The situation: Despite logging a sixth consecutive quarter of negative comps in FY Q3, CEO Brian Niccol—who famously steered Chipotle out of its food‑safety crisis—said Starbucks’ turnaround is running ahead of schedule. Our take: While it’s encouraging to see Starbucks take some small steps in a positive direction, the road is still steep. Consumers remain price‑sensitive, agile rivals in the US and China are taking multiple paths to steal share (both value‑led and trend‑driven), and commodity costs are rising. To break out of its sales slump, Starbucks must execute on four fronts: Make service faster and better. The chain needs to speed up service without sacrificing the high-touch hospitality that Niccol is seeking. Find ways to differentiate. It’s easy to roll out new offerings, but it's hard to develop unique beverages that consumers will clamor for rather than recoil at (who can forget Starbucks’ Oleato line of olive oil-infused drinks?). Lean on technology. Refreshing Starbucks’ Rewards program and revamping its app are proven tools to drive occasional customers back into its stores. Stabilize China. Price cuts may lift traffic, but Starbucks needs to balance volume gains against margin erosion and fend off lower‑priced competitors such as Luckin. Nailing these pillars—speed, product innovation, tech‑powered engagement, and a calibrated China play—will determine whether early green shoots turn into sustained growth.

The news: Budget concerns are top of mind for consumers as they plan their summers. Our take: Consumers’ inclination to save is likely to fuel anxiety in the hospitality industry—especially as uncertainty causes travelers to delay booking until practically the last minute.

The news: Hotel companies are expanding their upscale offerings to capitalize on strong demand for unique and customized accommodations among affluent consumers. Our take: Luxury and lifestyle brands are weathering economic ambiguity better than economy lodging. This divergence indicates that upscale, experiential offerings will be more resilient, while economy hotels face headwinds from cost-conscious consumers.

This deck provides an overview of the travel sector in ecommerce, including forecasts for sales growth, digital ad spending, and KPIs. It also highlights consumer shopping behaviors, research trends, what’s changed since last year, and the influence of technology on purchase decisions.​

Sensei raises $16 million in seed round: The retail tech provider has its sights set on bringing automated, contactless stores to Europe.

Airbnb hosts can now hire each other: The official network of seasoned co-hosts, alongside a spate of customer-facing app updates, could help Airbnb recover after its last-quarter earnings miss.

US travel sales will approach $368 billion by 2028. To act on this opportunity, brands and travel industry professionals need to understand online travel research trends and shopper behaviors.​

Marketers have a wealth of opportunities throughout the buyer’s journey to leverage generative AI. Here's how to use it effectively at each stage of the customer life cycle.

The grand final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Liverpool, UK, on May 13. Attracting a Super Bowl-sized audience, tourists, and viewing parties, the competition’s global reach will provide marketers and retailers with a notable opportunity to drive brand awareness and sales.

Retailers and restaurants struggle to fill positions: Over 36% of companies said hiring has gotten harder over the past year.

For global brands like Airbnb and Volkswagen, building online communities offers a way to strengthen relationships with customers, advance product development, and drive business value.

Big Tech gets corrected: Tech industry stocks have taken a beating so far in 2022, but given the pandemic’s upheaval, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Another reincarnation looms.

Google and Facebook made up 67.8% of the UK digital ad market last year, which we expect will drop slightly to 65.9% this year.

The depth and lasting impact of the global recession, along with the sharp economic downturn in the UK, signal a long and challenging road to recovery.

Just as consumers are adjusting to life during the pandemic, B2Bs are figuring out how to stay in business, operate and recover. Just as consumers are adjusting to life during the pandemic, B2Bs are figuring out how to stay in business, operate and recover.

Biometric technology may soon give marketers the opportunity to learn more about their customers and deliver personalized messaging. While this could be a potential boon for business, it also has major privacy implications.