Is the lack of “bad” economic news affecting consumers’ spending habits and sentiment in a good way? Bloomberg recently reported that confidence in the economy climbed to the highest level in almost six years in May as rising real estate values and record stock prices boosted household wealth. And NRF’s latest consumer survey conducted by Prosper [...]
When it comes to searching for retail industry data, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the multitude of sources, reports and websites that exist. Do you go to the Census Bureau website for sales data? Or should you visit the Department of Commerce? What if you want to know how many employees worked in department [...]
Born to a generation where “having it all” seemed commonplace, today’s millennials are known for a variety of perceptions, such as being labeled “trophy kids” and having “helicopter parents.” I’m hardly a millennial expert, but I do know that adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have a very interesting story to tell. Generational [...]
The current economic recovery, which according to the U.S. government officially began in June, 2009, is approaching its fourth birthday. In comparison to previous business cycles – or the “ups and downs” in economic activity, defined in terms of periods of recession, recovery and expansion, this economic recovery seems to be dragging its feet. Since World War II, the average [...]
The US Retail Compensation and Benefits Survey – you’ve heard of it of course, but what the heck is it, and how can it help your company? While it’s not meant to be a secret, the study has done quite a good job at staying under the radar as the “secret weapon” for more than [...]
March marked a symbolic victory for sales tax fairness advocates after the Marketplace Fairness Act amendment was approved in the Senate just before the spring recess. The 75-24 vote attached non binding language to the federal budget resolution giving states the right to require online sellers to collect sales tax the same as local brick-and-mortar stores. On [...]
NRF’s annual survey found Americans are letting the Easter Bunny know they’ll be staying on budget this year. But the millions who celebrate plan to be creative when it comes to jumping on deals for chocolates, candy and colorful apparel. Explore the numbers below to see how much shoppers will spend and where they’ll find [...]
Avid bikers, frequent fliers and public transportation commuters may not apply, but high costs of gas around the country are causing some people to think twice about their discretionary spending decisions, including when and if they will make a major purchase, take that extra trip to the grocery store, or even head out of town for the weekend. And, [...]
The shortest month of the year didn’t lack for news in the retail industry. February marked a step toward supply chain stability after a contract agreement was ratified at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, just weeks after groups at the East Coast and Gulf Coast ports made their own contract resolution. A [...]
Tax season is here, and millions of Americans are preparing for the April 15 filing deadline. For many, tax season is a time of great stress; for others it’s a time to start thinking about what to do with the extra hard-earned money. But recent changes in federal tax law that decrease the take-home pay of [...]