Tuesday's Top (Five) - Top E-Tail Trends

Following a full analysis of over 200 of their online stores, CSN has released its Top 5 E-Retail Trends for Tackling Tough Times. The list includes everything from mood-elevating, yellow accents to fight the recession blues, to ergonomic and modern home office furniture. Here are the Top Five Trends:

5: More Telecommuting = More Home Offices. Some employment experts say nearly 50 percent of companies are looking at telecommuting options for 2009. In response, sales of desk accessories at CSNOfficeFurniture.com have increased by more than 20 percent; while sales of ergonomic accessories, office organizers and storage accents all went up by around 100 percent.

4: Spring Greening with Eco-Friendly Finds. Meeting the demand for ‘green’ and ‘eco-friendly’ ideas, CSN recently added hundreds of innovative eco-friendly finds to their online stores. From toilet seats to trash compactors, these new products prove that ‘greening’ your home can be easy and affordable.

3: Staying Mellow with a Yellow Twist. The color industry’s trend-setter, Pantone, declared yellow the new “in” color for 2009 and plenty of décor mavens, industry influencers and furniture manufacturers have embraced the trend. In response, CSN developed its ‘Say Yes to Yellow’ list of inspiring items designed to brighten up any room or mood.

2: Tattoo Your walls with Tapestries and Art. Mood-elevating tapestries and 3D art now make up 50% of the sales at CSN site TheWallArtStore.com, a significant increase from last year. These items offer consumers an affordable way to elevate the atmosphere in any room, without the hassle of a complete room makeover.

1: Do-It-Yourself Makeover. In response to the rising costs of materials and labor, CSN has seen the DIY category expand. Recently, they added over 60,000 new tools to their site, CSNSupply.com, to meet the high demands of DIY consumers.

CSN Mondays: CSN and our DIY Nation

Recently, CNBC and other news sources have reported on the increased significance of a DIY lifestyle during tough economic times. Reports suggest that, instead of hiring professionals, more and more homeowners are tackling indoor and outdoor chores, redecorating/remodeling projects, and minor household repairs in order to save in ’09. Some have gone so far as to say that, due to the popularity of this trend and the extent of the recession, the U.S. is growing into a ‘DIY Nation.’

For CSN Mondays, I wanted to spotlight a few initiatives CSN Stores, a top three online retailer, has recently launched in response to the DIY surge.

· Filling Out the Toolbox:
In order to accommodate all the new ‘Mr and Mrs. Fix Its,’ CSN recently added over 60,000 DIY essentials, from claw hammers to cordless drills and crosscut saws to crescent wrenches. We wanted to feature a selection that would appeal to the beginner, the expert, and everyone in between. That’s why, along with all the basics, we also have a wide array of top brand, project specific tools, like chain wrenches, for the more experienced handyman.

· Flooring Made Easy:
Putting in new flooring, a surefire way to improve a home’s retail value, has emerged as one of the more popular projects being ‘in-sourced’ this year. To help the DIYer, CSN created FlooringSelect.com, a brand new, hassle-free site that offers various flooring options at affordable prices. Traditionally a job left for professionals, we’ve streamlined the process on Flooring Select, so that the searching, selecting, and purchasing of new flooring for your home is as easy as ever.

· Sheds and Storage Results in Savings:
To appeal to the hardcore DIYer, CSN has increased their selection of sheds and garage storage equipment so that it is now the largest on the web. An organized and attractive home for your tools and DIY essentials will encourage a more proactive commitment to the do-it-yourself lifestyle. Also, no DIYer is complete without one.