“In the digital era, each step along the path to purchase has become significantly more complex,” our analyst Blake Droesch said on a recent EMARKETER webinar. “The store remains a vital centerpiece, but the number of digital channels that consumers are using to discover and evaluate brands continues to grow at a rapid pace.” Brands and retailers need to stay on top of evolving purchasing behavior to meet their customers where they are. Here are three trends and opportunities that can help.

How can brands and retailers succeed in the new era of mobile-first ecommerce?

Gen Z’s media consumption, digital behavior, and attitude toward ads is a reflection of their upbringing in the app age. That’s why advertising to Gen Zers requires a unique approach—one that prioritizes privacy, encompasses multiple channels and screens, and leverages new formats. Here are five key stats advertisers should know about targeting Gen Z.

Established brands pivot to reembrace wholesale, while digital natives—facing rising ad costs—struggle to find their second act.

Summer is just getting started, but it’s already back-to-school season for parents. As of mid-June, nearly a quarter (24%) of US adults have already begun back-to-school shopping and another 45% will start sometime before the end of July, according to a March 2024 survey from LTK. As retailers roll out their back-to-school campaigns, here are three tips to keep consumers engaged and spending.

Albertsons adds non-endemic ads: Retail media expands its ambitions as the category matures.

Consumers' definition of value is evolving as they demand not just the lowest prices, but quality and convenience too. Gen Z beauty shoppers prioritize innovation and sustainability over price, grocery shoppers seek high-quality products at lower prices, and high fees deter online purchases. Loyalty programs should be tailored to offer consumers the kind of rewards they want most, but not at the expense of brand identity. Here are five key stats to help brands understand what consumers value and stay competitive.

“When retailers can offer a delivery experience that the consumer expects, the consumer is less likely to abandon their cart,” said our analyst Blake Droesch. More than one-third (36%) of US consumers abandoned an order last year because shipping costs were too high and another 29% did so because their items wouldn’t arrive on time, per an August 2023 report by Digital Commerce 360.

Delivery is a critical component of ecommerce fulfillment, but accessing this opportunity requires brands and retailers to navigate a complex set of options and find ways to meet rising consumer expectations.

Ecommerce everywhere, TikTok and social video, and generative AI are the top three trends that retail marketers worldwide are watching this year, according to a November 2023 MediaOcean survey conducted by TechValidate.

In the last of five reports in our “Payments Ecosystem” collection, we look at what’s influencing retail sales growth across in-store, online, and social commerce channels—and what it means for payment providers.

As Gen Zers enter adulthood and increase their spending power, brands new and old are fighting for a larger share of their dollars. Here are three battles being waged for Gen Z consumers and how wellness, social media, and low prices are giving newcomer brands an edge.

Two-thirds of US smartphone users will use shopping/retail apps by 2025, according to our forecast. As the competition for consumer dollars heats up, mobile apps can help retailers reach a more engaged audience and enable a more omnichannel shopping experience.

Shopping should be easy, according to Ryan Fagan, vice president of digital at Lowe’s. “Our job is to guide them through their shopping trip as seamlessly as possible.” Fagan shared three ways Lowe’s is enhancing its ecommerce experience, from tailoring the digital experience to specific customer segments to surfacing other relevant products throughout the shopping journey.

In a recent Tech Talk webinar, John Pawlowski, vice president of marketing at pet food company Heckova!, shared four steps to build a successful CPG brand and get it on to retail shelves, from identifying the opportunity for growth to finding the right retail partners.

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.

Prior to TikTok Shop’s launch last September, live shopping platform Whatnot earned nearly 100% of social shopping gross merchandise value in 2023, according to a recent Earnest Analytics report. What’s Whatnot? Whatnot is a livestream marketplace platform, specializing in the sale of collectibles including sports cards, sneakers, comics, and vintage clothing.

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.

Ahead of his keynote session at this year’s CommerceNext event on June 11-13, Lockton shared how Tractor Supply leverages its physical and digital channels to connect with the retailer’s varied audience and how its retail media enables advertisers to target a hard-to-reach rural audience via digital channels.

Self-reported spending is down 6% among US teens (which includes Gen Alpha and Gen Z consumers), but they are still shelling out on beauty, according to Piper Sandler’s latest Taking Stock with Teens survey.