Consumer Analytics

Dallas -- Loyalty and marketing solutions provider Alliance Data Systems Corp. said Thursday that it has signed a multi-year agreement to create and manage a new private-label credit card program for online jewelry retailer Blue Nile.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.  — Walmart has put a considerable amount of time an effort into its digital business, and that appears to have been well worth it as the company achieved an 82, from a prior-year score of 79, on ForeSee's 2012 rating of Internet retailers. Achieving an 82 is impressive, as a score of 80 is the minimim needed to be considered "superior." The survey scored all retailers on the list out of a 100.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.  — Though 79 is just one point shy of what ForeSee considers a superior score on its annual top 100 online retailers for customer satisfaction list, Target should still be concerned as it was three points behind rival Walmart, and three points does make a difference.

With the lowest score on the list being 69 and the highest being 89, achieved by Amazon.com, most retailers on the list had a score in the 70s, while 36 on the list earned the distinction of scoring 80 or higher. The scores are based on a 100-point scale.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. reported its second-quarter results for the period ended March 25.

The retailer's consolidated sales for the quarter rose nearly 2.7% to $937.7 million, compared with the year-ago period, while same-store sales also rose nearly 2.7%. Second-quarter net income totaled $16.4 million, compared with $9.3 million for second quarter of the prior year.

Chicago -- Forty-two percent of Americans are using social media to shop – this equates to nearly 95 million consumers – and that number continues to rise, according to a study by Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide. When asked how often social media is used to shop today versus a year ago, almost 73% of people confirmed they are using it more.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Amazon continues to set the bar higher, achieving the highest rating on the annual Top 100 E-Retail Satisfaction Index by customer experience analytics firm ForeSee. Amazon outdid its 2011 score, climbing three points to 89, and four points higher than the second highest scoring websites, Apple.com (85) and QVC.com (85). (Scores of 80 or higher on ForeSee's 100-point scale are considered superior customer satisfaction performances.)

Oak Brook, Ill. -- McDonald’s Corp. said Tuesday that same-store sales on the global front rose 3.3% in April, led by European results (up 3.5%) but followed closely by the United States. (up 3.3%).

Japan dragged down Asia results (up 1.1%).
 

Total U.S. shopper traffic in retail stores and malls for April 2012

Warm weather and shifting holidays in March caused retail foot traffic to dip in April. Retail foot traffic in April was 7.6% lower from March, and 2.7% lower on a year-over-year basis.  The slow April is the first in the past 3 months to experience a decline in year-over-year and month-over-month retail foot traffic.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears has launched SearsLocalAd.com, an online service that provides customers with access to additional local deals beyond the weekly Sears print circular or Sears.com. The online shopping portal is dedicated to local customers, allowing them to shop smarter by previewing new local deals updated every week, and includes enhancements for Sears' Shop Your Way Rewards members.

Montreal -- More than 80% of U.S consumers more likely to become loyal customers to retailers that provide an integrated experience across channels, according to a study by Hybris, a multichannel commerce and communication software provider. In other findings, high shipping costs are the biggest deterrent to online purchases, while easy navigation and simple checkout are the biggest factors influencing purchases.