The news: Clickthrough rates on Google Search for home improvement content fell steadily through 2024, according to Industry KPI data from Databox, as the US housing market languished. Our take: With nothing to ease affordability constraints and high interest rates, home improvement activity and search performance are likely to remain subdued. Retailers that emphasize value-oriented, do-it-yourself home products in their content and marketing will be better positioned to capture sales as the housing market takes time to recover.
Dollar General benefits from “trade-in” behavior among wealthier shoppers: The retailer boosted its outlook as discretionary spending from higher-income consumers offset lower-income caution.
Global fintech revenues increased by 21% YoY in 2024, a strong increase from 13% in the previous year, per Boston Consulting Group and QED Investor’s Global Fintech Report. Challenger banks such as Monzo, Nubank, and Resolut fueled impressive 23% revenue growth in the deposit vertical. Trading and investment fintech revenues grew 21%, and Insurance fintechs measured 40% growth. Fintechs need to drill down into key demographics like digital natives, the unbanked, and the underbanked. Scaled fintechs can also focus on merger and acquisition (M&A) opportunities.
Klarna’s later entry into the US debit card space offers it a pathway to seize more payment volume.
A new credit card is a smart way to contend with incumbents and fintech competitors, but a confusing product line could dampen its adoption.
Almost three-fourths (74%) of consumers prefer to shop in-store for alcoholic beverages versus only buying them online (7%), according to March data from ThinkNow Research.
Nonalcoholic beer set to overtake ale as world’s second-largest beer category: Younger consumers drive the growth as they consume less alcohol.
Multicultural adtech is becoming essential: Mundial’s privacy-first model helps brands reach a $4 trillion Hispanic market with precision.
Travel demand is becoming harder to predict: Consumers are waiting until the last moment to make plans as uncertainty complicates spending decisions.
Chinese consumers’ travel spending softened during a recent holiday: That’s a clear sign that confidence is strained due to trade tensions with the US.
This decision feeds into the rising enthusiasm for stablecoin as the future of payments.
There are now more than 80 retail media networks (RMNs) in the US. The volume of RMNs, combined with the dominance of Amazon and other established competitors, makes it challenging for new and niche RMNs to capture share.
Shifting policies erode consumer spending bit by bit: Looser bank fee rules, weakening appliance and insurance standards, and rising tariffs all combine to strain household budgets.
LGBTQ+ influencers note drop in Pride deals: The change, attributed to pressure from the administration, could have consequences for brands.
Amazon faces renewed antitrust scrutiny in Europe: The retailer is under fire from German regulators concerned that its price controls limit competition.
Consumers’ belt tightening was good news for Campbell’s in FYQ3: The consumer packaged goods company benefited from a surge in home cooking, now at its highest rate since the pandemic.
Spotify is doubling down on podcast engagement: New features arrive as listenership and advertiser demand both hit record highs.
But fintechs are leading the way, using superior bill-pay offerings as differentiators.
Tariffs are slowing retail sales growth: A Reuters analysis found the Trump administration’s trade policies have cost companies more than $34 billion in lost sales and higher costs, and that toll keeps rising.