The Asia-Pacific retail ecommerce sector is both dynamic and volatile. While China and Japan are slowing, South Korea is growing rapidly, and emerging markets like Southeast Asia and India are showing robust growth and untapped potential.

US retail and ecommerce sales will maintain stable growth over the next five years, with pockets of opportunity emerging from new digital consumers and mobile-first online shopping trends.

After years of turbulence, UK ecommerce sales are growing again, albeit slowly. And there won’t be a significant shift over the next five years.

Amid shifting consumer priorities, competitive promotional activity, and an unusual calendar, brands and retailers must fine-tune their holiday 2024 marketing strategies to maximize sales during this critical period.

Product safety issues could derail Chinese ecommerce platforms’ growth ambitions: Shein and Temu are struggling to keep products with high levels of toxic substances—as well as those hazardous to babies and children—off their marketplaces.

Fast shipping, the vast selection of products, and high-quality customer service add to consumers’ growing attraction to online retail marketplaces, our analyst Sky Canaves said. “If there are any issues with the order, for example, there’s a trusted intermediary between the buyer and seller, which is why consumers may often feel that they have greater trust in marketplaces,” she said.

Retailers with ties to China, like Temu and TikTok Shop, have gained popularity in the US. Now, a wave of Japanese-based retailers and retail concepts has come to the US, signaling a potential shift for the retail landscape.

Amazon misses sales expectations as shoppers trade down to cheaper products: The retailer is trying to win over price-conscious customers with more sales events and a soon-to-be-launched budget marketplace.

Are millennials pulling away from Amazon? While they were the one demographic group whose Prime Day spending dropped year over year, they continued to spend on other retailers’ sites.

Retail sales via online marketplaces are growing faster than overall ecommerce. As competition in the sector rises, brands and retailers must navigate the challenges of an increasingly complex landscape.

Inflation continues to impact spending in Q2, with 84% of consumers saying inflation had an impact on their spending, a 10% increase over Q1, per Jungle Scout’s research. Meanwhile, Amazon product categories recorded sales increases and social media shopping is on the rise.

Retail mcommerce is a $542.73 billion opportunity in the US this year, growing 11.7%. To maintain that growth and attract mobile shoppers, retailers will have to create seamless smartphone and app buying journeys, invest in loyalty programs to retain users, and prove that the mobile experience stands up against desktop.

Amazon’s pricing and returns policies draw complaints from sellers: Merchants flag lost revenues, higher fees, and inadequate seller support as reasons for their discontent.

In 2024, US consumer spending on online marketplaces will reach $468.33 billion, according to our forecast, with a significant portion of ecommerce sales shifting to these platforms.

Etsy fights against Amazonification with new seller policies: The marketplace is overhauling its product designations to ensure all items have a human touch.

Marketplaces will continue to expand their share of US retail ecommerce as new players with roots in China vie for prominence.

As the share of US ecommerce sales on marketplaces continues to expand, our latest survey examines consumer buying habits and expectations across leading platforms.

Amazon to launch budget marketplace to compete with Temu, Shein: The retailer is copying their playbook—complete with cheap products and longer delivery times—to stay ahead in the ecommerce race.

Supply chain headaches mount for retailers: Disruptions in the Red Sea are driving up shipping rates and creating backups at key ports.

How can brands and retailers succeed in the new era of mobile-first ecommerce?