According to the National Retail Federation an estimated 60 million people will shop on-line today.
This is great news for the folks at Norm Thompson Outfitters in Hillsboro.
The company is so confident in on-line growth, it will close its landmark store on NW Thurman in Portland. The company is focusing its effort on the internet. Fifty percent of sales are generated by phone, 40 percent online and 10 percent by mail. Internet sales grow every year and are now outpacing all others.
Here's something interesting. Norm Thompson in one of the countries
top 100 etailers...out selling Nike online.
Everyone we ran into at the center seems to really enjoy what they're doing. Sarah Duncan is charged with answering customers emails. It used to take on average 24 hours to get an answer. Now it's just an hour or so. That's pretty good customer service.
In October the call center moved into new facilities next to the company headquarters. It's very green. And it's obvious lots of dollars were spent making the center comfortable for the workers...and it's paying off. jsmith@kgw.com

Posted by Joe Smith at 04:21 PM | Permalink

If you're downtown check out Goodwill's newest store. The non-profit took over a small print shop and turned it into an upscale boutique.
The store is filled with designer labels. More space is devoted to displays. You won't find piles of clothing. It's all neatly laid out.
Dale Emanuel, the media rep for Goodwill tells me the downtown store is attracting about 40 percent men. Much more than its other outlets.
I suppose it's no surprise, but some shoppers are shopping for their home busineses. Many are selling the merchandise on Ebay.
The store even has a more uptown name.."Goodwill on 10th". It's right across the street from the main library. Check it out.

Posted by Joe Smith at 04:30 PM | Permalink

I hope you'll check in often for interesting tidbits about stories I just didn't have enough time for on Newschannel 8.
For example we did a story yesterday about the new store addition at Washington Square mall. We featured The Cheesecake Factory. They tell me, that on average each Cheesecake factory store rings in $11 Million dollars a year in revenue.
Wednesday, we visited the newest and biggest Costo on the planet in Hillsboro. It's 205 thousand square feet...about twice the size of an ordinary Costo. When you're buying a pumpkin pie..think about this..Costcowill sell some 11 million dollars worth of pies over the holidays. Oh, and $6 million dollars worth of fruit cake.
That's it for now...check back when you have time...I'll try and give you the business. You can drop me an email at jsmith@kgw.com

Posted by Joe Smith at 03:22 PM | Permalink