U.S. Internet advertising revenue reached $12.5 billion in 2005, a 30 percent increase compared to 2004, according to The Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The organizations’ Internet Advertising Revenue Report tracks spending on search, classifieds, display and rich media ads.
Internet advertising revenue for the fourth quarter of 2005 totaled $3.6 billion, up 34 percent compared to the same quarter a year earlier.

Competition is brutal for smaller retail grocers. Yet as grocery sales approach more than $800 billion a year, many of these companies are growing at an explosive rate.
Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest food retailer, accounts for about 14 percent of all grocery sales.

In May 2003, Steve Bigari opened a McDonald’s call center in Colorado Springs. Six of his 12 stores tested the idea of off-site order taking.
Now other McDonald’s franchises are beginning to latch on to the call center idea.

Retailers are losing their traditional television audiences to cable, their radio listeners to satellite services and newspaper readers to the Internet.
So Vestcom, a company that makes price labels that adorn shelves nationwide is developing a different way to reach shoppers: video monitors attached to store shelves.

The nation’s biggest retailer announced its urban renewal plan this week: Wal-Mart plans to build stores in distressed metropolitan areas.
Lee Scott, the company’s CEO, said that during the next two years Wal-Mart will open 50 stores that will create between 15,000 and 25,000 new jobs.

Federal law enforcement authorities estimate that theft rings steal as much as $30 billion in merchandise from retail stores every year.
Organized retail theft is much different than shoplifting. ORT usually involves multiple people who steal goods, not for their own personal use, but to sell through fencing operations, flea markets and swap meets.

After an upturn in February, consumer confidence dropped in March, reflecting the uncertainty American consumers have about future economic conditions, according to results of the RBC Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household Index.
The index for March stands at 86.2, a considerable decrease from 96.1 in February.

The International Franchise Association has announced plans for “MinorityFran,” an initiative to help member companies recruit additional minority franchisees into their systems.
MinorityFran will build on relationships through the IFA’s Diversity Institute with organizations such as the National Urban League, the Association of Small Business Development Centers, the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce and the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Mike and Tammy Pinto plan to open a restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs this month.
Bistro de Pinto, at 26 E. Kiowa, will be about 1,000 square feet, seat about 30 people and have about six employees.

A Colorado Springs running store has been named a top choice in four readers’ polls by Runners World magazine.
Colorado Running Co., 833 N. Tejon St., won for the mountain region in the categories of general excellence, best customer service, best community outreach and best product selection.