As more consumers are going online to purchase items and services from retailers, these merchants are reaching out to target audiences through advertisements on search engines, which has led to an increase in paid search spending in the third quarter.

According to Internet Retailer, research from marketing firm IgnitionOne found that purchases made from paid searches rose 17.8 percent year-over-year in 2012's third quarter. While this is a significant annual increase, this quarter's totals were relatively unchanged from the second quarter. The reason for this slow growth could be attributed to concerns over the American and global economy.

Things are looking better for overall U.S. retail sales. The New York Post reports that for the month of August, consumer spending grew by 0.5 percent, representing the highest increase since February, according to a study by the Commerce Department. Retailers saw a 0.9 percent jump in consumer purchases throughout the month, compared to July. However, some sectors saw a slow down in sales, including clothing and electronics.

The source states that research from the University of Michigan showed that consumer sentiment has increased to its highest level in five years, which could help further boost retail sales nationwide this holiday season.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 11:39 am .

It might come as a surprise, but larger internet retailers are more likely to become victims of fraud, which leads to significant losses in revenue for companies.

Internet Retailer reports that research by LexisNexis found that ecommerce retailers that have more than $50 million in annual sales are losing an average of $219 for each fraudulent transaction, compared to the $120 that smaller online merchants lose. Bigger internet retailers are seeing losses of 0.60 percent of their revenue to fraud, while all merchants that were analyzed lost 0.54 percent. The source states that these companies may be more prone to fraudulent transactions due to the fact that they are less likely to flag items and purchases that carry higher prices.

Mobile commerce is also resulting in losses for online merchants. According to Upstart Business Journal, the study from LexisNexis revealed that mobile retailers pay an average of $2.83 for every $1 in fraudulent transactions. This is an increase from the average of $2 in 2011. These instances of fraud include bounced checks, stolen merchandise and requests for refunds. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 11:37 am .

As the economy begins to improve and consumers regain their confidence, this year's holiday shopping season is expected to surpass last year's numbers as customers flood retail stores and websites.

Retailing Today reports that recent research from Deloitte states that retail sales for the holidays will grow between 3.5 percent and 4 percent in comparison to last year's numbers. This represents a total between $920 billion and $925 billion for the season. While the anticipated growth is not as high was is hoped for, the study reports that the presidential election and further concern over the global economy are contributors to this.

"While consumers turned out in the summer to give retailers solid gains for a few months, that pace may be difficult to sustain through the end of the year," said Carl Steidtmann, Deloitte's chief economist. "Consumers and businesses alike may pause in advance of the election; however, retailers may benefit from a post-election consumer spending boost."

One aspect of holiday retail sales that is already growing is the hiring of seasonal workers. NBC News states that many big name retailers are stepping up their employment efforts to bring on more staff members to help with the large amount of consumers that are anticipated to flood stores. Walmart alone will be hiring approximately 50,000 temporary employees, the source reports.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 11:36 am .

The National Retail Federation (NRF) recently announced that it estimates that approximately $18 million is saved each day for consumers and merchants since the debit card swipe fee reform went into effect.

The NRF is citing a study from Javelin Strategy and Research which found that more than $6.6 billion has been taken out of banks' debit card swipe revenue. Before October 1, 2011, when the law was enacted, consumers and retailers were charged $22 billion in 2010 for using their debit cards and processing the transactions.

"Merchants haven't necessarily labeled the savings from reform as a 'debit discount' but they have nonetheless found a variety of ways to pass the value along to their customers," NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said. "Retailers are simply too competitive not to share savings with consumers because customer value is one of the key ways they take market share away from their competitors."

PYMNTS states that retailers are using the savings from the swipe reform to reduce prices for customers. The new law is helping to improve the U.S. economy and could lead to a decrease in swipe fees for credit cards. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 11:35 am .

Technological advancements and new devices are taking the world by storm. Shoppers are increasingly buying the latest and most improved gadgets, which has led to an all-time high in consumer confidence.

According to Retailing Today, the recent Index of Consumer Technology Expectations from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) revealed that the highest levels for consumer confidence in technology products were reached in September, coming in at 92.4. This is a 4.9 point increase from the previous month. Additionally, overall confidence in economic conditions also improved, as the CEA's Index of Consumer Expectations is at 172.2 for September. This represents a rise of 15.4 points from the same time last year, the source notes.

"This month's measure of sentiment is at levels typically only seen during the height of the holiday buying season, an indication that consumers are likely to buy and spend more on tech in the weeks ahead," said Shawn DuBravac, CEA's chief economist.

Perhaps one event that contributed to these high levels of confidence was the release of Apple's iPhone 5, the latest and most up-to-date smartphone from the tech giant. Unwired View reports that Apple announced that it has sold more than 5 million devices since its release on September 21.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 11:33 am .

In just a few weeks, Retail Pro will be hosting its 2012 Global Conference in San Francisco, California. The event will run from October 12 to October 16, and will give Retail Pro Community Members the chance to learn more about the company's products and technologies as well as the latest trends and news for the retail industry.

Retail Pro Business and Alliance Partners, Users, Sponsors and Vendors who attend will be able to hear more about how Retail Pro's solutions help retailers to streamline workflows, better customer experience and effectively manage operations. Attendees will be given the chance to participate in discussions and seminars detailing trends and impacts on the retail industry. Additionally, there will be many opportunities to meet and network with other retail professionals. Community Members will be able to establish and maintain valuable working relationships with others in the sector.

The last day of the Global Conference, October 16, will be dedicated to educating and training attendees about the company's latest software technology product, Retail Pro Prism. The Retail Pro Prism Boot Camp will highlight the new features and functionality of the system and how it provides real-time communications and agile workflow solutions for retailers. Attendees will earn their certification in Retail Pro Prism at the end of the Boot Camp. Registration information can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/2012Conference/Registration.php.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 11:32 am .

As new forms of technology emerge, tasks that were once completed manually are now being done by mobile devices and computers. For this reason, many retailers are beginning to increase their efforts to implement solutions that allow them to accept payments, as consumers are increasingly going online and on their phones to purchase items.

According to a study by Forrester Research, more than half of the retailers surveyed said they will spend more this year on ecommerce technology than they did last year, reports Internet Retailer. Of the 56 percent who plan on buying new solutions, 18 percent said their spending will increase at least 20 percent from 2011. One of the main reasons for the boost in ecommerce systems among retailers was the requirement to support operations throughout websites, mobile applications and in-store POS systems, writes the source.

Ecommerce Times cites research by StatCounter which found that internet use on mobile devices has more than doubled since 2009. This could be a reason why many retailers are now focusing their efforts on implementing solutions that can accommodate shoppers who are using their smartphones and tablets to purchases items and goods from businesses.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, September 27th, 2012 at 1:54 am .

In the hopes of generating change within Washington D.C., several large online retailers have formed The Internet Association, an organization aimed at decreasing government regulations against ecommerce businesses.

According to Internet Retailer, the recently created group includes big name retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. and eBay Inc. It also is comprised of other websites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Expedia and Monster Worldwide. The goal of these corporations is to limit the regulations that are placed on them by the federal government, which they argue decrease innovation and growth within the online marketplace.

"I am excited that The Internet Association is going to be focused on policies that keep the Internet open and vibrant on behalf of users and businesses of all sizes," stated Tod Cohen, vice president of eBay's global government relations, as quoted by the news source.

There are several objectives that the group is focusing on, according to The Internet Association's website. These include protecting internet freedom, empowering consumers and users and bolstering innovation. Member companies believe reducing regulations fosters the growth and creativity that is required to keep the internet as a valuable tool for the world.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Thursday, September 27th, 2012 at 1:53 am .

The Retail Pro 2012 Global Conference will be held in San Francisco, California, from October 12 to October 16. The annual event is open for Retail Pro Users, Sponsors, Vendors and Business and Alliance Partners.

On the last day of the conference, attendees will be able to learn about the company's latest retail management software, Retail Pro Prism, as a day long boot camp will be dedicated to the technology. A number of topics about the product will be covered, such as the fundamentals of setting it up and how it offers retailers flexibility. Retail Pro Prism allows businesses to tailor their communications needs between locations and provides customized data management with its service modules. The software platform even helps retailers effectively manage customer relationships by collecting and storing consumer details.

Attendees of the boot camp will be able to earn official certification in Retail Pro Prism, which is recognized by Retail Pro International, LLc and Retail Pro University. Registration information for the boot camp and 2012 Global Conference can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/2012Conference/Registration.php.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 at 2:23 am .

For retailers that stock their shelves with Halloween merchandise such as costumes, decorations and party supplies, things are certainly heating up as consumers prepare for the holiday.

The News-Press reports that Halloween stores in southwest Florida are already seeing an increase in customers, as people come in to gather their gear. Some retailers in the region even opened up as early as Labor Day to allow for shoppers to get a head start on the season. Many of these businesses are considered pop-up stores, meaning they are only open for short periods of time instead of year-round. To increase sales and retain loyal customers, many of these retailers rent out the same spaces each year so they remain consistent, and shoppers know where to find them. However, a few have decided to venture out and keep their stores open throughout the year, reports the newspaper.

Seasonal hiring is not only restricted to retailers preparing for the winter holidays, as many Halloween specialty stores also increase their workforces during the late summer into the early fall. Halloween City, a retail store chain with locations throughout the U.S., recently announced that it is looking to bring on at least 12,000 employees to help with increased sales at its 400 temporary stores throughout the country.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 at 2:21 am .