New tariffs will create ripple effects across retail—and returns will be no exception. With US retail returns predicted to exceed $1 trillion this year, according to a December 2024 EMARKETER forecast, the pressure is on retailers to adapt.
Pushing out contractors to prioritize automation could save costs but risks alienating users, hurting team morale, and compromising content quality in the short term.
Execs face boardroom pressure to scale AI fast, but talent gaps, infrastructure issues, and employee resistance are holding progress back.
Almost nine in 10 (86%) US contact center decision-makers are either currently using AI for in-call agent assistance or plan to do so in the next two years, according to January data from ContactBabel and CallMiner.
In its new study “Gen Z and the American Dream,” social and advertising agency Adolescent Content was surprised to draw similarities between Gen Z and Boomers—two generations often perceived as being at odds.
Marketers face rising pressure from tariffs, triopoly dominance: Growth is coming from mid-tier platforms and smarter strategies, EMARKETER analysts say at Possible conference.
This could give Chime access to more Gen Alpha and Gen Z customers.
TikTok makes a bid to encourage creators, agencies to livestream: The push is part of the platform’s strategic effort to avoid a US ban.
Undisclosed bots targeting polarizing issues expose a glaring vulnerability—threatening Reddit’s brand as a forum for real voices just as its ad ambitions expand.
Economic uncertainty could derail its efforts to reinvigorate growth
ChatGPT's shopping tool threatens retail media revenues: Its product search could siphon ad dollars from retailers struggling with tariffs, higher prices, and weak demand.
Agent Pay could transform the payments experience for consumers with hyperpersonalized recommendations
Amazon insists it won’t display tariff costs on products after White House backlash: Despite political heat, radical transparency may be best for retailers in an uncertain environment.
Minimalist trucks, maximalist ambitions: EV makers Slate and TELO are betting that simple, compact, and affordable EVs will resonate with buyers who are tired of bloated features and high price tags.
Google aims to reset its ecosystem with AI-infused Pixel updates and expansion beyond phones—countering fragmentation and pressure from rivals.
Nobody knows what’s ahead: Macroeconomic turmoil and shifting tariff policies make forecasting a guessing game that many consumer brands are opting out of.
Novo Nordisk and Hims go from competitors to partners: The deal signals Novo’s desire to capture patients transitioning off compounded GLP-1s. All eyes turn to Eli Lilly, which at last check said it’s not affiliating with Hims.
Congress wants to end the pharma industry’s advertising expense write-offs: This has been proposed before, but under the new Trump administration’s anti-drug advertising stance, the bill could gain more traction and inspire other new rules.