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Will cross-border purchasing tank? In all likelihood, yes. Canada ranked No. 2 globally in cross-border retail ecommerce buyer penetration, according to our December 2024 forecasts. More than half (56.1%) of digital buyers were forecast to make transactions outside of the country (mostly the US) in 2025. But tariffs on US consumer goods and services will reduce demand significantly.

Online fashion sales are stable and growing slowly, but they lag wider ecommerce. Consumers are concerned about sustainability, but price is a bigger priority.

France鈥檚 digital landscape is evolving fast, driven by shifting consumer and media habits and increasing ecommerce adoption. Recent data reveals the trends shaping digital spending, retail sales, and more.

The latest data on advertising, retail, and ecommerce sales in Spain reveals slowing growth in digital ad spending and untapped potential for social commerce.鈥�

Companies are beginning to feel the sting of anti-US boycotts. Anti-US sentiment is especially visible in Canada, where consumers are directing more spending to local retailers and brands鈥攁nd making fewer visits south of the border. Still, while Canadians are using boycotts to push back against US trade policy, there are few signs elsewhere that anti-American sentiment is driving shoppers away from US brands.

The challenges: UPS鈥� turnaround remains in the early innings due to structural inefficiencies, operational missteps, and mounting macroeconomic headwinds. Our take: UPS faces a difficult road ahead. The company is actively trying to streamline operations鈥攑lanning to shutter up to 10% of its buildings, downsize its fleet, and reduce its US workforce to better align with leaner volumes. It鈥檚 also trimming low-margin business, notably cutting back on Amazon deliveries, which made up as much as 11.8% of its total revenues last year, in an effort to prioritize more profitable shipments. Still, with demand under pressure and cost headwinds mounting, stabilizing performance will be an uphill climb.

While the beauty landscape in the UK is hardly less crowded than the US, Ulta鈥檚 acquisition of Space NK, with its 83 stores in the UK and Ireland and established ecommerce business, gives it readymade entry to the market. There is also ample room to grow, not only in the UK but also in other European markets.

In our exclusive survey with ESW, data from shoppers in 18 countries reveals new twists in the path to purchase, the rising momentum of marketplaces, and the resilience of age-old fundamentals.

Latin America鈥檚 digital revolution is marching full steam ahead, with consumers spending more than a third of their day online. As social commerce and retail media propel the region鈥檚 digital economy to new heights, the runway for growth remains long.鈥�

Cutting back is easier said than done. 72% of consumers made an unplanned discretionary purchase in the past month鈥攅ven as 69% say they intend to cut back or maintain current levels of nonessential spending, per an Optimum Retailing consumer survey. Tried-and-true strategies like spotlighting limited-time deals, using eye-catching displays, and cross-merchandising essentials with related products continue to drive results鈥攅ven when shoppers say they鈥檙e cutting back.

LiveRamp kicked off its fiscal year with strong double-digit revenue growth and a 30% YoY earnings increase, driven by momentum across clean rooms, commerce media, and AI-driven infrastructure. CEO Scott Howe spotlighted Cross Media Insights鈥� early traction, growing adoption in non-retail verticals, and LiveRamp鈥檚 strategic shift to usage-based pricing to reach more SMBs. Netflix integrations continue scaling, despite technical complexity, while ROI remains a top sales focus鈥攈ighlighted by new case studies and a Forrester-backed 300% return benchmark. With 75% of growth still coming from existing clients, LiveRamp is pushing hard to scale new business in a post-cookie, AI-fueled future.

The news: Best Buy is testing a store-within-a-store concept with Ikea, aimed at helping customers more seamlessly integrate its appliances into Ikea-designed kitchens and laundry rooms. This marks the first time the Swedish retailer has offered services and products within another US retailer. Our take: Pairing two well-known, purpose-driven brands around a shared customer use case鈥攈ome design and functionality鈥攊s a smart play. The in-person branded experience should provide value to shoppers and offer a win-win path to renewed relevance and growth for both companies.

Criteo is modernizing retail media by launching a global auction-based ad platform and integrating with Mirakl to enable self-serve advertising for over 100,000 third-party sellers. This dual move addresses two persistent challenges: outdated fixed-price ad systems used by most retailers, and untapped ad spend from marketplace sellers. The auction system gives advertisers more control and performance insights, while Mirakl opens up a scalable, automated path for small sellers. Criteo also brings standardized attribution and reporting across retail partners鈥攆ixing transparency gaps. These changes position Criteo as a full-spectrum solution for brands, retailers, and sellers looking to compete in a fast-evolving market.

Retail media integration expands MMM鈥檚 reach. Retail media networks are embedding MMM capabilities to help brands measure performance across digital and in-store retail environments. With more media spend flowing to RMNs, brands need MMM to account for digital shelf dynamics, promotions, and full-funnel retail impact using retailer-supplied data. What are the key benefits of MMM?

Samsung Ads has launched Mobile Conversion, a new tool designed to drive mobile app installs by linking CTV ad exposure to in-app behavior. Using AI, real-time engagement signals, and partnerships with attribution platforms like AppsFlyer and Adjust, Samsung enables advertisers to target high-intent users and dynamically optimize campaigns. Early results show up to 150% gains in Day 7 ROAS. The product leverages Samsung鈥檚 massive device footprint and runs on premium inventory, including Samsung TV Plus. While starting with gaming, Mobile Conversion will soon extend to verticals like retail and finance鈥攎aking CTV a legitimate player in the performance marketing toolkit.

The news: Retail media infrastructure firm Topsort is helping major retailers like Woolworths, Kohl鈥檚, and Magalu grow ad revenues by 60% in a single month, per CEO Regina Ye. Topsort鈥檚 Data Genie tool converts billions of data points into instant insights and replaces legacy analytics systems that delay campaign execution. Our take: With budget exhaustion, measurement complexity, and system fragmentation among top buyer complaints, retailers are eager to modernize. Topsort鈥檚 AI-powered tools offer transparency, speed, and flexibility鈥攙alues that align closely with where the market is heading. The bigger question: Will fall product updates bring true interoperability or further entrench silos?

The levy, which will hit packages worth under 鈧�150 ($170.02), are paid by the ecommerce platform handling the shipment. The EU also proposed a separate 鈧�0.50 (54 cents) fee for goods routed through warehouses.

Back-to-school spending is steady in 2025, but shopper behavior is split. Parents are prioritizing tech and clothing鈥攜et these are also the first to be cut when budgets tighten. Consumers are shopping earlier, seeking deals, and using AI to keep costs down. With shopping habits divided by generation and income, retailers must stay flexible, personalize offers, optimize for AI, and create seamless cross-channel experiences.

Discounts are a primary motivator for TikTok Shop purchases: But that tactic may not be sustainable for sellers reeling from the impact of China tariffs.