NRF, CNBC launch Retail Monitor to report retail sales data
The National Retail Federation (NRF) and CNBC have announced the launch of their new monthly “CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor,” powered by Affinity Solutions, and the release of October 2023 retail sales data. The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor uses actual, real-time debit and credit card purchase data to provide more accurate and timely insights into retail sales activity across all U.S. sectors, categories and markets.
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor leverages Affinity Solutions’ data from more than 140 million credit and debit cards, with nearly 9 billion transactions totaling more than $500 billion in annual spending, to measure the monthly and annual change in U.S. retail sales.
“The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor will provide comprehensive, granular and timely insights that measure monthly retail sales and gauge the state of the retail industry, the consumer and the broader economy,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor will modernize how retail sales are tracked and measured, and Affinity Solutions’ vast dataset of how, what and where the consumer is spending will identify how key demographics and channels are performing for the industry generally and for specific retail sectors.”
“CNBC is pleased to join with NRF and Affinity to offer this data. Our audience, investors and executives alike, will now be armed with dynamic insights that go beyond headline numbers to show emerging trends and critical detail,” said Dan Colarusso, CNBC senior vice president of business news.
“The Retail Monitor heralds a new era of retail intelligence, where data isn’t just a resource — it’s a roadmap to understanding and engaging with the modern consumer,” Affinity Solutions CEO and founder Jonathan Silver said. “Through Affinity Solutions’ work with NRF and CNBC, we’re equipping businesses with the power to anticipate and adapt to the fast-paced and iterative retail market.”
The Retail Monitor data will be announced approximately one week prior to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Retail Sales figures. CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, will provide in-depth analysis of the monthly retail sales findings across CNBC’s multiple platforms.
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor offers a headline monthly and annual look at retail sales performance figures for the following:
- Total retail sales (excluding auto, gas);
- Core retail sales (excluding auto, gas and restaurants); and
- Nine distinct retail sectors plus restaurants.
The data will be shown both seasonally and not seasonally adjusted. Unlike survey-based measures, once the monthly CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor data is released, it is final and will not be revised monthly or annually. To access the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor sales data, click here. Data used must be credited to “CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.”
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor is a product that was jointly developed by CNBC and NRF’s new Center for Retail & Consumer Insights, together with Affinity Solutions. CRCI is NRF’s hub for data-driven insights into the modern retail industry and the consumers who drive it.
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