Research Topic

L.L.Bean bests Amazon in...
For the third straight year, L.L.Bean has beat out Amazon in a customer service ranking. The outdoor outfitter came out on top in Prosper Insights & Analytics’ annual review of service excellence among retailers, with Amazon a close second. Rounding out the top five; Lands’ End, Fingerhut, and Kohl’s.
Retail jobs dip slightly in July
The retail industry lost jobs in July. Retail industry employment declined slightly in July, decreasing 1,700 jobs from June, according to the National Retail Federation. On a three-month average, retail jobs have decreased by 4,200 jobs as calculated by NRF. (The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.) On a positive note, the economy overall saw gains of 209,000 jobs in July, exceeding growth expectations for the month.

Commentary: Is Obama still President?

There is an endless list of adjectives to describe the first six-months of the Trump administration. But one modifier is both accurate and acceptable — and that word is unpredictable. For context, the first six months of the Obama and Bush administrations were fairly predictable. Both embarked on a legislative agenda that looked and felt a lot like their campaign platforms and while the legislative process for both was rocky, we knew what we were in for. Not so much this time around.
Special Report: More Climbers & Fallers
Gen Z big on brick-and-mortar

The most digitally savvy generation to date has a soft side for physical stores. Despite being digital natives, 57% of Generation Z say they prefer to shop in-store rather than online, according to a report from CrowdTwist, a provider of multichannel loyalty and engagement solutions.
Unlocking Analytics in the Grocery Channel: How to Connect Data to Decisions and Reconnect with Consumers
Evoco white paper
The most profitable retailers in sales per square foot are....

Sales per square foot are declining across the board. But some retailers continue to pull in hefty revenue. The No. 1 retailer in terms of sales per square foot is Apple Inc., which does a staggering $5,546 per square foot, according to research provided by CoStar.
Facebook soars in Q2

A jump in mobile ads and daily users contributed to another strong quarter for Facebook — one that also beat analyst expectations. For the second quarter ended June 30, total revenue rose 45% to $9.32 billion. This is a significant jump from $6.436 billion for the same period in 2016. Revenues for the quarter also beat analyst forecasts of $9.20 billion, according to Thomson Reuters. This is the ninth straight quarter that Facebook has exceeded analyst expectations.
GNC’s profits fall in Q2

Despite online and in-store transaction growth, GNC’s income and revenue declined in the second quarter.
Mall owners take pay cuts

Macerich CEO Arthur Coppola had the potential for total compensation worth about $12 million in 2016, but his company’s recent proxy filing showed him receiving less than half of that. Coppola is just one of many senior executives of publicly traded mall-owning companies to feel the sting brick-and-mortar’s right-sizing in his pocketbook, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Study: Saving money tops parents’ back-to-school shopping lists

Parents are pulling back on their back-to-school spending, and making “essential” school supplies their top priorities. This was according to a new survey from Ebates and global internet services company Rakuten. The study, which was conducted online by Propeller Insights in June 2017, tapped 1,001 adults and 500 teens.