National Retail Federation Creates Retail Research And Analysis Center

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

The National Retail Federation announced a multimillion-dollar investment to create The Retail Research and Analysis Center. The center will bring together and expand all existing research within NRF, and focus on four main areas: the economy, legislative and regulatory policy, the retail industry, and consumers.

Ellen Davis will take leadership over the new Center as NRF’s senior vice president of research and strategic initiatives. Davis will also continue to function as executive director of the NRF Foundation. “Studies, surveys, white papers and critical analysis by industry leaders help us frame policy debates, identify trends, and change perceptions about retail’s evolution. As the nation’s largest private-sector employer and an industry that contributes $2.6 trillion dollars annually to the U.S. GDP, the retail industry impacts all sectors of our economy and is uniquely positioned to provide business insights and analysis to shape key debates in Washington,” Davis says in a press release.

The Retail Research and Analysis Center will serve as a hub for economic and consumer spending data and trends, as well as legislative and regulatory policies that affect the industry, according to Diamonds.net.

“NRF is an acknowledged leader in advocacy, research, education and analysis. The formation and funding of the Retail Research and Analysis Center will allow us to take this important function to the next level, with the resources necessary to deliver real results for our members and the industry,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.