Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

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.

Despite online and in-store transaction growth, GNC’s income and revenue declined in the second quarter.   

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.  

A specialty retailer continues to expand its breadth.   See’s Candies plans to open nearly a dozen new or relocated stores by the end of 2017. All new locations will set up shop in California.    The new stores will be located in San Jose, Castro Valley, Manhattan Beach, Paso Robles, Laguna Hills, Glendale and Calabasas. The new locations come on the heels of new shops that have previously opened or moved this year into new or larger locations in Escondido, Windsor and Pleasant Hill, California.

Families are keeping back-to-school shopping — and spending — simple.   Nearly two-thirds of families budgeted $250 or less for all their back-to-school needs, with only a quarter indicating they will spend between $251 and $500. With tight budgets, families are focusing on price and selection when it comes to buying goods for their youngsters.  

Consumers across the globe agree that volume of criminals trying to steal their credit and debit card data is increasing — and retailers aren’t equipped to fight back.   This was according to “Consumer Payment Card Data Security Perceptions, from Transaction Network Services (TNS). The study interviewed 1,037 U.S. adults, 1,002 Australian adults, and 1,010 U.K. adults between May 4-May 8.  

Customers that shop at both Amazon and Whole Foods Market are the most upbeat about the online giant’s purchase of the natural foods grocer.   This was according to a new GfK report that was conducted among 1,000 US adults (ages 18 and above) using KnowledgePanel, the company’s probability-based online panel that represents the adult U.S. population. Responses were collected from June 23-26.  

Prime Day 2017 was Amazon’s biggest event yet. But the shopping marathon took a significant toll on brick-and-mortar traffic.