Retail & Ecommerce

Despite a slow start, foreign sanctions, and tight digital regulations, generative AI is emerging as a significant force in China.

Unilever begins the process of selling its ice cream business: A sale could boost profitability and enable it to steer clear of controversies over Ben & Jerry’s political stances.

“Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen a flurry of [media advertising] activity from outside the retail sector,” our analyst Sarah Marzano said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Although retail kicked off the commerce media trends, financial services, travel companies, and intermediaries such as Instacart and Uber Eats are monetizing their customer data and setting up ad networks. The rise of commerce media networks is changing the way advertisers approach targeting and how consumers interact with brands. Here are four predictions on these emerging trends.

Retail media networks are facing a little more competition these days as banks, payments providers, airlines, and hotels are starting their own media networks to monetize their first-party data and build out new revenue streams.

Amazon returns partnership is a huge hassle for Kohl’s, Staples employees: Despite an increase in foot traffic, the constant deluge of packages fails to deliver the expected sales bump.

McDonald’s $5 meal deal boosts traffic: The company plans to seize on those gains by extending the offer as it looks to bolster “affordability plans” through the rest of the year.

Mercado Libre gains momentum: Disney ad tech integration to broaden access to streaming inventory for Latin America advertisers.

Social commerce is the fastest-growing US retail channel, and retailers will need to offer a seamless payment experience to maximize the opportunity. Understanding payment preferences will be key to ensuring conversion at checkout.

The proposal aims to protect workers against fees, and while implementation may be costly, it should help the industry move forward

The company is setting itself up for long-term growth, but the looming threat of the swipe fee battle remains

Those innovations are critical for digital wallets; otherwise, they risk losing their customer relationships

Three in four spend more money as a loyalty member: Straightforward, easy-to-understand loyalty programs drive customer acquisition and keep shoppers coming back.

igh delivery costs are the No. 1 aspect of online shopping that frustrates adults worldwide, according to H1 2024 data from DHL.

Dynamic pricing plans risk alienating price-sensitive consumers: The mere possibility of variable prices is triggering anxiety over inflation and hurting trust in retailers

Bad weather rains on UK retailers’ parade: Despite softer than expected sales in June, the outlook is sunny thanks to easing inflation and growing consumer confidence.

It expects growth will recover in H2 24, but it’s in a more precarious situation than other issuers.

Its declining delinquency rates along with its progress to resolve legal disputes puts Discover in a stronger position ahead of the merger

The tie-up helps Cash App expand its merchant acceptance network, but it faces an uphill battle to gain traction in the competitive space

Inflation continues to impact spending in Q2, with 84% of consumers saying inflation had an impact on their spending, a 10% increase over Q1, per Jungle Scout’s research. Meanwhile, Amazon product categories recorded sales increases and social media shopping is on the rise.

The celebrity beauty boom isn’t over yet: Sales for brands like Rare Beauty are growing faster than the overall market, although not every A-list launch is a surefire success.