This holiday season, shoppers plan to spend more than ever on the most flexible and convenient of gifts: a gift card. With retailers providing increasingly creative ways for gift cards to be personalized and delivered, NRF’s 2012 holiday consumer spending survey conducted by BIGinsight shows that 81.1% of shoppers will purchase at least one gift…
DetailsYear-End Financial Planning from the Denha Law Blog Making a Gift with A Free Look Into 2013-The Disclaimer Gift Trust discusses a trust technique that is worthy of consideration for those folks who want to make a sort of reversible gift. In this gift and estate tax bonanza period that the government plans on taking…
DetailsAltria Group Inc.’s Philip Morris USA is pushing through a price increase of six cents per pack across all of the company’s cigarette brands, the second round of price rises this year, reported Dow Jones. The maker of Marlboro and L&M cigarettes confirmed it would enact the price increase on shipments effective December 3rd. The…
DetailsIn Minnesota, buying a lottery ticket can be as easy as filling up, as the state becomes the first to offer lottery tickets for sale at the pump, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The touch screen system for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets is currently undergoing tests at nine gas stations and 19 ATMs. The…
DetailsAs 2012 draws to a close, there is still time to reduce your 2012 tax bill and plan ahead for 2013. The following summary outlines several potential tax-saving opportunities and important tax tips to keep in mind as you look to year end. As a general reminder, there are several ways to file an income tax…
DetailsThe holiday season is upon us and, for most of us, the month is filled with offices parties, holiday events, and good cheer. It is also an ideal time to network. Most people are relaxed and in a cheerful mood. Unless someone is completely inebriated, it could be a good time to casually talk…
DetailsCentral Grocers, a member-owned grocery wholesaler, said it has agreed to acquire the distribution arm of Chicago-based Dearborn Wholesale Grocers. Terms were not disclosed. According to its website, Dearborn, founded as a wholesaler in 1919, operates a 350,000-square-foot main distribution center in Chicago. The company also operates a 120,000-square-foot facility for reserve stock, health and…
DetailsAfter imported beer brands sank to their lowest U.S. consumer satisfaction levels in two years during the first half of 2012, the sector has largely rebounded, according to YouGov BrandIndex, which measures public perception of thousands of brands across dozens of sectors. Imported beer has followed the same consumer perception pattern this year and last.…
DetailsAs revenues from gasoline and tobacco products fall, foodservice sales are increasingly becoming c-stores’ most profitable category. Convenience store foodservice is an $11 billion industry, and the second-largest retail host foodservice category behind supermarkets. The c-store segment comprises about 29% of retail foodservice and almost 2% of the total foodservice industry. Technomic projects that c-store…
DetailsFresh fruit with yogurt dip, single sliders, and mini-whoopie pies are all part of a trend in grocery stores to market more healthful snacks, Supermarket News reports. As the snack trend continues to accelerate, supermarkets are drawing attention to the healthy offerings with banners, signs, and displays. A Mintel study found that 65% of…
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