Inflation for pet food and services was over 10% in April, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the category has won a reputation of being somewhat recession-proof, thanks to its necessity for pet owners. “People will be spending more on the pets that they have already, despite the fact that it’s been a relatively inflation-wary populous,” said our analyst Jeremy Goldman on a recent episode of our “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast.

On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss exactly how much of the retail membership market Amazon Prime has gobbled up, whether Walmart+ is even competing with Amazon, and how valued benefits have shifted. Then, for "Pop-Up Rankings," we rank our top four creative recommendations for what retail memberships could offer members. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Sky Canaves and Blake Droesch.

Amazon Prime will make up 53.1% of US paid retail membership fee revenues this year, according to our estimates.

Many retailers launched paid memberships over the past three years. For the most part, they were intended to increase revenues and build loyalty during the pandemic-driven ecommerce boom. But the slowdown in revenue growth indicates that consumers are only willing to spend so much on retail subscriptions, particularly amid economic uncertainty.

Walmart lags behind Amazon in total ecommerce sales, retail media ad dollars, and retail subscriptions. But there may be ways for it to minimize the gap in certain areas, namely search and AI capabilities.

Amazon, Costco Wholesale, and other retailers now face an uphill battle to win recurring revenues in the era of subscription fatigue.

Walmart looks to improve its online shopping experience: The retail giant cut down clutter on its revamped website and app to entice shoppers to browse and buy.

On today's episode, we discuss how recent YouTube TV price hikes will affect subscriptions, whether streaming TV actually costs less than cable, and if a sports streaming hub is a viable product. "In Other News," we talk about what Roblox's new ad rules will do to the metaverse and why Walmart+, Walmart's membership program, is resonating with high-income shoppers. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Daniel Konstantinovic.

Amazon expands its ultrafast delivery options: The retail giant is investing in same-day delivery amid growing competition from Target and others.

Walmart is undergoing a “much broader shift,” said our analyst Sky Canaves on our “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Where Walmart was once seen as primarily a retailer, it’s pivoting into tech and services. Walmart’s business remains rooted in grocery, but through its retail as a service and Walmart+ offerings, it’s expanding that flywheel.

On today's episode, in our "Retail Me This, Retail Me That" segment, we discuss the power of Walmart: how Walmart is trying to stay in the online shopping race with Amazon, how Walmart+ is getting on, and what to make of its retail as a service offerings. Then for "Red-Hot Retail," our analysts give us four of their very specific—and potentially risky—predictions about the future of Walmart. Join our analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts analysts Sky Canaves and Blake Droesch.

On today's episode, we discuss some predictions for 2023 that are too specific to be 100% certain but could still come true, including: what will happen with TV ad measurement's single currency, how BeReal will make money, how Amazon will redefine advertising, what a Walmart+ and Paramount+ tie-up would look like, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Debra Aho Williamson, Andrew Lipsman, and Paul Verna.

This report looks at 12 of Walmart’s most important business areas, examining their maturity, disruption of the market, leverage over partners, integration with other products, and five-year outlook.

Walmart takes a shot across the bow at Amazon: The retailer’s latest holiday marketing campaign aims to go after Amazon’s dominance of online shopping holidays.

Amazon and Walmart adopt varying tactics to juice subscriber growth: Amazon is going after college students with its beefed-up music offering while Walmart doubles down on value.

Thanksgiving food costs are expected to soar 13.5% this year: Walmart, Aldi, and Lidl aim to use discounts on turkey, stuffing mix, and other holiday ingredients to attract new customers.

Major streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ dive into advertising while more viewers cut the pay TV cord.

Inflation gives Walmart a chance to shine: The retailer’s emphasis on value and low prices is attracting both low- and high-income shoppers and enabling it to retain grocery dominance.

Walmart’s latest earnings showed inflation is still making an impact but not as big as analysts expected.

Walmart courts affluent audiences to make up for shoppers trading down: But the retailer’s attempts to grow its Walmart+ membership base look increasingly desperate.