On today's episode, host Sara Lebow tees up a conversation between our analyst Andrew Lipsman and Ram Iyer, worldwide director, digital strategy and ecommerce at Microsoft, about omnichannel and mobile commerce, the consumer path to purchase, the metaverse, and more.

“The mixed headlines are so hard for consumers to make decisions against.” That’s according to our analyst Suzy Davidkhanian, speaking on our “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast.

After experiencing a surge in growth in 2021, US retail sales growth began to slow last year, a pattern which will continue into 2023. According to our forecast, sales will rise by less than 3% this year, reaching over $7.3 trillion.

Consumers spent $211.7 billion online over the 2022 holiday season (from November 1 to December 31), growing 3.5% year over year, per Adobe Analytics.

It doesn’t take a CPGenius to understand that consumer packaged goods (CPG) have gone digital. “Winning at the digital shelf is more critical than ever” for CPG brands, according to our analyst Andrew Lipsman. Here are five charts on what retailers, marketers, and logistics professionals need to know about CPG.

This year will be marked by a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new. While consumers give in-store shopping another go, augmented reality (AR) will help bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Our analysts have already covered the biggest trends of 2023, but here are four more predictions for what's to come next year.

US retail sales grew 7.6% over the holiday season: Consumers diversified their spending due to inflation and a desire to return to pre-pandemic activities such as eating out.

As consumers are forced to make hard decisions about where they spend their money, brands that rely on tired loyalty tactics may struggle to keep up.

As the costs of doing business increase, direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands are struggling to find and keep customers. Some brands are selling their products through Amazon to capitalize on its search power. Others are turning to brick-and-mortar stores to help out.

What retailers need to know about the new wave of delivery apps and quick-commerce startups.

Amazon will account for 38.2% of all US ecommerce sales this year, per our estimates. In addition to dominating the books, music, and video category, Amazon will capture 50.3% of computer and consumer electronics ecommerce sales and 47.0% of office equipment and supplies ecommerce sales in the US.

Alibaba, Amazon, and Mercado Libre dominate retail ecommerce in different parts of the world. Here’s a look at how these marketplaces stack up, in seven charts and graphics.

After experiencing a boom during the pandemic, the subscription frenzy has begun to fade as consumers grow weary of the Stitch Fixes and Blue Aprons of the world. Has the category lost its way? Or is there hope on the horizon? Let’s take a look.

Another eventful year is on tap for retailers as inflation forces consumers to prioritize basics, supply chain snarls continue, and customer loyalty wanes. Retailers that cut costs or add new revenue streams—and provide frictionless customer experiences—will prevail.