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The post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza otherwise known as Black Friday was a big day for Beall's Inc., the $1.15 billion Bradenton-based retail chain.
But the following Monday turned out to be an even more important day for the company.
That's when a far-reaching meeting on products for the rest of 2009 took palce. The meeting also served as the basis for the company's holiday season marketing and advertising campaign.
The results produced a mix of the to-be-expected and a few surprises.
Of the latter, this nugget stands out: The company's collections of dog beds and dog pillows, which start at $20, sold out at most of the chain's stores, says Gwen Bennett, vice president of advertising and e-commerce. “That really surprised us,” Bennett says.
In the not-surprising department, Bennett confirmed that just about every product geared to the recession-conscious shopper sold well. That includes a seasonal men's gift package: Two LED flashlights for $5. “The flashlights were really a huge hit,” Bennett says.
Another big seller that came as little surprise were the lighted palm trees, Bealls' Florida-infused way of spreading holiday cheer.
Bealls' President Lana Cain Krauter says another key to the shopping season, past what sold well and what didn't on Black Friday, is the store is meeting its goals in terms of being vigilant on not over-ordering. Krauter says the company's “focus on inventory control has paid off in margin improvement.”
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