Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

Virtually all U.S. consumers will do at least some holiday shopping online this year.

According to the new Consumer Pulse survey from Rubicon Project, more than one-third of shoppers anticipate conducting the majority of their shopping online.

Consumers who conduct most of their holiday shopping online plan to spend 20% more than consumers who plan to do the majority of their shopping in-store. Amazon.com is the top holiday shopping destination, followed by Walmart and Target.  

Retailers are extremely aware of the looming Oct. 1 deadline to securely accept payments from chip-enabled, EMV-compliant cards. But according to a new survey of 18,000 U.S. adults, consumers have much lower awareness.

The survey, conducted in late August by POS technology provider Harbortouch, shows that 56% of consumers are unware of what “EMV” or “chip-enabled” mean.

Chicago – More than half of retailers struggle to perform a crucial marketing task. According to a new study of nearly 200 retailers from Yes Lifecycle Marketing and Retail TouchPoints, 52% of retailers have difficulty identifying and engaging their best customers.

Armonk, N.Y. – Although email has reached the point it is often considered a “legacy” technology, email marketing efforts still provide substantial ROI.

New York -- The administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved a wage increase that will gradually raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers in New York to $15 an hour. And now Cuomo wants the hike to be even broader.

Speaking Thursday at a labor rally in New York City, Cuomo proposed a $15 minimum statewide wage for all industries, with the increase to be enacted over time. It would give the Empire State the highest statewide minimum wage in the country. New York’s minimum wage is now $8.75 an hour.

Whole Foods Market is encountering a peculiar wave of opposition as it looks to expand growth opportunities in a new target market in California.

A petition is circulating in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles area to get Whole Foods Market's planned "365" value format converted into a traditional Whole Foods Market store.

This special report by WD Partners examines one of the most crucial questions confronting the retail industry:  the role of the physical store in a digital age. It provides a call to action for a new retail experience, and offers insights and guidance on how retailers can position themselves for success in this new age.

Click here to download the report.
 

Chicago – The introduction of Amazon Prime Day on July 15 created a new mid-summer e-commerce event that had a profound impact on back-to-school shopping.

According to a new study from Market Track, Prime Day and the resulting widespread competitive response created a brand new shopping event only two weeks before the peak back-to-school shopping period.