DoorDash and Uber Eats deliver solid results: That’s thanks to their strong customer retention, which will prove important if the economy worsens.

A ban isn’t swaying brands from spending on TikTok: Apple, Pepsi, and DoorDash are among brands increasing ad spend despite hefty political problems.

Total US retail return volume will reach $627.34 billion this year, a 2.2% increase YoY, according to our forecast. Some retailers are turning to return fees to make up for increased costs, but that’s a risky move that may end up alienating customers. Here are three alternatives to return fees, ranging from the short term (building out product descriptions and customer reviews) to the long term (creating a returns as a service offering).

Pacvue expands beyond retail media to offer retailers a holistic ecommerce solution: The goal is to provide some consolidation in a highly fragmented, competitive marketplace.

Victoria’s Secret, Party City, and Lush Cosmetics are the newest retail partners DoorDash has added to its platform as it expands beyond restaurant delivery to offer customers on-demand delivery for alcohol, grocery, and convenience items.

Amazon expands its ultrafast delivery options: The retail giant is investing in same-day delivery amid growing competition from Target and others.

Target is spending $100 million to expand its next-day delivery capabilities: The retailer plans to have at least six new sortation centers to make delivery cheaper, faster, and more efficient.

Generous returns policies have encouraged shoppers to buy online, but an unsustainable wave of returned goods is forcing retailers to rethink their strategies.

Retail layoffs garner headlines but they’re not the full picture: The number of people working in retail continues to grow—we break it down.

Click-to-door time was as low as 4.4 days in July 2022 for non-Amazon digital retailers in the US, according to NielsenIQ. But Amazon has them beat by a lot, with an average click-to-door speed of 1.9 days.

Instacart will retain its status as grocery delivery king this year, capturing 73.0% of US digital grocery sales among third-party delivery services, per our forecast. However, competitors such as DoorDash and Uber will continue to eat away at its dominance.

The days of heady growth are over for rapid grocery startups: The once-frothy sector is now down to a handful of players and facing steep competition from Uber and Doordash.

Which retailers and brands will win (or lose) in 2023? Retailers that can offer value—either in terms of price or convenience—will continue to thrive, while those that cater to an increasingly squeezed middle class will struggle.

Invigorated travel has reestablished demand for travel credit card perks and benefits. But a recession could reverse gains—requiring premium card issuers to balance travel offerings with everyday utility. This second annual study reveals which of 10 leading premium travel credit cards are best positioned to attract and engage customers, based on their support of 49 emerging features.

What retailers need to know about the new wave of delivery apps and quick-commerce startups.

Another eventful year is on tap for retailers as inflation forces consumers to prioritize basics, supply chain snarls continue, and customer loyalty wanes. Retailers that cut costs or add new revenue streams—and provide frictionless customer experiences—will prevail.

Veterans Affairs wants to be ‘best place’ for laid-off tech workers: Tech layoffs increased in November, but other sectors have a window of opportunity to scoop them up.

The rumors of rapid grocery’s demise are exaggerated—but not by much: While startups struggle to make the model profitable, Uber Eats and DoorDash see an opportunity.

Instacart puts its IPO plans on ice: With Wall Street looking for safe bets and consumers adjusting their shopping habits, there’s little appetite for an Instacart IPO right now.

DoorDash’s latest ad moves are designed with CPGs in mind: The delivery platform launched several new tools to make it easier for brands to build, manage, and measure campaigns.