Retail stores in NJ say business is booming

A poll of retail tenants from a North Plainfield-based management company finds the most positive results in the six-year history of the poll.

Matthew Harding, president of Levin Management Corp. says more than 70 percent of respondents reported sales at least comparable or better than last year.

"So that is proof-positive that things are going well for the tenants in general," Harding said.

The poll also found a continued increase in the use of technology and e-commerce among the hundred or so bricks-and-mortar retail tenants in the survey.

Many respondents say they are effectively blending marketing and technology into their retail effort.

Some other findings in the survey:

— About 68 percent said they have added in-store services or incentives.
— Almost 4 in 10 say they have added an in-store pickup option for online purchases.
— About 1 in 3 say they have increased coordination between online and bricks-and-mortar operations.
—And 60 percent say these changes and some others are working for them.