Nordstrom ended the year on a high note: The retailer’s banner comparable sales rose 5.3% YoY in Q4, and off-price Rack’s comps increased 3.5%.

Consumers take part in one-day economic blackout: Today’s boycott may cause brands to reconsider their DEI stances.

US consumer spending was resilient in 2024, but confidence is fading: Tariffs, layoffs, and inflation fears threaten to slow momentum as economic uncertainty looms.

YouTube strives to make ads less disruptive: The platform is changing its approach to mid-roll ads to appease viewers, creators, and brands alike.

27% of CMOs are hesitant to adopt AI, but the tide is changing: CMOs without any implementation plans risk falling behind high-performance companies.

Taking chances versus playing it too safe: Brands like Snickers and Nationwide have faced backlash for polarizing commercials, proving that shock value can be a double-edged sword.

With the holiday season in the rearview mirror, our analysts are already looking ahead to what the rest of this year—including the 2025 holiday season—will look like. This year will be defined by unpredictability, as President Trump begins his second term during a time of mixed consumer sentiments. Here are four trends our analysts expect will continue in 2025.

Retailers ended 2024 on a high: Holiday ecommerce sales surged by nearly 9% YoY as steep discounts and tariff fears spurred spending.

China’s economy faces more gloom in 2025: Sluggish consumer spending and a potential trade war will weigh on growth.

November retail sales surge past expectations: Shoppers shifted their spending up a gear amid a flurry of deals and concerns over tariff-related price hikes.

AI’s role in Spotify Wrapped is slightly subdued: The platform’s yearly marketing event included AI, but stopped short of prominently featuring it.

UK retail footfall declined in November as shoppers waited for Black Friday deals: Poor weather and subdued confidence also weighed on traffic, souring retailers’ holiday prospects.

Coca-Cola’s full throated embrace of generative AI: The company launched a series of holiday ads made with AI that could inspire others to follow suit.

A record number of people plan to shop over the Cyber Five: The NRF’s forecast dovetails with stronger-than-expected October sales, suggesting retailers have momentum heading into the holidays.

Hermès’ strong Q3 performance makes it a luxury outlier: The company’s double-digit growth was in stark contrast to Kering’s slump, as weak global demand weighed on sales.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss why it has become so hard to get a read on consumer sentiment, the indicators we pay closest attention to to try and make sense of it, and how we expect consumers to feel for the remainder of the year. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, Director of Briefings Jeremy Goldman and Analyst Zak Stambor.

Retailers face unprecedented challenges this year. From extreme weather events to political uncertainty, brands must prepare for disruption while still meeting consumer demand for value, our analysts said on a recent episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast.

UK retail sales rose unexpectedly in September, thanks to the new iPhone and Oasis: Back-to-school shopping and entertainment spending boosted demand for non-essential items, although poor weather and consumer caution dented supermarket sales.

September’s strong retail sales report underscores consumers’ resilience: Spending remains solid as higher-income households’ strength makes up for lower-income shoppers’ price-sensitive behaviors.