Research Topic

The ghost of holidays past hangs over many retail workers, according to a new study of part- and full-time retail employees by Kronos.   Forty-percent of employees in the survey said that their employer did not have enough staff in previous years to account for the amount of shoppers they receive at their store. And 53% are worried about getting burned out during the holiday season.  

Want to get in the holiday spirit? Visit a store.    The overwhelming majority (75%) of Americans believe shopping in a store is one of the best ways to get in the holiday spirit, while 58% say that online shopping takes some of the fun out of holiday shopping, according to new research by Citi Retail Services.  

As more shoppers become victims of “porch piracy,” they are changing they way they shop — and receive — online orders.   This message was delivered in a new study from Vivint Smart Home, a smart home services provider in North America. The study, which is based on 2,000 people, explores the far-reaching impact of the porch piracy phenomenon — an issue that has affected 23 million Americans, according to a separate study from Princeton Survey Research Associates International.  

Easy returns, exclusive loyalty perks and secure transaction processes top customer wish lists this holiday season.  

Rental values on the two most expensive retail streets in the world have decreased as retailers balance the demands of physical and online shopping.   The upper part of Fifth Avenue (49th to 60th Streets) in Manhattan narrowly beat out Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay in DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield’s annual Main Streets Across the World report, which tracks 462 of the top retail streets around the globe, ranking them by their prime rental value.    

In a good omen for the upcoming holiday season, consumers spent more than expected in October, as U.S. sales rose more than expected.        Retail sales increased by 0.9% over September and grew 2.2% on a year-over-year basis, according to the National Retail Federation. The calculations excluded automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants.  

J. Jill Group Inc. is moving forward with plans for an initial public offering.   The Quincy, Massachusetts-based retailer has tapped Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Jefferies Group LLC as underwriters for a possible initial public offering, Reuters reported.     

Holiday retail sales should increase 2% to 4% over last year but retailers should not be expecting a similar profit boost.   That’s the view of Purdue University retail management expert Richard Feinberg who expects retailers will lose pricing power due to online competition.  

While a majority of shoppers are ready to shop online this holiday season, many will sit out Cyber Monday this year.   This detail was highlighted in “Computop 2016 Holiday Shopping Study.” Computop’s report, which is based on responses from over 1,900 consumers across the United States and UK, found that 76% planned to shop online this holiday season. However, 62% of those respondents don’t plan to shop on Cyber Monday, noting it doesn’t offer the deals it used to previously.  

As Amazon continues to up the ante on convenient, fast shipping options, shoppers expect their favorite brands to follow suit.   Specifically, 42% of shoppers surveyed consider three- or four-day shipping "fast" – a significant drop from the 63% who said so last year. Instead, the majority (83%) of shoppers consider fast shipping to mean delivery within two days or less, according to the “2016 Deloitte Holiday Study,” a report based on responses from 5,038 consumers in the United States.