Research Topic

Purchase, N.Y. -- After several months of sluggish retail sales, consumer shopping in the U.S. rebounded in April, according to the latest MasterCard SpendingPulse report, which aggregate national retail sales activity in the MasterCard payments network, coupled with estimates for all other payment forms, including cash and check.

Chicago - The fast-casual segment continues to obtain share from full-service chains and drive limited-service growth, making up 15% of the $231 billion limited-service restaurant segment. The “Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Report” from Technomic shows that fast-casual sales increased 11% in 2013, while all limited-service chains grew by only 3.5%.

Interactions, a leading global integrated sales and marketing programs developer, has appointed David Zierman as director of insights.
 
Based in San Diego, Zierman will lead the company’s market research efforts including managing primary data collected via Mystery Shopping, Customer Intercept Surveys, Web Based Surveys, electronic customer satisfaction surveys (bottom of the receipt surveys) and Retail Audits. He will be responsible for the organization’s P&L as well as business development and operations.
 

GNC’s profit slid in the first quarter, but although the company said that severe weather during January and February affected its financial results, it also pointed to an “unusually significant amount” of negative media as a driving factor for the dip.

Despite the Easter holiday shift, Whole Foods reported second-quarter revenue of $3.32 billion, a record increase of 10% from the prior-year quarter. But the record was not enough for Wall Street, which expected $3.34 billion.

The company’s earnings per share of 38 cents for the quarter also came in below expectations of 41 cents per share.

Washington, D.C. -- More than two-thirds of U.S. shoppers will buy gift cards during the spring and summer seasons, according to a just-released survey by the Retail Gift Card Association.

Buying occasions include Mother’s Day, graduation and weddings. Key findings of the RGCA spring and summer gift card study, which polled more than 1,100 American shoppers, include:

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market on Tuesday reported a profit for its fiscal second quarter that fell short of Wall Street expectations. The grocery store operator also cut its outlook for the year.

For the quarter ended April 13, Whole Foods earned $142 million, unchanged from last year, amid higher expenses.

Revenue rose to $3.32 billion, short of the $3.34 billion Wall Street expected. Same-store sales rose 4.5%, hurt by the shift of Easter to the third quarter this year.

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in April 2013 versus April 2014 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. Toys “R” Us experienced a massive 350% increase in page count year-over-year due to its release of three circulars this April versus one last year. Only a short eight-page “Bike & Trike Trade-in” circular was run last year. This year, the bicycle circular ran in the last week of the month again, but the other two circulars appeared to be a response to the late Easter this year, with a focus on $5 or less basket-fillers.