Shoppers More Apathetic in 2012?
18 May 2012 - Shoppers are less concerned with retailers’ alignment with social issues, compared with last year.

May 2012 Shopper View: Year-to-Year Channel Activity
14 May 2012 - Shopper share indices turned negative for many channels in April. However, sporting goods retailers and upscale department stores continue to benefit from the change in seasons, while the dollar channel was the strongest performer among food/drug/mass channels. Few other channels managed to achieve indices greater than 100, and even online retailers failed to maintain their shopper base compared with last April.

CE, Home Improvement, and Home Furnishings Merchandise Group Capture Rates: Walmart Tops the CE Scorecard, Lowe’s Siphons Home Depot Shoppers, IKEA’s Dominance Slips
11 May 2012 - Walmart is the top destination for consumer electronics and computers overall, but Best Buy is close behind and Amazon attracts a significant proportion of shoppers in the category; Lowe’s has the highest capture rate for home improvement products, and entices nearly one-quarter of Home Depot shoppers to spend the most there; IKEA has the highest capture rate for home furnishings, though it is much lower than it has been in recent quarters.

May 2012 Shopper View: Spending Sentiment Holds Steady as Shoppers Feel Better about Household Income Levels
11 May 2012 - Shoppers’ near-term spending plans held steady in April, which is consistent with a generally improving trend in spending sentiment that has been emerging over the past six months. The lift in spending plans is likely being buoyed by improved assessments of household income levels. Shoppers of key home improvement and home furnishings retailers are even more upbeat in their spending plans than the average U.S. shopper.

A Loyal Customer Base: Who Are these Amazon Members?
02 May 2012 - Amazon’s membership programs—Prime, Mom, and Subscribe & Save (SNS)—have been essential enablers to enhance loyalty. Understanding the penetration of these programs and who these shoppers are is vital to understanding Amazon’s evolving impact on the retail landscape.