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U.S. retail sales posted a surprising gain last month. Retail sales rose last month by 0.3% according to the Commerce Department. “It seems that the American consumer is a resilient species... snubbing the winter storms that ravaged the nation in February,” said Eric Lascelles, chief economics and rates strategist at TD Securities. “Consumers seem to have shifted into a cautiously pro-spending mode.” Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had forecast a 0.3% decrease. January retail sales were adjusted downward, to a 0.1% increase from a previously reported 0.5% gain. Retail sales data are an important indicator of consumer spending. Consumer spending represents some 70% of demand in the U.S. economy. Read the full article at The Wall Street Journal

The lackluster economy, combined with the rise of blogs, the declining allegiance to brands and increased retail competition online, have combined to make it more difficult for e-marketers to craft messages that can capture shoppers, says Jeff Wisot, vice president, marketing, for Buy.com. “Consumers now want to be in charge of how, where and when they receive messages, forcing online retailers to adapt to what consumers want, rather than the other way around. Accordingly, retail e-marketers must run highly adoptable campaigns capable of being refined at a moment’s notice. Read the full article at Internet Retailer

The ROI from catalog marketing is low relative to other online and offline media, including e-mail, Internet search and direct-response newspaper ads. The reason is that catalogs are expensive to produce. But consumers revere them and they hold an important position in the multichannel mix because many consumers “either feel uncomfortable buying online or need hand-holding to complete a major purchase,” says analyst Jeffrey Grau of eMarketer. However, catalogers must also embrace the web as well to assure continued success. Retail industry experts who predicted the demise of catalogs at the hands of e-commerce in the Internet’s early days are wrong. The rise of online shopping has forced retailers to re-examine the purpose of their catalog business and its role in a multichannel strategy. A few examples: JCPenney is terminating its “big books” and instead producing specialized catalogs for customers who want them. Taking the opposite stance, Zappos.com launched a holiday catalog as a way to win back lapsed customers and attract new ones. Read the full article at Internet Ad Sales

E-mail marketing continues to provide the highest ROI of all marketing channels. But marketers could probably be doing a better job leveraging the medium. Loren McDonald of Silverpop noted in a recent presentation that leveraging data, engaging with customers, and automating and optimizing e-mails is key to continued e-mail marketing success. “It’s all about the data,” McDonald says. The frequency conundrum, McDonald admitted, is probably the most puzzling aspect of e-mail marketing. “You can pound, pound, pound away [at your e-mail file], but at some point, something has to give.” For optimum frequency, a marketer must pay close attention to customer behavior. Read the full article

Google is evaluating Android-based set-top boxes for TV watching. The trial consists of a handful of Google employees sucking in signals from the satellite TV service of Dish Network, with personalization and content search provided by the Android bits. Dish and Google have been partners for three years, but a lack of two-way communication between set-top boxes and Google’s servers has limited the success of that partnership, and Google still doesn’t see any significant results from its TV ad sales. But if the current field trials expand that could change. Some observers think Google may in fact be working its way into the retail end of things as cable box provider Motorola is a member of the Open Handset Alliance that defines and promotes the Android platform. Samsung, NEC, Toshiba and LG Electronics are also members of the Alliance. Stay tuned. Read the full article

According to Kiosk maker NCR, it has worked with Blockbuster to make renting videos easier. Some industry-firsts according to the press release include supporting an enhanced customer experience by providing a favorites list and up to three rentals at once while allowing customers to browse available titles at their preferred kiosk. “We wanted to create the best online rental experience in the business, so we put our customers first when we designed the new blockbusterexpress.com. With our new site, you can rent online and the movies you want will be waiting for you at the kiosk,” said Alex Camara of NCR Entertainment. “Through our new web experience, our customers will find a faster and easier way to rent a DVD.” Read the full article

Giant discount retailer Target is rolling out a program to beam coupons directly to customers’ smartphones. The mobile coupons work just like their old-fashioned paper cousins: the checkout clerk scans them right from a barcode on your cellphone screen. You get the coupons by signing up to receive SMS from Target. Afterwards, you’ll get text messages about once per month with a link to a mobile Web page that contains multiple special offers for super-techie shoppers. It would work on any cellphone that includes a Web browser. A Target spokesperson said, “We know our guests are relying more and more on mobile devices, so we’re providing convenient, on-the-go mobile solutions to help them make the most of their Target shopping experience.” Read the full article

The retailer has big plans for its web operations. Announcing a strategic blueprint for growth, CEO Ken Hicks said a top priority for the footwear and athletic apparel retailer is to make its Internet sites “exciting places to shop and buy.” Hicks didn’t offer specifics, but noted that the company has recently added product ratings, faster checkout and improved navigation to its sites. “Our senior management team undertook a process over the past several months to thoroughly understand our position in the marketplace today and to develop strategic priorities for the future,” Hicks says. Read the full article

The future of media will be information consumed on superphones while on the go, said Rob Glaser, chairman of RealNetworks, in his first public speech since stepping down from his CEO position. Glaser forecast that by 2013 the installed base of smart and superphones will exceed the installed base of PCs, and those web-surfing devices will be mobile. According to Glaser, the “industry needs to make discovery easy, which means once people have access to digital content, they need to be able to find their stuff and new stuff they will like using semantic data.” Stay tuned. Read the full article

Staples announced that its business-to-business division, Staples Advantage, has launched a new Web site (StaplesAdvantage.com) to address customers’ growing demands for supplier consolidation and reduced procurement costs. The site enables customers to view the full range of Staples Advantage’s products and services, including five newly integrated business-to-business service offerings. The five new services offered include: Staples print solutions; Staples facility solutions; Staples promotional products; Staples technology solutions and Business Interiors by Staples. Jay Baitler, EVP Staples Advantage said, “Our new StaplesAdvantage.com Web site helps our current and potential new customers understand how we can deliver much more than office supplies.” Read the full article