Consumer spending rose in the first four months of 2024: Shoppers are becoming more deal-conscious as cost-of-living pressures weigh heavily.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how Amazon was able to sell even more things online, how their ad business is getting on, and whether the retail giant is right to keep focusing so much on delivery speed. Tune in to the discussion with our director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and analyst Zak Stambor.

Total media ad spending growth has stabilized, and digital ad spending is set for an extended period of low double-digit annual increases. Amazon, TikTok, and Instagram will be the main growth drivers this year.

The digital ad channel is hugely dominant in the UK, so there is increasingly less room for growth. But in the broader digital category, retail media is the main driver.

Amazon sees a big opportunity in beauty: The retail giant is hosting the Summer Beauty Haul sales event to capture shoppers’ attention, boost retail media spend, and drive sales.

Amazon beats estimates as advertising, profitability push delivers results: The retailer’s spring sale and Prime Video ads helped drive a 13% increase in revenues.

Retail media has matured greatly since our 5 retail media networks (RMNs) worth watching. That evolution has come from growth in spend (we forecast US omnichannel retail media ad spend growth at 26.0% this year, with larger increases in off-site and connected TV), in-store innovations, and new entrants from other non-retailers.

In today’s episode, host Bill Fisher is joined by researcher Man-Chung Cheung and analysts Sarah Marzano and Carina Perkins to discuss the in-store retail experience. What’s next for Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, what lessons can be learned from Asia-Pacific, and how is Tesco helping marketers get in on the in-store act?

TikTok’s potential ban isn’t putting brands off TikTok Shop: The platform’s sales potential is driving companies like Rare Beauty and Tarte Cosmetics to deepen their investment.

Amazon and Walmart follow a similar playbook: The retailers use exclusive access to events like Prime Day and Walmart+ Early Access to showcase the value of their membership programs.

Thanks to its growing retail media business, Walmart keeps its top spot on our “Unofficial Most interesting Retailers List” for April 2024. Meanwhile, newcomer Home Depot and returning member TikTok Shop make the list for equipping advertisers with more data.

Ad spending will rebound in 2024, as mobile formats continue to dominate and areas like connected TV and retail media drive renewed growth.

Amazon rolls out US grocery subscription as it tries to halt Walmart’s momentum: But the offering’s high cost relative to those of competitors could limit its impact on Amazon’s grocery business.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how concerned we should be about AI-driven mass unemployment, how ad industry jobs will change, and the ways in which AI will affect a persons workday. "In Other News," we talk about what to make of Apple's AI strategy and the AI measurement problem. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Jacob Bourne and Gadjo Sevilla.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what happens when GenAI hits the turbo button on economic growth, the next major shift AI is going to create, and the biggest concerns regarding an AI-powered injection of this magnitude. "In Other News," we talk about why Amazon is pouring more money into AI company Anthropic and what happens when ChatGPT steps into the physical world. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Jacob Bourne and Gadjo Sevilla.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss why Amazon is pulling back from "Just Walk Out" technology, how the Atlantic magazine turned things around, what will ignite TV shopping, whether LinkedIn testing TikTok-like videos is a good move, what science says about how to be happy, and more. Tune into the discussion with vice president of content Suzy Davidkhanian, analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf, and vice president of Briefings Stephanie Taglianetti.

Nearly a third (32%) of US consumers decreased online spending in Q1 2024, according to Jungle Scout’s latest Consumer Trends Report. Here are five insights into how and where consumers shopped over the first quarter of 2024.

Amazon will account for 40.4% of US retail ecommerce sales or a total of $491.65 billion this year, according to our February 2024 forecast.

Sales growth for cosmetics and beauty will increase at more than twice the rate online than through physical retail channels this year, according to our February 2024 forecast. While ecommerce is stealing market share, its sales only tell a portion of the buying story. Physical stores are still key to discovering beauty products and brands, finding the right shades, and testing formulations—and Walmart is making use of its omnichannel footprint to take advantage. Here’s how.

Gen Zers and young millennials are the most likely to splurge on beauty in 2024—but their path to purchase is anything but straightforward.