Retailers grapple with rising retail crime: Ulta Beauty and Walgreens are some of the retailers investing in stronger store security measures to deter theft.
While Amazon Prime Day was bigger than ever this year, one key category took a hit. Electronics sales decreased by 5% from last Prime Day, while growth shot past 25% in home, garden, and tools, as well as in beauty and health.
Boots looks to spur growth by launching an online marketplace: The project comes just a few months after Walgreens Boots Alliance abandoned plans to sell the UK drugstore chain.
Delivery robots aren’t ready for prime time: A project that tested Kiwibot sidewalk delivery robots identified several key hurdles before the technology can effectively deliver food and other items.
Social commerce has a returns problem: A bad returns experience prevents most social commerce shoppers from becoming repeat customers, posing a serious threat to platforms’ shopping ambitions.
Bonobos connects store associates to online customers’ queries: While the model should help boost conversion and sales and lower return rates, it does come with some risk.
Cash App users can now pay on popular retail sites like American Eagle and JD Sports, which can help Block boost payments volume and revenues.
Google starts allowing third-party payments: Developers in India and Japan are among the first to experience more equitable app-payments options—the move could push rival Apple to follow suit.
US mcommerce growth is slowing: But this is only natural as the category accounts for a larger percentage of overall retail sales, and still presents a big opportunity for retailers.
Last week, lumber prices fell as much as 4%, moving closer to pre-pandemic numbers, per Business Insider. This could be a sign of easing inflation, but it could also bring about a housing market slowdown. While we wait to see how the market shakes out, let’s take a look at where home improvement sits after a solid second quarter.
On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss mobile shopping behaviors and the metrics to pay attention to going forward. Then for "Pop-Up Rankings," we rank the top four mobile shopping apps that will shape the future of mcommerce. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Sky Canaves and Yory Wurmser.
Lower-income consumers are cutting back on spending: The segment is feeling inflation’s pinch, which has hurt sales at Five Below, TJ Maxx, and Nordstrom Rack.
As UK inflation continues to surge unabated, shopping habits are in flux. Consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending, as well as switching to private labels, and shopping around more to find better deals. Our previous Analyst Take discussed how retailers should react to these trends. This follow-up will consider how different categories are being affected and share our take on retailers that are well positioned to weather the inflationary storm.
UK regulators worry Microsoft could game the system: Controlling a trove of gaming assets puts the onus on Microsoft to silence regulators’ fears that it could monopolize various gaming segments.
Personalization pays if brands get it right: Consumers want content tailored just for them, but the challenges can be daunting for marketers.
Higher toy prices eat into demand: Price increases drove higher toy sales in the first half of 2022, but fewer households are buying.