Retail Stores

"Jersey Shore" star Snooki took over HSN last night with a live two-hour television event and it would be an understatement to call it a success. The MTV reality star was clearly humbled by the response to her new handbag line, perfume and crocodilly stuffed animal.

How will holiday shoppers find the best prices or the most unique gifts? Will they flip through a circular, find it online, through email, or browse store floors? As the holiday shopping season kicks into gear, companies that demonstrate an understanding of customers’ preferences are likely to pique more interest.

New York & Co. reported that its loss widened in the third quarter to $6 million from $4 million last year. Sales dropped to $216.7 million, compared with $238.2 million a year earlier. Same-store sales decreased 5.2 percent.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters saw fourth-quarter profit nearly triple as sales rose 91 percent. The maker of Keurig single-cup brewers said it earned $75.4 million, or 47¢ a share, for the quarter that ended Sept. 24, up from $27 million, or 20¢ per share, a year earlier.

Led by discretionary purchases, October retail sales saw impressive growth across the board, an encouraging sign for retailers as the holiday season gets underway. According to the National Retail Federation, retail sales increased 0.7 percent from September and 4.7 percent over last October.

Christopher & Banks, Syms and Filene's Basement are the most recent retailers to shutter some of their stores, bringing the total number of store closings so far in 2011 to 3,126.

Crocs will open its doors to three new concept stores this week. The new shops are designed to drive a holistic, engaging approach to the Crocs retail experience. They are located in three busy shopping destinations: Mall of America in Bloomington, MN.; Barton Creek in Austin, TX.; and Streets at Southpoint in Durham, N.C.

Lowe's reported that net income for the quarter ended Oct. 28 dropped 44 percent as store-closing charges undercut a slight uptick in quarterly sales. The retailer reported net earnings of $225 million, compared with $404 million in the year-ago period.

Urban Outfitters' third-quarter profit fell 31 percent amid a decline in same-store sales and as merchandise markdowns continued to weigh on margins. For the quarter ended Oct. 31, Urban Outfitters posted earnings of $50.7 million, down from $73.1 million in the year-ago period.

According to Forbes Insights, affluent consumers are planning to spend close to $1,850 during the 2011 holiday season, which is an increase of 2 percent over 2010 and 5 percent over 2009, with $1,100 earmarked for gifts for family, friends and other loved ones.