Marshall Cohen Buying Quotations

The surge in men's apparel sales came from some of the most unexpected places, such as young men buying a suit. Teens and young adult men have finally 'discovered the suit.' When exploring that further, NPD found that young men never owned a suit, never wore a suit and never saw their father in a suit - yet, they have migrated towards dressing up to be 'cool.' We are seeing a shift in the younger generation reaching their image through grooming and dressing up.

Two years ago, consumers were buying expensive denim and a lot of pairs. This year they're buying that one - maybe two - signature perfect pair. And then they're complementing it with less expensive pairs.

Imagine going into Kmart and buying a Sears Craftsman tool set, or buying Kmart's Martha Stewart home products at Sears. To Kmart shoppers, Lands' End may not mean anything, but now it will.

It's really about back to basics, buying at chains like Home Depot and Lowe's. The mass merchants are reaping the benefits in a big way because it's one-stop shopping.

Holiday 2005 will be remembered as the year of giving to those in need. Retailers want consumers to feel good about buying and helping others.

When it becomes the third week, the novelty is going to wear off, but the consumers will still be buying one more item just because of the fact that they're going to be having ... more in their pocket. That one item is going to add up and it is going to benefit the retailer more than the consumer.