Apparel and consumer electronics could get a boost from the back-to-school and holiday seasons. But home improvement may have a ways to go before the category rebounds.

Calendar context: With the invention of Prime Day, Amazon created an industrywide retail holiday consumers can now count on in the summer each year. Last year, Amazon also launched its Prime Early Access Sale in October. “We now have three key tentpoles,” said our analyst Andrew Lipsman on “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail,” referring to Prime Day, the Prime Early Access Sale, and Black Friday. But spring remains untapped. “A question I get is, ‘Is Amazon going to do more of these?’ And I think the answer is yes, eventually,” said Lipsman.

The home improvement market bubble has burst: Home Depot expects sales to decline this year for the first time in over a decade as consumers pull back on home-related purchases.

Interest rates are rising. The housing market is cooling. Combine those factors with two years of home improvement projects during the COVID-19 pandemic and outlooks don’t look great for home improvement retailers. This has led them to focus on other revenue streams, including advertising, professional services, and loyalty programs.

Moving across the US-Canada border can be the first step toward international expansion for retailers. Canadian brands like lululemon athletica and Aritzia are thriving in the US. Meanwhile, US-based companies Lowe’s, Nordstrom, and Bed Bath & Beyond recently announced they were leaving Canada. And let’s not forget Target’s famous Canadian failure. Here’s a look at how brands on both sides of the border have fared, and the lessons you can learn from them.

Smaller retailers are gaining share and reshaping the ecommerce landscape, but will they be able compete with giants like Amazon?

Last week, lumber prices fell as much as 4%, moving closer to pre-pandemic numbers, per Business Insider. This could be a sign of easing inflation, but it could also bring about a housing market slowdown. While we wait to see how the market shakes out, let’s take a look at where home improvement sits after a solid second quarter.

Consumer shopping habits are changing constantly, but how are retailers responding to those changes in the grocery space? "In Other News," we explore how a poor delivery experience can mean trouble for retailers and try to figure out what's happening with the home improvement boom. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Blake Droesch.

This report analyzes H1 2021 retail ecommerce sales figures for seven companies in Latin America, including Mercado Libre, Magazine Luiza, and Falabella. It also explores key trends that are helping to fuel ecommerce growth at each of these companies.

Home improvement stores, like The Home Depot and Lowe's, continue to see US sales surge as the pandemic-propelled demand for DIY and home improvement projects continues through 2021.

Early in the pandemic, most consumers went through a panic-buying period—stocking up on essential goods like toilet paper—as uncertainty over lockdown restrictions loomed.

For many consumers who have seen early ads for Handy, they may know the company solely for house cleaning. It focused mostly on marketing that segment in the beginning, but it also provides a range of other services, including home renovation and installations.

After a great year for retail—rising 5.3% in 2018—sales will slow but also expand 3.2% in 2019.

Ryan Fagan, director of sales and operations planning at Lowe’s, spoke about how the home-improvement brand overhauled the way it verifies which customers are eligible for discounts.