Despite the remittance industry’s digital transformation, Western Union is banking on stores remaining a key component of its business

There's no shortage of lessons for retailers, advertisers, and brands to learn from an eventful 2024, where many sectors of retail thrived even as economic anxiety affected consumer habits.

As the US population diversifies, retailers like Kroger and Save A Lot are opening new stores catering to Hispanic and Asian consumers for a more personalized and engaging shopping experience.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss why mega-pharmacies are struggling, why 7-Eleven is closing and opening a lot of stores, and what the new model of convenience will look like. Tune in to the discussion with Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson and Senior Analysts Blake Droesch and Rajiv Leventhal.

The bank expects to roll out more luxury experiences at 30 new financial center branches by 2026.

A truncated holiday spending period with fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and the election will throw a curveball to retail sales this season, our analyst Sky Canaves said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. In-store retail will see healthy growth, consumers will continue holding back on splurges, and mobile will uplift overall ecommerce. Here are three trends we’re predicting for the upcoming holiday season.

Gen Z’s complicated path to purchase leans heavily on digital platforms and channels. But offline resources still play a key role.

Our expanded retail and ecommerce forecast coverage now includes country-level breakouts for 66 nations around the world. North America, China, and Western Europe continue to drive global outcomes, but a total of 53 countries will have at least $1 billion in ecommerce sales.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what's driving online store sales for Amazon, its outlook on brick-and-mortar, and how its ad business is continuing to outperform the market. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and analyst Rachel Wolff.

As consumers become increasingly cost-cautious, competition for dollars is fierce. Halloween costumes, decor, and party supplies may not be a top shopping priority, but specialty retailers such as Spirit Halloween still find a way to engage consumers and attract their dollars.

Inflation continues to impact spending in Q2, with 84% of consumers saying inflation had an impact on their spending, a 10% increase over Q1, per Jungle Scout’s research. Meanwhile, Amazon product categories recorded sales increases and social media shopping is on the rise.

Building and renovating branches to align with their new vision is bringing them new business.

By focusing on deals, value, and experiences, retailers can build a perception of value that resonates with discerning consumers. “The unremarkable retailers and brands are going to struggle because consumers are only spending when it's enjoyable, when they derive some pleasure from the purchase,” our analyst Zak Stambor said on the ”Behind the Numbers” podcast.

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.

“We've seen tremendous resilience from the consumer and that's driving a lot of success for retailers in the brick and mortar space,” said Ethan Chernofsky, senior vice president of marketing at Placer.ai, during our virtual summit. Despite rising inflation and pullbacks on discretionary spending, consumers are still eager to treat themselves and participate in unique retail experiences. We break down three trends influencing shopping behavior for the rest of the year, each paired with a retail opportunity.

US retail marketplace ecommerce sales will grow 11.4% to reach $428.30 billion this year, per our forecast. Because Amazon (73.4%) and eBay (8.2%) will rake in the majority of those sales, smaller marketplaces like Shein, Michaels, and Wayfair are getting creative and taking the battle for sales in-store.

Retail ecommerce has entered a new era of slow and steady growth in most countries. This status quo replaces the previous era of spectacular growth and jarring declines.

UK ecommerce sales have bounced back to steady growth as consumer spending remains resilient despite inflationary pressures. Most major categories will see a further shift online by 2027, bringing opportunities for ecommerce retailers.

Dollar stores and off-price retailers set to once again dominate store openings in 2024: Economic uncertainty continues to fuel expansion opportunities for budget retailers.

From retailers drawing shoppers in-store by leaning on creator content to the emergence of livestream ecommerce influencers and the potential consolidation of retail media networks, our analyst-led predictions offer a glimpse into the future of shopping and advertising. We explore each, weighing the arguments for and against their likelihood in shaping the year ahead.