Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

The National Retail Federation is investing millions of dollars into research for the retail industry by creating a new center.

NRF plans to form a new department called the Retail Research and Analysis Center to bring together all existing research within NRF and expand upon the wide range of issue areas and trends already studied. The center will focus on four main areas: the economy, legislative and regulatory policy, the retail industry and consumers.

San Francisco – Strong same-store sales growth at Old Navy helped drive a 1% increase in net sales at Gap Inc. to $1.53 billion in March 2015, compared with net sales of $1.51 billion for the same month the previous year.

Gap Inc.’s overall same-store sales were up 2%. The company said that the earlier timing of the Easter holiday peak shopping weeks in 2015 benefited March sales results and will likely negatively impact its April sales results.

Los Angeles – Interest in Apple Watch may extend beyond simple “buzz.” Bizrate Insights, a division of Connexity, found in a survey of more than 6,000 online buyers that there is significant consumer interest in the new wrist-worn mini-computer.

About 5% of online buyers said they wanted to buy the watch now, while 22% said they were interested. The most interested customers’ profile is someone who already uses an iPhone, is an adult under the age of 50, and more likely male.

New York - Millennials are not loyal to fashion brands. In fact, a new study from LIM College shows that 45% of those surveyed say nothing can be done to retain them.

The study, “Shopping Trends among 18-25-Year-Olds,” surveyed 275 LIM College students from March 2-9, 2015. Respondents were asked to evaluate the applicability of statements regarding why they may have abandoned what had been their brand of choice in 2013. The top responses were:

1. Availability of desirable new alternatives (64%).

Amazon’s Prime membership is starting to crowd out traditional retailers like Walmart and Target, according to Forbes.

The magazine reports that research consultant Millward Brown Digital found that consumers with Prime accounts –- of which there are reportedly 40 million subscribers –- are less likely to visit other retail sites when making online purchases.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation announced a multimillion-dollar investment to form a new department within the organization focusing on industry research. The new Retail Research and Analysis Center will bring together all existing research within NRF and expand upon the wide range of issue areas and trends already studied.

The Center will focus on four main areas: the economy, legislative and regulatory policy, the retail industry and consumers.

Atlanta - Purchases in brick-and-mortar stores still accounted for more than 94% of all retail sales in the U.S. last year, totaling $4.4 trillion. But according to the new “Reality of Retail” report from retail marketing firm InReality, consumers are shifting their in-store shopping habits.

Walnut Creek, Calif. – Retailers are taking advantage of volumes of Big Data and advanced analytical technology to uncover deep insights on customer behavior. However, according to a new study from RSR Research, they may be focusing on customer behavior to an extent they overlook other valuable insights.