The once online-only merchant is planning to launch a holiday toy catalog this year, stepping in to fill the role that used to belong to Toys "R" Us, which produced its "Big Book" catalog every year. But what may seem like an off-brand move isn't that unusual.

A May 2018 survey by Automat found that 70% of US female beauty buyers said they were overwhelmed by product choices. One solution to the overwhelmed-with-choice conundrum could be virtual beauty advisors.

This July will mark the fourth annual Amazon Prime Day, hardly a deep-seated tradition, even though the online shopping event grows in popularity every year. In 2017, sales reached an estimated $1 billion. Prime Day is also starting to capture dollars spent historically during a more established shopping season: back-to-school.

With Amazon Prime Day looming, retailers and marketers are prepping their strategies for what’s turned into a new midyear shopping holiday in the three short years since its debut. The latest eMarketer forecast shows that Amazon continues to set the pace for US retail ecommerce.

Shoppers have lofty expectations for companies to recognize them across channels and provide personalized experiences. But according to a MuleSoft survey of internet users worldwide, there is room for improvement on this front; 81% said organizations provide a disconnected experience.

Common marketing wisdom dictates that consumers are more willing to share personal information if they get something in return. Lately, that something means personalized experiences, services or offers. But how true is this perceived value exchange, especially for digital shoppers?

Mobile commerce isn’t always synonymous with user-friendly. And for merchants trying to engage consumers on their devices, that’s a pressing concern.

Consumers don’t see retail as offline and online—to them, it’s just shopping. And according to a March 2018 survey by Ipsos and Medallia, 65% of US digital shoppers expect brands to offer the same experience across physical and digital channels.

Even though groceries are still mostly bought in-store, many consumers use digital tools before, during and after a visit to a supermarket. These multiple touchpoints provide opportunities for grocers to engage with shoppers.

A recent survey by Rokt found that US digital buyers are happiest once the buying experience is over. Going through the checkout process is another story.

Amazon and Walmart have been battling for supremacy in the growing online grocery market, but traditional supermarket chain Kroger is growing too. According to Kroger's fiscal Q1 2018 earnings report, the company's digital sales grew 66% over the prior quarter. Credit was given to ClickList, its buy online, curbside pickup program that's available at Kroger and regional subsidiaries like Dillons, Fred Meyer and Harris Teeter.

For the most part, consumers have a game plan when they enter a store—they know what they intend to buy and stick closely to their shopping list. Still, in-store shopping has one advantage that online doesn't: the ability to see and feel items in person.

The US retail industry will continue to dominate the digital ad business this year. Retailers will spend $23.50 billion on digital ads, up 18.7% over last year, representing nearly 22% of US digital ad spending, according to eMarketer estimates.

Email marketing is one of the most evergreen retail tactics. It's also one of the most targeted forms of messaging since recipients opt-in and often provide solicited information or preferences. Despite these factors, personalization can still be hit or miss.

Once hyped, the meal kit market—and subscription commerce, generally—appears to have settled down. According to a Market Force Information survey, only 15% of US grocery buyers have ever tried a subscription meal kit service. And there doesn't appear to be a great deal of pent-up demand, either.

This is the fifth in an eight-part series of StatPacks providing a visual overview of digital ad spending trends across several US industries.

New data from Kantar Consulting shows that an impressive 45% of households are more than willing to pay Prime membership fees, in exchange for free two-day shipping, along with ancillary benefits like access to Amazon’s streamable content.

US consumers' shopping behavior isn't as mall-centric as it once was, but declaring the death of traditional shopping centers might be a little premature. It’s true, ecommerce has forever changed consumer expectations, and merchants can no longer rely on traditional anchors—usually department stores—to attract crowds. This has forced mall operators to get creative.

In a case brought by the state of South Dakota, the US Supreme Court ruled that online retailers are no longer exempt from sales tax. This not only has great implications for the 45 states that rely on sales tax, but also for online retailers like Wayfair and Overstock.com, which have argued that tax collection would be a logistical challenge and an unfair burden, particularly on smaller merchants.

Using location data to personalize ads has given a lift to marketers trying to engage with their target audience. But driving customers into the store? That's not so clear.