Digital Commerce

Access research reports and presentations on the retail and technology ecosystem, including consumers, companies, economies, and retail and technology trends. Use the filters below to find research reports and presentations by sector, theme, company or other parameters. Alternatively, use the search box above to find relevant research content.

Insight Report | July 23, 2020 Premium

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.

Event Coverage | July 23, 2020

Register for Free Access

Key Insights from CEW’s State of the Beauty Industry Conference: Spectacular Retail and Self-Sufficiency

Global 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.

Insight Report | July 22, 2020 Premium

Livestreaming E-Commerce Takes Off in the US

China 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.

Insight Report | July 22, 2020 Premium

Contactless Technologies in Grocery Retail and Food Service: Touch-Free Shopping in a Post-Crisis World

We 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.

Insight Report | July 21, 2020 Premium

Retail Reimagined: Using Gamification To Attract Shoppers

As 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.

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 Retail

As 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.

Insight Report | July 16, 2020 Premium

Amazon Prime Day 2020: Expected October Timing To Draw Forward Holiday Spending

Amazon 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.

Flash Report | July 15, 2020

Register for Free Access

Retail 2020: 10 Retail-Tech Startup Trends— Post-Crisis Update

We 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.

Event Coverage | July 13, 2020

Register for Free Access

Open for Business with Bjoern Peterson, Sensormatic Solutions: The Physical Store and Inventory Accuracy Post Crisis

As 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.

Insight Report | July 10, 2020 Premium

Four Months to Singles’ Day: How To Drive Brand Awareness and Store Traffic

With 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.

Insight Report | July 7, 2020 Premium

H&M and Inditex Change Course, Closing Stores To Focus More on E-Commerce

H&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.

Flash Report | July 7, 2020

Register for Free Access

Retail 2020: 10 Trends in Global Retail—Post-Crisis Update

We 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.

Insight Report | July 6, 2020 Premium

Coronavirus Insights: US Luxury Is Well Positioned To Recover Post Crisis

As 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.

Deep Dive | July 1, 2020 Premium

Do Not Touch: Contactless Technologies for Retail

We explore the adoption and evolution of contactless and contact-light technologies at various stages of the shopping journey, including ordering, checkout, payment and delivery. With the Covid-19 pandemic fueling the development of such technologies—due to heightened consumer sensitivity to safety and out of necessity during temporary store shutdowns—retailers are likely to introduce more innovations to remove physical contact in transactions over the long term.

Deep Dive | July 1, 2020 Premium

Five Trends Shaping Apparel Sourcing

The apparel sourcing industry is experiencing uncertainty due to unpredictable changes to tariffs and trade, the widespread coronavirus pandemic and fast-moving upgrades of technology in the supply chain. We outline five key apparel-sourcing trends and discuss how apparel retailers and brands can adapt to consumer expectations while controlling sourcing costs.