Research Topic

Bellevue, Wash. – Thrift shop customers appreciate the deep savings, but most of them do not shop out of necessity.

According to a new survey of 1,001 U.S. adults from the Savers thrift shop chain, 76% of Americans are choosing thrift with the top two reasons being that it’s cost-effective and feels like a treasure hunt. The new data about Americans’ shopping behaviors also highlights:  

• 77% agree that it’s important that they get a good deal or value on the items they buy.

The Woodlands, Texas – The decision to stop selling video game products, digital cameras, and certain tablets affected same-store sales at Conn’s Inc. during the second quarter and July fiscal 2016. However, Conn’s still reported total preliminary net retail sales of $325 million during the quarter, up 13% from the prior year period.

Luxury handbags seem to be as common these days as smartphones, and therein lies the problem for rival brands Coach, Michael Kors and Kate Spade, who all reported quarterly results this week.

As these three luxury heavyweights battle it out against brand saturation and bored shoppers midway through the year, it seems as though only Kate Spade has all the right moves.

Sears Canada has come up with an innovative way to appeal to back-to-school shoppers -- especially those parents who have kids who don't wear uniforms to school.

The retailer has launched the KidVantage Grow Out Guarantee, "created to take the stress and guesswork out of back-to-school shopping." The KidVantage Grow Out Guarantee promises that if your child grows out of an article of clothing purchased at Sears, you can exchange it for the next size up before the end of the current school year.

Seattle – Consumers are partial to online marketplaces when it comes to choosing a starting point for digital shopping journeys. According to a new research study from Amazon.com and Pymnts.com titled “Innovation and the Digital Shopper,” 64% of respondents begin their shopping journey on online marketplaces.

North Bergen, N.J. -- Vitamin Shoppe Inc. had a tough quarter but its earnings still beat the Street.

The retailer on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $14.2 million, down from $16.9 million in the year-ago period, but still topping Wall Street expectations.

The company also said it plans 50 new stores in 2015.

Revenue increased 5.3% to $322.3 million in the period, short of analysts’ forecasts for $327.9 million.

New York -- Petco Animal Supplies may be headed for an initial public offering or sale.

The retailer has selected Goldman Sachs Group to help with an IPO or sale that could value the pet supplies retailer between $4 billion and $5 billion, including debt, Reuters reported.

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Boca Raton, Fla. – Office Depot is accelerating its previously announced plan to close at least 400 stores as the retailer awaits its acquisition by Staples.

After shuttering a greater than expected 99 stores in the second quarter, Office Depot boosted its 2015 store closing target to 175 locations, with another 60 due to close in 2016. The closings are on top of 153 closings throughout 2014, including 108 stores in the fourth quarter of last year.

Denver – Whatever the cool kids (and their families) are doing this summer, back-to-school shopping does not appear to be on the agenda.

An ongoing shopper behavior study conducted by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research shows that retailers will continue to see the number of back-to-school shoppers in their stores drop.

In 2014, the data showed 36% of shoppers would not be shopping back-to-school, and this year the study is showing a 7% increase in those not shopping for back-to-school.

Petco is preparing for a potential initial public offering or sale that could value the pet supplies retailer at between $4 billion and $5 billion.

Reuters is reporting that the retailer has selected Goldman Sachs to help with an IPO of the San Diego-based company that could take place as soon as this year.