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Even in the height of summer, major retailers still have Christmas in mind. For example, in June Argos released its top toy predictions for Christmas 2017, highlighting the toys and games it believed would be the big winners come December. Considering holiday sales can account for as much as 30% of annual revenue, it’s no wonder retailers begin preparing for Christmas long before the season comes around. However, with ever-changing buyer behaviour, trends toward ecommerce, high return rates (one in three gifts are returned to the retailer) and fluctuating sales over recent years, what was once a sure success of a season is now more and more difficult to predict.
For finance leaders at large retailers and brands, excess and returned inventory can pose a significant drag on working capital and margin performance. With returns projected to cost U.S. retailers $850 billion annually—roughly 17% of total sales—and processing costs ranging…
San Mateo, CA and Chicago, IL, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New data from both Circana and B-Stock reveals the age of smartphones traded-in reached an all-time high during the 2025 upgrade cycle, with most devices being three generations…