Ruby Tuesday Tries the Upscale Approach

Ruby Tuesday menus are now suggesting what wine to pair with your lobster entree. The New York Times takes an inside look at the 900-restaurant chain and its founder Sandy Beall.

The changes at the chain has lost it a few customers, but “very few people miss the roller skates on the wall and the bad food,” Beall says.

Bad Customer Service Equals Good Sales

Consumers might be happier with where they shop, but that still doesn’t mean they’re purchasing more. The American Customer Satisfaction Index numbers recently came in, and it increased 0.9% during the fourth quarter, brining it to 75.7 overall on a scale of 100.

The two chains on top, with scores of 80, were Kohl’s and Nordstrom. Too bad their sales don’t reflect the score. Kohl’s same-store sales fell 6.9% in January, while Nordstrom recorded an 11.4% plunge during the same period.

Discounters Rule the Retail Landscape

June sales results proved that discount chains are the ones winning the battle during this recession downturn.

According to ICSC’s monthly same-store sales survey, luxury stores experienced a 10.9% year over year decline in June, while discounters rose 5.1%. Wal-Mart’s 6.4% gain compared with Nordstrom’s 18.6% decline tells the plainly tells the story.

Costco, Wal-Mart Benefit From Downturn

To the surprise of few, wholesale clubs and discounters had the strongest sales in February, as the economy continues to smack down consumers. Costco’s same-stores sales rose 7% year over year, and Wal-Mart’s chains advanced a solid (for this environment) 2.6%.

But February’s results still left us with some questions.