Retail & Ecommerce

Patreon diversifies beyond payments with chat rooms: Is this enough to ensure its sustainability as a standalone service?

Retail theft soars in the UK: John Lewis, Tesco, and others recently voiced concerns that shoplifting is hurting their profits and causing consumers to feel uneasy about in-store shopping.

Target bets that jewelry will convince shoppers to spend during the holidays: The retailer struck a deal to carry exclusive Kendra Scott jewelry and accessories.

eBay’s consignment business is its latest play for luxury shoppers: The marketplace is betting on luxury to turn its fortunes around.

Mcommerce will account for almost half (49.8%) of US ecommerce sales by 2027, according to our forecast.

Amazon’s end-to-end supply chain solution is a sign of the company’s shifting ambitions: The retailer is focusing on its flourishing merchant services and advertising businesses as ecommerce sales growth slows.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss when attention metrics might dethrone viewability, why advertisers are tentative about them, and why using attention as a currency is TBD. "In Other News," we talk about Google limiting impressions from "unproven" advertisers and the battle between advertising groups and the "Delete Bill," a California bill that would allow consumers to request advertisers delete their personal information. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf.

Nielsen reverses stance on Amazon first-party football data: After networks and industry groups cried foul, Nielsen won’t include Amazon data in its panel currency.

TikTok continues to grow as a search platform: A report found 51% of Gen Z prefers the app over Google. Meanwhile, the latter braces for a search antitrust trial.

Price matters to everyone, but ease and convenience play an even bigger role in purchase decisions. Plus, retailers should consider revamping their apps to garner more sales and use their target audience to guide in-store and online strategies.

The agency argues Big Tech’s dominance over the mobile payment method limits innovation and competition. But crafting new regulation could take years

Open banking-powered payments can help merchants save money, reduce fraud, and increase conversion rates

In the wake of the disruption, Shift4 Payments offered a bonus for merchants to switch to their POS system

Uber users may soon be able to hire handyman services through the app: The company is reportedly developing a service similar to TaskRabbit and Angi as it searches for growth opportunities.

Recent news of Walmart’s expansion of in-store ads, including audio and product demos, plus The Kroger Co.’s planned roll out of digital ads in the cooler aisle, has intensified the spotlight on the rise of in-store retail media. This fast-emerging segment is perhaps the most critical development in the digitization of the store, retail’s next mega-trend. Physical stores have enormous—and almost completely untapped—potential as the next major media channel, yet US retailers have been remarkably slow to adopt.

Key stat: A majority (73%) of US adults are not at all comfortable with Amazon biometric payments that would allow hand-scan checkout at Whole Foods Market, per CivicScience. That’s 5 percentage points lower than in 2019.

Instacart faces stiff headwinds: While growing its advertising and technology businesses have helped it overcome slowing delivery growth, that strategy may not be sustainable.

Luxury furniture retailer RH isn’t immune to the housing downturn: The company expects challenges to continue into 2024 as high interest rates and limited supply take their tolls on the housing market.

Subway hops aboard the multi-tiered rewards program trend: The MVP Rewards program offers additional incentives for consumers who spend $200 and $400 annually.

Hyundai’s in-vehicle payments system can add more hands-free utility, attract more potential buyers, and bring in payments revenues