The share of online orders being returned is falling: Consumers are keeping more of their purchases as retailers add friction to the returns process.

Mobile ad units will capture 70.6% of US programmatic digital display ad spend in 2023, up from its 39.3% share in 2013, according to our April 2023 forecast. Over the last 10 years, mobile has stolen share from desktops and laptops, which now only claim 12.9% of US programmatic digital display ad spend, compared with its 60.7% share in 2013.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what's most to blame for this sustained ad spending rebound, what concerns us about it, and what we expect to see from ad spending in 2024. "In Other News," we talk about why ad-blocking rates are experiencing a gradual uptick and a cord-cutting milestone. Tune in to the discussion with our director of forecasting Peter Newman and vice president of content Paul Verna.

A pivotal moment for digital privacy in the EU: Consumer rights group BEUC files a complaint against Meta over its costly ad-free subscriptions.

The ANA deals a blow to demand- and supply-side platforms: A report claims that advertisers could save $22 billion in programmatic spending through specific measures.

Recently, both Walmart and Target have warned that consumers’ cautious spending habits may lead to a sluggish holiday season this year. Were they right to be worried? Here’s how the holiday shopping season is going so far.

TikTok users are spending half of their time watching videos that are 1 minute in length or longer, according to The Information.

The labor market has “normalized,” said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon: While wages continue to rise, there’s less competition for workers.

Dollar General says shrink will remain ‘significant headwind’ into 2024: But retail theft may not be as big a problem as retailers say, as the NRF walks back its claims around organized retail crime.

Grocery shoppers’ habits shifted in Q3: A new report found a 13.5% decline in sales across 25 US online grocery banners as consumers switched to in-store shopping or different merchants.

McDonald’s ambitious expansion plan includes a play for Starbucks customers: The fast-food chain plans to open nearly 9,000 stores by 2027—including 10 locations of new small-format concept CosMc’s.

US ecommerce sales will grow 9.3% to reach $1.137 trillion in 2023, per our forecast, thanks to cost-conscious consumers looking for better deals and an increasing number of digital grocery buyers. As 2023 wraps up, ecommerce will go out on a high note, with online holiday sales growth outpacing brick-and-mortar sales.

Where healthcare execs will invest IT budgets in 2024: Cybersecurity is the top priority for health systems in 2024, followed by EHRs, digital care, and advanced analytics. Good thing a lot of budgets increased substantially in recent years.

Healthcare providers need better visibility into their market share: A new analytics solution from Trilliant Health is designed to do just that. But the Market Explorer tool on its own won’t solve health systems’ patient acquisition and retention challenges.

Digital health startups to watch: We spotlight patient loyalty-focused RepeatMD and weight loss platform Signos on the back of fresh funding.

What the new SAG contract means for entertainment: $1 billion in payouts and AI protections could lead studios to increase CPMs and subscription costs.

AI's environmental footprint revealed: Research calls for transparent emissions reporting and efficient tech amid consumer and regulatory push for sustainability.

Apple's MLX, focuses on machine learning for Apple Silicon– the shift towards AI integration in services favors open-source development over mainstream genAI.

Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta look beyond Nvidia’s chips: AMD’s latest Instinct MI300X chip is set to shake up the generative AI sector, potentially eating some of Nvidia’s market share.

Amazon faces employee exodus over RTO policy: Dissatisfaction grows over mandates to work from designated city hubs, causing notable departures, especially in Amazon Web Services.