Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

DALLAS — Tuesday Morning has revised its fiscal year guidance and now expects total net sales to be in the range of $820 million to $830 million and comparable-store sales to be slightly negative for the full year of fiscal 2011. Diluted earnings, based on these sales results, are now expected to be approximately 25 cents to 30 cents per share for fiscal 2011, the company.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Children's interest are constantly changing, but right now Justin Bieber is tops with kids. According to a May NPD Group survey, when asked what they thought the kids they know would identify as the hottest new thing these days, 10% of participants said Justin Bieber. 

Though Bieber topped the list in May, he garnered a higher percentage (14%) when the survey was first conducted in February, indicating that interest in the pop singer could be waning. 

WASHINGTON — Retail spending for the month of May experienced a slight drop of 0.2% to $387.1 billion, though the advanced estimates noted that May sales were 7.7% higher than the year-ago period, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday.

The government agency also reported that total sales for the March through May period were up 7.5% from the same period a year ago.

New York City -- A report released Tuesday by Deloitte said that consumer spending continued its decline in May, weighed down by a sharp rise in unemployment claims.

The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index, which tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending, fell to 2.66%, from a gain of 3.29% in April. The Index is comprised of tax burden, initial unemployment claims, real wages and real home prices.

Stevens, Pa. -- A survey released Tuesday by Unity Marketing revealed the list of retailers frequented by the most wealthy American shoppers – those earning $250,000 and up.

Barneys New York, Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman ranked as the top luxury department stores among the ultra-affluent in the Luxury Report 2011. However, the survey also uncovered signs that the wealthiest consumers are slowing their pace of shopping in these stores.

China ranks as the most attractive emerging market for apparel retailers, according to global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s 2011 Global Retail Development Index for Apparel. The report advises that as U.S. consumer confidence and the overall economy continues an uneven recovery, the nation’s apparel retailers must look to high-growth emerging markets to expand their businesses and increase revenues.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the Commerce Department showed that total U.S. retail sales fell 0.2% in May, a less-than-forecast dip following April’s 0.3% gain. It was the first drop in 11 months. Excluding autos, retail sales rose 0.3% last month, the smallest gain since July 2010.

LOS ANGELES — Back-to-school shopping will likely take place even later this year than in 2010, as consumers hope to score last-minute deals, the latest forecast from PriceGrabber reveals. PriceGrabber, a part of Experian, found that 95% of consumers are planning to use some sort of money saving technique when back-to-school shopping, and they plan to start shopping later in 2011 than they did in 2010.