The news: Consumers increasingly see connected TV (CTV) ads as helpful during the holiday shopping season, according to LG Ad Solutions’ latest study. A growing number—59%—say CTV ads help guide holiday purchases, a 43% YoY spike. Home screen CTV ads are clicking—26% of shoppers find them helpful for purchases, up 105% YoY. For advertisers, they’re fast becoming high-impact conversion tools amid rising ad loads. Our take: As holiday shopping habits extend into events like Prime Day and Cyber Monday, advertisers that align messaging, timing, and format across CTV platforms will win both attention and conversions.
The news: The Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule that would have simplified canceling subscriptions was rejected by a US federal appeals court on Tuesday, exposing a rift between the priorities of advertisers and digital service providers and those of consumers. Our take: The ruling is seen as a win for companies that use subscriptions for first-party data to strengthen their ad ecosystem, giving protection for those looking to reduce churn and run more effective programmatic and retargeting campaigns. But while advertisers may benefit from the decision, consumers still want an easier process—and simplifying cancellations can benefit businesses in several ways.
The news: Ulta Beauty acquired upscale UK beauty retailer Space NK for an undisclosed amount, the company said, as it turns to new markets to offset slowing US growth. Our take: The US beauty market is becoming increasingly saturated as more retailers lean on the category to boost sluggish sales. While expanding to new markets comes with its own set of challenges, Ulta’s decision to rely on acquisitions and distribution partnerships will help smooth its path.
The news: PayPal rolled out a dynamic, AI-powered scam alert system to protect consumers against fraud for “Friends and Family” transactions. Our take: Rolling out user-facing AI-powered fraud protection alerts increases PayPal’s visibility as a safe financial provider for more than just online checkout at well-known retailers.
The news: Early Warnings Services’ Zelle submitted a letter in response to the Treasury Department’s request for information on paperless payment services. Our take: Winning this contract would dramatically boost Zelle’s payment volume, but it faces steep competition from incumbents and other structural roadblocks.
The news: American Express rolled out special London-based perks and offerings as a part of its Adventures with Amex series. Our take: Sixty percent of respondents to Amex’s Global Travel Trend Report planned on taking at least one trip for a sporting event this year. Hitching its London adventure rollout to both F1 and Wimbledon can get those travelers to book through Amex’s platform instead of a competitor’s.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss Every Man Jack’s performance vs. brand marketing priorities, the role of marketplaces for the company, and what tactics the brand uses to stand out from the pack. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Senior Analyst Zak Stambor, and VP of Growth Marketing & E-Commerce at Every Man Jack Nick Hasselberg.
The news: Generative AI (genAI) is expected to play a bigger role than ever in ecommerce during Amazon’s Prime Day event this week. Adobe predicts that genAI-driven traffic will surge 3,200% YoY as more consumers use AI for searching for products, price matching, and purchasing decisions. Our take: While still trailing traditional channels like paid search and email, AI is winning consumer trust and influencing higher-consideration purchases. Marketers that can tailor shopping content around AI search could help their clients gain visibility. Structure product data, promotions, and sales content for AI interfaces like chatbots, shopping agents, and search for more conversational browsing with a higher conversion rate.
The situation: QSRs are in a tough spot. The restaurant industry had monthly traffic growth in just one of the 12 months through May, according to Black Box Intelligence data cited by CNBC. Our take: QSRs can’t afford to stand still. In a tough operating environment, brands that act decisively and innovate boldly are best positioned to outpace the macroeconomic headwinds. Even if every move doesn’t deliver an immediate payoff, momentum matters—and sitting on the sidelines is the riskiest strategy of all.
The challenge: Chocolate makers are feeling the squeeze as cocoa powder prices have jumped nearly 16% YoY due to a global shortage, per Bloomberg. Our take: Small price increases add up—especially in an environment where consumers are still scarred by the coronavirus-era wave of inflation. Today’s shoppers are hyperaware of price hikes and increasingly willing to switch brands, delay purchases, or trade down. That puts added pressure on retailers and manufacturers to either justify price increases through quality and innovation—or find new ways to absorb rising costs without compromising brand trust.
The insight: Prime Day got off to a strong start, according to Adobe data, despite alternative reports of a dip in spending. Our take: The early Prime Day enthusiasm is an encouraging sign for Amazon, which is counting on the event to not only boost sales but also unlock additional ad revenues. It could also be a good sign for retailers running competing sales. While we ultimately expect the longer sales period to benefit the ecommerce giant, shoppers’ growing awareness of other events—and propensity to comparison-shop—could help retailers like Walmart and Target grow their share of an increasingly lucrative shopping period.
The insight: Fashion M&A activity is drying up as uncertainty and structural challenges dampen investor interest. The number of deals in the apparel and accessories category fell nearly 40% YoY globally in Q2, according to PitchBook data reported by Modern Retail. Our take: The current macroeconomic environment is not conducive to most M&A activity, as uncertainty pushes companies to conserve resources and focus on their core businesses. But for retailers in a relative position of strength, now could be the time to make strategic acquisitions that either reinforce their existing advantages or enable them to diversify.
The news: Gen Z’s share of private label spending will overtake that of baby boomers by 2026, according to a Numerator report. Our take: Gen Z’s affinity for private labels is part of a broader behavioral shift—one that retailers are making the most of. To encourage loyalty among this notoriously fickle cohort, companies will need to stay on top of emerging food trends, foster exclusivity and a sense of urgency with limited-edition releases, and make sure they satisfy Gen Zers’ desire for attractive packaging, transparent labeling, and sustainability.
41% of US Amazon Prime members will spend more time shopping on Amazon due to a longer Prime Day event this year, according to May 2025 data from Tinuiti.
As Walmart celebrates its 63rd birthday this year, the retail giant continues to differentiate itself through data capabilities, technological innovation, and a willingness to experiment with new strategies.
The news: Amazon has partnered with delivery firm Gopuff to bring ultra-fast delivery to several UK markets, including Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, London, and Manchester. Our take: Amazon’s focus is crystal clear: Get orders to shoppers’ doors as fast as possible. In the US, it has pushed next-day delivery as the new standard—even as it rapidly expands same-day service. In some cases, delivery happens within hours (for example, a Prime Day order we placed at 6 am today arrived at our door by noon.) To extend that promise beyond urban hubs, Amazon is investing over $4 billion through 2026 to triple the size of its rural delivery network. By year-end, it expects to bring same- or next-day delivery to more than 4,000 smaller cities and rural communities. Speed isn’t just a perk. It is the key component within Amazon’s growth strategy. The faster the company delivers, the more frequently consumers turn to Amazon for their everyday needs—and the harder it becomes for competitors to keep up.
The eye-catching headline: “Amazon Prime Day Spending Down 14% in Early Hours From 2024” blared from one report, citing early data from Momentum Commerce, which manages Amazon sales for brands like Crocs and Beats that total roughly $7 billion in annual volume on the platform. Our take: Prime Day is on track to become the biggest sales event in Amazon’s history. While early-hour softness and lower per-day comparisons may raise some eyebrows, the full picture tells a different story: Total revenues will shatter records thanks to a powerful mix of deal-hungry shoppers, tariff-driven urgency, and a high-margin advertising engine firing on all cylinders.
The news: Prime members approved for the Prime Visa credit card will receive a $250 Amazon gift card as a welcome bonus during Amazon’s Prime Day multi-day promotional sales event. Our take: Amazon is trying to optimize its utility for the everyday consumer to deepen its dominance in the American market.
The news: 82% of travelers are interested in using points from non-travel loyalty programs to book trips, per a report from Expedia—including 43% who are extremely interested. Our take: Capturing expensive travel purchases is critical to reinforcing issuers’ card volume as economic anxieties make consumers spend less.
The news: Mastercard and Fiserv will offer Clover hardware rental fees for just $0.01 per month to the first 1,000 merchants who sign up for the network’s US Small Business Navigator platform, per a press release.Our take: Mastercard and Clover both want to secure small business market share.