Center for Retail & Consumer Insights

NRF Center for Retail Insights

NRF Center for Retail & Consumer Insights

The Center for Retail & Consumer Insights is the National Retail Federation’s hub for data-driven insights into the modern retail industry and the consumers who drive it.

The CRCI leverages best-in class data from trusted partners — like high-frequency consumer transaction data and large-scale, longitudinal polling — to generate more comprehensive, granular and timely insights into the mindset and behavior of consumers and the retailers that serve them. These insights help our members, industry partners, lawmakers and the media better understand the evolving retail industry and the far-reaching impacts consumers have on our industry, the economy and the policy landscape.

NRF members will enjoy exclusive access to additional CRCI products in 2024. Click here for more information on NRF membership.

All information produced by Affinity Solutions is anonymized and aggregated and does not include any personal identifiable information of an individual consumer.

Retail Monitor is launched live on CNBC

Watch NRF CEO Matthew Shay and Affinity Solutions CEO Jonathan Silver as they discuss the new CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, and findings for October with CNBC’s senior economics reporter Steve Liesman.

 
NRF's Matthew Shay appears on CNBC November 13, 2023.
 

December Retail Monitor

The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, provides a first look at how retail sales performed last month.

 

The Retail Monitor calculation of core retail sales – excluding restaurants in addition to autos and gas – showed increases of 0.19% month over month and 2.4% year over year in December.

Read the press release >

Learn more about the Retail Monitor.

Data is powered by Affinity Solutions. Learn more about custom insights by visiting here

December Retail Monitor, Sector Insights

The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, offers a headline, month-over-month look at retail sales performance for 9 core retail sectors, plus restaurants.

 

December sales were up in six out of nine retail categories on a yearly basis, led by online sales, health and personal care stores and clothing and accessory stores, and up in five categories on a monthly basis.

Data is powered by Affinity Solutions. Learn more about custom insights by visiting here

Consumer Pulse

Consumers face a number of headwinds in 2023 that impact their overall confidence; however, they remain relatively positive about their own financial security.

 

Using data from Prosper Insights & Analytics, NRF tracks both the percent of consumers who feel confident about the state of the economy over the next 6 months and the percent who feel secure about their own personal financial situation. Prosper’s consumer confidence data has been shown to be highly correlated with other major confidence indices.

2023 NRF Holiday Retail Sales Forecast Webinar

NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz and Vice President for Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen discuss NRF’s 2023 holiday sales forecast and the impact of inflation on consumer spending and shopping trends.

Watch the recording from November 6th here.

Retail Monitor FAQs

NRF’s Executive Director, Research Mark Mathews and Jonathan Silver, CEO and founder of Affinity Solutions share strategic insights from the newly launched CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions.

Watch the video.

Members-only interactive Thanksgiving Weekend dashboard

Check out how consumer spending changes in the days before and after one of the biggest shopping periods of the year.

 

Explore the data >

(NRF Members only. Log in to view.)

 

U.S. Consumer Confidence By State

 
Learn more about Retail’s Economic Impact by State >

What's Next

  • For more 2023 holiday consumer shopping trends and retailer forecasts, visit our Winter Holidays Headquarters page.
  • NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show is just around the corner. Make sure to secure your All-Access Pass early and take advantage of discounted rates here.
  • Stay tuned for next month’s release of the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions.

CRCI is committed to innovation and progress through our content and insights. To learn more about the methodology behind the Retail Monitor please visit our FAQ page here. To learn more about Member exclusive insights launching in 2024, please visit NRF membership.

A new future for retail sales data

NRF Executive Director for Research Mark Mathews explains why NRF partnered with CNBC and Affinity Solutions to develop the Retail Monitor, how it solves a critical gap in the market and what the December Retail Monitor signals for the year ahead.

 
Team working together
 
Consumer shopping
 
Consumer spending rises in December to end solid holiday season, CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor shows

CNBC’s Senior Economics Reporter Steve Liesman dives into the data from the latest Retail Monitor release.

 

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