Amazon Ads remains the torchbearer for the fast-growing retail media industry. Despite nearly every major retailer launching their own retail media network (RMN) in recent years—with several beginning to scale—Amazon’s No. 1 position will be secure well into the future.
Instead of trying to compete with Amazon, Barnes & Noble is changing to appeal to consumers looking for the experience of an independent bookstore with the resources of a large chain. Leaning on local inspiration and a store layout that optimizes discovery, Barnes & Noble is revamping its 596 locations, as well as its membership program.
On Running is firing on all cylinders: The performance footwear company grew D2C and wholesale revenues—as well as market share—in Q2.
Ant Group’s cross-border payments arm will help wallets from across Asia-Pacific operate in mainland China during the 2022 Asian Games.
eBay recently posted ad revenues of $367 million in Q2 2023—a growth of 35% YoY—in its latest earnings. But much of that can be tied to innovation in its ad types, improved measurement capabilities, and expanded third-party ads. eBay’s market also gives it a retail media opportunity outside of consumer packaged goods (CPG). Let’s break down what eBay is doing right.
A lack of standardization across platforms was cited as US marketers’ No. 1 challenge with retail media networks (RMNs) as of last summer, according to the Association of National Advertisers.
Apple uses safety and security to win over consumers. Birkenstock focuses on education, showcased through a three-part docuseries. And Taco Bell, with the help of Pete Davidson, apologized for “over-innovating” its breakfast menu.
Although OOH is still primarily a traditional medium, outdoor advertising’s future is digital. US DOOH ad spend will grow by double digits annually through the end of our forecast period in 2027. In the near term, DOOH is overcoming its pandemic slump.
Physical retail must adapt to intensifying competition from ecommerce. Every physical retail incumbent feeling heat from Amazon recognizes the need to better compete with digital’s informational and convenience advantages. But they must do so without losing the experiential edge offered by brick-and-mortar.
Macy’s looks to private labels to boost its bottom line: As consumers pull back on discretionary spending, retailers are turning to private labels to differentiate their merchandise and improve margins.
“Shopping apps and marketplaces that specialize in ultralow-cost goods from China are gaining a foothold among US consumers—with broader implications for the future of ecommerce,” our analyst Sky Canaves wrote in our Chinese Ecommerce in the US report. Canaves expanded on what’s driving this retail opportunity for companies like Shein, Temu, and TikTok in the US and how it will impact the US market on a recent “Reimagining Retail” podcast episode.
Amazon is scaling back its private-label business: The company is cutting dozens of its brands in what appears to be a concession to the FTC.
On today's episode, we discuss whether Amazon can keep expenses down while also keeping customers happy, where the company will place its bets on grocery, and how its advertising arm has performed of late. "In Other News," we talk about why most retailers site searches aren't working and how many streaming viewers will watch ads to save a few bucks. Tune in to the discussion with our director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and analyst Zak Stambor.
LiveRamp broadens Pinterest collaboration: Global advertisers to benefit from enhanced data integration.
Retail media is one of the fastest growing ad channels we track, due in part to the allure of closed-loop attribution powered by retailers’ first-party consumer data. But advertisers are starting to curb their enthusiasm given measurement challenges stemming from the lack of methodological standards across platforms. As it stands, it’s nearly impossible for advertisers to compare platforms against each other, which can lead to misallocation of budgets.
US adults are fairly evenly split on using mobile payment apps online versus in-store—except with PayPal, where 36% of users use the platform online most often, compared with 29% of users who use the app in-store, according to CivicScience.
The initial wave of excitement over generative AI is fading, leaving many retailers asking, “Now what?” Some might want to look toward Shopify, which is incorporating generative AI capabilities across its platform to help sellers build and scale their businesses more quickly. Or maybe take a cue from eBay, which is using the tech to make more accurate and helpful product recommendations. Meanwhile, Etsy is working to democratize access to machine learning models to help speed up deployment across its organization.
But the metric doesn’t take into account the full picture of consumers’ financial health
On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss the opportunity for China-based companies like Shein, Temu, and TikTok in the US, and how they can compete with Amazon. Then for "Red-Hot Retail," our analysts give us some spicy predictions about how fashion retail will change in the US as a direct result of Chinese manufacturers. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Sky Canaves and researcher and Asia-Pacific lead Man-Chung Cheung.
The RealReal and thredUP set their sights on premium shoppers: Both companies are targeting bigger spenders to improve margins and achieve profitability by next year.