Content about National Retail Federation

The National Retail Federation is responding to a report from the Federal Reserve, which revealed that debit card swipe fees collected by the nation's largest banks have significantly dropped since reform regulations took effect last fall. 

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports should be up 0.3% in December compared with the same month last year, as retailers head to the finish line of the holiday shopping season, according to the monthly “Global Port Tracker” report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

A report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 2.6% in October over the same month last year and should reach its highest level of the year as retailers stock up for the holiday season.

Retailers that enjoyed robust sales during the 2010 holiday season should not expect a repeat performance, according to a forecast from the National Retail Federation (NRF). The Washington, D.C., trade organization predicted a 2.8% increase this year, totaling $465.6 billion. In 2010, holiday retail sales rose 5.2% over the previous year, according to the NRF. The 10-year average holiday sales increase is 2.6%.

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is staying at about the same levels this summer as last year, although traffic is expected to pick up this fall, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

Shoplifting, employee theft and organized crime have combined to boost retail shrinkage to 1.58%, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). These preliminary results, compiled from a survey conducted by Dr. Richard Hollinger of the University of Florida, compare with a 1.44% shrinkage rate in 2009.

According to the survey, total retail losses cost retailers $37.1 billion last year, up from $33.5 billion in 2009. NRF’s recently released Organized Retail Crime survey found that 95% of retailers have been victims of organized retail crime over the last 12 months.

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to grow 9% in April, compared with the same month a year ago, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) has revised its consumer spending forecast for the 2010 holiday season, raising it from a 2.3% increase over last year to a 3.3% growth rate.

The upward revision is due to improvement in a variety of economic indicators, the group said, including stock market gains, recent income growth and savings built up during the recession - all giving consumers the capacity to spend.