Merchandising

The National Retail Federation today announced the top 10 finalists of its “This is Retail” video contest, determined after a week of public voting through NRF’s Retail Means Jobs website.

The National Retail Federation announced today the 20 finalists of its “This is Retail” video contest, determined from scoring by prominent retail executives at NRF member companies. Contest finalists range from small business owners to vice presidents at national retail chains, and from wine shops to sporting goods retailers.

The National Retail Federation announced today that Ellen Davis has been named Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the NRF Foundation, the education and research arm of NRF.

The National Retail Federation, along with its technology standards division, the Association for Retail Technology Standards and digital division, Shop.org, will host a special pavilion at the upcoming Retail Business Technology Expo and Cards and Payments Solutions.

According to NRF’s 2012 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, conducted by BIGinsight, the average person celebrating the holiday will shell out $126.03, up 8.5 percent over last year’s $116.21 and the highest in the survey’s 10-year history. Total spending is expected to reach $17.6 billion.

Breaking all previous attendance records for Retail’s BIG Show, NRF’s 101st Annual Convention and EXPO, held recently at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City, welcomed 25,500 attendees from around the world, up from the 22,500 attendees who joined NRF for its 100th Anniversary in 2011.

The National Retail Federation announced today during its 101st Annual Convention and EXPO in New York the addition of five retail executives elected to serve on its Board of Directors. Each new Board member will serve a three-year term. Macy’s, Inc. Chairman, President and CEO Terry Lundgren was re-elected to serve another full-year as Chairman of the NRF Board.

Consumers have spoken: Amazon.com has the best customer service among U.S. retailers, according to a survey of thousands of shoppers. In a survey of 9,374 shoppers, Amazon.com took top honors in the seventh annual NRF Foundation/American Express Customers’ Choice survey, conducted by BIGinsight®.

The National Retail Federation’s Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) today announced significant enhancements to its Fresh Item Management (FIM) Standard, which allows traceability for food items from farm to store.

As part of its multi-faceted Retail Means Jobs campaign aimed at raising awareness of the retail industry’s significant economic impact, National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay today announced a nationwide video contest entitled, “This is Retail,” to demonstrate the multitude of career choices and employment opportunities within America’s robust retail industry, which supports one in four American jobs.

The National Retail Federation’s Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) today announced significant enhancements to its Fresh Item Management (FIM) Standard, which allows traceability for food items from farm to store.

he National Retail Federation announced today that Whole Foods Market is the recipient of its prestigious annual Innovator of the Year award. Walter Robb, Co-CEO, will accept the award on behalf of Co-CEO and Founder John Mackey during the Annual Retail Industry Luncheon at NRF’s 101st Annual Convention and EXPO on January 17.

After a season full of peaks and valleys, retailers’ 2011 holiday sales beat expectations, rising 4.1 percent to $471.5 billion – slightly surpassing NRF’s holiday sales forecast of 3.8 percent growth.*

Bringing together innovative retailers from around the globe, the National Retail Federation’s 101st Annual Convention and EXPO is set to commence next week offering the best educational programs available to the retail industry.

The Retail Advertising & Marketing Association, a division of the National Retail Federation which represents top marketing executives from retail companies, announced today the addition of six new executives to its Board of Directors.

According to the National Retail Federation’s 2011 Consumer Intentions and Actions survey conducted by BIGresearch, as of the second week in December, the average person has completed 46.5 percent of their shopping, less than the 49.5 percent the average person had completed by the same time last year.

With just ten days until Christmas, the National Retail Federation has revised its holiday forecast upward, expecting holiday sales to rise 3.8 percent this year to a record $469.1 billion. NRF’s initial forecast, announced on October 6, called for anticipated sales growth of 2.8 percent.