WASHINGTON – National Retail Federation chief economist Jack Kleinhenz says the coronavirus pandemic “has triggered shocks,” but he argues that the underlying economy is sound. “How quickly the country gets a handle on containing the virus will determine the degree of the impact on the economy and how soon businesses can reopen,” Kleinhenz wrote in
WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation (NRF) said it expects the impact of coronavirus on imports at major U.S. retail container ports will be larger and last longer than previously believed, as factory shutdowns and travel restrictions in China continue to hamper production. “There are still a lot of unknowns to fully determine the impact
WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation on Wednesday sent a letter to President Trump and other leaders of the federal government, supporting their swift efforts to minimizing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The letter from the NRF, reproduced below and also available here as a PDF, also details the impact the crisis has had
WASHINGTON – Americans are expected to set another record for Valentine’s Day spending this year, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. “Valentine’s Day is a sentimental tradition, but gift-giving can be driven by the economy,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Consumers spent freely during the
WASHINGTON – Holiday retail sales during 2019 grew 4.1% over the same period in 2018 to $730.2 billion, according to a recent report from the National Retail Federation (NRF). Grocery and beverage stores were up 2.9% year over year. In addition, online and other non-store sales were up 14.6% year over year. “Having spent time with
WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation (NRF) has announced the launch of the Center for Consumer Privacy and Innovation, a retailer-led initiative intended to promote and protect innovation in the retail customer experience. The launch took place during NRF 2020 Vision: Retail’s Big Show, NRF’s annual convention. “Retailers recognize the importance of and value the
NEW YORK — National Retail Federation (NRF) chairman Chris Baldwin kicked off the trade group’s 2020 convention here with a positive message about the retail industry’s value and its continued vitality. Baldwin, who is chairman and chief executive officer of BJ’s Wholesale Club, noted that he took the helm as chairman of NRF two years
PURCHASE, N.Y. — E-commerce sales hit a record in the 2019 holiday season, helping lift seasonal sales (excluding vehicles) by 3.4% from the year-earlier level, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse. The report noted that e-commerce sales were up 18.8% compared to the 2018 holiday season, though it did not give a dollar figure. E-commerce sales contributed
WASHINGTON — The Saturday before Christmas continues to be the biggest shopping day of the year , according to survey results released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, which estimates that 147.8 million U.S. consumers are expected to participate this year, up from 134.3 million last year. “While many people started
NEW YORK — The holiday shopping season got off to a rousing start on Thanksgiving weekend, and early results show that omnichannel retailing and shopping has clearly come into its own. According to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation (NRF) by Prosper Insights & Analytics, a record 189.6 million Americans shopped from Thanksgiving
WASHINGTON –Retail sales growth was modest in November, but the National Retail Federation still expects a strong holiday season for retailers. Retail sales in November increased 0.1% seasonally adjusted over October and were up 2.1% unadjusted year-over-year, according to the NRF, which noted that the numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants. “November showed
WASHINGTON — Americans shopped in record numbers over this year’s Thankgiving holiday weekend, the National Retail Federation said Tuesday. A survey conducted for the NRF by Prosper Insights & Analytics found that a record 189.6 million U.S. consumers shopped in stores and online from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year. That’s up 14% over