As a potential TikTok ban looms, brands are considering what a world without TikTok Shop would look like. I probably won’t look all that different, but there are a few places where TikTok’s absence will be felt more than others.

Turnaround plans aren’t easy: While Abercrombie turned its fortunes around by delivering styles that resonate with Gen Zers and millennials, Foot Locker’s growth strategy remains a work in progress.

Amazon’s website is by far the most visited ecommerce site by unique monthly visitors in the US, per November 2023 Similarweb data.

In just five years, retail media went from a $1 billion segment to a $30 billion segment. With US omnichannel retail media ad spend poised to reach $59.98 billion this year, per our October 2023 forecast, non-retail industries from health and fitness to restaurants and financial institutions are looking to build out their own media networks.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how Amazon turned its ecommerce business around, how much its new AI shopping assistant moves the needle, and what's really driving its ad business. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Zak Stambor and vice president of content Paul Verna.

Online return rates are finally coming down from recent highs. But as ecommerce's share of retail sales grows, so will returns from online sales.

Retailers are going big on innovation. AI-powered improvements to the customer journey, ambitious market expansion, and viral partnerships and marketing campaigns have caught our attention, just in time for the first edition of our monthly ‘unofficial’ ranking of most interesting retailers.

TikTok’s US growth is slowing: That trend correlates with the launch of TikTok Shop, which some feel degraded the app’s experience.

To help keep return volumes down, retailers are trying everything from implementing return fees to ensuring product descriptions are as accurate and detailed as possible. But there are still a couple of out-of-the-box solutions that they could try, like leveraging peer-to-peer solutions to cut down on logistics costs or being more cautious around inspiring impulse purchases.

For some, shopping online is functional, enabling consumers to get what they want quickly, without straying from their budget or list. By creating a more engaging ecommerce experience, retailers can make shopping online fun, enticing consumers to browse and buy like they might in-store—and perhaps, increasing their basket.

Grocery is set to become the largest US ecommerce category by 2026.

US digital media consumption and consumer spending growth are at a standstill. “It's just getting really competitive to reach today's consumers,” our analyst Jeremy Goldman said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Daily” podcast. Here’s what advertisers need to know about the latest trends in digital, including fierce competition for ad dollars to ecommerce having room to grow.

We look at the trends that will sustain that growth into 2024

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.

What trends will we be talking about this year? Consumer behaviors will be shaped by continued uncertainty and cultural trends spilling over into commerce.

As 2023 comes to an end, this is the data you need to kick-start 2024.