Solid December sales cap a year of healthy retail growth: But 2025 could be a different story, as tariff concerns keep all but the wealthiest consumers from spending freely.

DoorDash aims to transform how brands connect with customers through two new partnerships intended to make ads more relevant and shopping more personalized.

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

In 2025, retailers will redefine value by blending discounts with innovation, empathy, and personalization. Brands will prioritize authentic connections, engaging audiences through in-person experiences, and highly targeted campaigns powered by advanced technologies like AI. Let’s look at three key marketing themes industry experts believe will shape 2025.

In response to rising costs, retail in 2024 was dominated by consumers’ desire for deals and discounts. And as President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs will raise some prices even higher in 2025, consumers may turn to in-person shopping to control their spending.

Affiliate marketing is evolving, driven by diverse partners like influencers and tech providers, broadening its scope beyond traditional ROI and measurability. As marketers move away from big tech, the channel's flexibility and control are increasingly valued for driving growth and customization.

Consumers are cautious with their spending, so retailers must maximize every interaction in the purchase funnel. Here are three ways retailers may be leaving money behind, and what you can do about it.

Consumers are starting their Halloween shopping earlier, but they are expected to spend slightly less than last year, indicating that while excitement is high, consumers are more budget-conscious. Retailers can capture this early and cautious spending by offering competitive prices, prioritizing in-store promotions, and creating a one-stop Halloween shopping destination.

Olive Garden inks delivery partnership with Uber following parent Darden Restaurants’ poor quarter: The company missed sales and earnings expectations as consumers cut back on restaurant visits.

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.

Coupons play a bigger role in purchasing decisions as consumers become increasingly value-conscious. More than a quarter (26%) of US adults are using more coupons this year because of the state of the economy, according to July 2024 data by Prosper Insights & Analytics and the National Retail Federation. Here are five stats to better understand how and where consumers are seeking savings.

Urban Outfitters and Pacsun are tapping into Pinterest and in-person experiences to get students and families shopping, while Meijer, Walmart, and Target are focused on value. Those are just a few brands that made our Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List, Back-to-School Edition, for July 2024.

Retailers must continually test and adapt their strategies to find what resonates with consumers ahead of the holidays. An extended holiday season requires a dynamic approach to promotions, while brands aiming to reach Gen Z should use creators and video ads. Here are three pieces of advice on a successful holiday ad campaign from Meta and two of its advertising partners, ​​Ogee Beauty and AS Beauty.

“Amazon is in such a unique position to give us an idea of broader consumer sentiment because of their scale and reach,” our analyst Sarah Marzano said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. This year, nearly three-quarters (72.7%) of all US households will be Prime members, according to our July 2024 forecast. “If we examine the behaviors that emerge from Prime Day, we get a good sense of how consumers are feeling.”

Retail sales via online marketplaces are growing faster than overall ecommerce. As competition in the sector rises, brands and retailers must navigate the challenges of an increasingly complex landscape.

Amazon Prime Day conditioned shoppers to expect bargains in July: That’s driven Google, Target, Walmart, and others to seize on the opportunity to drive consumers to spend.

As the share of US ecommerce sales on marketplaces continues to expand, our latest survey examines consumer buying habits and expectations across leading platforms.

Retailers are cautiously optimistic as they look ahead to the holiday season: Imports are expected to be slightly higher YoY as companies bring in more mid-priced items.

The proliferation of loyalty programs has heightened competition, so retailers will have to dig deeper into their customer data to drive active participation.