New York SBDC Research Network

From BizJournals : An Atlanta firm filed the first class action suit brought against Equifax on behalf of 28 million American small businesses. The suit, filed on Sept. 19 by the Atlanta division of The Doss Firm LLC, claims that small business owners were disproportionally affected by the breach, as the availability of small business credit is often directly linked to its owners’ creditworthiness. The suit notes that “about 60 percent of small businesses use loans to finance their operations… from maintaining cash flow to purchasing equipment,” making the loss of credit of particular concern to these individuals and their businesses. From the lawsuit : Many of the 143 million individuals whose PII [personally identifiable information] was hacked are also owners of small businesses that heavily rely on personal and business credit to operate and provide for families across this country. Any business with fewer than 500 employees is generally defined as a small business – a defi

From Inc : Amazon's recent purchase of Whole Foods has spawned much speculation about the company's ultimate intentions. Probably the most perceptive and comprehensive is a recent article in the Harvard Business Review. Here's the money shot: What Amazon will now study in the brick-and-mortar world - and more importantly, what it learns and how it applies the insights - can transform consumer retail in the United States. By buying Whole Foods, Amazon gets virtually limitless possibilities to test products and services, test price points and assortment interactions, redefine the price perception for organic and healthier foods, merge offline and online shopping experiences, and perhaps test home delivery or store pickup with ideal early adopters. If that's true..., the acquisition is very bad news for the grocery giants, which may end up going the way of Borders, the once-huge chain that Amazon's original business model ran out of business. However, if Amazon

From Marketing Profs : If you live in the world of marketing, you've likely wanted to find someone's contact information but had no idea where to start looking. Whether you're trying to cold-call a lead, pitch an investor, email a press release to an editor, or strike up a conversation with a potential employer, there are plenty of reasons to dig up contact information. Email is one of the best ways to reach someone you're trying to connect with for the first time. It's less intrusive than a phone call and gives the recipient a chance to chew over whatever you're proposing. Knowing where and how to look for information is the first step in finding critical contact information. In 2017, there's no better tool for finding information than Google—which processes over 40,000 search queries every second (see this nifty Google search counter ). With the help of a few tools, you'll be able to find just about anybody's email address. Most users don

From The Customer Service Issues That Annoy Consumers Most : Consumers say the customer service issues most likely to make them stop doing business with a company are uninformed agents and long wait times, according to recent research from The Northridge Group. The report was based on data from a survey of 1,000 consumers in the United States age 18 and older. Respondents rate uninformed agents as the customer service issue most likely to result abandoning a company; long wait times to reach an agent ranks second, followed by unfriendly agents and difficult-to-use automated systems.

From Hiscox : A study released this month by Hiscox, the international specialist insurer, reveals a confident and promising growth trend among US small businesses, with 72 percent of respondents reporting increased top-line revenue in the past year – the highest amount of any country surveyed. As both investment spending and export activities surge, profits are also on the rise, with 31 percent of US respondents reporting growth in the double-digits. Now in its ninth year, The Hiscox DNA of an Entrepreneur report is a global study that surveyed more than 1,000 small and medium-sized US business owners about the financial pressures, stresses, opportunities and challenges they currently face. Millennials Hitting Their Stride This year’s findings show younger entrepreneurs are finding success and confidence as business owners. In fact, 56 percent of respondents under age 30 said their personal financial situation is better now than it was a year ago; 59 percent of respondents ages

From MarketingProfs Many Americans say technology has made them more impatient today than they were five years ago, according to recent research from Fetch and YouGov. The report was based on data from a survey of a YouGov poll conducted in May 2017 among 2,489 US adults age 18 and older. Some 41% of respondents say technology has made them more impatient than they were five years ago. Among Millennials, the proportion is 45%. Only 26% of respondents say they would wait longer than 30 minutes for takeout food, and 41% of consumers say they would not wait longer than 15 minutes for a ride requested via a mobile app. Check out the infographic for more findings from the poll...

From ThomasNet : As is the case with many technological advancements in the industrial sector, attention must always be paid to factors impacting the operational environment. So, in addition to “green” planning and regulatory compliance, employee safety is an obvious concern. Recently, studies have shown that bits of carbon from the plastics and resins used as 3D printing materials can be released into the air during printer operation. When inhaled, these can present significant health concerns. The relatively “new” application of 3D printing within mainstream manufacturing also means no research had previously examined these potential safety concerns or devised safeguards against them. Enter Chungsik Yoon and his colleagues from the Department of Environmental Health and Institute of Health and Environment at Seoul National University.

From eMarketing : Over the past few years, the use of mobile devices for financial activities has expanded from simply checking an account balance to include other types of transactions, such as proximity payments and peer-to-peer (P2P) fund transfers. Millennials have pioneered the adoption of both mobile banking and payments, but adoption is also rising among older adults, according to eMarketer’s latest report, “US Mobile Banking and Payments: eMarketer’s Estimates for 2016-2021.” eMarketer estimates the value of US proximity mobile payment transactions will total $49.29 billion in 2017, up 78.1% from last year. Though the growth rate will remain in double digits through the forecast period, it will slow down to 23.9% in 2021. That year, US consumers will use their mobile phones to pay for $189.97 billion worth of goods and services at a physical point of sale (POS). The average annual spend per proximity mobile payment user in the US will reach $1,026 in 2017, surpassing $

From MarketingProfs : You did it. You built a solid hub of corporate content. You turned to the abundance of advice available out there—on how map out the content strategy, create newsroom-worthy content, build a following, and engage with users—and you did it. But now what? You've got a well-planned behemoth of a content machine, but is it sustainable? Will it thrive? Will it survive a year, two years, five years later? Or a few months, even? Unless all the sweat equity you put into building it continues at the same intensity and pace after it's built, likely not. Fact is, your blog is destined for a sad end if it's not carefully nurtured and fed engaging content that changes with its readership. It takes more time, attention, and resources than it took to build it. It demands a long-term strategy and an invested team. And without those things, you'll destroy the very thing you worked so long and hard to create. Here's what happens when a good blog goes

From PR Newswire : Over 90% of large US companies with 500+ employees have a cybersecurity policy in place to protect them from both real and anticipated threats, according to a new survey from Clutch, a leading B2B ratings and reviews firm. Clutch surveyed over 300 corporate IT decision-makers about what to include in a cybersecurity policy and found that security software, data backup and storage, and scam detection are the most common areas cybersecurity policies cover. Phishing attacks are the cybersecurity attack large companies most commonly experience: 57% of IT decision-makers said their company experienced a phishing attack in the past year. Over 80% of IT decision-makers surveyed say they proactively communicate their company's cybersecurity policy, policy compliance, and training to employees. However, only two-thirds (66%) of these decision-makers enforce their company's cybersecurity policy.

From Entrepreneur : When brand messages are shared by employees on social media, they get 561 percent more reach than the same messages shared by the brand’s social media channels. Brand messages are re-shared 24 times more frequently when posted by an employee versus the brand’s social media channels. On average, employees have 10 times more followers than their company's social media accounts. Content shared by employees receives 8 times more engagement than content shared by brand channels. The bottom line is that we trust people more than we trust brands, and we engage with people more than we engage with brands. If you don’t get your employees involved on social, you’re absolutely losing out to companies that do.

From Bizjournals.com : You’ve probably heard about the fast rise of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies this year. We’ve seen a rise in bitcoin from $954.71 on December 28, 2016 to a new high of $4,455.97 on August 15 of this year, according to coin market cap. Some have been calling it a bubble. While that is possible, today we’re seeing major countries and corporations around the world devoting resources to blockchain and cryptocurrencies. You don’t want to take the attitude of those who dismissed major trends like the internet or social media. So how do you get started with bitcoin and cryptocurrencies? A great place with a simple, easy-to-understand starting approach is bitcoin.com. That website shows you step-by-step what to do... A digital wallet is an app. This app holds your digital coins. Usually these wallets are free, and there are many available.

From the Small Business Administration : By Linda McMahon, SBA Administrator When I was a Girl Scout, selling cookies meant dragging a wagon full of boxes door to door in my North Carolina neighborhood. I didn’t have online tools or a marketing plan or even a real strategy. But Julia Vieira Reis, a 12-year-old Girl Scout from Manchester, Connecticut, certainly did. She sold more than two thousand boxes. Her entrepreneurial success earned her recognition as one of the nation’s top cookie sellers of 2017. I got to meet Julia when she interviewed me about how my Girl Scout experience prepared me for my career in business. She wondered what she and other Girl Scouts could learn from my advice. Turns out, she also had a lot of her own wisdom to share with me – and other entrepreneurs – about what it takes to succeed!

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Notice 17-12 The State’s new Paid Family Leave program has tax implications for New York employees, employers, and insurance carriers, including self-insured employers, employer plans, approved third-party insurers, and the State Insurance Fund. The Department of Taxation and Finance has reviewed the New York statute, implementing regulations, and applicable laws, case law and federal guidance and has consulted with the Internal Revenue Service regarding the appropriate tax treatment of family leave contributions and benefits under the New York program. Based upon this review and consultation, the following guidance: • Benefits paid to employees will be taxable non-wage income that must be included in federal gross income • Taxes will not automatically be withheld from benefits; employees can request voluntary tax withholding • Premiums will be deducted from employees’ after-tax wages • Employers should report employee con

From USA.gov If you're working in unsafe conditions, don't just put up with the danger to yourself and others— file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A new online tool is available to help you file a whistleblower complaint and put a stop to working in dangerous conditions. OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the whistleblower provisions of more than twenty whistleblower statutes protecting employees who report violations of various workplace safety and health, airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, and securities laws. Rights afforded by these whistleblower protection laws include, but are not limited to, worker participation in safety and health activities, reporting a work-related injury, illness or fatality, or reporting a violation of the

By  Linda McMahon , SBA Administrator Published:  September 1, 2017 Over the past week, as the people of the Gulf Coast deal with the unprecedented effects of Hurricane Harvey, we have seen heartbreaking moments of tragedy, of lives lost, homes destroyed and neighborhoods left in ruin, as well as remarkable acts of heroism and compassion as the first responders and people of Texas and Louisiana help each other survive. I have visited Texas twice in the past week and want to extend to the Gulf community my thoughts and prayers, as well as my commitment to help them get their lives back in order through the resources available through the U.S. Small Business Administration. While FEMA addresses immediate needs like food, water and shelter in the aftermath of a declared disaster, the SBA is your partner for long-term recovery. Experts say Hurricane Harvey will pose one of the longest and costliest post-disaster rebuilding efforts in U.S. history. If you’re a homeowner, renter or

From the Wall Street Journal : The man who wrote the book on password management has a confession to make: He blew it. Back in 2003, as a midlevel manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Bill Burr was the author of NIST Special Publication 800-63. Appendix A . The 8-page primer advised people to protect their accounts by inventing awkward new words rife with obscure characters, capital letters, and numbers—and to change them regularly.

From the Census Bureau: Observed on the first  Friday  in October. Key Stats: Source: Annual Survey of Manufactures. This infographic contains statistics indicating that manufacturing establishments show gains in receipts, but lower employment  over time.    Infographic: Manufacturing in America: 2015 Source: 2014 Annual Survey of Manufactures.  More Stats: Source:  Census  Library.    Visualization:  Measuring America: Manufacturing in America: 2016 Source: Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, & Orders . The Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, & Orders (M3) survey provides broad-based, monthly statistical data on economic conditions in the domestic manufacturing sector. The survey measures current industrial activity and provides an indication of future business trends.    Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, & Orders  home page    Monthly Full Report on Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders  June

From the Department of Homeland Security : USCIS administers the EB-5 Program. Under this program, entrepreneurs (and their spouses and unmarried children under 21) are eligible to apply for a green card (permanent residence) if they: Make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States; and Plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers. This program is known as EB-5 for the name of the employment-based fifth preference visa that participants receive. Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. In 1992, Congress created the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as the Regional Center Program. This sets aside EB-5 visas for participants who invest in commercial enterprises associated with regional centers approved by USCIS based on proposals for promoting economic growth.

From MarketingProfs : Consumers say they are most likely to trust online influencers who come across as credible and who appear to have actually used the products/services incorporated into their posts, according to research from IZEA. The report was based on data from a survey conducted in 2016 of 1,000 consumers age 18-70 in the United States who use social media. Some 67% of respondents say the credibility/believability of an influencer is highly important in making sponsored posts effective; and 64% say it is very important that the influencer seems to have actually tried the product/services incorporated into posts. Less than half of consumers say an influencer's popularity/follower count makes sponsored posts more effective.

From Zendesk : Two-dimensional customer service is a thing of that past. Customers are pushing brands harder than ever to earn their loyalty. They want the personal attention that comes from dealing with a human, but the speed and accuracy associated with automated systems. This newly released report details the findings of a consumer survey, with 89% of respondents agreeing that brands need to offer a consistent customer service experience across all channels to retain their loyalty. See the numbers for yourself and as we examine the emerging trends of 2017. Zendesk recently commissioned research firm, Loudhouse, to explore this important and perplexing challenge. The research conducted illuminates four key trends of which important conclusions can be drawn: This report explores these key areas further, providing deep insight for businesses keen to stay ahead of their competition through improvements in their customer service strategies.

From The Independent : Millennials' preferences are killing dozens of industries. There are many complex reasons millennials' preferences differ from prior generations', including less financial stability and memories of growing up during the recession. “I think we have got a very significant psychological scar from this great recession,” Morgan Stanley analyst Kimberly Greenberger told Business Insider... “Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants, and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants,” Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith wrote in a letter to shareholders earlier this year... Beer penetration fell 1% from 2016 to 2017 in the US market, while both wine and spirits were unmoved, according to Nielsen ratings.

From Brooks Digital : A few years ago I was in a serious battle with overwhelm at work. I was constantly feeling stressed about all the different projects that needed to be moved forward. While my inbox tugged me in five different directions, I had this ever-present feeling of guilt about the things I knew I really should be doing, but kept putting off. And even when I wasn't working, the stream of notifications, emails, and texts kept me half-present with my friends and family. It was exhausting. I knew there had to be a better way. So I set out to find the root of the problem and learn how to get more of the right things done without my responsibilities having an iron grip over my mind 24/7. And while I'm still not perfect, I've grown tremendously. I’m in control of my schedule, can be more present with my friends and family, and I’ve canned the nagging guilt...

From LinkedIn : Robots are going to take our jobs, they say. I say, "Only if that's what we ask them to do!" Technology is the solution to human problems, and we won't run out of work till we run out of problems. Entrepreneurs need to set their sights on how we can use big data, sensors, and AI to create amazing human experiences and the economy of the future, making us all richer in the same way the tools of the first industrial revolution did. Yes, technology can eliminate labor and make things cheaper, but at its best, we use it to do things that were previously unimaginable! What is our poverty of imagination? What are the entrepreneurial leaps that will allow us to use the technology of today to build a better future, not just a more efficient one? Great entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are using technology to do more, not just to do the same thing more cheaply. That is the secret both to business success and to making the world more prosperous.

From the New York Times : After Nazi-saluting white supremacists rioted in Charlottesville, Va. and President Trump dithered in his response, a chorus of business leaders rose up this past week to condemn hate groups and espouse tolerance and inclusion. And as lawmakers in Texas tried to restrict the rights of transgender people to use public bathrooms, corporate executives joined activists to kill the bill. These and other actions are part of a broad recasting of the voice of business in the nation’s political and social dialogue, a transformation that has gained momentum in recent years as the country has engaged in fraught debates over everything from climate change to healthcare... “In this maelstrom, the most clarifying voice has been the voice of business,” said Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation and a board member at PepsiCo. “These C.E.O.s have taken the risk to speak truth to power.”

From ImpactBnd : As the outward face of the company, a customer service representative (CSR) is one of the most important players on your sales team. If those on the frontlines have poor judgment when it comes to working with the people that perform end-purchasing, even the most stellar business plan or innovative product can be undone. Anyone who works with customers knows a single negative interaction with a client can overshadow the effects of even dozens of positive ones. It’s the same on the receiving end. If you consider customer service experiences, chances are you recall the time a meal took forever, when it came out it was wrong, and the manager refused to apologize and spilled sauce on you, rather than the scores of times your dinner went without a hitch. Why? Because great customer service is seamless and meant to look easy. However, like a bad magic act, when the tricks fall flat, audiences start to walk out in droves, and the consequences of poor service do no

From The Ladders : “Datafication.” “Operationalize.” “Let’s parking lot this.” These are just a few of the workplace phrases and words that people found “most ridiculous,” according to recent research. The American Express OPEN ‘Get Business Done’ Survey , released recently, shows that some employees are just spewing words in the office without really grasping what they mean. “Have you ever heard a coworker say something like, ‘It ladders up to our overarching framework and optimizes the impactfulness of our deliverables,’ and wondered, ‘HUH?’ You’re not alone,” American Express says, comfortingly. We are all part of the problem: the research found that 88% of respondents said they use jargon without understanding it, and 64% reported using words and terms like this “multiple times” weekly. Make no mistake: you do have to break the habit. These words make you look silly.

From Bplans : Everyone knows that a business name is important. It is the single most used aspect of your future brand. Ideally, yours will be mentioned by reporters, shared by referrals, and hopefully remembered by customers when the need for your solution arises. A great name like PayPal can introduce your company, hinting at what makes it unique and interesting. PayPal is a payment solution with an upbeat brand and uniquely easy user experience—their name brilliantly captures this value proposition. An intriguing name like Uber can help build buzz, causing people to wonder, “What is that?” An emotive name like SalesForce can resonate deeply with potential customers, lending a sense of authority. Naming is often one of the first business activities where the rubber meets the road—where an idea becomes a reality... We have discovered that a great name evolves from an excellent business plan. A company that has gone through the process of defining their business by writing a

Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Binghamton SBDC appears in our 2016 Annual Report .  Al Fargnoli Sweeney’s Market Binghamton SBDC The Binghamton SBDC became aware of the New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund administered by the Low Income Investment Fund, which provides financial resources for rural grocery stores to upgrade their store equipment and improve the offerings to their community.  Advisor Ken Homer consulted Tioga County Economic Development to identify rural grocery stores that might benefit from the program. Al Fargnoli, second generation owner and operator of Sweeney’s Market, was one of those with the potential to benefit from a grant. Sweeney’s Market supports its community’s local rural population, which includes low income, food stamp recipients, WI

From MarketingProfs : People remember 80% of what they see, 20% of what they read, and 10% of what they hear, according to an infographic by Instagram service provider Gramlike. So it's no wonder than Instagram is a popular social media platform, and not just for consumers but for brands as well. With 90% of Interbrand's "Top 100 Global Brands" on Instagram, and 53% of Instagram users following their favorite brands on the social network, according to the infographic, it's clear that the platform can be valuable when it's used well. The infographic gives tips on how to accomplish exactly that, such as noting that posts with location tags drive higher engagement than those without, and images with faces receive 38% more likes than those without.

From Forbes : From talking to fellow coaches, clients and business leaders, it’s clear that we are in the midst of a fundamental shift in the way "careers" are built. Professionals have enthusiastically embraced the power of personal branding to distinguish themselves in their fields. The traditional resume is far less important than it used to be; recruiters now scour LinkedIn to find potential candidates. And as the 9-to-5 corporate mindset gives way to a more gig-focused mentality, it’s less about who you work for and more about building your own personal brand. Many of these new platform-savvy thought leaders are embracing public speaking as a powerful way to land new clients. In fact, look at any list of the top names in a particular niche, and you’ll likely find one thing in common: They understand how to use public speaking to strengthen their personal brands... While live public events can be great, there are some definite drawbacks. Yes, there’s the time comm

From eMarketing : US consumer spending levels are nearly back to where they were before the global financial crisis in 2008, according to new survey data from Gallup. Those polled spent an average of $109 per day in July, excluding spending on normal household bills and major purchases, such as a home or car. That was the highest figure reported by Gallup since May 2008, when the average hit $114 per day. Daily average spending by consumers in the US fell precipitously soon after, thanks to the Great Recession. The new data is something of a contrast to Gallup survey data released in May of this year, which found that 60% of financially worried consumers said they preferred saving to spending.

From Business Wire : One in five commercial emails worldwide fails to reach its intended target, according to the 2017 Deliverability Benchmark Report from data solutions provider Return Path. This new research reveals that just 80 percent of email is delivered to the inbox, while the remainder—a full 20 percent—is diverted to spam folders or gets blocked altogether. The report’s findings are relatively consistent with the company’s 2016 and 2015 benchmarks, which reported a 79 percent global inbox placement rate. While this rate has improved slightly in the past year, the significant percentage of filtered messages means that marketers are still missing out on a valuable opportunity to drive meaningful revenue from the email channel. "Email remains the most popular and effective channel available to marketers, so it’s more important than ever to get it right. If your emails aren’t reaching the inbox, you’re missing out on an opportunity to build relationships and generate

From eMarketing : In retailers’ fight against Amazon, it looks like there will soon be a new weapon that could help level the playing field against the online retail giant. UPS said it will introduce UPS Returns Manager, a free online tool that allows e-commerce retailers, especially less well-resourced small- and medium-sized merchants, to not only customize their own shipment rules but also manage return shipments without having to integrate their own IT systems. For consumers, who in the past had to go to a retailer’s website to print a return label or use a label retailers include in package boxes, the feature allows them to now print a return shipping label directly from UPS.com’s tracking page both on desktop and mobile devices and through email alerts. Consumers can also print return labels at The UPS Store locations at no additional cost. The service will be available in the US Aug. 14 and 43 other countries from the UK to Brazil two weeks after that. Why is this rele

Each year the New York Small Business Development Center recognizes outstanding small businesses in a variety of ways.  This Success Story from the  Baruch SBDC appears in our 2016 Annual Report .  Josh Schaffner Ninth Planet Beverage Solutions Midtown Manhattan SBDC   Ninth Planet Beverage Solutions packages beverages for small and medium-sized producers, specializing in beers for craft breweries. The company was created to provide a reliable and affordable packaging service to small growing producers who don’t want to sacrifice quality control or presentation in the growth of their product to additional sales outlets. Ninth Planet are the first counter pressure filling canner that goes to the customer!  Josh Schaffner is not new to the industry. He has been a professional advocate for craft beverage producers since he launched NY Craft Beer Week in 2008. When he saw the canning problem faced by micro-brewers he had hi

From eMarketer : Nearly half of US millennial grocery shoppers polled earlier this year said they have shopped for some groceries in an online-only store, a dramatic change from just two years ago. And they're not alone. The finding mirrors a trend of consumers across all age groups increasingly getting their groceries among internet pure plays, although at a more modest level. A February 2017 survey by food industry research firm Food Marketing Institute (FMI) found that 43% of millennial respondents shopped for groceries at online-only retailers at least occasionally, a rate almost 80% higher than in 2015. Consumers ages 39 to 52 shopped for groceries at online-only retailers at about half the rate of millennials

From Forbes : As the immigration debate continues, a new study indicates that immigrant entrepreneurial zeal and technology are fueling much of the small business growth in America. New York City is the Big Apple for small business, according to Biz2Credit’s 2017 study of the Top Small Business Cities. New York improved to the top spot after registering the highest average annual revenues, credit scores and length of time in business. The city's growth has been fueled by the booming real estate market, the construction industry, banking and finance, a thriving technology sector, and immigrant-owned service and food businesses. The annual ranking of the 25 cities is based on a weighted average of data from 30,000 companies with fewer than 250 employees and less than $10 million in annual revenues that applied for financing last year. It looks at the health of small companies in each metro area, the rate of small-business creation, and the economic ecosystem for entrepreneurs, i

From BizJournals : Subscription meal kit company Blue Apron, which has delivered more than 150 million meals since it was founded five years ago, is No. 1 on the Hot 100 Retailers list. The list appears in the August issue of the National Retail Federation's STORES magazine and was compiled by research firm Kantar Retail. It’s based on sales growth in 2016 over 2015, and ranks both public and privately-held retail companies by U.S. domestic sales, with a $300 million threshold for inclusion, according to NRF. Blue Apron saw annual sales grow 133 percent to $795.4 million in 2016, according to the list. STORES Hot 100 Retailers' annual list : There is a distinct lack of big-box general merchandise retailers on the chart this year, while there are plenty of businesses that exhibit differentiation in the marketplace, innovative merchandising and an appropriate value proposition for the intended customer base.