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Over the past month, we surveyed California Pizza Kitchen locations to gauge trends in the casual dining business. We asked the following questions:

1. How is business compared to last month?

2. What is the most popular item on the menu?

3. Is this location busier at lunch or dinner?

4. What is the average check size for a party of two?

• 57% of respondents said that business had increased in the past month. 23% said business was the “same” and 20% reported that business was down over the past month.

• 47% of respondents said that the Pesto Chicken was the most popular menu item. 33% cited the BBQ Chicken.

• 57% of respondents stated that dinner was the busiest time of day. 43% cited lunch.

• The average check size for a party of two was reported to be $32.37 with a range of responses from $10 to $60.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Tracking other recent restaurant chains we have surveyed California Pizza Chicken appears to be busier in the past month. The average check at $32 is comparable to the average bill at California Pizza Kitchen we have seen in previous surveys. The Pesto Chicken looks very strong as does a CPKI original menu item – the BBQ Chicken.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

Over the past week, we surveyed Cheesecake Factory locations to gauge trends in the casual dining business. We asked the following questions:

1. What is the average wait time for a party of two?

2. What % of people order the cheesecake?

3. What is the average check for a party of two?

4. Has this location been busier this month?

• 63% of respondents said that average wait time for a party of two was 10-20 minutes. 17% said 25-30 minutes while 20% said there was on average no wait time.

• Respondents reported that 60% of customers order the Cheesecake on their visits to the restaurant.

• The average check size for a party of two is reported to be $43.33 with responses ranging from $20-$100.

• 60% of respondents had felt that their location had been busier in the past month while 40% did not believe so.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Compared to our historical data on Cheesecake Factory wait times appear to be moving up, which would seem to be a positive. Average check size also appears higher. Finally, a small majority see business as being up in the past month which suggests at a minimum tht business is not getting worse for Cheesecake factory in the past month.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

 

Over the past three weeks, we surveyed Lululemon Athletica locations to gauge trends in the specialty retail business. We asked the following questions:

1. What does the average customer spend per visit?

2. What percent of customer are returning customers?

3. What is the top selling item right now?

4. Do you have trouble keeping the best selling items in stock?

5. Do customers usually buy items off the sales rack or do they pay full price?

• The average customer spends $95.50 according to our survey respondents. Responses ranged from a low of $30 to a high of $300.

• 57% of customers are returning customers according to our respondents. Responses ranged from a low of 10% to 85%.

• Jackets were seen as the top selling items according to 17% of respondents. 13% cited yoga mats and 13% cited tank tops.

• 77% of respondents reported that they do not have trouble keeping the best selling items in stock. 23% said they did have difficulty keeping hot items in stock.

• 53% of respondents said most customer pay full price for items. 47% said that customers primarily bought items that were on sale.

 

Conclusion of Channel Check: The results from this survey are fairly strong for a retailer. However, these numbers are somewhat lower and less positively skewed than past survey’s of Lulemon conducted at this time last year. Average customer bill does look strong in this environment as does percentage of returning customers and the feedback on full price vs. sales items.

 

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

 

Over the past week, we surveyed Dicks Sporting Goods and Sports Authority locations to gauge trends in sports gear. We asked the following questions:

1. Have sales of Under Armour gone up at your store this year versus Nike?

2. Which of the following categories selling the best for Under Armour (Boys / Girls / Men /Women)?

3. Which of the following categories is selling best ( Apparel, Footwear, Gear, Accessories)?

4. Have sales of Under Armour increased or decreased in the past month?

• 53% of respondents said that sales of Under Armour had not increased in the past year compared to Nike products. 47% said they had.

• 60% of respondents said that men’s Under Armour gear was the best selling category. 27% said it was women’s while 13% said boys Under Armour gear was the best selling.

• 67% of respondents said apparel was the most sold category of Under Armour. 23% said gear was the top selling category. 10% cited footwear products.

• 63% of respondents said that sales of Under Armour had increased in the past month. 17% said that sales were flat in the past month. 20% of respondents said that sales of Under Armour had decreased.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Major sporting stores carrying Under Armour appear to be lower this year, but increasing in the past month. Sales look to be focused on apparel for men. Footwear does not appear to be a big driver of sales for Under Armour apparel. The recent sales trend points to some potentially positive updates from the company in coming months.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

Over the past week, we surveyed Verizon retail locations to gauge trends in the casual dining business. We asked the following questions:

1. What is the best selling overall device?

2. What is the best selling device for e-mail?

3. What is the best selling music device?

4. Has there been an increase in the number of people opening accounts (or upgrading phones, a proxy for extending a subscription)?

• 17% of respondents said that the Blackberry Storm was the best selling overall device. 13% said the Blackberry Pearl was the best selling.

• 33% of respondents stated that the Blackberry Storm was the top device for e-mail. 27% of respondents cited various other Blackberry models. 10% cited the Verizon branded SMT5800.

• The Blackberry as a product group was seen as best for music by 27% of respondents. 17% cited the Samsung Juke, and 10% cited the LG Chocolate.

• 63% of respondents stated that more people were opening new accounts or upgrading this month versus last month. 37% said they were not.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Verizon stores representatives appear to be pushing Blackberry products to a wide range of consumers recommending Blackberry devices as the best for e-mail, music and best overall. 63% of respondents seeing increased new account activity in the latest month is a strong positive for Verizon and suggests that Blackberry devices and new subscription additions point to positive reports from the company.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

Over the past week, we surveyed Coach locations to gauge trends in the boutique retail market. We asked the following questions:

1. Over the last two months have store sales patters/ foot traffic been holding up or have you seen softening?

2. Over the last two months have you run any promotions on the products in the store? Which products?

3. Over the last two months has there been a new offering or hot product that has stimulated demand? If Yes, what is it?

4. Over the last two months have you noticed more window shoppers than normal?

• 37% of respondents said that traffic patterns have been “very weak”, 57% said that traffic was “holding up” while another 6% said that business was “improving”.

• 53% of respondents said they had not been running any promotions in the past two months. 43% said they had primarily on small bags and purses.

• 67% said there was not any new offering or hot product in their stores in the past two months. 33% said there was and all these respondents cited the recently launched (April 5) Bonnie Cashin designs.

• 30% of respondents said they had seen an increase in window shoppers in the past two months. 70% said they saw a mix of both real shoppers and simple window shoppes in the past two months.

   

Conclusion of Channel Check: The “very weak” response rate looks high to us and should give those evaluating Coach a warning signal about foot traffic into the Coach stores. On the positive side it does not appear that is a significant amount of promotions or price discounting at Coach stores. Bonnie Cashin bags appear to be popular but wit only 33% citing them it does not suggest that the product line will be a runaway smash in April. Our data responses were collected from April 6- April 10.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

Over the past week, we surveyed Bebe locations to gauge trends in the boutique retail market. We asked the following questions:

1. How well would you say business is doing at your store?

2. Do you have any excess inventory of products that will go on sale soon?

3. What is the average receipt at this store?

4. What are the top selling items right now?

• 60% of respondents said that business at their Bebe store was just “average”. 23% did say that business was “above average” while 10% said business was “below average”.

• 60% said that they did not have any particular excess inventory that would be going on sale in the near future. 40% of respondents said they did citing items such as bags and sunglasses. 50% of all those reporting excess inventory cited bags as being in excess (this was also 17% of all total respondents).

• The average customer purchase was reported to be $100.33 with responses here ranging from $45 to $300.

• Dresses and jeans were seen as the top selling category of clothes according to 20% of respondents each. 17% of respondents saw tank tops as the top selling item while “tops” were seen as the top item by an additional 17% (it might be fair to say “tops” as a category were the strongest with 34% of respondents if we combined the previous two answers).

Conclusion of Channel Check: We generally view responses about business levels that are “average” as slightly negative. Given this view, the data does not suggest that Bebe has seen strong sales in the past month. Bags look like an inventory problem on a product basis, but overall inventories to not look too high at Bebe. The average purchase becomes relevant as we measure its changes in coming reports.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

Over the past week, we surveyed AT&T Stores to gauge trends in sales cell phones and new account sign ups. We asked the following questions:

1. What is the best device to get for e-mail?

2. Has there been an increase in the number of people opening accounts?

3. What is the best overall selling phone?

4. What is the best selling music device?

 

• 53% of respondents said that the Apple iPhone was the top device for e-mail. The Blackberry Bold was seen as the best device by 27% of respondents.

• 53% of respondents state that the number of new accounts opened at their location has increased in the past month.

• The Apple iPhone was seen as the best selling overall device by 67% of respondents.

• The Apple iPhone was seen as the best music device by 53% of respondents. 20% cited the Sony-Ericsson W350.

Conclusion of Channel Check: The Apple iPhone appears to maintaining its strength as the leader in every category we survey – best overall, best for e-mail and best for music. New account openings appear to be moving up a bit. We believe that AT&T Wireless is doing well with the strong allure of the Apple iPhone drawing in new users.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

Over the past week, The Channel Checkers surveyed 30 Harley Davidson dealers across the United States to track sales trends of Harley Davidson motorcycles. We asked the following questions:

1. What bike model sell the most right now?

2. Are you sold out of any models right now?

3. How are business levels compared to this time last year?

4. Has there been an increase in sales in the past month?

 

• The Harley Sportster XR 1200 was cited as the best selling model by 57% of respondents. The Dyna series was seen as the top seller by 13% of respondents.

• 87% of respondents said they were not sold out of any models. 13% said they were sold out of some models and cited the Dyna Rocker C as one model that was sold out.

• 43% of respondents believed that business was worse in early April compared to April of last year. 30% saw business levels as the same as last year, while 27% believed that business was better than last year.

• Despite the negative sentiment on business compared to this time last year, 57% of respondents did say business had increased in the past month. 43% did not believe that business had increased in the last four weeks.

 

Conclusion of Channel Check: The absolute results for Harley appear to be generally negative. However, the data reads less poorly than in recent surveys. The 57% who see business increasing in the past month is the best reading for this question in the past few months. The low priced Sportster continues to be the top selling model. Potentially lower gross margins tied to the Sportster could a downside to this statistic.

 

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

Over the past week, we surveyed dealers that sell Polaris Victory brand motorcylces and Polaris brand ATV’s. Many of these dealers sell multiple brands, with the exception of Harley. The survey’s intent is to guage general motorcycle sales trends and attempt to get at Polaris Victory demand specifically. We asked the following questions:

1. What is the most popular brand of motorcycle you sell?

2. What is your view of the Victory Brand of motorcycle?

3. Do you offer any deals or good financing options on Victory motorcycles?

4. Is financing going away because of the economy?

5. Are you as busy as normal, or is now a good time to buy because business is slow?

 

• Polaris was cited as the most popular brand at 57% of dealers we spoke with. 17% thought that Kymco was the most popular while another 17% cited Yamaha as the most popular.

• The reviews of Polaris bikes were generally focused high quality, strong sell through and popularity.

• 60% of respondents say they are offering good deals on financing. 40% say they are not.

• 70% of respondents say financing is not going away due to the economy. 30% say it is.

• 67% say that now is a good time to buy a motorcycle because is slow. 33% say that business is normal and the deals are not extra good.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Polaris brand motorcycles appear to be strong on the brand front compared to other brands carried at motorcycle dealers (excepting Harley Davidson Dealers). The negative elements of the report revolve around the 40% saying that there are not good financing options and the 67% who say that business is slow and therefore now is a good time to buy a Polaris (or any other brand) motorcycle.

For access to the underlying survey or for more information, please contact Jason Katz at 415.867.0959 or jason@thechannelcheckers.com

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