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ATG, the premier provider of commerce solutions, today announced the results of a consumer survey that was deployed to analyze how consumers use various channels as they research product and service options, and make purchases. The cross-channel shopping survey also asked consumers about their researching and purchasing experiences when using different channels.

Under Armour recently entered into an agreement with the Junior Tennis Champion Center, where it will outfit the players at the College Park facility that trains some of the best young talent in the game. Trainers, coaches and instructors also will wear the gear and test out new products for the company. Also, the South Baltimore company says it will soon announce some new names on its list of tennis endorsements, which already includes top-ranked American player Robby Ginepri.

Fifty percent of respondents on the client side said they expect their own company to spend more on paid search this year than last. On average, these respondents foresee their companies' spending on paid search increasing 37 percent this year. As for search-engine optimization (SEO), 52 percent of client respondents expect their companies to boost spending, with expenditures seen rising an average of 43 percent vs. 2009. The report of the findings estimates that revenues for the search-engine-marketing industry as a whole will grow 14 percent this year, to $16.6 billion.

Despite the tough economy, Best Buy says its fourth-quarter numbers came in at the high end of its expectations — results its CEO says prove that consumers place a premium on technology and connectivity. Strong sales of laptops and TVs demonstrate that "staying connected has become non-negotiable — people have little or no tolerance of things that are not working the way they should," Brian Dunn, CEO of Best Buy, told investors on a conference call.

The Federal Reserve announced that the final rules governing gift cards will go into effect on August 22. These new gift card rules will prohibit inactivity and service charge fees, except in certain circumstances. The changes are meant to protect consumers from unexpected fees that slowly eat away their gift card balances.

Spring is in the air and it appears consumers are emerging from hibernation and easing their way back into retail spending. With Easter right around the corner, retailers can anticipate a boost in spring spending activity, according to industry research firm IBISWorld. The company forecasts holiday spending will generate $14.02 billion – a 1.8 percent increase from last year and the first holiday spending increase in three years.

Associations representing the retail industry were united in their opposition to the historic healthcare legislation that President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday. The bill, HR 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is expected to expand health insurance coverage to most Americans by 2014. It was passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve and given final approval by the House on Sunday. “Congress has embarked on a dangerous, anti-job experiment in the midst of the worst economy our nation has seen in decades,” said NRF senior VP for government relations Steve Pfister.

Seattle is the most dangerous city in the U.S. when it comes to cybercrime, Symantec said today. The Northwest sported two of the top 10, with Portland, Ore., ranked No. 10 in the list of the nation's 50 largest metro areas. Rounding out the first five were Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Raleigh, N.C. Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver, and Austin, Texas completed the top 10.

Nine West tightened the gap between e-commerce and its Facebook presence yesterday when it launched a rich-media shopping app on the social media site. The Jones Apparel-owned brand is offering designer Fred Allard's accessories line from its spring catalog with a Facebook-exclusive 15 percent discount through February.

The retail graveyard is filled with venerable names that were felled by the recession. Now, some risk-taking companies are trying to profit by bringing brands back from the dead. Systemax Inc., best known as the parent of Internet computer-parts retailer TigerDirect.com, gambled by buying the rights to the names of two deceased store chains, CompUSA for $30 million in 2008 and Circuit City for $14 million in 2009. Now as the economy crawls toward recovery, Systemax is opening CompUSA stores in Houston, Chicago and other major markets after successfully testing the concept in Florida. It already revived Circuit City as an Internet retailer last June, and is contemplating a brick-and-mortar rebirth for that brand as well.