Research Topic

Holiday forecast: Cold temps, hot sales

Favorable weather, an extra shopping day and new tech gadgets should attract more shoppers this holiday season, according to a new report.

The U.S. Holiday 2015 Forecast from the FBIC Group says retailers should expect a happy holiday 2015 selling season, with combined spending in November and December to rise between 3% and 4% over 2014 levels to between $626 billion to $633 billion.
ShopperTrak: Holiday sales to rise 2.4%

Price-conscious consumers looking for a good deal are expected to fuel a sales surge on Black Friday, but not enough to lift overall holiday sales higher than last year, according to ShopperTrak.

The analytics firm predicts that Black Friday 2015 will surpass Black Friday 2014 due to the shopper who is motivated by sales and exhibits a growing tendency toward shopping earlier. In addition, an early Hanukkah, which begins 10 days sooner this year than last, will generate November sales at the expense of December.

Survey: Omnichannel consumers favor consistency

Retailers operating across multiple channels need to ensure customer experience does not vary by touchpoint.

According to a new survey of 1,000 consumers by customer experience management technology provider Sitecore and King Brown Partners, 80% of respondents agreed that offering consistent shopping experiences strongly impacts a retailer’s brand perception. Ninety percent of consumers would switch brands if the brand promises one thing and delivers another.
Shoppers not spending, shifting online

Consumers’ intentions often differ materially from their behavior and retailers better hope that is the case this year or it won’t be a happy holiday, according to the latest consumer research from the National Retail Federation.
Amazon to New York Times: Get your facts straight

An Amazon.com executive is publicly disputing an August 2015New York Timesarticle that painted an unflattering picture of the retailer’s corporate culture.
Survey: Most U.S. shoppers hate Black Friday

Most U.S. shoppers dislike Black Friday, but a third of them say they're planning to spend more than $500 that weekend anyway, according to a new survey.
Target increases food focus with eye toward future

Target Corp. has made grocery and perishable products a big part of its turnaround strategy, and is committing to do so for the forseeable future.

Target is partnering with the MIT Media Lab and global design firm Ideo on a multi-year collaboration, known as the Food + Future coLAB, to explore the future of food. The work will focus on areas such as urban farming, food transparency and authenticity, supply chain and health.
Confirmation: The Third Wave of Physical Retail

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Walmart donates nearly $1M to help retail's front line

Walmart is one step closer to fulfilling its mission of donating $100 million toward increasing the economic mobility of entry-level workers.

The retailer and its Walmart Foundation are donating nearly $1 million to Innovate+Educate to fund research and build recommendations that support the advancement of entry-level workers in retail and adjacent sectors.
How YouTube drives holiday shopping lists

With electronic devices in the hands of so many kids, YouTube is becoming a major force in driving their wish lists, according to a new report from Reuters. The wire service says that, as families prepare to spend an estimated $630.7 billion on gifts this holiday season, the smallest screens could have the biggest influence.
Watch this: Walmart CEO McMillon on 'Mad Money'
Survey: Millennials prefer supportive, fun loyalty programs

A new survey from Colloquy is highlighting some of the differences between millennial consumers and other demographics when it comes to loyalty programs. Some 34% of millennials say the word “fun” is the one that best describes their participation, compared to 26% of the general population.