Target looks to a paid membership program to fuel growth: The Amazon Prime-like program could incorporate Shipt, the company’s $99 annual delivery service.

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching (a helpful reminder), and ahead of the romantic holiday, Sweethearts put out a collection of “situationship” hearts with “messages as blurry as your relationships.” The candies are targeted at Gen Zers in an aim to get buy-in from consumers who may not be head over heels for celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Retailers are going big on innovation. AI-powered improvements to the customer journey, ambitious market expansion, and viral partnerships and marketing campaigns have caught our attention, just in time for the first edition of our monthly ‘unofficial’ ranking of most interesting retailers.

What is shoppable media and which formats have the most potential?

Lunar New Year is approaching, providing another opportunity for brands to deliver culturally relevant campaigns. Successful brands can forge meaningful connections with diverse audiences, such as the AAPI community, communicate values of inclusion, and engage consumers in new markets. Unsuccessful brands risk losing equity, loyalty, and, ultimately, sales.

Last week, Target announced it was adding 1,000 new wellness-related products, some of which are priced at just $1.99.The retailer also launched an “online wellness destination” that consumers can visit for product recommendations, deals, meal inspirations, and wellness tips and tricks.

The beauty and cosmetics sector brought in $94.36 billion in consumer spending last year, claiming the title of the fastest-growing retail category in the US, per our The US Beauty Consumer report. With most consumers planning to boost their beauty budgets in 2024, the sector’s defiance against cautious spending habits is set to continue, driven by the enduring “lipstick effect,” the rise of dupes and Chinese-associated ecommerce giants, and more.

Gen Z, millennial shoppers love self-checkout: But everyone else is divided due to concerns over ease of use and theft.

GenAI is on the agenda for most retailers in 2024: Walmart, Target, Canadian Tire, and others are turning to the tech to boost customer and employee satisfaction.

Sometimes two is better than one. Especially when trying to capture consumer attention in a world of seemingly endless options. Here are four retail partnerships we think could occur in 2024, ranked from most likely to happen (e.g., Pinterest and Ikea) to least likely (e.g., Chewy and Blue Apron), and why we think they make sense.

“Despite lingering inflation, relatively sluggish consumer confidence, and shrinking excess savings, people still pulled out their wallets for the holidays,” our analyst Zak Stambor said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the biggest retail period, here are four predictions for the 2024 holiday season.

Our primary research on US online beauty buyers shares insights into how consumers discover and purchase new beauty brands and products across channels.

Dollar stores and off-price retailers set to once again dominate store openings in 2024: Economic uncertainty continues to fuel expansion opportunities for budget retailers.

Our primary research on US online beauty buyers shares insights into the evolution of consumer habits and preferences in one of retail’s most resilient categories.

Deal-seeking shoppers spent $222.1 billion online this holiday season: Elevated discounts drove spending across the electronics, apparel, furniture, and toy categories.

In January, the Retail Daily newsletter editors made four retail predictions for 2023. Some we got right (like the proliferation of Amazon Prime Day-type events) while some we missed the mark on a bit (it was not the year of AR).

Consumer spending patterns shifted in 2023: Retailers like Walmart, TJ Maxx, and E.l.f Beauty benefited from consumers growing cost consciousness.

A generous return policy can encourage consumer spending and inspire loyalty. On the other hand, a policy that makes it more costly or inconvenient for customers to return their items could sting a retailer’s bottom line. Here are some short- and long-term ways return policies can affect retailers, and ways to avoid charging customers a fee to cover return costs.

Recently, both Walmart and Target have warned that consumers’ cautious spending habits may lead to a sluggish holiday season this year. Were they right to be worried? Here’s how the holiday shopping season is going so far.

As consumers look for quick and convenient ways to shop, the number of click-and-collect buyers in the US will rise to 150.9 million in 2024, representing 53.1% of the population, per our December 2022 forecast.