The traditional definition of a department store centered on multi-category offerings (apparel, beauty, and home), multi-brand assortments with strong private labels, and massive physical footprints anchoring shopping malls. But that definition is evolving.
Back-to-school spending will reach $85.42 billion in 2026, as families prioritize education despite a growing focus on value. Shoppers are increasingly turning to digital channels and promotional events to lock in lower prices before the start of the school year.
Social media is emerging as a key growth channel for retail media networks (RMNs) as they expand beyond their owned properties.
In Q1 2026, we analyzed more than 5,200 ChatGPT responses across nine personal care and beauty categories to compile the AI Visibility Index.
Banks are at severe risk of losing customer engagement to general-purpose AI tools.
New AI models pose a systemic threat to financial institutions.
Banks have lost their place in financial education for young consumers.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss: What if Meta keeps losing all these lawsuits? What if Meta bought Roku? What if Amazon’s new smartphone is a hit?
Nearly half (48%) of North American CX leaders plan to add two-way SMS/text as a customer service channel in the short to near term, making it the most-planned CX investment on the list, according to a December 2025 survey from Execs In The Know.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss what if Apple delivers on its vision of Apple Intelligence? What if Abercrombie evolves beyond retail into a lifestyle brand? What if Google starts paying for the content its AI uses? Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian, and Principal Analysts Nate Elliott and Yory Wurmser. Listen anywhere, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
Luxury beauty brands can no longer afford to operate like traditional fashion houses in the social media era. Instead, they must adopt the agility of indie brands while protecting their heritage and authority.
Health and beauty ad spending jumps 50%+, while electronics swing with demand cycles, according to our industry KPI data.
Shipt expansion widens next-day reach as rivals race ahead.
Energy-driven inflation dents confidence and could erase billions in core sales.
Gen Z and millennials drive all-day demand for protein-packed staples.
Experiences, authenticity, and milestone-driven travel experience top young adults’ list of must-haves.
Real-time payment rails remain an underdog to stablecoin-led transactions, but safety could give FedNow an edge.
Ecommerce orders jumped in 31 states on game days as fan fervor spilled into carts.
Essential spending keeps traffic positive while superstores fluctuate and then climb early this year.