Budgets/Spending/Market Size

Tampa Bay, Fla. –- The community of Show Low, Arizona leads all U.S. cities in rates of chargebacks for credit card disputes, with a 2.2% chargeback rate. According to a new study from Chargebacks 911, a division of Global Risk Technologies, the top five cities (including multiple ties) are as follows:   1. 2.2% chargeback rate: Show Low, Arizona 85901

Washington, D.C. –- A large number of holiday shoppers are taking their time when it comes to starting the task of making holiday purchases. According to NRF’s Holiday Consumer Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, 45.6% of holiday shoppers say they haven’t started shopping yet.  

New York -- The outlook for the U.S. retail industry in 2015 is stable, according to a new report by Moody’s Investor Service, which forecasts that retail sales will grow 3- to 4% in 2014,  and 4- to 5% in 2015.     The report, Moody’s U.S. Retail Industry Outlook, also finds that traditional brick-and-mortar retailers will be formidable competitors to pure-play online merchants.    

Austin, Texas -- Gen Y consumers, whose annual spending power is estimated at $200 billion, prefer to shop at retailers that offer financing options, according to a new study.   An eNation study of more than 2,000 consumers, commissioned by financial technology company NewComLink, found that 59% of shoppers between the ages of 18 and 34 say their choice of retailer is impacted by whether that retailer offers financing options.  

San Francisco –- Gap Inc. reported declining net and same-store sales for the third quarter and October 2014. For the third quarter Gap’s net sales were $3.97 billion, down 2.5% from $3.98 billion for the third quarter the prior year.  

Chicago -- The marketing chiefs of U.S. retailers are optimistic about the upcoming holiday season, forecasting a solid 4.1% increase in overall holiday store sales, according to a recent BDO USA survey. The projection is in line with the National Retail Federation’s 4.1% expected holiday sales increase, and is a full percentage point higher than actual retail sales gains in the 2013 season.

Thorofare, N.J. -- Shrink—including shoplifting, employee or supplier fraud and administrative errors—cost the global retail industry more than $128 billion last year, with $42 billion lost in the United States alone, according to the latest Global Retail Theft Barometer study. This represents 1.29% of retail sales, on average.   

San Francisco -- Eight in ten Americans are likely to shop at local businesses during the upcoming holiday season, according to a 2014 nationwide Nielsen survey commissioned by Yelp. Nearly half (47%) plan to spend more than $100 at local businesses.