Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

Purchase, N.Y. -- Total retail sales (excluding automotive) for December 2012 grew by 2.4% year-over-year, according to a SpendingPulse report released Wednesday by MasterCard Advisors, the professional services arm of MasterCard. (SpendingPulse reports on national retail sales and is based on aggregate sales activity in the MasterCard payments network, coupled with estimates for all other payment forms, including cash and check.)

Boston -- The number one reason people choose to shop either in-person or online is convenience and not price, according to the results of a new survey released by Continuum, a global design and innovation consultancy. Continuum's 2012 Service Design Report looked at data from more than 1,000 consumers across the country and uncovered the top reasons they choose whether to shop in-stores or online.

The top reasons respondents say they shop in stores are:
• For convenience (40%);
• They don't trust the quality online (22%);

Chicago -- National retail sales increased 2.5% and foot traffic also increased 2.5% when compared with the same two months last year, according to ShopperTrak, the world’s largest counter of retail foot traffic.

ShopperTrak’s initial data indicates that shoppers spent $248.8 billion during this period, which marked the third consecutive year with positive total retail sales. It also was the second holiday season of the past three with positive foot traffic changes.

If it weren’t for all the noise coming out of Washington, D.C. for the past month about the fiscal cliff and now the debt ceiling, an important development regarding the life and death issue of food safety might have received more attention.

With all of the pre-holiday buzz and widely optimistic sales projections, anything other than a blockbuster 2012 holiday shopping season was bound to be a letdown. Few expected the numbers that came out just before Christmas: Both MasterCard and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported that sales for the holiday season at that point were up just 0.7%. This was far below the robust predictions that many analysts and observers made before the shopping season was underway (most often between 3%-6%).

Richmond, Va. -- Survey results released Tuesday by Affinion Loyalty Group found that 89% of consumers are interested in redeeming points at point-of-sale.

The survey also found that the respondents identified cash and retail store gift cards as their two favorite redemption items.

By Ann Natunewicz, national manager, Retail Research, USA Retail Services Group

The outlet shopping experience has morphed from warehouse settings offering damaged and closeout merchandise to today’s centers that are designed to maximize customer flow and sell merchandise from the most exclusive international designers.

New York -- Hiring by the nation’s retailers this past holiday season was at the highest level in six years despite the uncertain economy, Superstorm Sandy and the presidential election, according to an analysis of government job data by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Chicago, a leading outplacement consultancy.

Bolingbrook, Ill. -- Ulta Beauty reported that its holiday revenue grew 23.2% as sales “strongly” rebounded the weekend before Christmas.

Total sales for the seven-week holiday period were $475.6 million, compared with $386 million in the year-ago period. Same-store sales increased 7.4%, on top of a 12.6% increase during the same period in the prior year.

By Raymond Florio, [email protected]