Ford lays off engineers: The shift to EVs is a heavy lift for traditional automakers who still need workers with the right skills. Corporate training programs might be necessary.
Some 22% of beauty retail sales worldwide will take place online this year, the most of any sales channel, per McKinsey. Physical specialty stores, such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty, will come in a close second (20%), while department stores will rank last (8%).
DoorDash adjusts its business model: The company will offer drivers the option to be paid an hourly wage at the same time that it makes several updates to its app.
General Mills posts mixed Q4 as retailers look to save on inventory: The company missed revenue expectations as sales volumes continued to fall in response to price hikes.
Roku finds a cheaper way to dabble in sports streaming: A partnership with Formula will let Roku expand into live sports without spending billions.
Can a busy summer blockbuster slate spur box office sales? Big-budget failures in June could be a sign that consumers won’t show for a film-packed July.
OpenAI’s ‘supersmart personal assistant’ bot could ruffle Microsoft’s feathers: The company’s CEO keeps divulging a half-baked strategy, which could create industry tensions. Monetization hurdles will continue.
Google launches Perspectives as Reddit blackout hits Search: Users demand discussion-based results that depend on other platforms. An innovation journey lies ahead for Google to maintain its search supremacy.
Pressure to profit margins is driving insurers toward innovation. Though there’s more competition, there’s also more opportunity.
VC investors are dishing out more funds. To win big, insurtechs must present new technologies, solutions, and formats.
The tie-up highlights the provider’s growing competitiveness in the biometric payments space, which Amazon dominates
X1 will bring its income-based credit card and associated investing platform to Robinhood’s offerings
Customers and restaurants alike may not be happy with the new fee
Leaning into festival culture helps Forever 21 connect with Gen Z consumers. Abercrombie & Fitch uses generative AI to speed up the product design process. And Solo Brands embraces the changing definition of the D2C model.
Social platforms are already great vehicles for introducing consumers to products and brands they may want to purchase. Advertisers should lean into that strength and:
Two-thirds of 18- to 34-year-olds are likely to buy from retailers committed to sustainability: That puts the onus on companies to demonstrate how they’re attempting to reduce their carbon footprints.
Retail media will continue to be the fastest-growing segment of digital advertising in the coming years. By opening up their digital platforms to third-party sellers, retailers can generate high-margin revenues from advertising and marketing services charged to sellers to promote their products both on- and offsite. Amazon has built a commanding lead in this space—Amazon Ads draws more than three-quarters of US retail media ad spend.
US retail marketplace ecommerce sales will reach $603.20 billion in 2027, representing 34.8% of total retail ecommerce sales, per our forecast.
Skims is the latest digitally native brand to open its own stores: The underwear brand plans to open four locations next year as shoppers return to brick-and-mortar retail.