Attitudes: Retailers

Washington, D.C. - Following up on last month’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the National Retail Federation (NRF) and other business groups today urged Congress to move quickly on reforms to the five-year-old healthcare law.

“We write to urge Congress to put priority attention toward easing the cost and compliance burdens associated with the Affordable Care Act,” the groups said in a letter to members of the House and Senate.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation on Wednesday asked the Labor Department to give businesses more time to respond to the administration’s proposal to expand overtime saying the plan’s “drastic changes” will require “extensive analysis” and require companies to speculate on “hypothetical proposals.”

New York -- A new survey reveals the favorite shopping destinations of millenial shoppers and what factors drive their purchases.

Zara, H&M and Urban Outfitters ranked as the favorite stores among millennials, according to a survey conducted by LIM College professors Robert Conrad, MBA and Kenneth M. Kambara, Ph.D. (LIM, based in Manhattan, is focused exclusively on the study of business and fashion.)

Los Angeles – It may be hard to believe, but many members of the ballyhooed millennial generation (defined by the U.S. Census as born between 1982 and 2000) are now moms. To reach millennial moms, new data released by beacon proximity platform inMarket suggests retailers should use beacon and proximity-based engagement platforms.

Dallas – A retailer’s social media activity has a greater impact on shoppers than the company’s website.

That’s one of the findings of the Digital Shopping Tool Impact Study 2015 from marketing technology provider Epsilon. The platform shoppers cite as most influential to their shopping decisions is Facebook, although Pinterest and Google+ are strong contenders.  

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation upped its criticism of President Obama’s proposal to extend overtime pay, saying it would turn “professionals into clock-watchers.”

New York – Most consumers base their grocery purchase decisions on very basic information. According to new research from data analytics solution provider Precima, 80% of U.S. shoppers choose their primary grocery store based on everyday prices, with two-thirds (65%) stating that the everyday (regular/non-sale) prices of staple items such as milk and eggs most influence their price perception of a grocery retailer.

New York -- The top state for business is a high-tax, high-wage, union-friendly, cold-climate state, according to an annual ranking by CNBC.