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Parents may be using mobile to look for deals this back-to-school season, but most purchases are happening in-store.   Sixty-eight percent (68%) of shoppers will make their back-to-school purchases in-store vs. 32% who would prefer to shop only online, according to the “2017 Back-to-School Sales Report,” from ChargeItSpot.  

Everyone’s trying to figure out what drives consumers to purchase. But to understand how they shop, you need to know what makes them tick.   Alliance Data’s Analytics and Insights Institute conducted a study with more than 2,400 respondents to better understand consumer buying habits and expectations. These insights, cross-referenced with results from our "Understanding Customer Loyalty" study, confirmed that consumer buying habits track closely with life stage and each generation’s cultural identity.

Empire Outlets, the outlet center taking shape on the Staten Island side of the Staten Island Ferry, has turned to Manhattan and Holly Nichols to help promote the center.   Nichols’s illustrations have guided campaigns for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman-Marcus, not to mention New York and Boston Fashion Weeks. Her work has 600,000 followers on Instagram, and originals sell to collectors on Etsy.  

J.C. Penney has entered into an ambitious partnership with a Lifetime reality fashion show.    The department giant has launched the first-ever "Project Runway" brand, with the collection inspired by the popular show and its design contestants. Currently available in over 500 Penney stores and online, the line made its debut with a summer preview collection featuring designs inspired by season 15 winner Erin Robertson, with the full assortment planned for Sept. 8.     

A jump in mobile ads and daily users contributed to another strong quarter for Facebook — one that also beat analyst expectations. For the second quarter ended June 30, total revenue rose 45% to $9.32 billion. This is a significant jump from $6.436 billion for the same period in 2016. Revenues for the quarter also beat analyst forecasts of $9.20 billion, according to Thomson Reuters. This is the ninth straight quarter that Facebook has exceeded analyst expectations.

Parents are pulling back on their back-to-school spending, and making “essential” school supplies their top priorities.    This was according to a new survey from Ebates and global internet services company Rakuten. The study, which was conducted online by Propeller Insights in June 2017, tapped 1,001 adults and 500 teens.  

The recipe for success in food retail is changing at breakneck speed. Economic drivers, such as commodity deflation, make revenue growth difficult. At the same time, demographic trends – including the rise of both millennials and centennials – undermine tried-and-tested business models. And now they are faced with the game changing move by Amazon with its planned acquisition of Whole Foods.