Growing consumer restraint, severe weather, and income stress combine to delay discretionary purchases.

On today's podcast episode, we give out our '2025 Retail Awards' for the 'Must-Visit Store of the Year', 'Glow-Up of the Year', 'AI Power Move', 'Collab of the Year', and 'Campaign of the Year'. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Analyst Blake Droesch, and Analysts Arielle Feger and Rachel Wolff.

Nearly one-third (31.4%) of US adults will purchase a prescription drug at an online pharmacy this year, per EMARKETER’s first-ever forecast of online pharmacy users. Online pharmacies won’t dominate prescription drug purchases anytime soon, but they’re becoming a core part of how consumers shop and pay for medications. Pharmacies that combine the best of in-person and digital offerings will be well-positioned to win customers. That means staffing stores appropriately during busy hours, ensuring pharmacists can answer questions both online and in person, and providing intuitive websites and apps for prescription management and payment. Online-only pharmacies will want to clearly showcase their accreditations in consumer marketing.

In this podcast episode, we discuss how Primark’s US and UK customers see the brand differently, what’s kept the retailer relevant as price pressures have intensified competition, and why its famously store-first strategy is working so well. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and guest host, Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Analyst, Carina Perkins, and Head of US Marketing for Primark, Rene Federico.

The outlook for worldwide retail sales in 2025 is slightly down from what we expected in Q1, but worst-case scenarios now seem unlikely. For ecommerce, the news is somewhat positive.

JPMorgan, Bank of America, and others are opening hundreds of new locations, leaning on physical presence to win deposits and outmaneuver fintech rivals.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how to get folks to buy something they can’t go and see in a store, how D2Cs should be thinking about generative AI, and how one DTC is negotiating the tariff minefield. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves and CEO and president of Eyebuydirect Sunny Jiang.

Retailers stop viewing the store as "a single moment and start to take a step back to ask 'What's the lifetime value of investment, and what role does the store play in driving that maximum lifetime value?'" said Ethan Chernofsky, senior vice president of marketing at Placer.ai, at last week's EMARKETER's summit on Commerce Media Trends 2025.

Peloton balances expanding retail presence without busting budget: The company will build more “micro-store” kiosks as it pushes to meet consumers where they are.

The retail outlook for 2025 is worse than previously anticipated. However, many smaller emerging markets are still in line for strong years, and ecommerce continues to claw share from traditional retail.

Walmart bought a mall, Coca-Cola launched a soda, and Nike partnered with SKIMS in February, marking some of the month’s most interesting retail moves. Here are the eight most interesting retailers and brands from last month, as ranked on our “Behind the Numbers” podcast.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how Amazon has made themselves even more essential to customers, why “they can’t make physical stores work”, and how its advertising business is getting on. Tune in to the episode with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Analyst Rachel Wolff, and Senior Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Walmart recently bought Monroeville Mall near Pittsburgh, signaling either a massive retail expansion plan or a shrewd real estate grab. Either way, the purchase strengthens Walmart's market foothold while adding rental income. This isn't a random acquisition but a calculated move.

As the world's largest toy company, LEGO has built a retail empire that outpaces competitors Mattel and Hasbro combined through a sophisticated, centered multichannel strategy.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how retailers are giving customers more bang for their buck with discounts and freebies, how gamified loyalty programs are becoming more sophisticated, and more. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Vice President Suzy Davidkhanian and Senior Analyst Blake Droesch.

On today's podcast episode, we give out some 2024 retail awards for the most must-visit store, the Gen Z darling, the best innovator, the small stuff worth sweating award, and the comeback story of the year. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Senior Analyst Blake Droesch.

From Temu’s rise to their interest in dupes, Gen Z prioritized affordability and convenience in 2024. Gen Z consumers also showed interest in in-person shopping, but crowded stores may be limiting their trips to brick-and-mortar retail.