Data & Analytics

Chicago -- Year-over-year retail sales rose a solid 4% for the 2010 holiday shopping season (November/December), according to ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate.

Conversely, total U.S. foot traffic fell slightly below expectations as consumers continued the pattern retailers saw throughout 2010 of fewer mall and individual store visits with a larger spend. ShopperTrak’s revised holiday forecast called for a 1.8% traffic increase.

New York City -- Affinity Solutions, a provider of partner-funded rewards programs, announced that it has signed an extension with Anna’s Linens as a client in its bank rewards program, which connects national and local retailers to a network of over 400 banks. Anna’s Linens will also continue its use of the Affinity Dashboard, a proprietary analytic tool that offers retailers access to in-depth consumer spend data.

New York City -- Quiksilver is targeting its next phase of corporate development using industry-specific software from SAP AG. By replacing its existing business software systems, the sports-themed lifestyle retailer aims to better support the global development, production and distribution of its diversified mix of branded apparel, footwear and accessories.

New York City -- Whole Foods Market is starting to roll out a new range of healthier prepared foods, nutritional scorecards and other changes as part of its return to its healthy eating roots, the Associated Press reported. 

The changes are part of the company’s "Health Starts Here” program. Among the changes Whole Foods is rolling out this year:

By Warren Storey, [email protected]

The National Retail Federation’s Annual Convention & Expo kicked off  at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Sunday, Jan. 9, with a lineup of power speakers and plenty of buzz. It is the 100th anniversary of  annual event, which attracts retailers from around the world.

This year, the four-day NRF show featured more than 600 exhibiting companies, new retail technology pavilions, and presentations from a stellar line-up of top-tier retailers. Total attendance was estimated at more than 18,500, with representatives from 70 countries.

MINNEAPOLIS — There were three takeaways to come out of Supervalu’s third-quarter analyst call Tuesday morning: the deep discount banner Save-A-Lot will be the most significant catalyst for growth going forward; Supervalu aggressively is addressing pricing issues that have had consumers who are more accustomed to the “hi” in the grocer’s "hi-lo" pricing strategy shopping elsewhere; and while traditional Supervalu banners ACME, Shaw’s and even Jewel-Osco do not have a “For Sale” sign on their respective front lawns, a

Sidney, Neb. -- Cabela’s announce the launch of an optimized mobile website through mobile-commerce provider Digby. Through Digby’s mobile-commerce software platform, Cabela’s is enabling mobile as a strategic channel that complements their e-commerce website, catalogs and products sold in more than 30 stores in the United States and Canada.