. The new program will focus on 1) branding, or differentiating reputable businesses from counterfeit dealers through marketing and consumer education; 2) establishing ethics and standards for reputable dealers; 3) continuing education. The VRF will also further investigate Virginia's criminal code to determine laws that can be used to prosecute counterfeit antique sales.
Inconsistent Norfolk BPOL Audits Mystify Business Owners
Norfolk interior designers, recently audited by the local commissioner, experienced substantially differing opinions on their BPOL licenses. In fact, in several cases, business owners merely received a phone call from the commissioner's office, informing them that they will pay future taxes in the service category, a more expensive BPOL license than retail. Without a letter summarizing the audit findings, these businesses cannot appeal the commissioner's findings.
The BPOL coalition will meet on Wednesday, October 29, at 8:30 a.m. to discuss the findings and appeals process for those who did not receive a written opinion. The VRF has submitted a brief of appeal to Commissioner Janie Bowen, Virginia Department of Taxation, for reconsideration of her ruling on a previously audited business, Kathy Knack Interior Designs. The association is seeking a ruling that would establish a statewide definition of "retail" for future BPOL audits.
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Co-Op Advertising with Retail Alliance
Retail Alliance is offering numerous co-op advertising options for members in coming weeks.
WVEC TV-13 Holiday Co-op $565
Discover Magazine (several city editions still available; one-year shelf-life) $615 1/6 page ad
Virginian Pilot City Tabloids Ads available for two insertions each weeks of November 30 and December 7 for as little as $125.
Smith Mountain Lake television spot on three channels $285
Please contact your Director of Membership Development for complete details. On the Southside Carlene Bowers at (757) 455- 9311 or Janet Balestino at (757) 455-9324. On the Peninsula Jodi Weygand or Viktor Mays at (757) 926-5306. In Smith Mountain Lake contact Juanita Thomas at (540) 597-3932.
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Holiday Window Works
It's not too early to sign up for your chance to win $1500!
Click here to learn more and download your sign-up sheet
SML members click here!
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