Retail & Ecommerce

Boxed could be forced to file for bankruptcy: The company is struggling to raise funds a little over a year after going public via SPAC.

Visa, Mastercard, and several paytechs said their businesses were mostly uninterrupted despite ties with the now-collapsed bank.

Pinduoduo owner PDD’s growth slowed in Q4: That reflects a sluggish retail landscape in China, which is why the company aims to diversify its revenue streams.

Where many retailers struggled last year, Dollar General succeeded as cost-conscious consumers sought out lower prices amid inflation. But there’s a larger opportunity on the horizon for Dollar General: retail media. The discount store’s ability to reach rural audiences coupled with its popularity among marketers place it in a favorable position for the years ahead.

Chick-fil-A risks angering customers by devaluing loyalty program: While Chick-fil-A will require customers to spend more to qualify for perks, Subway leans into value with its Footlong Pass.

FedEx delivers a positive outlook: Though it highlights its ongoing transformation efforts, its slowing ecommerce growth is one potential risk.

After two years of outsized growth, ecommerce returns dipped by 2.5% year over year per our estimates, and we now expect ecommerce return rates to approach pre-pandemic levels by 2026

On today's episode, we discuss Snapchat's new AI chatbot, Meta's generative AI plans, and what's new about GPT-4. "In Other News," we talk about whether VR influencers can save the metaverse and how drone delivery company Wing is looking to make last-mile delivery more efficient. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Jacob Bourne and Jasmine Enberg.

Retail theft is on the rise: Macy’s, Ulta, TJX, and Five Below are among the retailers that have recently warned about shrink eating into their margins.

Discount stores are on an expansion tear: Amid growing sales, Dollar General, Five Below, and Dollar Tree plan to open more stores this year.

Which networks should brands be paying attention to as they refine their retail media strategy? From the king of them all to the ones that are just catching up, here are five retail media networks to keep an eye on this year.

Its valuation took another big dip, but the raise could encourage other cash-hungry fintechs. Stripe’s OpenAI tie-in can open doors for both firms.

Despite rising prices, demand for travel continues to grow after years of pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions. Our research team takes a look at loyalty program users by generation and how to keep them booking.

On today's episode, we discuss how close consumers are to reaching their breaking point, what consumers actually want from companies when shopping online, whether same-day delivery is fast enough, why ads are starting to depict women in domestic roles more frequently again, Subway's plans for an electric car charging "oasis," facts about weddings today, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our vice president of content Suzy Davidkhanian and analysts Blake Droesch and Evelyn Mitchell.

China’s retail rebound is off to a sluggish start: Consumers are being cautious with their spending as they navigate economic uncertainty. (This article was written with the assistance of ChatGPT.)