Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

New York City -- The National Retail Federation’s 101st Annual Convention and EXPO kicks off Jan. 15 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. The four-day event will feature topics ranging from digital and mobile retailing to the evolution of the retail store to economic trends and trends in consumer spending. Former President Bill Clinton is the featured keynote speaker on Jan. 17.

New York City -- Consumer confidence rose more than forecast in January, reaching its highest level in eight months amid signs of an improving labor market.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment increased to 74 from 69.9 at the end of December. The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey called for 71.5. The measure has increased 9.9 points in the last two months, the biggest such gain since April-May 2009.

Walmart’s sharpest critics will acknowledge that much good has come of the company’s sustainability efforts, but there are voices who maintain an inherent conflict exists between saving the planet and a business model based on selling as much low-priced stuff as possible to as many people as possible.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation reported Thursday that holiday sales edged NRF forecasts, rising 4.1% to $471.5 billion for the period.

NRF predicted 3.8% growth. Results exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants.

NEW YORK — Kohl's is the recipient of the People’s Pick award in The Harris Poll Customer Relationship Series, conducted by Harris Interactive. The award cognizes the strength of consumers' bonds with mid-tier department stores and reflects the customers' connections and future intentions.

Tokyo -- Fast Retailing Co., operator of the Uniqlo apparel chain, reported Thursday a net profit of $405.3 million for the first quarter, a 37% rise that the company said was due in large part to a change in accounting methods. Operating profit dipped 2.8%.

Sales gained 8.6% overall for the quarter, but the company has trimmed its full-year outlook as sales in its home market remained sluggish.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- A mobile commerce study released Thursday by customer experience analytics firm ForeSee found that Apple and Amazon rank far above all other retailers when it comes to mobile customer satisfaction.

When measuring how satisfied customers are with mobile shopping experiences of 16 of the largest e-retailers in the United States, Apple and Amazon, which scored 85 and 84, respectively, on the study’s 100-point scale, topped the list by a wide margin.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has announced that its eighth annual fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was its most successful to date, raising $4 million and collecting more than 400,000 toys to help make the holidays brighter for kids in need across the United States.