Retailers have developed somewhat of an irrational fear of shoppers using tablets and other mobile devices as they browse store shelves. They think that consumers will find a product in-store, look online, find a better price and then purchase the item through the ecommerce site instead of buying it through them.

While the jury is still out on how many people actually do that and whether that's a legitimate threat to their business, a new survey from JiWire does suggest that retailers may be able to leverage tablets to encourage in-store sales. According to the report, approximately 75 percent of on-the-go consumers take action after being served with a location-specific message.

After seeing a location-specific ad, 31 percent will click on the display, 21 percent will search for the nearest location and 21 percent will conduct additional research. Breaking behaviors down further, Android users are more likely to search for nearby locations, Apple device owners tend to conduct additional research and BlackBerry users opt to purchase products immediately.

"It is exciting to see how important location-specific messaging is to consumers today," said David Staas, senior vice president of marketing at JiWire. "As the on-the-go audience demands locally relevant information, brands need to focus on reaching consumers in and around their locations."

The mobile audience tends to skew young – consumers between the ages of 25 and 34 are the most likely to comparison shop in store or make purchases, accounting for 39 percent of the shoppers who partake in these activities. Highlighting the importance of providing them discounts and promotions, 21 percent of these respondents were also likely to search for coupons while in store.

"In a world of constant connectivity, it's no surprise that consumers rely on their mobile devices to make purchases. This recent phenomenon has caused online coupons to take off and become more popular over the years. In fact, 34 percent of consumers have redeemed an online coupon in the past 90 days," the report adds.

It's crucial that retailers engage consumers through the communication channels they are using. For merchants targeting younger consumers, that means smartphones and tablets. However, brands reaching an older audience may want to consider a different approach.

The National Retail Federation is backing a proposal to cut corporate taxes. According to Matthew Shay, president and chief executive at the NRF, the move will have a ripple effect on the economy, enabling businesses to hire more people, lower prices, drive demand and generally improve the economy.

While the White House is slated to publish a more detailed version of the proposal later this week, President Barack Obama noted that such a plan would close loopholes and help the government lower the overall tax rate without increasing the size of the federal deficit.

"While the budget overall is always a contentious issue, corporate tax reform is a unique bipartisan opportunity," Shay told The Hill.

"American companies face the second-highest corporate tax rates in the world, and virtually everyone agrees that the time has come to do something about it," he added.

President Obama spoke extensively about strategies that would enable small businesses – such as retail stores – to enjoy more success during his recent 2012 State of the Union address.

Many shoppers tend to be procrastinators, waiting until the last possible minute to purchase gifts. Fortunately, a number of retailers decided to offer special promotions to those who didn't do their Valentine's Day shopping until the day before the holiday.

According to a recent survey, 22 percent of consumers waited until 48 hours before Valentine's Day to buy cards or other gifts for their loved ones. Not looking to give up sales to retail stores, a number of online etailers offered free next-day shipping on orders placed as late as 6 p.m. on Monday.

BlueNile.com, a jewelry etailer, was one of the companies offering this specific deal. Ice.com launched a similar promotion for orders of more than $200.

"Nineteen percent of Valentine’s Day gift shoppers say they will purchase candy for the holiday and 9 percent say they'll buy jewelry," Internet Retailer notes, citing a survey by PriceGrabber. "More than one-third of survey respondents (34 percent) say they will shop for Valentine’s Day gifts online."

According to separate research conducted by the National Retail Federation, consumer spending for Valentine's Day is expected to surpass $17 billion.

There seems to be differing opinions on how the retail sector will perform in 2012. While a recent Deloitte report offered a not-so-cheery forecast, new research from Customer Growth Partners suggests the opposite.

According to CGP's report, retail sales are expected to grow by 5.7 percent in 2012. Falling household and credit debt levels and higher savings rates will encourage consumers to spend more money. Credit is down almost 20 percent from its 2008 peak and was flat during the fourth quarter of 2011.

"After sharply ratcheting down expenditures … consumers have indeed resumed spending, amazingly enough, at about the same 5 percent year-over-year growth rate seen prior to the recession," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners. "In short, American consumers have now completed a historic 'reset' fueling the strongest retail rebound seen in decades."

According to a separate report from IBM, male consumers may be leading the charge. The firm believes men's apparel was the biggest sales driver in 2011 and expects that trend to continue into 2012.

Who says men don't like shopping? A new report from IBM suggests that American men led a surge in retail sales in 2011, particularly in the category of apparel. Men's apparel is expected to jump 8.2 percent over the course of 2011, RetailingToday reports.

"The forecast of men's apparel sales reflects a growing trend: men are definitely developing a taste for fashion – especially in business attire," Jill Puleri, global retail leader for IBM Global Business Services, explains. Final Census figures won't be available until the end of February.

On the flip side, women's apparel sales are projected to be up only a meager 1.96 percent over 2010. Another noteworthy retail category is footwear, which is expected to be up 3 percent. Attractive sales and unpredictable weather patterns led sales of footwear during the holiday season.

Three recent trends led to the uplift: More disposable income, less saving and improvements in consumer confidence, the report noted.

Men are expected to spend even more money at retail locations this month with Valentine's Day right around the corner.

Shoppers are recognizing bulk supplier Costco's store operation as doing something right – they recently ranked the retailer as No. 1 in a Consumer Reports survey.

In a survey of its 26,000 readers, the publication asked consumers to rank their shopping experiences at large chains such as Costco, JCPenney, Kmart, Kohl's, Macy's, Meijer, Sam's Club, Sears, Target and Walmart. Of these retailers, Costco was the only one to receive an "outstanding" grade for the quality of its merchandise.

Additionally, the major retailer also scored high for all 10 of the product categories consumers were asked to rate, including electronic entertainment, jewelry and sporting goods. Participants also noted a preference for its online operations.

"However, in-store shoppers found a few chinks in Costco's armor: The chain's walk-in stores scored below average for selection, checkout (because of long lines), and service, and its shoppers were more likely than those elsewhere to complain about a lack of fitting rooms," the report explains.

One chain on the list, JC Penney, may see movement on the list next year, though. The company has announced a series of revamps in an effort to boost customer satisfaction, engagement and experience.

As the American economy continues to improve and the unemployment rate falls, consumer confidence is slowly improving, a new Bloomberg report suggests.

For the second consecutive week, the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index shows consumer confidence in the U.S is on the rise. The index was observed at minus 44.8 on January 29, up from minus 46.4 the previous week. This is the best reading from the index since June.

"Gains in employment and post-holiday clearance sales at retailers also helped create a better buying climate for consumers," RetailingToday notes, citing the report.

For retailers, the improving consumer confidence index is absolutely paramount to their success. Confident Americans are more likely to spend big at retail, while less confidence conversely means fewer dollars given to merchants.

While there is very little companies can do to affect consumer confidence, it's crucial they make shopping as easy as possible when Americans are more hesitant to spend money. Whether they run more sales and discounts or simply make the shopping experience more enjoyable, it's the little things that count.

A new report from the Federal Reserve suggests consumer debt skyrocketed during the fourth quarter of 2011, which may lead to a growth in new sales.

Total consumer debt jumped at an annual rate of 7.5 percent during the fourth quarter of 2011, suggesting economic growth is comprised mainly by borrowing. After shrinking 2 percent the previous quarter, credit card debt leaped by 4.5 percent to $801 billion. The resurgence of auto sales edged non-credit card debt up to 9 percent, and overall, consumer credit increased from $19.3 billion to $2.5 billion, CBS News reports.

The fact that consumers are breaking out of recessionary habits and spending more indicates they are growing increasingly confident in the economic recovery of the country. This is particular evident by their willingness to make long-term purchases, such as automobiles. Furthermore, the trend outlined in the Federal Reserve report has continued thus far into the new year.

"Consumer confidence is so far running ahead of economic reality. All this spending has yet to be reflected in the economy. Initial government figures show the nation's GDP grew at an anemic annual rate of 2.8 percent in the last three months of 2011," the news source adds.

The Federal Reserve report further echoes a separate release from Visa. The credit card company announced that profits rose 16 percent in the first quarter as consumers used their debit and credit cards more frequently. This is particularly noteworthy considering the recent legislation that capped swipe fees in the United States – the area from which Visa makes 56 percent of its revenue.

In fact, the company upgraded its 2012 outlook, forecasting revenue growth in the low teens or high teens, as opposed to the single-digit figures it predicted last year.

This clearly highlights the value of point-of-sale software solutions that still accept credit cards. While mobile payments gained traction in 2011, with the launch of several near-field communication payment platforms, credit and debit cards remain the top way for consumers to pay for goods and services at retail merchants. Retailers would be wise to offer the option to pay by credit card in some way or another.

After the dry month of January, retailers once again have holidays they can look forward to. This month, it's Valentine's Day, and Americans are looking to spoil their friends, family and other loved ones with gifts in celebration of the holiday.

A recent report conducted by the National Retail Federation and BIGinsight found the average consumer will spend $126.03 on Valentine's Day gifts, up 8.5 percent over the $116.21 they doled out last year. Despite the relative uneasiness of the economy, Valentine's Day 2012 will be the biggest one in the past decade in terms of consumer spending, with budgets expected to exceed $17 billion.

"As one of the biggest gift-giving holidays of the year, it's encouraging that consumers are still exhibiting the desire to spend on discretionary gift items, a strong indication our economy continues to move in the right direction," said NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay. "Anticipating high foot traffic in the coming weeks, retailers have replenished their inventories."

Men tend to spend the most on Valentine's Day presents, with the average male expected to pay for more than $168.74 worth of clothing, jewelry, greeting cards and other related merchandise – nearly twice as much as the $85.76 the average woman will spend. Across the broader consumer base, couples are anticipated to spend $74.12 on their significant other, $25.25 on their children or parents and $6.92 on friends.

"Celebrated by children who give Valentines to their teachers and classmates, family members who make sure to send greeting cards across the miles and couples who wish to show their appreciation for each other, Valentine's Day means more than what's simply on the surface," said Pam Goodfellow, consumer insights director at BIGinsight.

When shopping for these gifts, discount retail stores will be the go-to place: 37 percent plan to purchase their Valentine's Day gifts from brands of this variety. Meanwhile, 33.6 percent will go to department stores, 19.3 percent will shop online and 20.2 percent will hit specialty stores. Floral shops, jewelry stores and clothing stores were also popular shopping destinations.

Valentine's Day will offer a breath of fresh air, with many retailers not anticipating strong sales until later this spring. According to a separate NRF report, container shipments will remain flat until spring, suggesting retailers aren't expecting big sales until then.

North American retail brands need to be sure they have some sort of anti-shrink and theft plan in place. Globally, shrinkage cost retailers $119.1 billion in 2012 – approximately 1.45 percent of total retail sales, according to new data collected by the Center for Retail Research.

Shrink remains the biggest threat to merchants in North America and Europe. Theft was up a total of 6.6 percent in 2011, an increase CRR believes stems from the still-struggling global economy. Customer theft, ranging from shoplifting to organized retail crime, accounts for the majority of shrinkage at 43.2 percent worldwide. Employee theft, however, was a big issue in North America, making up 44.1 percent of shrink – even greater than shoplifting.

"Internal error and administrative failure, such as pricing, process, or accounting mistakes, accounted for 16.2 percent of total shrinkage, compared with 16.9 in 2010 and 16.4 in 2009. Suppliers/vendor fraud accounted for 5.6 percent of total shrinkage, compared with 5.4 in 2010 and 5.6 in 2009," the research notes.

Given the slow post-holiday time frame, now may be the ideal time to develop new anti-theft policies to help curb shrink.