Consultant

MORRISTOWN, N.J. -- Nominations are now being accepted for the 2006 Global Electronic Marketing (GEM) Awards, which will be presented at the 15th annual GEMCON conference October 9-11 in Park City, Utah.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Consumers are consolidating their shopping and placing more relative importance on speed and convenience, according to observations gleaned from "American ShopperScape 2006," a consumer shopping database managed by Retail Forward, a global consulting and market research firm based here. The firm's latest findings suggest that retailers that aren't among the top players in their respective channels are increasingly vulnerable to losing their share of shoppers as consumers narrow their store choice sets.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska and ST. LOUIS -- Supermarkets should expect to see higher gas prices and an increase in other energy-related pricing following yesterday's shutdown of a major Alaska oilfield operated by BP, an industry watcher told Progressive Grocer yesterday.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska and ST. LOUIS -- Supermarkets should expect to see higher gas prices and an increase in other energy-related pricing following yesterday's shutdown of a major Alaska oilfield operated by BP, an industry watcher told Progressive Grocer yesterday.

ST. LOUIS -- Consumers who are rewards program members are more likely to have spent a greater amount of money at retail during the past six months according to a study by loyalty marketing consulting firm Maritz Loyalty Marketing.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said yesterday it has signed a new agreement designating ACNielsen as its sole provider of consumer panel services. The new pact complements the Spectra segmentation and targeting applications that ACNielsen already provides to Wal-Mart, and which the company supports with an extensive group of consumer and shopper insight experts based at its headquarters.

ST. LOUIS -- Consumers who are rewards program members are more likely to have spent a greater amount of money at retail during the past six months according to a study by loyalty marketing consulting firm Maritz Loyalty Marketing.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said yesterday it has signed a new agreement designating ACNielsen as its sole provider of consumer panel services. The new pact complements the Spectra segmentation and targeting applications that ACNielsen already provides to Wal-Mart, and which the company supports with an extensive group of consumer and shopper insight experts based at its headquarters.