What’s hot in retail – Feb. ’11

As was the case last month, planning and research resources were red-hot for the month of February. This included lessons learned from top retail executives (like our c-suite panel from Retail’s BIG Show or our Q&A with Steve Madden’s Andrew Koven) as well as general NRF resources (like our newly released Retail Sales Outlook or updated sales reporting calendars). Read on for a complete list of what your retail peers found most valuable last month.

NRF information:

• While Valentine’s Day spending may have fallen in ’09 and ’10, this year’s data painted quite a different picture. According to our 2011 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions survey, there was nothing but good news for retailers this Valentine’s Day. Shoppers planned to spend almost $120 on their loved ones this year (a 12% increase over 2010), while total spending was expected to reach $15.7 billion.
• As visitors scoured our site for data from the 2010 holiday season or researched trends from big consumer holidays from the past year, NRF’s consumer trend research page was their first stop.
• Along with forecasting a 4% increase for retail sales for 2011, NRF released the highly anticipated Retail Sales Outlook for Q1. NRF members can access the full report for free anytime.
• A free resource to industry professionals, NRF’s Mobile Retail Initiative continues to provide best practices, case studies, and industry research that every digital retailing executive should read.
• As retailers and analysts continue to plan ahead for 2011 and beyond, NRF’s 4-5-4 calendar remains one of the hottest resources on our site.

Blog posts:

• RAMA’s Mike Gatti shares top five Super Bowl commercial picks
• Steve Madden customer experience exec talks “art and science” of retailing
• Preparing for the consumer economy of 2020
• 9 retailers who get customer experience right
• Retailers discuss leadership, customers and competing channels

Top retail news stories in NRF SmartBrief:

• J.C. Penney rolls out new logo and slogan
• Profile: Terry Lundgren’s rise from assistant buyer to CEO
• Macy’s, Sears think locally to boost customer loyalty
• J.C. Penney to offer in-store shoppers digital experiences
• How Ace Hardware creates long-lasting customer loyalty