UK shoppers pumped the brakes on spending in December: Sales fell at the fastest rate since the height of COVID-19 lockdowns, raising the likelihood of a recession.
Retail job cuts pile up: Even as Macy’s, Wayfair, and Stitch Fix cut staff, other retailers have good reason to feel optimistic about 2024.
Walmart raises pay, adjusts bonus structure for store managers: The move should improve employee engagement as well as the shopping experience.
To help keep return volumes down, retailers are trying everything from implementing return fees to ensuring product descriptions are as accurate and detailed as possible. But there are still a couple of out-of-the-box solutions that they could try, like leveraging peer-to-peer solutions to cut down on logistics costs or being more cautious around inspiring impulse purchases.
On today's podcast episode, we discuss what non-AI technology took the spotlight at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), second-tier TV audiences, what streaming will look like in a few years, what its like to shop with a chatbot, how digital grocery will take things up a notch, how big the sun actually is, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, analyst Bill Fisher, and forecasting analyst Zach Goldner.
Initial sales reflect demand despite steep cost. Some key streaming providers hesitate to build apps, reflecting both competition and caution in an emerging market.
AI hardware costs are rising, and subscription models may help manage server expenses. Cloud and AI app owners could see significant benefits.
General Catalyst will buy Summa Health: The VC firm plans to try out digital solutions with the Ohio-based health system. It could flop like Haven—or transform some aspects of the US healthcare system.
Medicare Advantage plans face a challenging year ahead: How might the various headwinds in front of MA insurers affect their businesses in 2024?
You are what you eat: As the food-as-medicine movement gains momentum, success depends on understanding consumers’ daily diets and the choices they make. A YouGov survey should pique marketers’ interest.
A copyright lawsuit against Anthropic could kickstart AI regulation: The governor of Tennessee is considering a sweeping AI bill as a major lawsuit hovers.
Meta to buy 350,000 Nvidia AI chips this year: Its plan to build an open-source artificial general intelligence has sparked swift criticism. Future regulation might hinder progress.
Google Cloud narrows revenue gap with AWS: It’s a sign that growth strategies have been paying off for the search giant, but there’s no guarantee the trend will continue.
42% of retail executives worldwide say the most important role of physical retail as omnichannel buying evolves is to provide an in-person component to the customer experience (CX), according to April 2023 data from Bain and Aptos.
Marketers embrace AI with a 7/10 optimism rating: AI's role expands in content creation and strategic marketing growth.
A strong out-of-home (OOH) ad leverages creative thinking, puts content where people will see it, and has the potential to be shared online. From cleverly branded buses to bizarre alien billboards, here are five recent OOH campaigns that caught our eye and why we think campaigns like this will help drive a projected 6.5% YoY growth in US OOH ad spend this year, reaching $9.51 billion.
Reddit's IPO quest in a tough market: The platform is striving for $10 billion amid underperformance and intense competition for ad dollars.
Gen Z, millennial shoppers love self-checkout: But everyone else is divided due to concerns over ease of use and theft.
Recent winter storms have added a slew of new challenges for EV owners who are facing longer charging times and reduced range. It’s the latest hurdle EV makers need to overcome.
Move over, Mother Nature: In the $1.8T global wellness market, consumers are more attracted to products that boast clinically proven vs. natural ingredients. Here’s what marketers need to know.