On today's episode, we discuss Twitter's "Super Follows" and "Communities" features, what annoys online shoppers, whether a foldable iPhone is coming, if Paramount+ can fit into people's media diets, Instagram's new Live Rooms offering, where to find a true wonder of the world, and more. Tune in to listen to the discussion with eMarketer principal analysts Jillian Ryan and Yoram Wurmser, and analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch.

Gen Xers have taken a hit from the pandemic. But in midcareer and with bigger-than-average households, they remain too important a cohort for marketers to ignore. Thus, it’s essential see how their finances, shopping behavior, and digital usage shape up amid the pandemic.

To buy or not to buy–here’s why internet users turn away from brands when online shopping

eMarketer principal analysts Mark Dolliver and Sara M. Watson, vice president of research Jennifer Pearson, and junior analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch discuss the pivotal decision of Facebook's Oversight Board to ban former President Donald Trump, private search engines making a push, whether social media damages teenagers' health, whether baby boomers will want to shop online post-pandemic, Apple's reported paywalled podcast platform, what happens to astronauts when they're in space, and more.

With bigger-than-average incomes and households, Gen Xers do bigger-than-average buying. But often on the lookout for deals, they are not spending heedlessly. Digital plays an important role in their shopping, especially during the pandemic.

Digital has been a retail reality for UK shoppers over much of the past year, thanks to lockdown orders requiring nonessential retailers to shutter their physical stores for long periods of time.

eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Victoria Petrock discusses how to be an inclusive marketer. She then talks about new guidelines for drone delivery, retailers turning to augmented reality (AR) to help online shoppers try products on, and the ceiling for virtual reality (VR) adoption.

The growth of the online category accelerated beyond our previous expectations in 2020. Amid the pandemic, tens of millions of US consumers became online grocery buyers for the first time, according to our latest forecast on US grocery sales. In 2021, this behavior will go from trial to habit for many shoppers.

eMarketer senior analyst Bill Fisher and principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Karin von Abrams discuss what they're paying attention to in 2021 and why: How Brexit will impact online shopping, Amazon's European rivals, and new EU tech regulations.

Though US law requires most public and private companies to make their websites and digital experiences accessible to people with disabilities, many are still missing the mark. But as the pandemic forces more people to work, study, shop, and conduct business online, it is empowering the disability community. Brands are turning to new technology and inclusive design to boost accessibility and extend their outreach.

A majority share of consumers are now taking to marketplaces first when shopping online. According an August 2020 survey from ecommerce ad agency ChannelAdvisor conducted by Dynata, 53% of US adults said they began product searches at Amazon when planning to make a digital purchase.

The food and beverage category is seeing the biggest gains in retail ecommerce sales growth this year as more consumers have gotten comfortable shopping online amid the pandemic. Over the past few months, Kellogg’s has also experienced this digital growth and implemented ongoing efforts to adapt to the rapidly changing retail environment.

Ecommerce’s share of total retail in Canada is higher than we previously expected, as brick-and-mortar outlets are forced to shutter and online shopping becomes a necessity.

Digital retail will have a huge impact on UK shopper trends in the coming holiday season. This year, ecommerce will account for nearly a third of all holiday spending, its largest share to date. Brick-and- mortar shopping, meanwhile, remains on the precipice.

China’s Singles’ Day is no longer just a discount shopping event, as participating digital giants are now leveraging livestreams, new product launches, and novel technologies to enhance customer engagement and the buying experience.

eMarketer principal analyst Mark Dolliver, junior analyst Blake Droesch, principal analyst Jillian Ryan, and vice president of content studio at Insider Intelligence Paul Verna discuss the major digital pivot to reimagined events amid COVID-19. Then, the usual suspects talk about Twitter's fight against election misinformation, TikTok's potential rivals, untapped marketing to lower-income customers, ecommerce within YouTube, and how cats aren't as heartless as they seem.

The pandemic has accelerated ecommerce growth in the US this year, with online sales reaching a level not previously expected until 2022. In our Q3 US retail forecast, the top 10 retailers by ecommerce sales will tighten their grip on the retail market.

eMarketer principal analyst Andrew Lipsman and senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence Cindy Liu speak about innovations in ecommerce and how technology is creating a frictionless experience for online shoppers. They discuss the jump from fast to free shipping, what drone deliveries could potentially look like, and dive into the many facets of click and collect. They also explain the downsides of frictionless commerce and how businesses can overcome those hurdles.

Marketers must look past some familiar stereotypes of millennial life—about their digital usage, shopping behavior, finances and attitudes toward homeownership—to grasp the realities of how this cohort has evolved.

Amid 2020’s grim retail environment, ecommerce stands out as a bright spot. By now, the story is well known: US buyers have turned to online retailers like Amazon and Walmart in record numbers, mostly to avoid shopping in crowded places or because their local stores were closed.

The 2019 holiday season capped a tough year for physical retailers in the UK, with brick-and-mortar sales down for the second year running. However, strong gains in retail ecommerce sales meant that overall, retail sales saw growth during the season.

eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Andrew Lipsman discusses how holiday shopping in 2020 actually went: how much was bought online, whether "shipageddon" came true, and the retail winners and losers. He then explains the implications of Walmart's ecommerce boss leaving, Poshmark's and Affirm's IPOs, and why Peloton is buying Precor.