When we think about the brands that skyrocketed this year, some immediately come to mind, like ChatGPT and Shein. Some of the other names, however, might surprise you. Here are the top five brands that had the biggest rise in purchasing consideration this year, according to Morning Consult’s Fastest Growing Brands 2023 report, and what brands can learn from their ascent.

Shein is moving ahead with its public debut, taking on some competitors (like Amazon and Temu) while teaming up with others (like Forever 21). Though a brick-and-mortar footprint doesn’t seem to be a part of Shein’s plan yet, it could take a cue from other fast-fashion brands, like H&M and Zara, and establish a physical presence to engage with offline shoppers.

The UK’s resale economy is thriving as shoppers look to save money and live more sustainably. Retailers and brands need to act—or risk losing out.

As brands seek to diversify the number of places they sell their goods, retailers should consider building out a marketplace model that can help brands reach more customers while also cutting down on retailer costs and creating new revenue streams. You don’t need to be Amazon to launch a third-party marketplace—Macy’s, Michaels, and H&M have all gotten marketplaces off the ground in the last year or so.

Shein claims it turned a profit in the first half: With rumors of a US IPO swirling, the company says its sales volume growth accelerated and profits improved this year. (This article was written with the assistance of ChatGPT.)

Amazon is the top dog of US retail, accounting for 37.6% of all US ecommerce sales this year for a total of $431.11 billion dollars, according to our forecast. While the giant has a successful stronghold in many US industries, Amazon isn’t dominant everywhere, especially as it pertains to a physical footprint and getting consumers comfortable with its elite tech. Here are a few areas Amazon hasn’t overtaken—yet.

Amazon and big-box stores are likely to win from Bed Bath & Beyond’s collapse, while fast-fashion retailers could score displaced David’s Bridal customers. But keep a lookout for underdogs like Etsy, which may bring in shoppers looking for personalized party supplies in Party City’s absence.

The gap between H&M and Inditex is getting wider: While Inditex records record profits, H&M veers toward a Q1 operating loss. (This article was written with the assistance of ChatGPT.)

Shein may soon directly compete with Alibaba and Amazon: The fast-growing fashion retailer is reportedly exploring evolving into an online marketplace that enables other merchants to sell on its platform.

Shein’s expanding its US distribution centers in an effort to expand its American market. That’s good news for US customers, who currently wait up to 15 days for deliveries from the Chinese brand.

Shein plans to open three large US distribution centers: The investment will dramatically cut its shipping times by up to 75%.

The fashion industry claims to be more sustainable than ever: But governments are cracking down on misleading labels and greenwashing.

More brands are turning to textile tracing initiatives to assess environmental impact: But these measures may result in more headaches than actual change.

Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein seeks a $100 billion valuation: That’s more than the combined worth of H&M and Zara, despite Shein selling exclusively online.

On today's episode, we discuss how resale is taking retail by storm, what will happen to fast fashion, and how much companies need to do in terms of sustainability in the eyes of the consumer. We then talk about how retail growth is getting on halfway through the year, what the pandemic did to small businesses, and what technology retailers are (and are not) doubling down on. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer director of forecasting at Insider Intelligence Cindy Liu.

Consumers have become more socially conscious in the ways they shop. At the same time, the notoriously unsustainable practice of fast fashion is thriving.

The fashion industry, in its current state, is not environmentally sustainable. For this reason, companies have begun implementing circular business initiatives in attempts to appeal to conscious consumers and cut back on their carbon footprint. But a new study shows that these models may benefit only higher-priced players, leaving value markets in the dust.

Consumers, especially younger ones, are thinking harder about issues like ecological impact and labor practices when making purchases.

Fast fashion—design trends quickly and cheaply translated for the masses—has had a strong year so far. But unless you're a young woman who takes style cues from social media, many of the more successful online retailers in this space might be foreign to you. According to a September 2018 Hitwise study that looks at fast fashion, mid-tier and premium categories, visits to fast fashion sites grew 20% or more monthly between March-June 2018.

Andreas Reiffen, founder and CEO of Crealytics, discusses how fashion retailers are using marketing data to efficiently identify trends and adjust their production efforts accordingly.