A lot happens in a week, so every Friday we're going to analyze all the new data and provide you with some of the key takeaways. Welcome to the Friday 5. This week, Temu and Shein get a scare, consumers use buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps to discover new products, and Super Bowl viewers don’t really care about ads for AI products or services.
Amazon opens a “parapharmacy” in Milan: The store is part of a broader push into beauty and personal items and marks its latest attempt to crack the brick-and-mortar code.
Consumer tech spending expected to reach record $537 billion in 2025—unless tariffs get in the way: The need to replace pandemic-era purchases and interest in AI-powered features will spur demand, assuming prices stay steady.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how marketers (and consumers) currently feel about brand safety, how publishers are trying to assuage brands’ concerns, and what comes after ‘brand suitability’. Tune in to the conversation with Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, our Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, Vice President Paul Verna, and co-founder and CEO of Mobian Jonah Goodhart. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.
Nearly half of US consumers say AI-generated ads make brands seem fraudulent, yet most will still buy, revealing a gap between skepticism and spending habits.
Travel holds up amid headwinds: Consumers continue to prioritize trips, aiding hotel performance and expansion.
Online reviews are vital to the shopping experience, but a growing wariness of fake reviews and AI's escalation of the problem has recently spurred governments to act.
Fraud concerns aren’t slowing down the P2P player as its growth outpaces peers
Its impressive growth gives Shopify a volume and cross-sell boost
The card program can capitalize on growing interest in crypto ownership
Retailers cut 6,419 jobs in January: That’s up 20% YoY, with more to come as chains like Joann plan to close hundreds of stores.
Beauty brands and retailers target Gen Alpha spending as growth slows: Their beauty obsession makes them a natural focus, but companies have to tread carefully.
Unilever’s 30 largest brands grew 5.3% YoY in Q4: That significantly outpaced the company’s overall 4% growth rate, which was just shy of analysts’ expectations.
More retailers open restaurants: Muji, Coach, and Louis Vuitton are among the companies relying on hospitality concepts to boost store visits and spending.
Gen Z consumers rely heavily on online reviews to make purchase decisions: They’re also more likely to trust reviews than older generations.
Egg prices are up, and so are consumers’ concerns about affording groceries amid rising cases of avian flu, inflation, and President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Here’s how grocery shopping may change in the year ahead and what retailers need to know.
Inflation accelerated in January: Rising prices of eggs, chocolate, and other goods keep costs in the spotlight, potentially squeezing discretionary spending and pressuring retailers.
Burger King gave consumers a reason to spend in Q4: Limited-time menu options, such as Addams Family-themed items, along with the Million Dollar Whopper campaign, boosted US same-store sales 1.5%.
DoorDash vows to invest more in expansion: Strong Q4 revenues and orders boost momentum, but inflation and tariffs pose risks.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what makes Sam’s Club stand out against Costco and BJ’s, why its retail media offering is unique, and where it might be falling short. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano and Senior Analyst Zak Stambor.