Consumer Analytics

New York City -- The IBM Benchmark snapshot, released Wednesday, of online retail data showed growing strength in the category.

According to the data, online sales for the week of Dec. 5 were up 7.3% year over year. On Monday, Dec. 12, online sales were up 11.8% over the same day in 2010.

Redwood Shores, Calif. -- Cross-channel shopping is the new norm: Fifty-four percent of consumers regularly employ two or more channels before they make a purchase, according to a new study by Oracle.
 
The report, “Cross-Channel Commerce: The Consumer View,” reveals that consumers expect a consistent experience across all channels. Nearly 20% expect to redeem the same coupons and promotions in stores and online.

Spokane, Wash. -- Ecova, a total energy and sustainability management company, has been selected by Rite Aid to provide utility expense and energy management services. Ecova will assist Rite Aid in monitoring, understanding and reducing energy use at approximately 4,700 Rite Aid pharmacies nationwide.

RESTON, Va. — The holiday season-to-date has garnered $24.6 billion in online sales, a 15% increase above corresponding days last year, ComScore reported.

In addition to the 15% increase in spending recorded for the first 39 days of the holiday season, ComScore also noted that the most recent week (week ended Dec. 9) reached $5.9 billion in spending, an increase of 15% versus the corresponding week last year.

Reston, Va. -- E-commerce spending for November-December holiday season to date totaled $24.6 billion, 15% up over the year-ago period, according to comScore. The most recent week (week ending Dec. 9) reached $5.9 billion in spending, an increase of 15% versus the corresponding week last year, with three days surpassing $1 billion.
 

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Monday that it has kicked off its "12 Days of Giving" campaign, awarding over $1.5 million to nonprofits that were nominated by Facebook users. By the end of the campaign, 145 grant recipients in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, will be honored. Twenty-five nonprofits that have stepped up to fight hunger are receiving a total of $130,000 on the first day of giving.

By Greg Hammermaster, Sage Payment Solutions

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets recently expanded its loyalty card program with a gold preferred customer offering that customizes offers for regular shoppers who spend at least $3,500 in a calendar year.

"Once a calendar year Weis will send out gold cards to qualifying customers based on their shopping habits the previous year," the grocer stated on a website explaining the deal. "The gold card will have an expiration date printed on it, and if you qualify again the next year you’ll automatically be sent a new card."

Atlanta -- The SpendTrend analysis released Friday by First Data Corp., which tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations, found that overall year-over-year dollar volume growth was up 7.3% in November 2011, down from October’s 9.4% growth.

November 2011 had tough comparables as November 2010 was a particularly strong month, with dollar volume growth up 8.1%, according to First Data. November 2011 transaction growth was 6.1%. 

New York City -- The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment showed Friday that confidence among U.S. consumers rose more than forecast in December as Americans’ outlooks improved. 

The index rose to 67.7, a six-month high, from 64.1 at the end of November. The median estimate of 73 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for a reading of 65.8. The gauge averaged 89 in the five years leading up to the recession that began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009.