While Nordstrom hasn’t seen its customers cutting back, it could be only a matter of time before the recession comes for the department store.

There are fewer retail vacancies than any time in 10 years: Retailers are testing new formats and expanding their physical presences to be closer to where consumers live and shop.

Walmart’s profit warning signals tough times ahead for retailers: But Unilever and The Coca-Cola Co. reported strong earnings due to higher prices as CPGs continue to thrive.

Hasbro and Mattel are optimistic about the future: The resiliency of the toy category coupled with strong IP properties should keep both companies in the green, even in the event of a recession.

On today's episode, we discuss Netflix choosing Microsoft to help with the streaming service's upcoming ad-supported tier, the need for a chief media officer, what to make of inflation still not slowing down, whether YouTube is the future of cable, whether customers will buy into in-car subscription services, an unpopular opinion about the term "influencer," what exactly a "black box" really is, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Dave Frankland, Evelyn Mitchell, and Max Willens.

Paving the path to the metaverse: Unprecedented interest in the emerging metaverse might cool if the tech industry can’t sustain momentum on innovation and public enthusiasm during the downturn.

Macroeconomic and geopolitical concerns are forcing Canadian financial institutions to address issues surrounding consumer financial health, US acquisitions, and a potential fintech flameout. In the long term, open banking, digital transformation, and omnichannel personalization will pose unique challenges.

The ad industry braces for a rocky economy: The industry is anxiously watching consumer spending as purse strings tighten.

CTV and upper-funnel campaigns see the biggest cuts: Economic uncertainty is causing advertisers to pull back their spending.

Amazon was once again the big winner of this year’s Prime Day: But inflation took its toll as shoppers focused on household essentials over big-ticket purchases.

A looming recession and global turmoil threaten US incumbent banks’ bottom lines. But refocusing on core tech priorities and consumer needs will help banks reclaim the high ground in the fight for customers and talent.

PepsiCo and Costco take opposing approaches to inflation: The CPG giant is relying on higher prices to mitigate cost increases while the retailer focuses on retaining cost-conscious shoppers.

US inflation hit a new four-decade high in June: That’s causing some consumers to pull back on spending and others to wait for sales events such as Prime Day.

We expect back-to-school sales to rise just 0.7%: Inflation is having a big impact on what consumers buy and when they buy it.

Prime Day isn’t impervious to economic slowdown, but it’ll do just fine: We still expect the event to generate more than $12.5 in revenues this year—and boost spending on other sites too.

On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss how inflation got so high and which metrics retailers should be looking at to determine the economic reality of this moment. Then for "Pop-Up Rankings," we rank the top two companies reacting the best to economic uncertainty—and which two are reacting the worst. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Briefings director Jeremy Goldman and analyst Zak Stambor.

Consumers shift their spending from goods to services: US household spending rose at its slowest pace this year in May as inflation dragged on people’s purchasing power.

Purpose-driven ads fall short in attracting audiences: A new study reveals that purpose-driven ads are underperforming, especially as consumers prioritize lower prices in an uncertain economy.

Online consumer spending in the US was flat in Q1 2022 from the same quarter a year prior, as shoppers pivoted away from their pandemic-driven digital spending habits. While brick-and-mortar saw growth, the increase was just 3%.

Industries focus on savings and comfort as inflation bites: Marketers design messaging to help consumers cope with higher prices.