Insight Report | December 7, 2020 Premium Earnings Insights 3Q20, Week 5: Discounters Stand Strong and Beauty Sees Strong Recovery; Declines Continue for Some Apparel BrandsOur weekly Earnings Insights reports feature highlights from recent management commentary at major US retailers as they report third-quarter 2020 earnings. We condense what retail companies are reporting, with a focus on the impact of the coronavirus crisis. This week, there are highlights from companies that reported in the week ended December 6, including Dollar General, Five Below, Kroger, PVH Corp and Ulta Beauty. Read More
Insight Report | December 2, 2020 Premium AI Can Help Retailers To Compete and ThriveThis report explores categories in the AI ecosystem, including chips, platforms, applications and users. We discuss examples of AI offerings from select technology companies and innovators, focusing on the areas in which retailers can benefit by leveraging AI tools—including smarter customer engagement, communication, operational efficiency, removing friction and e-commerce. Read More
Deep Dive | December 1, 2020 Premium America’s Changing Shopping Centers: Part 3—Malls Seek To Adapt as Pandemic Expedites Retail ShakeupAs malls grapple with the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic—including a rise in e-commerce, retail bankruptcies and the threat of declining foot traffic—mall owners are finding new ways to compete for consumer’s attention and retail spending. In this report—the third and final in our America’s Changing Shopping Centers series—we discuss the steps taken by mall operators to future-proof their centers amid the changing retail landscape. Read More
Insight Report | November 30, 2020 Premium Holiday 2020: US Black Friday Insights—“The Quietest in 20 Years”Our observations and insights on US Black Friday demand, based on our store checks, consumer survey and discussions with retailers, as well as select third-party data points on store traffic and e-commerce sales. Read More
Insight Report | November 30, 2020 Premium Earnings Insights 3Q20, Week 4: Apparel Specialists See Strong Recovery; Home Categories Remain StrongOur weekly Earnings Insights reports feature highlights from recent management commentary at major US retailers as they report third-quarter 2020 earnings. We condense what retail companies are reporting, with a focus on the impact of the coronavirus crisis. This week, there are highlights from companies that reported in the week ended November 29, namely American Eagle Outfitters, Best Buy, Burlington Stores, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dollar Tree, Gap Inc., Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters and Williams-Sonoma. Read More
Store Tracker | November 27, 2020 Databank Members Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2020, Week 48: Guitar Center Files for BankruptcyOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. This week, there are highlights from Foot Locker, Home Depot, Hibbett Sports, L Brands and Lowe’s in the US and Clarks, Jaeger and Peacocks in the UK. Read More
Insight Report | November 25, 2020 Premium New Retail Briefing: Alibaba Invests in Hypermarket Chain Sun Art and Luxury E-Commerce Platform FarfetchWe discuss recent developments in New Retail in China, including Alibaba’s investment to increase its stake in domestic hypermarket Sun Art Retail to become the controlling shareholder and JD.com’s partnership with Kuaishou to host a 200-hour livestreaming session for Singles’ Day from November 1 to 9. Read More
Insight Report | November 24, 2020 Premium Insights from China: Exploring Alibaba’s Success in China’s Grocery Market—Innovation at FreshippoAs part of our Insights from China series, we discuss the success of Freshippo, Alibaba’s grocery chain. We consider the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic this year and explore how the retailer has leveraged innovation across three key areas: new store formats, differentiated products offerings and the integration of technology and data. Read More
Insight Report | November 23, 2020 Premium Earnings Insights 3Q20, Week 3: Off-Pricers See Strong Improvement, but Department Stores Remain Badly Hit; Sales Surge in Home ImprovementOur weekly Earnings Insights reports feature highlights from recent management commentary at major US retailers as they report third-quarter 2020 earnings. We condense what retail companies are reporting, with a focus on the impact of the coronavirus crisis. This week, there are highlights from companies that reported in the week ended November 22, including Home Depot, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Target, The TJX Companies and Walmart. Read More
Insight Report | November 20, 2020 Premium Singles’ Day 2020: Analyzing New Retail StrategiesStarted as an online-only shopping festival, Singles’ Day has been shifting toward an omnichannel presence, leveraging Alibaba’s concept of “New Retail” to extend the event to offline retail. We discuss three key New Retail strategies that brands and Alibaba’s Tmall platform launched for this year’s Double 11: offline experiential events, such as pop-up shops; 3D virtual showrooms; and online coupons. Read More
Insight Report | November 19, 2020 Premium Singles’ Day 2020: Analyzing New EntrantsAs part of our coverage of Singles’ Day 2020, we explore new entrants on Alibaba’s Tmall platform and their approach to leveraging the shopping festival for China market entry or expansion. We cover entrants from different sectors, including apparel, beauty, home furnishing and luxury. Read More
Insight Report | November 19, 2020 Premium Singles’ Day 2020: Alibaba and JD.com Record $115 Billion in SalesAs the world’s largest online global shopping festival, Singles’ Day presents an exciting sales opportunity for brands and retailers. We discuss the Singles’ Day sales performance of China’s leading e-commerce players, including a comparison of Alibaba and JD.com. We highlight key themes from this year’s festival and consumer shopping patterns. Read More
Deep Dive | November 18, 2020 Premium Singles’ Day 2020: Analyzing Merchants’ Marketing CampaignsAs part of our coverage of Singles’ Day 2020, we review the marketing campaigns that various brands and retailers launched on Alibaba’s Tmall platform to encourage consumer spending during the shopping festival. We focus on three themes: financial incentives, community building and livestream/influencer marketing. Read More
Event Coverage | November 18, 2020 Register for Free Access Singles’ Day 2020: Highlights from Alibaba’s Observing China ForumContinuing our coverage of Singles’ Day 2020 in China, we present highlights from Alibaba’s Observing China Forum, which focused on changing consumer demand and the acceleration of digitalization against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read More
Market Navigators/Market Outlook | November 17, 2020 Premium US Home and Home-Improvement Retail: Post-Crisis Outlook—Fall 2020 UpdateWe explore the continued impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on the US home and home-improvement sector and present an outlook for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021. To analyze the sector, we look closely at select US retailers—including Home Depot, Lowe’s RH and Willams-Sonoma—as well as the effects of consumer trends in e-commerce. Read More