Retail & Ecommerce

Next is bullish on UK consumer spending in 2024 as economy improves: The retailer is confident that rising wages and falling inflation will spur consumption.

Shein, Amazon shift tactics to keep each other—and Temu—at bay: Shein is offering its supply chain services to brands, while Amazon is leaning into its delivery capabilities and customer service.

Consumers are dining out less often: Darden Restaurants reported softer same-restaurant sales as price pressures drive lower-income households to cut back.

On today's podcast episode, we're at Shoptalk 2024 discussing the main takeaways, the best side conversations and booths, and the discussed trends we don't see coming to fruition. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts chief content officer Zia Daniell Wigder and analyst Jasmine Enberg, who were both at this year's conference.

The average score isn’t cause for concern yet, but it’s a sign that delinquencies may be catching up with consumers

This can make Galileo a more attractive partner for fintechs to work with and can help the modern card issuer keep up its momentum

OpenAI training ‘materially better’ GPT-5 for mid-year release: Chip shortages and a shift in priorities have likely delayed the model’s release. Its ROI might fall short of expectations.

Rare Beauty mulls a sale amid soaring revenues: The company’s focus on delivering quality products at affordable prices is turning it into a beauty juggernaut.

Shoppers pull back spending on high-end goods: Rising borrowing costs, persistent inflation, and the return of travel and experiences have taken the wind out of luxury’s sails both in the US and Asia.

Temu parent PDD spent $11.6 billion on marketing in 2023: The retailer’s ad blitz helped it win over cost-conscious shoppers in China and abroad.

Microsoft makes a massive de facto AI acquisition through hiring: Inflection’s leaders will run Microsoft’s AI unit as the sector’s power becomes increasingly concentrated.

Kohl’s wants to become a destination for home goods: The retailer is expanding its home assortment by 40%. But the category isn’t without its challenges.

Worldwide retail ecommerce sales will make up a fifth (20.1%) of total retail sales this year, totaling $6.334 trillion, per our forecast.

Discover the dynamic shift toward digital wallets in the US and the UK in the latest podcast episode of "Behind the Numbers: The Banking & Payments Show." Delve into the compelling discourse on how younger generations' move to digital is rendering traditional wallets obsolete. Join host Rob Rubin, our US-based analyst Tyler Van Dyke, and UK-based analyst Carina Perkins as they unravel trends in digital transactions for dining, shopping, and ID verification. In the "For Argument's Sake" section, we dissect the fierce competition for market dominance among industry giants like Apple and Google, established players like PayPal, rising star Paze, and potential disruptors. Tune in for a forward-looking conversation and hit subscribe for the latest insights. Key insights: - Youth-led shift: Analysis reveals a robust trend among younger consumers pivoting to digital wallets for everyday activities, indicating a cultural and technological shift. - Market dominance debate: We uncover the strategic moves by tech titans and emergent challengers vying to capture the largest share of digital wallet users. - Cross-Atlantic perspectives: Insights from US and UK analysts present a diverse view on the adoption of digital wallets, offering a broader understanding of the global digital economy.

Meta revamps Advantage+ with creative optimizations to boost ad engagement: The company is leaning into two trends: Video consumption and performance marketing dollars.

The fight for grocery dollars is heating up. Retailers that offer shoppers the right assortment of products at the lowest prices are likely to win. In order to keep dollar and discount stores from stealing share, other retailers need to borrow their pricing and merchandising strategies to connect with cash-strapped consumers.

Unilever plans to cut 7,500 jobs and separate its ice cream unit: Its embrace of a less-is-more approach to drive growth echoes similar efforts by Oatly and Hasbro.

Nordstrom may go private: The move could enable Nordstrom to reimagine its business outside the glare of the public markets.