In the third of five reports in our “Payments Ecosystem 2024” collection, we unpack how the lines between POS hardware and software are disappearing as providers push the innovation envelope.

Brands and marketers have an increasingly prominent presence at the annual technology, arts, and culture festival in Austin, Texas, which this year took place from March 8 to 16. We break down the key topics that drew the most attention from attendees.

Asia-Pacific remained a global hotspot in 2023, with six of the top 10 fastest-growing retail ecommerce markets worldwide. In particular, China's online shopping market showed signs of resiliency, with growth rates in the double digits.

Mobile commerce growth increases the impact of a straightforward checkout process: Half of consumers surveyed consider how easy a merchant’s checkout process is when deciding where to shop.

Payment providers are tapping genAI to personalize marketing offers and virtual assistants while streamlining customer checkout. These tools could help providers monetize transaction data and help merchants drive sales.

Ecommerce growth accelerated during the 2023 holiday season as US consumers shifted more of their shopping to mobile devices.

Shein, Amazon shift tactics to keep each other—and Temu—at bay: Shein is offering its supply chain services to brands, while Amazon is leaning into its delivery capabilities and customer service.

Walmart may be playing catch-up to Amazon when it comes to ecommerce and retail media, but recent moves like its $2.3 billion acquisition of VIZIO are giving the retailer momentum. But what are some other big moves that Walmart can make to grab more attention, loyalty, and customers?

MrBeast will create a reality series for Prime Video: In a move that defies platform allegiance, YouTube’s most popular creator will help generate a hit for Amazon.

Big Tech (Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft) will attract nearly two-thirds of US digital ad dollars this year, according to our October 2023 forecast.

As Latin America’s digital revolution marches on, advertisers and retailers must keep pace with how and where consumers are spending their time—and money—if they wish to maintain a competitive edge in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.

As a potential TikTok ban looms, brands are considering what a world without TikTok Shop would look like. I probably won’t look all that different, but there are a few places where TikTok’s absence will be felt more than others.

Amazon announces Big Spring Sale as consumers show signs of spending fatigue: The retailer is counting on the event to jolt sales and give its ad business an edge over Meta and Google.

Every major streaming company—and some not so major ones—is investing in live sports. As they compete for broadcast rights, they’re seeking advertisers. Exclusive inventory is a draw, but benefits like first-party data and the ability to execute on lower-funnel objectives are also helping streamers woo live sports advertisers.

The ecommerce giant’s launch of ads on Prime Video instantly gave it the largest audience for an ad-supported subscription video service in the US.

Our latest forecast and exclusive consumer surveys highlight the most compelling omnichannel opportunities for fashion brands, retailers, and marketers.

All eyes are on streaming. Last year, non-pay TV viewers surpassed traditional pay TV viewers in the US, per our forecast. Years of streaming platform proliferation are over, yielding to consolidation and fragmented ad measurement. Bundles between streaming platforms and partnerships with retail media platforms are forming, leaving media buyers with a headache over how to strategize.

Big Tech has a big problem: The regulatory tide has turned against it. Digital advertising giants face several major lawsuits, and competition authorities are working to launch more before a possible change in leadership following US elections.

Target announced it will launch a paid membership program April 7, following Amazon and Walmart’s lead.The move comes asTarget struggles to keep up with competitors.