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Which of the biggest ecommerce companies will grow the fastest in 2023? Yesterday鈥檚 Chart of the Day: Retail media madness.

There鈥檚 often a perception that markets in Asia developed digital offerings far faster than the US and Europe鈥攖hat鈥檚 only partially true in retail.

The complaint was filed Thursday with the European Commission (EC) and the European Network of Consumer Authorities and cited cases in which gamers are led to spending real money on in-game currency for games they already owned. Key stat: In-game purchases accounted for 43% of PC and console revenues in 2023, per NewZoo, with gamers spending $50 billion annually.

Go further: Read our reports on US Luxury Consumers and Their Path to Purchase and Luxury Ecommerce.

Social media users in select countries (US, UK, Australia, France, and Saudi Arabia) trust brands over influencers when it comes to finance, apparel, and skincare, per an October study from Snap Inc. and IPG Magna. Finance is where this trend is most pronounced.

59% of US shoppers are most influenced by honest creator reviews that showcase the pros and cons of a product, according to a September 2024 survey by Bazaarvoice and Savanta.

OnlyFans posts record-breaking $6.63 billion in 2023 gross payments: Creator base grows 29%, but regulatory challenges loom.

WhatsApp鈥檚 importance to Meta goes well beyond social messaging: A forced divestiture could disrupt customer service, commerce, and loyalty worldwide.

But their appetite for shopping online hasn鈥檛 yet extended to social media. That鈥檚 partly because social commerce has been slower to roll out in the UK than in the US and China, the world鈥檚 other top ecommerce nations. Another headwind is the relative maturity of ecommerce in the UK, where consumers and brands already have well-established digital habits that could take time to change.

The total value of contactless payments made with UK Barclays cards surged nearly 50% YoY thanks to regulatory changes and broader acceptance.

There is significant potential for retail media in the UK, which is one of the world鈥檚 most advanced ecommerce markets. GroupM forecasts the value of retail media spend in the UK could reach 拢2.4 billion by 2024. Among the retailers set to dominate are Amazon, Tesco, Sainsbury鈥檚, and Boots, whose ecommerce operations command significant monthly traffic. Amazon pioneered retail media networks (RMNs).

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, the British Retail Consortium has warned there may be 鈥渕ore gloom than glitter鈥� this Christmas. With families preoccupied with making ends meet, what can retailers expect from the festive trading period? This Analyst Take will explore how shopping habits might change, what will happen to total spend this holiday season, and how retailers can maintain loyalty and attract new customers amid inflation.

The news: Uber is expanding its retail media push into Europe by appointing Paul Wright, who most recently worked for Farfetch and Amazon, to lead Uber Advertising for the UK and Ireland. This comes on the heels of Uber announcing it would be offering in-app advertising with Journey Ads designed to target users more likely to transact.

Brands can now place advertising on in-store digital screens, in parking lots, on shopping carts, and in shopping aisles.

It released draft legislation to provide more safeguards for UK consumers, many of whom are under financial strain.

Brands will have to justify pricing and deter shoppers from trading down, which means rethinking pack sizes, loyalty discounts, or product improvements to maintain price premiums. Eye of the consumer: Bargain hunters seeking deals will go to search engines. Our forecast calls for search spending to rise faster than total digital ad spending.

Ecommerce will account for 14.6% of total retail sales in 2023. But in some categories鈥攍ike sporting goods, hobby, books, music, and video; computer and consumer electronics; and apparel and accessories鈥攊t鈥檒l account for almost half of sales and be a primary ad channel for advertisers. Retail media booms as brands and retailers seek to boost profits in the UK.

Borrowers struggling with inflation and rising interest rates can pay just the interest on their loans for up to six months鈥攚ith no implications.

Epic Games forced Apple to unwind App Store rules, setting a precedent that weakens Apple鈥檚 payment monopoly and threatens its fastest-growing services revenue stream.

It partnered with merchants and mobile wallets to offer customers coupons and discounts across select markets in Asia-Pacific and Europe.