Budgets/Spending/Market Size

Fort Worth, Texas - RadioShack Corp. on Tuesday reported a second-quarter loss that was bigger than analysts expected. However, revenue beat expectations, with the first increase in same-store sales since 2010, and the chain announced it was bringing on consultants to help with its turnaround.

Digital coupons could be poised for greater growth judging from the warm reception industry leader RetailMeNot got when it offered shares to the public last week.

Shares of RetailMeNot surged 30% in the first hours of trading to more than $27 per share, representing a market cap of more than $1.3 billion, according to Norwest Venture Partners, a multi-stage investment firm which has a 20.5% stake in the company.

Dallas – The market for social CRM software, or technology that allows retailers to perform activities such as social monitoring, social listening, social management and social measurement for providing an enhanced customer experience, is set to grow exponentially in the next few years.

According to a new report from RnR Market Research, the social CRM technology market will expand from $1.91 billion in 2013 to $9.08 billion in 2018. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.5% from 2013 to 2018.

Washington, D.C. – Compared to a record-breaking back-to-school shopping season in 2012, this year’s back-to-school season will not be as impressive. New figures from the NRF and Prosper Insights show that families with school-age children will spend an average $634.78 on apparel, shoes, supplies and electronics, down about 8% from $688.62 last year. Total spending on back-to-school is expected to reach $26.7 billion.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — Further signs of the nation's recovering housing market were evident in Whirlpool Corporation's reported net earnings of $198 million for the second quarter ended June 30, compared to net earnings of $113 million for the same period last year.

The company's net sales for the quarter were $4.7 billion, compared to $4.5 billion reported during the same period last year. Excluding the impact of foreign currency as well as Brazilian tax credits, sales increased approximately 6%.

Chicago -- According to Technomic's Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report, fast casual makes up just 14% of the total $223 billion limited-service restaurant segment, but its sales continue to outpace other operators. Fast-casual sales increased 13% in 2012, and the largest chains — those which each made more than $325 million last year — did even better, growing by 16%.

New York -- The average household expenditure on all types of back-to-school items is expected to be about $285 this year, with 39% of consumers planning to spend more than last year and 45% planning to spend about the same. According to a new study from the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman-Sachs, 29% of households surveyed have started to shop for back-to-school items, which is lower than the 33% that had started at this time last year but more than in any other year since 2004.

Average spending per school age child is expected to decline this year from 2012 levels, according to the National Retail Federation, setting the stage for heightened competition in an already intensely competitive seasonal selling period.

NRF said spending per child in grades K-12 would decline to $634 in 2013 compared to $688 last year and spending per college student would decline to $836 from $907. The trade group forecast total K-12 spending of $26.7 billion and total back-to-college spending of $45.8 billion for a combined market size of $72.5 billion.

Another sign of further improvement in the nation’s housing market were results from leading paints manufacturer and retailer Sherwin-Williams, whose net sales for the quarter ended June 30 were $2.71 billion, up 5.5% from the same quarter last year. 

Net sales in the Paint Stores Group increased 8% to $1.61 billion. The company's total net income for the quarter was $257.3 million, up 12.9% from the second quarter of 2013.

NEW YORK — The average household is expected to spend about $285 on back-to-school items this year, with 39% of consumers planning to spend more than last year and 45% planning to spend about the same. 

According to a new study from the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman-Sachs, 29% of households surveyed have started to shop for back-to-school items, which is lower than the 33% that had started at this time last year but more than in any other year since 2004.