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US Survey Update: Slowdown in Online Shopping Despite High Avoidance of Public Places (Full Report)

Our latest survey report provides a detailed update on US consumers’ behaviors, concerns and expectations amid the coronavirus crisis, with a focus on the implications for retail. This week, we saw avoidance of public places remain high, although a slight decline in avoidance of shopping centers could be a positive sign for retail. We discuss how this aligns with consumer activities over the past two weeks, as well as the changing popularity of e-commerce. Our consumer survey was undertaken on July 29.

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Retail Reimagined: Using New Selling Models To Drive Sales—Livestreaming and Community Group Buying

As part of our Retail Reimagined series, which explores the outlook for retail in a post-crisis world, we discuss the rise of brands and retailers leveraging livestreaming e-commerce and community group buying platforms to drive sales and adapt their services. We consider recent examples of these trends in China and the US, as well as implications for brands, retailers and technology vendors.

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US Survey Update: Consumers Increasingly Avoiding Public Places and Shifting More Apparel Spending Online (Full Report)

Our latest survey report provides a detailed update on US consumers’ behaviors, concerns and expectations amid the coronavirus crisis, with a focus on the implications for retail. This week, we saw consumers’ concerns increase again, stemming from a rising number of new coronavirus cases in the US. We discuss how this sentiment affects avoidance of public places, as well as what activities consumers expect to do in the next two weeks.

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Retail Reimagined: Leveraging Social Media To Drive Consumer Engagement and Conversion

As part of our Retail Reimagined series, we discuss the importance of social media as a marketing channel for brands to showcase their products and drive conversion—particularly in the context of increased reliance on digital channels due to recent Covid-19 retail shutdowns. We consider the use of social media beyond the crisis and consider the implications for brands, retailers and technology vendors.

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Coronavirus Insights: US Survey Update—Holiday Early Read with Consumers Expecting To Shop Early and Spend Less (Full Report)

Our latest survey report provides a detailed update on US consumers’ behaviors, concerns and expectations amid the coronavirus crisis, with a focus on the implications for retail. This week, we focus on consumers’ expected shopping behaviors for the 2020 holiday season. We also discuss shoppers’ current online spending habits and avoidance of public places, as well as what activities they expect to do in the next two weeks. Our consumer survey was undertaken on July 15.

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Coronavirus Insights: US Survey Update—Covid-19 To Reshape Back-to-School Shopping (Full Report)

Our latest survey report provides a detailed update on US consumers’ behaviors, concerns and expectations amid the coronavirus crisis, with a focus on the implications for retail. This week, we focus on consumers’ expected shopping behaviors in the upcoming back-to-school season. We also discuss shoppers’ current online spending habits and avoidance of public places, as well as what activities they expect to do in the next two weeks. Our consumer survey was undertaken on July 8.

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Facing the Challenges of Modern Retail with Prescriptive Analytics

Facing increasing competition from e-commerce companies, physical retailers are embracing analytics more than ever before. We explore how prescriptive analytics can help retailers to address current challenges, as well as boost revenues and increase their efficiency. We discuss the nature and benefits of prescriptive analytics, and detail its five core capabilities. This report is sponsored by Zebra Technologies.

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Beauty Insights: Opportunities in India’s Beauty and Personal Care Market

As part of our Beauty Insights series, we explore the beauty and personal care market in India and the opportunities that it presents to international brands and retailers. We detail the industry’s key growth drivers—considering population demographics, the e-commerce channel and evolving consumer trends—and discuss the competitive landscape, which includes international players such as L’Oréal, Estée Lauder and Sephora. We also assess the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the India’s beauty sector against the backdrop of easing nationwide lockdowns.

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Cross-Border E-Commerce: A Buyer’s Guide

In this report, we examine how retailers and brands can effectively sell across borders in ways that provide a consistent brand experience and drive shopper loyalty. The coronavirus crisis has prompted cross-border shopping to spike, and it looks likely to fuel demand over the coming period. In a post-crisis landscape, retailers and brands must look for growth opportunities wherever they lie.

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New Retail Models in the Global Apparel and Footwear Market

As part of our series exploring new models of retailing across different sectors and channels, we focus on the innovative strategies being implemented by brands and retailers in the global apparel and footwear market, including ASOS and Macy’s. We discuss how brands are leveraging technologies to upgrade the shopping experience, providing extended options as part of the sharing economy and utilizing consumer data.

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US Store Closures 2020 Outlook: Covid-19 Update—Prolonged Impact Set To Drive Up Closures

This report assesses the outlook for physical retail over the remainder of 2020—updating our previous expectations in light of the escalating impact of the coronavirus crisis. We compare year-to-date store closure data with 2019 and discuss a potential rise in bankruptcies, which may become a reality for many struggling retailers. We also update our prediction for the total number of closures we expect to see in the US in the full-year 2020.

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RetailTech: Oracle—Spanning the Software Gamut, from Databases to ERP to Cloud

Building on its strength in databases, which are the foundation for nearly all enterprise and business applications, technology company Oracle has branched out into other software categories, becoming a leader in areas such as ERP software, finance, CRM and supply chain management. We outline Oracle’s offerings in retail and its acquisition strategy in a competitive landscape.

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