Retail & Ecommerce

Wealthy shoppers gave Neiman Marcus’ holiday sales a boost: But overall sales continued to fall as aspirational shoppers cut spending.

Walmart looks to deliver a better shopping experience: The retail giant digs deeper into a host of technologies, including generative AI and AR, to position it as a “customer’s concierge.”

Consumer spending in 2023 reached $171 billion, a 3% increase YoY. Growth in non-gaming apps and genAI signal shifting dynamics, setting the stage for innovation in 2024.

On the first podcast episode of the new year, we discuss what buy now, pay later's (BNPL’s) prospects will look like in 2024. • In our “Story by Numbers” segment, we focus on the outlook for BNPL by looking at growth by generation. • In “Headlines,” we examine data from Adobe Analytics that states BNPL purchases were up 43% on Cyber Monday compared with the previous year, and how the rise of BNPL use over the holidays has increased consumers' debt burden. • In “For Argument’s Sake,” we debate whether BNPL promotes good or bad behavior. Listen to the podcast with host Rob Rubin and our analysts Grace Broadbent and David Morris.

On today's podcast episode, our contestants compete in The Great Behind the Numbers Take Off, 2024 mobile trends edition, where they will try and cook up the most interesting predictions for the coming year. They'll discuss how shoppable media will evolve on mobile devices, where mobile ad dollars are moving to, and why foldable phones are here to stay. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Peter Newman, Andrew Spink, and Yory Wurmser.

For some, shopping online is functional, enabling consumers to get what they want quickly, without straying from their budget or list. By creating a more engaging ecommerce experience, retailers can make shopping online fun, enticing consumers to browse and buy like they might in-store—and perhaps, increasing their basket.