The month of May brought encouraging industry news, as retailers enjoyed reports of another month of growth in April. Last month also marked NRF’s annual DC fly-in, which united hundreds of retailers from across the country with their Congressmen and closed the doors one of NRF’s most innovative campaigns yet. Read on to see what else was hot last month.
NRF Information
- NRF’s 4-5-4 calendar notched a spot on the most-visited list for the fifth straight month. Industry leaders know this reporting guide for the retail industry ensures sales comparability between years by dividing the year into months based on a 4 weeks – 5 weeks – 4 weeks form.
- The announcement of NRF’s 2012 Mother’s Day survey conducted by BIGinsight came at the end of April, but continued to provide useful throughout the first few weeks of May. The looming threat of increasing gas prices would not deter Americans from spoiling Mom this year, with the average person spending over $152 on gifts, up from $140 in 2011.
- Experts flocked to NRF’s second quarter Retail Sales Outlook. The report, an exclusive and free document for all NRF members, uses recent economic data to analyze the impact of key indicators such as employment and the housing market on retail sales growth.
- Putting personalities behind one of America’s largest industries, NRF’s “This is Retail” contest was bolstered by acclaim from media, political figures, and communities across the country. The contest excitement mounted for the announcement of the Top 3 finalists. While only three could be awarded $50,000 cash, the videos that poured in captured the depth and power of the retail industry.
- The latest Shop.org research on tablets, Shop.org’s State of Retailing Online Report, previewed in May as part of May is Marketing Month across the NRF communities. The biggest takeaway? Half of retailers say their average order value via a tablet is now higher than traditional web sales.
Top blog posts from Retail’s BIG Blog and Shop.org:
- How Sears adjusts the supply chain model for an omnichannel reality
- Stores’ theft ends in tragic loss of life and injury
- Shop.org’s Vicki Cantrell talks Pinterest ‘pinsanity’
- 6 lessons from Gap’s mobile journey to date
- Bare Necessities CMO talks ‘transmedia’ and the new rules of the mobile, social game
Top retail news stories in NRF SmartBrief: