US small businesses largely missed out on the record Big Five shopping, per a Fiserv press release. Issuers and payment providers should look to boost their local merchants’ sales and consumers’ spending by making it easier to shop small. Local neighborhood networks like Square Neighborhood and Bilt’s local deals can encourage SMB spending in consumers’ stomping grounds. Integrated BNPL offers may also entice spending from young consumers who are adverse to the perceived risks of revolving credit or are locked out from traditional lines.

68% of US internet users think marketing from national brands with local messaging makes ads more relevant and shows advertisers are investing in local communities, per a study from The Harris Poll and Locality.

To serve customers with more “complex financial needs,” Bank of America will build 165 new financial centers in key US regions.

Search, social, and customer ratings and reviews are the most influential channels for driving foot traffic and sales, according to SOCi’s Local Visibility Index 2024.

Instead of trying to compete with Amazon, Barnes & Noble is changing to appeal to consumers looking for the experience of an independent bookstore with the resources of a large chain. Leaning on local inspiration and a store layout that optimizes discovery, Barnes & Noble is revamping its 596 locations, as well as its membership program.

TikTok sees an opportunity in local content: The video app is testing a new feed that displays algorithmically recommended videos made in your area.

As UK consumers settle on new ways of shopping and buying post-pandemic, retailers must keep pace and cater to these new habits.

Young consumers have led the way in terms of digital habits and consumption through the pandemic, but older age groups have been forced to catch up. Some old habits may die hard in these groups, but the digital future has definitely been hastened.