On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of September. Each month, our analysts Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Sara Lebow (aka The Committee) put together a very unofficial list of the top eight retailers they're watching based on which are making the most interesting moves: Who's launching new initiatives? Which partnerships are moving the needle? Which standout marketing campaigns are being created? In this month's episode, Committee members Arielle Feger and Sara Lebow will defend their list against analysts Zak Stambor and Rachel Wolff, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.

Our expanded Latin America retail and ecommerce coverage now includes breakouts for 16 markets across Mexico, Central America, and South America. Brazil and Mexico will drive the bulk of net new ecommerce sales this year with a combined regional market share of 75.2%.

Agencies begin to doubt retail media’s efficacy:: Some are counseling caution as lack of standardization and the sheer number of RMNs make it difficult to assess whether brands’ investments are paying off.

Publicis acquires Mars United Commerce: The deal strengthens holding company’s ability to offer commerce media solutions.

The retailer is pushing non-card payments to save on swipe fees, a perennial frustration for merchants, but getting consumers to make the switch will be tricky

Low- and high-earning consumers are shopping at Walmart, while income groups splinter for off-price fashion retailers. Temu draws households from rural areas, and Amazon shoppers come in all ages. Here are five key stats from Coresight Research’s August 2024 report, “US Consumer Survey Insights Extra,” to help marketers refine their targeting strategies.

GenAI search could have a transformative impact on the shopping journey. To satisfy customers and stay competitive, retailers should focus on two essential innovations.

August retail sales data points to consumers’ continued resilience: While spending is healthy, shoppers remain deal-focused as they look ahead to the holiday season.

Though not expected alongside Coach or Tory Burch, Walmart and Old Navy appeared at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) to draw attention to their latest fashion endeavors.

Amazon, Flipkart violated India’s antitrust laws, regulators say: The two allegedly gave select sellers preferential treatment and used discounts to undercut smaller merchants.

Nearly 1 in 4 grocery dollars will go to private labels by 2030: Store brands are gaining popularity as shoppers seek value and CPGs cut back on innovation.

Major retailers like IKEA, Walmart, and ThredUp are launching peer-to-peer resale marketplaces, aiming to capture a slice of the booming secondhand market. This trend comes as US marketplace ecommerce sales are projected to surpass $500 billion next year, according to our forecast.

Kroger benefited from shoppers’ deal-seeking behaviors in Q2: Despite a difficult operating environment, the grocer won over consumers with lower prices and expanded private label selections.

Walmart wants in on CTV ad innovation: The retailer is partnering with Fubo as the inaugural partner of a new takeover ad format.

Paramount expands shoppable TV capabilities with Shopsense AI partnership: The two companies team up to enable viewers to shop the MTV VMAs, with plans to install similar features in other Paramount content in the coming months.

Dollar store consumers, especially lower-income households, are facing financial difficulties, relying on credit cards to cover necessities. Retailers like Dollar General and Dollar Tree are focusing on pricing and promotions to keep customers shopping, but there has been a decline in discretionary spending from middle- and high-income consumers, who may be turning to mass retailers like Walmart.

Amazon Fresh doubles down on affordability as shoppers focus on cost: The retailer will roll out Prime-exclusive discounts on over 3,000 products and a new private label as it tries to narrow the gap with Walmart.

Walmart and Delta have adopted VR for effective, immersive employee training, though high upfront costs may deter smaller companies.

Retailers invest in virtual reality, mobile apps, and AI to improve the customer experience: Walmart, Levi’s, and Family Dollar are among the companies turning to tech to boost sales.

The retailer’s Great Value branded products are now harder to sneak by self-checkout thanks to barcodes embedded in their packaging