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Blockchain Promises Financial Inclusion to the World’s 1.7 Billion-Plus Unbanked Inhabitants

Blockchain is a powerful, fundamental financial technology that offers benefits to consumers around the world, particularly those currently excluded from financial systems. We present its features and the benefits it provides to businesses and consumers globally. We discuss three examples of companies that are developing blockchain solutions—namely, China-based Ant Group, UK-based Electroneum and US-based Ripple.

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US Store Closures: Where Are Department Stores Closing?

The Covid-19 crisis has significantly impacted the US department store sector. We offer a state-wise depiction of the locations of over 1,300 store closures. We present maps of confirmed store closures by the major department stores that have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this year—including JCPenney, Stage Stores and Stein Mart—as well as by other companies such as Macy’s and Nordstrom.

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The Time for Sustainability in Retail Is Now

Employees, investors and consumers expect sustainability to be addressed at the companies for which they work, in which they invest and by the brands from which they buy. In this free report, sponsored by IBM, we discuss the development of sustainability in retail and present Coresight Research’s EnCORE framework, which is designed to help retailers and brands frame their approach to sustainability.

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August 2020 US Retail Sales: Further Strong Year-over-Year Growth

Building on strong growth momentum in total US retail sales in July 2020, US retail sales continued to rebound strongly in August, driven by multiple nonfood sectors—including sports and leisure goods and home improvement. Using data from the US Census Bureau, this report looks at which retail sectors saw sales surge and which did not do well in August 2020.

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Insights from China: China’s Domestic Duty-Free Market Grows in the Wake of Covid-19

The Covid-19 crisis has heavily impacted airport retail in 2020. By contrast, China’s domestic duty-free market is accelerating. We discuss the market’s size and potential for growth, exploring three key drivers that present opportunities for brand and retailers—namely Hainan’s new duty-free policy, the rise of downtown duty-free stores and the shift of spending to the online channel.

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