Labor Department Report: Retail Economy is “Steady and Improving”

According to a Labor Department report, retail employment was up 51,100 jobs in February, following a gain of 52,100 in January. Retail jobs were up by 247,300 from February, 2015. NRF experts credit cold winter weather for the solid numbers and see this as a sign that consumers are confident. The report also stated that unemployment stayed at 4.9 percent, the same as January. Read the full story.

Industry Survey: Mobile Budgets Set to Increase in 2016

According to a RetailMeNot poll conducted with 200 senior retailer marketing executives, 87% plan to increase their mobile adspend in 2016. While they also plan to increase their non-mobile digital and offline adspend budgets, mobile will increase the most. However, the key findings are that 39% said they are looking at making mobile account for 50-100% of their budgets and 76% believe that there is potential for considerably more ROI with mobile. A similar-sized survey, published by the AMA, Deloitte, and Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, showed similar trends. Read the full story.