Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

NEW YORK - After coming off a strong November, U.S. retailers found their momentum largely waned in December, with sales impacted by a still-cautious consumer, early discounting and a blizzard that crippled the Northeast in the days immediately after Christmas. But while many chains missed Wall Street’s heightened expectations for December, the retail industry still turned in its strongest holiday performance since 2006.

Columbus, Ohio -- Retail same-store sales eased to 3.2% growth in December in the wake of November’s exceptionally strong promotional activity and an ongoing shift toward online shopping, according to Kantar Retail. The sales-weighted composite for the 31 retailers reporting -- most of them apparel retailers -- was weaker than the 5.6% same-store sales gain last month, but slightly better than the 3.0% gain in December of 2009. (The calculations no longer include Walmart, which stopped reporting monthly results in 2009. )

The final holiday numbers are in from online measurement firm comScore and it was a record year. November and December online sales increased 12% to $32.6 billion and, considering the surge in traffic that takes place at Walmart.com during those months and the increasing level of cross-channel integration, the retailer likely captured at least a fair share of the growth.

Reston, Va. -- Retail e-commerce spending for the entire November -- December 2010 holiday season reached $32.6 billion, marking a 12% increase versus last year and an all-time record for the season, according to comScore.

RESTON, Va. - Comscore reported that retail e-commerce spending for the entire November to December 2010 holiday season reached $32.6 billion, marking a 12% increase versus last year and an all-time record for the season.

West Bridgewater, Mass. -- Shaw's Supermarkets has announced that it will close five unprofitable stores in Massachusetts and Rhode Island by the middle of next month.

The company said in a statement that it decided "only after careful evaluation" to close the stores. The Massachusetts stores are in New Bedford, Stoneham and Revere. The Rhode Island locations are in Johnston, and on Bald Hill Road in Warwick.

The stores will be closed by Feb. 17.

Chicago -- Year-over-year retail sales increased 6.5% for the week ending Jan. 1, according to ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate, while the company’s Retail Traffic Index (SRTI) reported foot traffic rose 4.1% for the same period.

Purchase, N.Y. -- Retail growth in December sales was robust across many categories, further building on November’s positive results, with some performing at better than pre-recession levels, according to MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, which tracks national retail and services sales.