Research Topic

Forty percent of U.S. consumers plan to spend more this year than during the 2015 holiday shopping season, driven by better job prospects and an improving economy.     That’s one of the findings of the A.T. Kearney 2016 Holiday Shopping Survey, which was conducted online from Oct. 24 – Oct. 25, 2016.   

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.    

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.  

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.  

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.  

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.     

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.