Nike wants Big Tech’s layoffs: In a shift to direct sales, Nike is spending big to lure technologists. It’s a trend that could diminish the tech sector’s pull on workers.

As digital fitness goes mainstream, leading brands Nike, lululemon athletica, Peloton, and Apple are trailblazing a path for lifestyle brands toward a more profitable future.

This year, 42.6 million US adults will use a connected fitness platform such as Peloton at least once a month. This figure ballooned from 24.0 million in 2019.

Plagued with supply chain issues and climbing operating costs, the first half 2022 has put footwear on its heels.

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.

This year, 64% of consumers worldwide—or as many as 1.70 billion digital buyers of the 2.65 billion we forecast—will regularly buy directly from a brand, up 15 percentage points from 2019.

Subscription models are driving customer loyalty in online sales of groceries and other essential goods, but fatigue among consumers threatens long-term growth.

Nike’s shift to D2C gives other sportswear brands an opening: Adidas, Reebok, Allbirds, and more are jockeying to take Nike’s place on store shelves.

A wave of cost-cutting layoffs is coming: GoPuff, Thrasio, and Reef are among the companies rethinking their staffing levels as they shift focus to profitability.

Victoria’s Secret adds Amazon to its ecommerce playbook: Selling on Amazon’s marketplace enables retailers to find online shoppers where they’re already looking. But doing so comes at a cost.

Recent gains in direct-to-consumer (D2C) ecommerce sales are being driven more by incumbent brands than disruptors. What can they learn from each other about building brands in the digital age?

The metaverse is expected to be a major disruptor across industries, but it's still early days for the emerging realm. In this report, we look at how different markets are embarking on their own metaverse business models.

Inflation isn’t stopping consumers from buying premium brands: Levi’s and Birkenstocks are some of the companies leveraging their brand equity to raise prices and secure favorable retail partnerships.

Here’s a breakdown of the online and in-store features that apparel retail shoppers value the most, and a ranking of how 10 leading retailers stack up.

Everyone’s concerned about children’s privacy and safety on social media: As more consumers demand that social platforms be scrutinized, a case against TikTok’s handling of children's private data proceeds.

Major brands weigh the benefits of staying in the Russian market: Airbnb wins the brand reputation game, while Uniqlo and Shell may have misjudged the situation.

Can membership programs provide a new revenue stream for retailers? Best Buy and Walmart are taking a page from Amazon Prime and AppleCare as they build out their programs.

Large brands shift their focus to direct sales: Meanwhile, many digital-native retailers are turning to wholesale as they look for cost-effective ways to attract new customers.

On today's episode, we discuss which brands are emerging as key players in the metaverse race, how Apple could make its mark, why Disney's intellectual property (IP) makes it a heavyweight in this space, how Nike is positioning itself, and more. We then talk about what to expect from cashierless technology in 2022 and how a new breed of remote workers has changed shopping. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Andrew Lipsman.

The metaverse will be put to the test in 2022: Some firms may find their metaverse dreams held back by wearable technology, while others attempt to woo brands to their spaces.