Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

New York - The eight-day run up to Easter 2014 fell shy of the previous year’s comparable period by 9.3% in traffic and 8.9% in sales. According to data from retail analytics provider RetailNext, there was a 1.2- percentage-point improvement in conversion, which helped generate a sales decline that was less than the traffic decline.

The ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative is a partnership between Ann Inc., parent company of Ann Taylor and Loft, and Vital Voices Global Partnership to empower young women from across the U.S. with the leadership skills they need to affect global progress, invest in their communities and begin their journeys as the next generation of leaders.  

Waban, Mass. - The percentage of large organizations that have reached the two highest levels of customer experience maturity has grown from 6% in 2013 to 10% this year. During the same period, the percentage of companies in the lowest level of maturity has dropped from 40% to 31%, according to a new report from Temkin Group, “The State of Customer Experience Management 2014.”

Other findings include:

Innovation can take many forms and in the case of Reynolds Bakeware that form is a new oval pan designed specifically for baking fish.

Not that fish couldn’t be baked in one of the brand’s various other square or rectangular shaped disposable pans, but the new oval model is purpose built for fish and part of the new Bakeware line introduced last year.

Atlanta - InReality, a customer experience strategy and design firm, is offering a retail customer experience measurement tool called Reality Gap Analysis. Reality Gap Analysis delivers a quantifiable assessment of the gaps between a brand's self-perception and a customer's reality.

Around the globe, sellers from country A who promote their products as “Made in country A” are quick to point out that country A products are known for their quality, even by buyers from country C.

Chobani Greek Yogurt is a young brand that has enjoyed tremendous success and to keep the momentum going the company is employing a classic CPG strategy of promoting consumption during different day parts and inspiring new usage occasions.

In essence, Chobani wants Americans to eat more yogurt and recently announced six new products to launch in July that extend the brand beyond breakfast.The new products include Chobani Greek Yogurt Oats, Chobani Indulgent, Chobani Kids, Chobani Seasonal, Chobani Kitchen and Chobani Simply 100 Greek Yogurt in key lime and pineapple Coconut.

A $1 million donation from Walmart CEO Doug McMillion and his wife Shelley to the University of Arkansas will help kick start the creation of a new School of Global Retail Operations and Innovation.