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We are helping to promote a new service called TickerGraph.

TickerGraph is a site that relates a company’s customers and suppliers instantly so that you can see the full extent of impact from events like earnings, new product releases, M&A news, etc. instantly in one spot.

Over the next two weeks as the product comes live in a “beta” form anyone can access the service for a free test drive using the following log in credentials:

Username: alpha

Password: alpha

Yes, small caps please on the log in. So check it out at www.tickergraph.com

If you have any questions on this service I can help you out. Just e-mail casey@thechannelcheckers.com or anyone else here on our team.

Over the past week, we surveyed various cell phone providers to gauge trends in the sales of Apple iPhones. We asked the following questions:

 

1. What is the best selling phone model right now?

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

3. What is the best music device?

4. Has there been an increase in the number of people opening new accounts or buying the iPhone in the past 3 weeks?

 

• Apple iPhone was seen as the best selling phone model over the past week by 73% of respondents. 7% viewed Blackberry as the top selling phone model. The responses suggest that people prefer the iPhone over other phone models.

• 53% of respondents viewed Blackberry as the best device to get for e-mail, while 33% viewed the Apple iPhone as the second best device for email. The Blackberry is known to be a phone for business consumers so it’s not surprising that they dominated the response to this question.

• Apple iPhone was seen as the top best music device by 63% of respondents, 7% saw the Sony Ericsson as the best music device and another 3% saw the Blackberry as the top selling music device for phones.

• 53% of respondent said that there hasn’t been an increase in the number of people opening new accounts or buying the iPhone in the past 3 weeks, while 47% of respondents said that there has been an increase.

 

Conclusion of Channel Check: The Apple iPhone is still considered one of the top selling phones out there since its release in 2008. It was viewed as the top device for music by a majority of respondents as opposed to other phone devices. However when it came down to the best device for emails the Blackberry dominated the response to the question. The results also suggested that there hasn’t been much of an increase of number of people opening new accounts or buying the iPhone in the past 3 weeks. The iPhone is one of the most popular phones in the market but the demand for it over the past week has been constant.

 

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 Walmart stores to gauge trends at the largest bix box chain in the U.S. We asked the following questions:

1. How is business this month?

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

3. Do you believe that the weak housing market and economy are hurting business at your store?

4. What is the top selling brand of women’s clothes right now?

• 60% of respondents said business was “above average”, 23% said business was average while 17% said business was “very strong”.

• 57% of respondents said they did not have any excess inventory. 43% of respondents said they did have excess inventory that would be put on sale soon, with no specific item being highlighted.

• 33% of respondents though housing and economic issues were hurting sales, well below previous surveys.

• Faded Glory, a Walmart store brand, was seen as the top selling brand of women’s clothing according to 50% of respondents. 10 said that Levi’s was the top brand.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Walmart stores business looks healthy with low levels of inventory, and low levels of concern by employees about larger macro issues such as housing and the economy. Lower end brands seems to be selling well such as Faded Glory and Levi’s.

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 Zumiez locations to gauge trends in the surf wear and skate wear clothing market. We asked the following questions:

1. Has there been an increase in sales as summer approaches?

2. What is the most popular brand for teenagers?

3. Is the most popular brand products in stock or are they sold out?

4. What is the average sales receipt at this location?

5. Do you have an items on clearance?

    

• 70% have said that sales are increasing as summer approaches. 30% said they have not.

• The strongest teen brand was listed as Volcom according to 17%, 10% cited Empyre, 10% cited DC, 7% said earthquake and 7% said Bilabong.

• 100% of store reps said that the most popular teen brand (cited above) was in-stock.

• The average sales receipt at Zumiez shops were said to be $58.23 with a range of $25-$150.

• Winter gear was the primary category of clothes and accessories cited as being in “clearance” mode.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Sales activity, clearance items, and lack of strong dominant brands suggest that business is not extremely strong at Zumiez stores now. The average customer receipt is respectable but again does not suggest that business is booming.

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 Urban Outfitters locations to gauge trends in the retailing business. We asked the following questions:

1. Is business increasing / decreasing or flat versus last month?

2. Do you have excess inventory or any particular product that will go on sales soon?

3. What is an average customer bill?

4. What are the top selling items right now?

• 39% of respondents said that business at Urban stores were “above average” this month. 37% said that business was “average”, while 13% said business was “very strong” while 3% described business as “very weak”.

• 57% respondents said they did have some excess inventory and identified sweaters and jeans as the primary items in excess at Urban stores.

• The average bill was identified to be $89.73 with a range of $40 to $210.

• Tops and T-shirts were were seen as the top selling category items according to 57% of respondents. 10% of respondents cited dresses as the best selling item category.

Conclusion of Channel Check: Urban outfitter respondents seem to be indicating that business is stable to improving. The average bill per customer looks healthy, although we do not have a previous survey comparison for it. Tops, T-Shirts and dresses look like top items but it is unclear if that sales mix is positive or negative for Urban.

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 general electronics stores like Best Buy, Radio Shack and few remaining Circuit City locations to track trends in laptop and desktop PC sales We asked the following questions:

1. How well is Dell selling compared to other brands?

2. What is the top selling Brand right now?

3. What is the top selling model from the top selling brand?

• 73% of respondents stated that Dell computers were selling better than other brands sold at their store location.

• 60% said that Dell was the top brand right now, 27% said that HP was the top brand and 13% said that Sony was the top selling brand.

• The Dell Inspiron was the top model according to 40% of respondents the HP Pavillion was tops according to 20%, while the Dell XPS and Sony VAIO were tops according to 10% each.

Conclusion of Channel Check: The survey shows that Dell computers remain well thought of at least in the consumer electronics retail space. Our survey does not capture corporate or on-line sales but gives some indication to preferences among brands. We did not see netbooks mentioned in this survey, but the incidence of those models might be indicative of the strength (or lack of strength) of the netbook trend. Overall the survey reflects positively on Dell’s brand.

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 Gamestop locations to gauge trends in the casual dining business. We asked the following questions:

1. What is the best selling video game right now?

2. What is the best selling console?

3. What will be the next big game released over the next three months?

• UFC Undisputed 2009 from publisher THQ was seen as the best selling game over the past week by 22% of respondents. 19% viewed Resident Evil 5 as the top selling game. No other single game title was seen as the best seller by more than 10% of respondents.

• Surprisingly the Microsoft Xbox 360 was seen as the top console by 44% of respondents, 25% saw the Nintendo Wii as the top console and another 25% saw the Playstation 3 as the top selling console. The market for consoles appears to have tightened considerably since 2007 and 2008 where the Nintendo Wii dominated the response to this question.

• 13% of respondents viewed Bionic Commando as the next big game title coming out, while 12% saw X-men Wolverine as the next big game. These diffuse response rates suggest that there is no major new title coming out in the next month.

Conclusion of Channel Check: The game market looks to be lacking a major “hot” title or platform at the moment. We view this as somewhat problematic as the market may be somewhat slow with little flow in any trend direction. Electronic Arts only mention in our most recent survey was where 6% of respondents thought NFL Madden 2010 might be the hottest new game coming out in the near future. THQ seems to be a small beneficiary in the current market. Gamestop locations might be hurt by the lack of high profile hits.

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