The race is on. Orange County retailers are looking to nab holiday shoppers through flashy marketing and cool garb.
Surf shop Killer Dana, which has stores in Dana Point and San Clemente, is getting the word out that “new holiday styles (are) arriving now” via its Web site.
Anaheim-based Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. also revamped its online store. It’s looking to lure shoppers with free shipping on orders of $75 or more and is offering discounts, such as spending $100 and getting $50 off your next order.
Then, there’s Foothill Ranch-based Wet Seal Inc. The clothing retailer, which caters to teens and young women, has stocked its Wet Seal and Arden B. stores with holiday garb and is playing up discounted shipping on each chain’s Web site.
Local retailers no doubt are looking to grab a piece of some $457 billion expected to be spent in holiday shopping this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s up 5% from last year, according the federation, which tracks holiday spending. Spending per shopper is expected to jump 7% to nearly $800.
Wet Seal slashed prices in October to clear out summer clothes and make room to bring in garb for the holidays, Chief Executive Joel Waller said in a statement.
Wet Seal’s same-store sales increased 7.5% in October, helped by the discounting.
“Our inventories are in good shape as we enter the all-important holiday season,” Waller said.
At Arden B., the company brought in party dresses, sweaters and blouses in red, metallic silver and white.
The “clutter” from prior management is “slowly dissipating,” said Eric Beder, analyst at Brean Murray, Carret & Co.
The new team leading Arden B. under chief merchandising manager Greg Garnette is making progress “driving fashion excitement and restoring Arden B. to prominence,” he said.
Wet Seal has spent the past year trying to revamp Arden B. and increase sales at its Wet Seal chain, which had seen its own struggles.
As for PacSun, eyes are on the struggling retailer as it heads into the holiday season.
The chain, which sells surf clothes, has been clearing out clothes that didn’t sell for the fall back-to-school season, such as heavy sweaters, and cleaning up its stores in time for the holidays.
Same-store sales dropped 6.7% in the third quarter. Profit was $9 million, down about 76% from last year. The company said the profit decline was due to weaker sales, inventory clearance and charges related to former chief executive Seth Johnson, who left last month.
PacSun is “moving aggressively” to “reverse the trend” and plans to reduce the amount of clothing in its stores to “improve the overall appearance” and “accelerate holiday deliveries,” interim Chief Executive Sally Frame Kasaks said.
PacSun is set to focus on girls’ clothes and bring in “fresh and exciting merchandise” to lure shoppers, Kasaks said.
New Hires, Work
Newport Beach-based Heil Brice Retail Advertising Inc. hired three workers and brought in an account.
The advertising shop recently was named agency-of-record for New Jersey’s Pathmark Stores Inc., which runs more than 140 grocery stores in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
John Derderian, Pathmark’s executive vice president of strategy and marketing, said the shop was picked because of its “impressive history with the grocery industry.”
Heil Brice’s other clients include Kroger Co.’s Ralphs Grocery Co. and Food 4 Less of Southern California Inc.
The OC shop will handle Pathmark’s advertising, media, marketing and strategic positioning. It started doing some work for Pathmark earlier this year.
Heil Brice hopes to help Pathmark “bolster their sales” and “strengthen their brand perception,” said Hal Brice, the shop’s chief executive.
The shop, which has more than 40 employees, brought on three more workers to help with the account and other work.
Jeff Creer was hired as vice president of account service. Cortney Legg is a new account director and Ben Weinstein was hired as production artist.
“Bolstering our account service and interactive teams is a critical step as we continue to grow and expand the services we offer,” Brice said.
Earlier this year, the shop picked up assignments from the Los Angeles Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Aliso Viejo-based Nolet Spirits U.S.A.’s Ketel One Vodka, among others.
Bits and Pieces:
Irvine-based Integrated MarketingWorks just picked up an account. The marketing shop was tapped by Prime Produce International Inc. to handle the national marketing launch of its “Prime Ripe” avocado program, a system that ripens avocados. The work includes public relations and advertising Santa Ana-based DGWB Advertising & Communications wrapped up three TV spots for client San Jose-based Fry’s Electronics Inc. In the ads, the shop pushes the launch of Fry’s site, www.Frys.com. There are three 30-second spots, which launched in October, and a full color newspaper ad.
