Research Topic

San Francisco – Strong same-store sales growth at Old Navy helped drive a 1% increase in net sales at Gap Inc. to $1.53 billion in March 2015, compared with net sales of $1.51 billion for the same month the previous year.

Gap Inc.’s overall same-store sales were up 2%. The company said that the earlier timing of the Easter holiday peak shopping weeks in 2015 benefited March sales results and will likely negatively impact its April sales results.

Millennials are not loyal to fashion brands, according to a new study. In fact, 45% of those surveyed by LIM College say nothing can be done to retain them.

This is according to the results of a new survey, "Shopping Trends Among 18-25 Year-Olds," conducted by LIM College Professors Robert Conrad and Kenneth M. Kambara, Ph.D.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation announced a multimillion-dollar investment to form a new department within the organization focusing on industry research. The new Retail Research and Analysis Center will bring together all existing research within NRF and expand upon the wide range of issue areas and trends already studied.

The Center will focus on four main areas: the economy, legislative and regulatory policy, the retail industry and consumers.

Atlanta - Purchases in brick-and-mortar stores still accounted for more than 94% of all retail sales in the U.S. last year, totaling $4.4 trillion. But according to the new “Reality of Retail” report from retail marketing firm InReality, consumers are shifting their in-store shopping habits.

New York - Millennials are not loyal to fashion brands. In fact, a new study from LIM College shows that 45% of those surveyed say nothing can be done to retain them.

The study, “Shopping Trends among 18-25-Year-Olds,” surveyed 275 LIM College students from March 2-9, 2015. Respondents were asked to evaluate the applicability of statements regarding why they may have abandoned what had been their brand of choice in 2013. The top responses were:

1. Availability of desirable new alternatives (64%).

Deerfield, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday reported quarterly earnings for the first time since the December 2014 merger of Walgreen Co. and Alliance Boots GmbH. The announcement included the news that the drug store retailer will close about 200 U.S. stores as part of its previously announced three-year, $1 billion cost-reduction plan.

New York -- Specialty retailer L Brands continued its winning ways in March, reporting a 9% increase in same-store sales, higher than expectations. Total sales increased 10% to $981.2 million, from $923.7 million in the year ago period.

The Cato Corp. also turned in a winning performance, with a 12% surge in March same-store sales. For the nine weeks ended April 4, sales totaled $197.5 million, up 5% from $188.98 million a year earlier.

Amazon’s Prime membership is starting to crowd out traditional retailers like Walmart and Target, according to Forbes.

The magazine reports that research consultant Millward Brown Digital found that consumers with Prime accounts –- of which there are reportedly 40 million subscribers –- are less likely to visit other retail sites when making online purchases.