Insight Report | July 28, 2020 Premium US Back to School 2020: The Outlook for Retail amid Uncertainty and a Gloomy Economic BackdropLaunching our US Back to School 2020 series, we outline our expectations for the season this year, which is being shaped by the coronavirus crisis. We discuss the core market drivers behind our estimates of consumer spending in the US—including consumer focus on health and safety, the impact of Covid-19 on discretionary retail, potential school and college reopening models and the economic backdrop. Read More
Insight Report | July 28, 2020 Premium Retail Reimagined: Using Shopping Festivals To Boost SalesAs part of our Retail Reimagined series, which explores the outlook for retail in a post-crisis world, we discuss shopping festivals as an innovative way to generate interest in products, boost brand awareness and drive sales following the coronavirus pandemic. We consider the implications for brands, retailers and technology vendors. Read More
Insight Report | July 23, 2020 Premium Retail Reimagined: Leveraging Social Media To Drive Consumer Engagement and ConversionAs 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. Read More
Event Coverage | July 23, 2020 Register for Free Access Key Insights from CEW’s State of the Beauty Industry Conference: Spectacular Retail and Self-SufficiencyGlobal beauty executives came together in July for the annual Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) State of the Beauty Industry conference, which was hosted online for the first time. We present key insights from the presentations given by industry leaders on beauty and wellness markets in the age of Covid-19. Read More
Insight Report | July 22, 2020 Premium Livestreaming E-Commerce Takes Off in the USChina has a relatively mature livestreaming e-commerce market, but we are now also seeing momentum in the US as brands and retailers further explore the use of social media platforms to engage with consumers and boost sales. We discuss selected retailers’ and social media platforms’ moves into livestreaming e-commerce in the US and consider the impact of in-video checkout functionality and social media influencers on consumer shopping behavior. Read More
Insight Report | July 22, 2020 Premium Contactless Technologies in Grocery Retail and Food Service: Touch-Free Shopping in a Post-Crisis WorldWe discuss recent developments in the adoption of contactless technologies in grocery retail and by food-service businesses, as they adapt to demand for touch-free shopping in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. This report includes highlights from Amazon, Coca-Cola and Walmart. Read More
Insight Report | July 21, 2020 Premium Retail Reimagined: Using Gamification To Attract ShoppersAs part of our Retail Reimagined series, which explores the outlook for retail in a post-crisis world, we discuss the rise of gamification and recent examples of this trend. We consider the implications for brands, retailers and technology vendors. Read More
Event Coverage | July 17, 2020 Register for Free Access Open for Business with Chris Baldwin, BJ’s Wholesale Club: Empathy and Personalization in Club-Store RetailAs part of our Open for Business webinar series, we hosted Chris Baldwin, Chairman of BJ’s Wholesale Club. We present an edited transcript from this webinar, in which Baldwin offered insights into changing consumer demand amid the coronavirus crisis—covering key topics such as personalization and assortment localization. Read More
Insight Report | July 16, 2020 Premium Amazon Prime Day 2020: Expected October Timing To Draw Forward Holiday SpendingAmazon is seemingly postponing its Prime Day shopping holiday this year, from July to the fall. We present our expectations for the 2020 event, based on proprietary survey data. We also discuss its key tailwinds, considering the impact on the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons. Read More
Flash Report | July 15, 2020 Register for Free Access Retail 2020: 10 Retail-Tech Startup Trends— Post-Crisis UpdateWe provide an update on our retail-tech startup trends for 2020 in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Demand for contact-light retail will drive omnichannel fulfillment options and cashierless store experiences, while data privacy, sustainability and the consumerization of health care may remain key priorities for retailers. Read More
Event Coverage | July 13, 2020 Register for Free Access Open for Business with Bjoern Peterson, Sensormatic Solutions: The Physical Store and Inventory Accuracy Post CrisisAs part of our Open for Business webinar series, we hosted Bjoern Petersen, President of Sensormatic Solutions. We present an edited transcript from this webinar, in which Petersen offered insights into how retailers can work toward gaining inventory accuracy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis—covering key topics such as consumer demand, e-commerce and fulfillment. Read More
Insight Report | July 10, 2020 Premium Four Months to Singles’ Day: How To Drive Brand Awareness and Store TrafficWith four months to go until Singles’ Day 2020, we provide key strategies for how brands and retailers can increase their presence and exposure on Alibaba’s Tmall platform in the lead-up to the shopping festival. Read More
Insight Report | July 7, 2020 Premium H&M and Inditex Change Course, Closing Stores To Focus More on E-CommerceH&M and Inditex (owner of Zara), the world’s two biggest clothing specialist retailers, have announced plans to close a greater number of stores in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. For H&M, 2020 will be the first year for many years that it will see a reduction in total store numbers. We look at their plans and explore the implications. Read More
Flash Report | July 7, 2020 Register for Free Access Retail 2020: 10 Trends in Global Retail—Post-Crisis UpdateWe provide an update on our global retail trends for 2020 in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Retail will see impacts as companies prepare for a socially distanced “mask economy,” while supply chains will be impacted and some retail sectors will see lingering effects from the Covid-19 outbreak. Read More
Insight Report | July 6, 2020 Premium Coronavirus Insights: US Luxury Is Well Positioned To Recover Post CrisisAs a discretionary retail sector, luxury was dealt a significant blow by the coronavirus crisis this year. We discuss how the market’s recovery could play out over the next two years, using proprietary consumer survey data. We also take learnings from the Chinese luxury market to provide indicators into future consumer behavior in the US. Read More