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Retail media will continue to be the fastest-growing segment of digital advertising in the coming years. By opening up their digital platforms to third-party sellers, retailers can generate high-margin revenues from advertising and marketing services charged to sellers to promote their products both on- and offsite. Amazon has built a commanding lead in this space鈥擜mazon Ads draws more than three-quarters of US retail media ad spend.

Total US retail return volume will reach $627.34 billion this year, a 2.2% increase YoY, according to our forecast. Some retailers are turning to return fees to make up for increased costs, but that鈥檚 a risky move that may end up alienating customers. Here are three alternatives to return fees, ranging from the short term (building out product descriptions and customer reviews) to the long term (creating a returns as a service offering).

Offsite programmatic retail media ascendant: A 167% spike in the category will help drive US retail media to $81.6 billion by next year.

Online purchases will account for a growing share of total US retail returns.

Retail media just got even bigger. We recently updated our US retail media ad spend forecast to show higher growth than previously estimated, culminating in $109.40 billion in spend in 2027.

US retail media ad spend will hit $45.15 billion this year, an increase of almost 20% over 2022, according to our forecast. Growth will accelerate each year through 2027, when we expect spend to reach $106.12 billion.

This year, US retail returns volume will reach $627.34 billion, representing 8.5% of all retail sales, according to our forecast. After surging in 2020 and 2021 (due to the pandemic ecommerce boom and stimulus-driven boost in consumer spending), growth normalized last year and will continue to slow through 2024.

71% of US retail decision-makers have invested in data/AI-enabled content for personalization, according to an August 2023 report from Coresight Research and Obsess.

What do you get when you cross a $35 billion ad platform with a 160 million viewer streaming service? A snapshot of Amazon鈥檚 US retail media connected TV (CTV) potential. Luxury brand Movado is leveraging that potential to push video campaigns for Amazon Prime and Freevee viewers.

US retail marketplace ecommerce sales will grow 11.4% to reach $428.30 billion this year, per our forecast. Because Amazon (73.4%) and eBay (8.2%) will rake in the majority of those sales, smaller marketplaces like Shein, Michaels, and Wayfair are getting creative and taking the battle for sales in-store.

TikTok is going all-in on in-app purchases; Meta is focused on shoppable ads; and YouTube hopes to gain a competitive advantage through its strong creator relationships. All of this is happening as we forecast US retail social commerce sales will grow nearly 30% this year to hit $68.92 billion

Some 71% of US retail decision-makers have invested in data and AI-enabled content for personalization, according to an August 2023 survey by Coresight Research. As more brands adopt AI to scale tailored content, they鈥檙e also confronted with the challenge of protecting鈥攁nd respecting鈥攖heir audience鈥檚 privacy. Here are three ways鈥攁nd real-world examples鈥攔etailers can implement AI without overstepping customer boundaries.

In-store shopping remains the largest US retail channel by both share and dollars. Growth overall will decelerate as economic worries lead consumers to pull back on spending.

Go further: Read our latest report on US Retail Ecommerce Returns 2025.

Apparel brands and manufacturers fear hit from Trump tariffs: The duties will disproportionately affect the industry, as 97% of the apparel and shoes sold in the US is imported from countries like China and Vietnam.

US total media ad spending could fall to $394 billion in 2025 under a heavy tariff scenario, wiping out projected gains for the year, per our April 2025 forecast.

Retail media鈥檚 growth will continue to be fueled by two complementary advertiser needs: the need for measurable sales, and the need for privacy-compliant data that can be used to reach consumers at the top or middle of the purchase funnel.

2025 could be another tough year for luxury companies: LVMH鈥檚 rough Q1 reveals considerable challenges as US spending drops.

Constellation Brands imports all of its beer from Mexico: That puts the Modelo parent in a challenging position in wake of US tariffs on imported canned beer and empty aluminum cans.

Power鈥檚 2025 US Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. The details: Banks are amplifying efforts to help customers manage finances, avoid fees, resolve problems, and access financial tools. The following performance metrics improved since last year鈥檚 survey:. Overall satisfaction score rose by 11 points. Loyalty rose by 2 percentage points.

Retail leasing demand hit a post-pandemic low in Q1: Retailers and landlords alike have been hesitant to lease or purchase property for new store builds amid continued macroeconomic uncertainty.