Research Topic

New York -- Costco Wholesale Corp. fell slightly short of estimates in July even as most other retailers who still report same-store monthly sales outperformed expectations.

The warehouse club giant reported a 5% rise in same-store sales for July, excluding gasoline, falling short of estimates for a 5.7% increase. The company said foreign currencies had a slightly negative impact. It was the first time in five months that Costco's sales have increased less than expected. Costco's total revenue for the month increased 9% to $8.55 billion.

Boulder, Colo. -- Cheesecake Factory is North America’s favorite casual-dining chain, according to a study by Market Force Information. More than 6,100 consumers were polled for the study, which ranks the top restaurant chains in five categories: general menu, breakfast, steak, Italian and seafood. Cheesecake Factory was tops in the general menu category, receiving high marks for quality of food, healthiness of food and atmosphere.
 

New York -- Less than 30% of middle-market retailers have websites optimized for mobile purchases, according to a national survey of C-suite executives by GE Capital. Currently, middle market retailers conduct 16% of their transactions online and about half expect the proportion of online transactions to increase in the next 12 months. (GE identifies middle-market retailers as ranging from $10 million to $1 billion in annual sales).

Austin, Texas – Zales has the highest annual percentage rate (APR) on its private label card out of 61 U.S. retailers surveyed by CreditCards.com. According to the study, the retailers with the five highest maximum APRs are:

1. Zales, up to a 28.99% APR;
2. Office Depot Personal Credit, up to a 27.99% APR;
3. Staples Personal Account, up to a 27.99% APR;
4. My Best Buy, up to a 25.24% and 27.99% APR, depending on your credit score; and

Snyder’s-Lance is promising an innovation filled product pipeline for 2015 that includes meal-replacement snacks to drive growth for retailers following a pivotal second quarter for the company.

Digital coupons possess amazing powers to influence shopper behavior, according to a new study funded by digital coupon provider RetailMeNot.

Digital Coupons positively affect brand loyalty, broaden consumer’s horizons and rule the world of promotions, according to the study titled “The Impact of Online Coupons and Promotion Codes.” RetailMeNot commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct the survey of 500 consumers in May.

New York -- Aldi was recognized as the nation's low-price grocery leader for the fourth year in a row, according to a recent consumer survey conducted by Market Force Information. Aldi announced in December 2013 that it intends to open 650 new stores across the country during the next five years.

When asked to rank the top grocers offering low prices, the 6,200 consumers who participated in the study ranked Aldi first, followed by Costco and Walmart third.

Atlanta - Another retailer is looking for a chief executive: Aaron’s Inc. announced that Ronald W. Allen, 72, will retire as CEO and as a member of the board of directors of Aaron’s, effective Aug. 31. Allen has served on the board since 1997 and as CEO since February 2012.

The board has retained Spencer Stuart, an executive recruiting firm, to assist in the process of identifying Allen's successor. The search process will include a full review of both internal and external candidates.

Discount grocer Aldi, Costco and Walmart were recognized as the nation’s low price grocery leaders in a recent study conducted by Market Force Information.

It was the fourth consecutive year Aldi has received the low price distinction in the survey conducted by Market Force, a leading customer intelligence solutions firm. When asked to rank the top grocers offering low prices, the 6,200 consumers who participated in the study ranked Aldi first, Costco second and Walmart third. Aldi president Jason Hart was quick to take a victory lap.

San Francisco – Shopper traffic declined 6% in July 2014 compared to the same month in 2013, due to real wage pressure, favorable summer weather, and a shift towards big-ticket item purchases, according to monthly benchmarks from in-store analytics provider Euclid.