蘑菇AV

The trend: A perfect macroeconomic storm is causing younger consumers to cut back on spending. Our take: These pressures aren鈥檛 going away anytime soon. The Trump administration鈥檚 tariffs are leading retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Macy鈥檚 to raise prices鈥攑utting even more strain on young shoppers already feeling stretched. At the same time, job anxieties are growing. The white collar workforce is shrinking, and more companies are citing AI as a reason for layoffs. Put it all together, and it鈥檚 likely that younger consumers will remain cautious with their spending for some time, especially on nonessentials. Retailers that want to win over this group will need to focus on offering value such as high-quality, private label products.

The news: Fiserv will acquire the remaining 49.9% stake in AIB Merchant Services, one of Ireland鈥檚 largest payment solutions providers and Europe鈥檚 largest ecommerce acquirers. Our take: Fiserv has to find innovative ways to grow among a competitive POS landscape, rising softPOS adoption, and pervasive economic uncertainty.

Choosing the right tech solutions can be like entering a long-term relationship with vendor partners. 鈥淭here has to be a long-term gain more than just a nice-to-have quick incremental add,鈥� said Ann Marie Ippoliti, vice president of ecommerce and marketing for Michael Kors at The Lead Summit in New York City earlier this week.

Digital users in Quebec鈥攎ost of whom speak French as their first language鈥攈ave unique habits that are different from the rest of Canada. These include heavier consumption of TV and lighter usage of digital services and online shopping.

51% of global shoppers say the top reason they shop in-store is to experience products firsthand before buying, according to February data from Criteo.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss the potential of Amazon鈥檚 new Buy for Me feature, which of its new CTV ads will make the biggest impact, and how much tariffs might slow down the online shopping giant. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman, and Analyst Rachel Wolff. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Amazon shrugs off economic pressure: The retail giant says it hasn鈥檛 seen any meaningful average selling price increases, nor have shoppers pulled back spending.

NBCU looks to secure MLB rights after ESPN backs out: The deal would position NBCU as a one-stop shop for sports, enhancing its value for advertisers.

Despite growing up online, Gen Z and millennials prefer in-person shopping and socializing, creating opportunities for minimalist tech and physical brand experiences.

On today鈥檚 podcast episode, we discuss the most likely outcome for the TikTok saga, if LinkedIn is risking its professional identity by pivoting towards being a content platform, Pinterest鈥檚 latest initiative to become the shopping destination, and why Reddit is somewhat of a sleeping giant. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Vice President and Principal Analyst Jasmine Enberg, and Senior Analyst Minda Smiley. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Growth rates will decline, but digital grocery will remain a key focus for retailers looking to drive incremental sales dollars in ecommerce.

Could OpenAI turn ChatGPT into a shopping hub? The company is reportedly partnering with Shopify in an effort similar to other genAI shopping efforts by Perplexity and Microsoft.

As consumers become increasingly comfortable abandoning brands, marketers and retailers are betting on personalized experiences to keep them around. 81% of Gen Zers and Millennials, and 74% of all shoppers worldwide have switched brands in the past year, per a December 2024 Salesforce survey. Enhancing personalization efforts and building brand trust and loyalty are two of the top priorities among marketing leaders worldwide, according to a December 2024 survey from The Marketing Geeks.

"Department stores are getting a bad rap," said our analyst Suzy Davidkhanian on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers." "The way that department stores were structured as this one-hit wonder shop where you could find every single thing under one roof is a fallacy." Department stores are in a tough spot, as Hudson BAy鈥檚 recent bankruptcy shows. But ones that embrace new kinds of experiences, like the newly opened Printemps luxury department store in New York City's Financial District, might have the right idea for the future of department stores.

鈥沦丑辞辫辫别谤 journeys are very complex, and retail media networks (RMNs) need scale to reach those shoppers, wherever they may be,鈥� said Shawn McGahee, head of retail media at Google, during last week鈥檚 蘑菇AV Summit on commerce media.

Partnerships are key to breaking into brick and mortar, but generational mattress-shopping divides could mute the deal鈥檚 effectiveness.

layers browse, click, and buy real merch inside their favorite games, ushering in a new era of immersive ecommerce.