Research Topic

London -- Global online retail revenues will reach $4.3 trillion in 2025, accounting for nearly 20% of total retail, according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan. In leading markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom, nearly 25% of retail will be online, the study said.

Los Angeles -- For the second consecutive quarter, the retail availability rate has fallen 30 basis points, according to the latest analysis from CBRE Group. The rate now stands at 12.2% and testifies to improved retailer confidence as consumer spending continues to rebound.

The availability rate tracks space that is actively being marketed and available for tenant build-out within 12 months.

Chicago -- Parents will shop and spend more during the back-to-school season this year than they did last year, according to ShopperTrak. The company projects that national retail sales will rise 4.3% in August, and retail foot traffic will increase 0.6%, when compared to the year-ago period.

New York -- Walmart confirmed in an op-ed in the Washington Post that it will pull the plug on three planned stores in the Washington, D.C., area if the D.C. Council passes a bill setting a higher minimum wage for large retailers. The bill, the Large Retailer Accountability Act (LRAA) of 2013, is scheduled for a vote on Wednesday.

Watsonville, Calif. -- West Marine has released its BlueFuture(R) 2012 Sustainability Report. The study encompasses the retailer’s company-wide efforts focusing on sustainability, including improving and protecting the marine environments, reducing the company's carbon footprint and encouraging people to enjoy being out on the water.

Included in the report is a reduction in the company’s greenhouse gas of 4.29% year over year, with an over 17.5% reduction since its 2007 baseline.

Santa Monica, Calif. -- Global e-commerce sales are expected to rise 17.5% this year to $963 billion, up from $820.5 billion last year, according to a study by Siemer & Associates.

Currently, online accounts for just 6.5% of all retail sales worldwide but is growing four times faster than traditional retail. E-commerce sales are expected to account for 9.3% of retail sales by 2016.

Washington -- The retail industry added 28,000 jobs in June, according to the National Retail Federation. NRF said the industry had marked increases in every sector except furniture and home furnishings and health and personal care stores.


New York -- Jones Group Inc. has tapped Citigroup Inc. to explore a possible sale, according to Reuters.
 
In April, Jones Group said that it would close 170 stores and cut 8% of its workforce after first-quarter profit was less than analysts’ estimates. The news comes just months after activist hedge fund

The company, whose brands include Stuart Weitzman, Jones New York, Easy Spirit, and Nine West, had a market value of about $1.2 billion as of July 5.