Consumer Analytics

New York -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that consumer sentiment climbed during the week ended June 16 to minus 29.4, compared with minus 31.3 a week earlier and representing a lift after a two-month low. In fact, according to the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index, Americans’ views on the economy were the least pessimistic in five years.

The monthly Bloomberg consumer economic expectations gauge for June held at minus 1, matching May’s reading as the best this year.

Mountain View, Calif. – In a new report, “The Four Mobile Traps,” usability testing service firm UserTesting.com identifies four common mistakes retailers make when attempting to perform mobile commerce. Following is a brief summary of each “trap:”

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid reported profits for the third consecutive quarter, as it launched the largest extension to date to its loyalty card program and continued growing the latest iteration of its new store format.

San Francisco -- The trend to shop on smartphones is growing, with 71% of smartphones owners saying they shop using their mobile device, according to a report by Scava, a provider of mobile, tablet and in-store technologies. However, mobile shopping experiences fail to meet consumer satisfaction, as 88% of those who shop on their smartphone have experienced negative issues.

When asked about their biggest pain points when shopping on mobile, mobile shoppers responded:

Atlanta -- Around the world, consumers want it all, and they want it in the palm of their hand. According to a global study released by First Data, consumers worldwide expect strikingly similar mobile and technology-powered experiences from large and small businesses as well as financial institutions – and their expectations are fueled by skyrocketing smartphone usage.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Tocata, a technology innovator in mobile e-commerce, is launching a front-end mobile platform for retailers which allows them to build immersive, revenue-driving mobile shopping experiences that can be deployed on tablets or smartphones, whether as apps or as HTML5. 

Vancouver, B.C. -- Slow websites are a deterrent for customers using mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, according to a report from mobile technology Mobify, which reveals the financial impact of slow loading mobile websites for the world's top 100 online retailers.

Marlborough, Mass. – According to the latest edition of the seasonal “The Why Behind the Buy” report from Acosta Sales & Marketing, consumers are increasing their usage of every digital tool except for email in their shopping activities. Concurrently, consumers are using traditional tools such as coupons and store flyers less frequently.

Specific results include:

Traditional craftsmanship and the latest in technology help make for the perfect fit at The Left Shoe, a new luxury men’s footwear retail concept from Finland. 

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Company will start including calorie information on menu boards in all U.S.-based corporate and licensed stores on June 25. The retailer will post calorie counts to accompany each beverage listed on the menu boards, as well as on tags to accompany food in the bakery case. All calorie counts will reflect the item as made by standard recipe and will not include potential extra calories resulting from whipped cream, different types of milk or sweetener, or other customer options.