Hot inflation and a tougher climate for startups is giving BNPL firms a new opportunity with new risks.
Inflation is changing how shoppers will spend this holiday season: With more consumers on the hunt for deals, retailers will have to focus on offering value and convenience across an extended shopping period.
Supply chain disruptions fade into the rear-view mirror: Several indicators suggest that the supply chain is returning to some semblance of normal just in time for the holidays.
For most internet users in the US, online orders typically come in two to three days—a delivery time popularized by Amazon’s Prime program. Just 3% of internet users are used to same-day delivery, which is increasingly offered by nongrocery retailers as well.
The cost of school supplies is weighing heavily on US parents. Between May and June, 40% of those planning to do back-to-school shopping considered it a significant concern in their budget, compared with 30% last August. Meanwhile, 19% said they could not afford it, up from 14%.
AtoB, Super Payments, and Pomelo each recently raised funding to build out their businesses.
Retail sales stay steady in July as consumer spending defies pundits’ pessimism: Retailers benefited from falling gas prices and a Prime Day boost, even as inventory woes ate into profits.
High real estate prices lead homeowners to invest in home improvements: Lowe’s and Home Depot continue to see strong demand from both DIYers and professionals.
This should be off-price retail’s moment: But TJX Maxx and Marshall’s reported declining sales and store visits in Q2 as inflation curbed demand for discount goods.
US back-to-college retail spending will reach a new high of $73.9 billion this year, beating last year’s record of $71.0 billion and eclipsing the pre-pandemic figure of $54.5 billion in 2019.
China’s COVID-19 shutdowns hit high-end retailers hard: Tapestry and Estée Lauder are the latest companies to feel the brunt of a weakening Chinese economy.
Kohl’s doesn’t expect its fortunes to turn around anytime soon: The retailer slashed its financial forecast for the rest of the year, pointing to inflation as the cause for its softening sales.
TikTok announced new Shopping Ads this week in an effort to streamline in-app ecommerce.
We unpack the potential for cheaper consumer health devices as the FDA makes hearing aids directly available.