Retailers

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.

It seems even high prices at the pump can’t keep the Easter Bunny away this year. According to NRF’s Easter spending survey, conducted by BIGinsight, Americans will shell out an average of $145.28 on everything from apparel and candy to food and decorations this year, up 11 percent from $131.04 last year.

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 Tax Returns Consumer Survey conducted by BIGinsight, 43.8 percent of those expecting refunds will stash some of their cash in savings, up from 42.l percent who said so last year and the most in the survey’s nine-year history.

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.

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.

The Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) today unveiled the first-ever standard data interface for online and mobile ordering at the ARTS Pavilion during NRF’s 101st Annual Convention and EXPO.

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 Association for Retail Technology Standards, the National Retail Federation’s technology standards division, and EPASOrg, an association leading card payment standards in Europe, announced today a partnership to create an ARTS-EPAS Retailer Payment Protocol Standard.

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.*