Retail & Ecommerce

Mastercard AI solution helps nine UK banks predict and prevent scams: With FedNow due any day, combating fraud in real-time payments has taken on a new urgency.

Student loan payment resumption could shock unprepared borrowers: But it’s an opportunity for financial institutions to do some proactive outreach and strengthen their customer relationships.

“Click-to-cancel” may not be so simple: The FTC’s proposal requiring companies to provide easy cancellation methods is getting pushback.

Influencer brands like Prime and Feastables are thriving: Consumers are willing to pay a premium for brands by creators like MrBeast, Logan Paul, and KSI.

UK cosmetics brand Lush’s sales are falling: The company’s CEO says the brand’s popularity has been waning since Brexit.

Amazon’s European business is under pressure: The retailer’s iRobot acquisition is being investigated by the European Commission, while a strike in the UK could derail Prime Day sales.

US shoppers are mostly staying away from social commerce: Just 14% have made a purchase via social media.

Some 57% of US consumers started their online shopping searches on Amazon as of Q2 2023, according to Jungle Scout. That’s more than those who started on a search engine (42%), the Walmart website (39%), or TikTok (17%).

TikTok aims to generate $20 billion in sales via TikTok Shop, and is expected to launch its own US ecommerce store soon. The platform is also leveraging new search features to become a hub for retail ecommerce. TikTok is also pushing new AI ad tools, and getting involved in a host of new media ventures. Here’s what the platform has been up to over the past month.

The real-time payments system could create a loss of interchange revenue and other challenges—but that’s not stopping them from signing up for it

Data Connect for Marketing helps merchants use first-party data to make more targeted and successful marketing campaigns

After a rough 2022, Worldpay’s valuation took a hit and will need to find ways to reinvigorate growth

Gen Z’s buying power is rapidly growing: Food and beverage companies looking to cater to the demo’s unique tastes can’t do so without incurring some risks, however.

Nearly 175 million adults in the US will use Amazon Prime this year, making up 65.9% of the US adult population, according to our forecast.

The US IPO market shows signs of life: Cava went public last month and raised $366 million and now Birkenstock’s owner is considering taking the sandal maker public.

Food delivery platforms push back against NYC’s minimum pay law: Uber, DoorDash, and Grubhub say the new standard would raise costs for businesses and consumers while limiting worker flexibility.

With the anticipated growth of Prime Day sales, retail media spending will balloon as Amazon retailers invest in marketplace ads to capture more attention during the event.

Levi’s makes D2C its focus to offset shrinking wholesale revenues: But D2C poses its own challenges, including higher operating costs and the risk of losing out to competitors.

Deep discounts may drive consumers previously holding back on big-ticket or discretionary purchases to splurge, while parents will keep an eye out for back-to-school deals. Walmart, Target, and Best Buy may see Prime Day-driven boosts in physical store traffic.

Google continues to lose ground to Amazon: Amazon is holding steady as shoppers’ search engine of choice for products, even as TikTok and other social platforms attract Gen Z consumers.