Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

Schaumburg, Ill. - Nearly one in five Americans will shop on Black Friday, and more than half (61%) plan to spend $100 to $500, according to a new survey by The Nielsen Company.  Among the likely Black Friday winners are department stores, with 76% of consumers planing to shop the channel, and supercenters/mass merchandisers, where 55% will shop.

Washington - Retailers have big  plans for Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving), according to Shop.org’s eHoliday Survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Nearly nine in ten (88.2%) retailers will have a special promotion for Cyber Monday, up from  72.2% in 2007.

Chicago -- The new, post-recession American shopper is high maintenance, promiscuous and demands an innovative and engaging experience in-store and online. According to a new study released by Leo Burnett’s marketing services arm, Arc Worldwide.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday that its loss for the quarter ended Oct. 31 widened to $218 million, compared with a loss of $127 million in the year-ago period. The loss was more than analysts expected as margins fell and sales dropped, especially at the company's namesake stores.

"While Kmart improved profitability, our third-quarter results were disappointing, in large part due to lower sales of apparel and appliances at Sears," said interim CEO W. Bruce Johnson.

Miami -- Retailers are continuing to invest in sustainability initiatives, even during tough economic times, according to a new report by RSR Research entitled "Lean and Green: Sustainable Practices Are Changing Retail, Benchmark 2010.”