Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

NEW YORK— Target, Kohl's and JCPenney ranked highest among discounters in consumer perception in the first half of 2011, according to YouGov BrandIndex. The company interviews 5,000 people each weekday from a representative U.S. population sample, more than 1.2 million interviews per year.

Here is YouGov’s Retail Buzz scores for discounters in the first half of 2011:

1.  Target (33.9) 

2. Kohl's (29.5) 

3. J.C. Penney (23.9) 

WASHINGTON — NRF reported that total back-to-school spending on grades K to 12 is expected to reach $22.8 billion. According to NRF’s 2011 Back-to-School survey conducted by BIGresearch, families with children in grades K to 12 will spend an average of $603.63 on apparel, school supplies and electronics, within a few dollars of last year’s $606.40 average. 

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Tractor Supply Company continues to operate in a fertile market segment that enabled the nation’s largest farm and ranch store chain to harvest record profits during the second quarter.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway Inc. reported net income of $145.8 million, or 41 cents per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2011 compared with $141.3 million, or 37 cents per diluted share for the second quarter of 2010.

The company reported that total sales increased 7.1% to $10.2 billion in the second quarter of 2011 from $9.5 billion in the second quarter of 2010. Identical-store sales, excluding fuel saw a 0.5% increase.

New York City -- A Bloomberg report on Thursday said that consumer confidence stagnated last week, as the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index was minus 43.3 in the period to July 17, the highest since April, compared with minus 43.9 the prior week.

The monthly gauge of the economic outlook improved from a two-year low, according to the report.

New York City -- Target, Kohl's and J.C. Penney ranked highest among discounters in consumer perception in the first half of 2011, according to YouGov BrandIndex. The company interviews 5,000 people each weekday from a representative U.S. population sample, more than 1.2 million interviews per year.

Here is YouGov’s Retail Buzz scores for discounters in the first half of 2011:

Chicago -- A report released Thursday by ShopperTrak found that retailers should expect fewer shoppers this back-to-school season, but average tickets are anticipated to be larger.

According to ShopperTrak, national retail sales, when compared with the same period last year, will rise 3.8% in August, while foot traffic will decrease 2.9%.
 

Washington, D.C. – Back-to-school sales are expected to be flat this coming season, according to the 2011 Back-to-School survey, issued Thursday by the National Retail Federation and conducted by BIGresearch. The study showed that families with children in grades K-12 will spend an average of $603.63 on apparel, school supplies and electronics, a few dollars short of last year’s $606.40 average.

PORT WASHINGTON — Consumer electronics are growing increasingly popular with children, as indicated by NPD's latest survey, which revealed that in the past year 78% of portable video game systems purchased, and 56% of portable digital media players (PDMP) purchased were given to the child. 

For households with kids ages 4 to 14, newer devices such as e-readers and media tablets were acquired at single-digit rates (8% and 5%, respectively) in the past year, slowly driving up the number of homes where kids have access to these devices. 

ANN ARBOR, Mich. and WASHINGTON — When given a choice, American consumers prefer to purchase organic foods, according to the Thomson Reuters-NPR Health Poll. The survey found that 58% of Americans say they choose organic over conventionally produced foods when they have the opportunity, a number that spikes higher among both young and highly educated respondents. Sixty-three percent of respondents under the age of 35 prefer organic foods, as do 64% of those with a bachelor's degree or more.