Retail & Ecommerce

Grocery sales will account for 19% of US commerce sales in 2026: That’s enough to surpass apparel and accessories as the largest ecommerce category.

China faces an uphill battle in 2024 to revive economy: Prices fell for the third-straight month in December as sluggish demand fuels deflationary pressures.

Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing bet on overseas markets to drive growth: That wager is paying off as strong sales in North America and Europe helped the company top analysts’ expectations.

US inflation is heading in the right direction: Consumers are finally getting some price relief, but conflict in the Red Sea could upend progress.

Three quarters of shoppers worldwide are worried about fake reviews: The majority think it’s up to brands to police the issue.

“Despite lingering inflation, relatively sluggish consumer confidence, and shrinking excess savings, people still pulled out their wallets for the holidays,” our analyst Zak Stambor said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the biggest retail period, here are four predictions for the 2024 holiday season.

A new peak for ad industry employment: 2023 saw the ad industry reach 504,600 jobs—its highest ever figure and a sign that 2022’s troubles are in the rearview.

Consumer spending in 2023 reached $171 billion, a 3% increase YoY. Growth in non-gaming apps and genAI signal shifting dynamics, setting the stage for innovation in 2024.

Walmart looks to deliver a better shopping experience: The retail giant digs deeper into a host of technologies, including generative AI and AR, to position it as a “customer’s concierge.”

Revolving credit spiked in November. Paired with high interest rates and an increase in BNPL debts, consumers may be off to a rocky 2024

The deal would help M&A activity start strong in 2024 after falling to a six-year low in 2023

On today's podcast episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss how the 2023 holiday shopping season really went, whether we've shaken the feeling that we're in a recession, and what this means for the start of this year. Then for "Red-Hot Retail," our analysts give us two spicy predictions about the 2024 holiday season and two about what they would like to see from retailers. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and analyst Zak Stambor.

The frozen housing market begins to thaw: That’s good news for furniture, home furnishings, and home improvement retailers.

Wealthy shoppers gave Neiman Marcus’ holiday sales a boost: But overall sales continued to fall as aspirational shoppers cut spending.

TikTok Shop has a moderation problem: Merchants say the platform’s strict violation policy and overly sensitive AI tools are making it harder to sell on the platform.

71% of US adults prefer to take their time while shopping online for clothes and shoes, according to November 2023 Kearney data.

On the first podcast episode of the new year, we discuss what buy now, pay later's (BNPL’s) prospects will look like in 2024. • In our “Story by Numbers” segment, we focus on the outlook for BNPL by looking at growth by generation. • In “Headlines,” we examine data from Adobe Analytics that states BNPL purchases were up 43% on Cyber Monday compared with the previous year, and how the rise of BNPL use over the holidays has increased consumers' debt burden. • In “For Argument’s Sake,” we debate whether BNPL promotes good or bad behavior. Listen to the podcast with host Rob Rubin and our analysts Grace Broadbent and David Morris.

On today's podcast episode, our contestants compete in The Great Behind the Numbers Take Off, 2024 mobile trends edition, where they will try and cook up the most interesting predictions for the coming year. They'll discuss how shoppable media will evolve on mobile devices, where mobile ad dollars are moving to, and why foldable phones are here to stay. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Peter Newman, Andrew Spink, and Yory Wurmser.

For some, shopping online is functional, enabling consumers to get what they want quickly, without straying from their budget or list. By creating a more engaging ecommerce experience, retailers can make shopping online fun, enticing consumers to browse and buy like they might in-store—and perhaps, increasing their basket.