Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Monday by the National Retail Federation said that the average person celebrating Easter this year will spend about $145.13 on candy, décor, apparel and food – with is flat with last year’s $145.28.

NRF, through its Easter Spending Survey conducted by BIGinsight, estimated that total spending will reach an estimated $17.2 billion this year.

NEW YORK — Walmart was the only traditional retailer to be named to marketing firm Ipsos' Most Influential Brands of the United States list.

Amazon and Ebay also made the list, which included such companies as Apple, Facebook, Visa and Procter & Gamble. Topping the list was Google.

The physical store remains the centerpiece of the purchase journey, according to a study by PwC. The report, "Demystifying the Online Shopper," addresses myths about multichannel retailing and offers some ideas to help retailers keep up with their customers. Here's a recap:

WASHINGTON — The Department of Commerce reported that retail sales for the month of February rose by 1.1% seasonally adjusted month to month.

The newly released figures include nongeneral merchandise categories, such as automobiles, gas stations and restaurants; excluding those, sales rose 0.7%, while rising 0.5% unadjusted year over year. The National Retail Federation noted that sales beat estimates as consumers adapted and adjusted spending in response to higher gas prices and the payroll tax increase.

New York -- Retail spending in the United States rose a better-than-expected 1.1% in February, the highest increase since September, according to figures released Wednesday by the Commerce Department.

Sales, excluding gasoline, building materials and autos, rose 0.4%. Industry experts said that consumer spending is holding up even in the face of the higher payroll tax.

Columbus, Ohio -- Express said its fourth-quarter net income rose a better-than-expected 6%, but its full-year projection for earnings came up short as the retailer provided a weak outlook.
   
Express, similar to many other retailers, had less traffic in February, as higher taxes and rising gas prices cut into shoppers’ discretionary spending.
 
For the period ended Feb. 2, Express Inc. earned $63.9 million, up from $60.4 million a year earlier.

Waban, Mass. -- Chick-fil-A, Dunkin' Donuts, Sonic Drive-In, and Little Caesar's earned the top spots in the fast food sector of the 2013 Temkin Experience Ratings. At the other end of the spectrum, KFC and McDonalds were the lowest-rated fast food restaurants. The fast food industry earned the second highest average rating out of 19 industries, falling only behind the grocery sector.

By Theresa Wabler, [email protected]

As retailers and manufacturers settle into the reality of the “new normal” of shoppers who  will continue their frugal consumption habits amidst recession or not, it’s crucial to employ promotional tactics that generate significant, lasting value, not just a flash in the pan. As marketers consider their options, one tried and true promotional tactic should be included to yield definite results: rebates.

February 2013 marked a declining trend in number of inserts per market for the some retailers, but due to big increases at Macy’s (+48%) and Staples (+100%), the overall count of inserts per market across all retailers was actually up 4.3%. Home Depot (-50.0%) was the only retailer witnessing a major fall, whereas the other retailers showed only minor declines. Of the remaining retailers that did not see a decrease, five had no change in the number of inserts per market, while three (including Macy’s and Staples) increased.

York, Pa. -- The Bon-Ton Stores reported better-then-expected fourth quarter net income of $74.4 million, compared with $78.2 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue for the three months ended Feb. 2 increased 3.2% to $1.02 billion, missing the Street’s view of $1.04 billion. Same-store sales increased 1%. (Results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2012 are impacted by the inclusion of an additional week in each period, resulting in a 14-week and 53-week reporting period.)