The US retail sector could take years to recover from the impact of the coronavirus, and the hit could be worse than that of the Great Recession. According to eMarketer’s latest forecast on US retail sales (which includes auto and fuel), total retail sales will drop by 10.5% this year, steeper than the 8.2% drop in 2009. Ecommerce is the only bright spot, jumping 18.0% this year, as Americans rely on Amazon and other online retailers for necessities.

Weeks after China lifted its lockdown restrictions placed months ago to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, there’s a sliver of hope for the country’s retail sector.

Frictionless commerce, a trend permeating many facets of the customer journey today, leverages technology to improve the retail experience by saving people time and hassle. And arguably the most competitive battleground in frictionless commerce is in fast and free ecommerce delivery.

Walmart's US ecommerce sales are expected to rise 44.2% to $41.01 billion this year, a significant bump from 2019’s stellar 36.8% growth—and an increase from our January 2020 estimate of 27.0%.

As convenience becomes an increasing driver of consumer behavior, we explore how friction-reducing technology advancements are helping retailers generate more sales.

With much of the US still under stay-at-home orders, consumers are growing more accustomed to grocery shopping online. Brick-and-mortars, delivery startups and ecommerce retailers are adapting to the new normal, but even leaders in online grocery like Amazon and Walmart have struggled to keep up with demand.

eMarketer principal analysts Andrew Lipsman and Nicole Perrin discuss what to make of Amazon's Q1 2020 earnings from a retail and advertising perspective. They then talk about Walmart's "Express Delivery," a new company that automates brand creative, Amazon using independent seller's data and why a senior executive stepping down is such a big deal.

Grocery companies—and more specifically their systems and services—have really been put to the test amid the pandemic. Many grocers are having trouble keeping items on the shelves. And even the most prepared are encountering issues with supply chain logistics.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is creating a major drag on the global economy, it’s helping to accelerate the development and commercialization of several emerging technologies that have, until now, received lukewarm public and/or government support.

With the impact of the coronavirus still ricocheting throughout the economy, it can be difficult to envision retail one day returning to normal. And yet, somehow it will—and much of it will look virtually indistinguishable from the pre-crisis reality. But certain changes in consumer behavior will be lasting.

eBay’s US retail ecommerce sales are continuing to fall year over year as a result of lower marketing investment, changes to seller fees and new internet sales tax laws.

It’s little surprise that Amazon once again ranks as the No. 1 US ecommerce retailer—and by a huge margin. “What’s surprising is that despite accounting for nearly four in 10 ecommerce dollars, the company continues to gain market share and extend its lead,” said Andrew Lipsman, eMarketer principal analyst and author of our latest report, "Top 10 US Ecommerce Companies 2020: Walmart and Target Climb Rankings on Click-and-Collect Gains."

As uncertainty over coronavirus continues to grow, consumers are becoming more cautious about shopping in public places and are utilizing online shopping as a means of getting necessities.

After launching its mobile ordering app in 2009, Pizza Hut has made strides in the mcommerce space, constantly listening to customer feedback and adapting accordingly.

This report provides an overview of the top 10 US ecommerce companies in our 2020 forecast, including analysis of growth trends for Amazon, Walmart and Target.

eMarketer principal analyst Andrew Lipsman discusses Amazon Prime competitor Walmart+, and Amazon's first cashierless supermarket. He also talks about why Shopify joined Facebook's cryptocurrency efforts, and Etsy's automatic advertising idea.

eMarketer principal analyst Andrew Lipsman and senior forecasting analyst Cindy Liu preview eMarketer's upcoming report and forecast on the top 10 ecommerce companies in the US.

The 2019 holiday season saw several retail segments outperform the average, in addition to some underperformers.

The 2019 holiday season posted modest retail sales growth amid a strong consumer economy but challenging calendar. With more economic risks ahead, the 2020 season may be even more challenged for growth.

Consumer adoption of online grocery—led primarily by Amazon and Walmart—saw hockey-stick growth last year. As these two Goliaths vie for market control, conflicting reports have made it difficult to determine who has the momentum, and where consumers prefer to shop.