Rue21’s customer overlap with TikTok Shop could position the brand to benefit from a potential TikTok ban. Meanwhile, Gen Z consumers are increasingly choosing alcohol-free lifestyles, reflecting health-conscious preferences. Cost-consciousness drives brand switching, but convenience remains key in purchase decisions.

Here are five stats that caught our eye this week.

The key stat: Rue21 customers spent 26.6% less at the store in the four quarters after their first TikTok Shop purchase, a 23-point deceleration from pre-purchase growth, according to data from Earnest Analytics.

• Rue21 shares 47.3% of its customers with TikTok Shop, the third highest overlap behind Depop (50.9%) and Fashion Nova (49.7%).
• Because of this, Rue21 could be the biggest winner if TikTok is banned in the US.

The key stat: 46% of US Gen Z consumers don’t drink alcohol because they’re just not interested in it, the top reason for abstaining, per a recent survey from Attest.

• The second most popular reason is health concerns—34.0% of Gen Zers abstain from alcohol due to worries about its effects on their physical and mental health.
• 1 in 5 (21.5%) Gen Zers don’t drink alcohol, while 39% drink only occasionally.

The key stat: 67% of global consumers would switch to a new brand because it has a lower price, according to data from NIQ.

• The discount retail channel has grown 9.2% YoY globally, the third-fastest growing retail channel behind ecommerce and on-premise (in-store), though discounters encompass both physical and digital retail, too.
• Convenience plays a major role in the purchase process, too—55% of global consumers would spend more on shopping formats that are convenient to use.

The key stat: 54% of US consumers who took on debt to pay for holiday gifts are at least somewhat concerned about repaying it, per data from CivicScience.

• 27% of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users concerned about paying debt owe between $100 and $500, 10% owe between $500 and $1,000, and 19% owe $1,000 or more.
• To improve their financial situation, 41% of consumers concerned about repaying their debt plan to spend less on bars/restaurants. The same percentage plan to spend less on non-essential groceries.

The key stat: Amazon’s cost per click (CPC) rates rose 6% YoY in Q4 2024, according to Skai.

• Smaller platforms had lower CPCs and faster click growth, though Skai did not disclose which platforms or their CPC rates.
• Amazon will secure 76.2% of US retail media ad revenue this year, per our forecast.
• Though Amazon will remain the dominant player in retail media for the foreseeable future, its market share is projected to fall from 79.8% in 2022 to 76.1% by 2026.

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