Retail insights at the intersection of now and next. Unfiltered. Unbiased
The Estée Lauder/Puig merger was universally perceived by financial markets as not beneficial for both companies. The consensus among analysts for Lauder: Restore some order to your balance sheet, stop the downward sales trajectory of the past several years, and then maybe consider a deal of this magnitude. In other words, get healthy again and then maybe think about becoming the next L’Oréal.
Unsurprisingly, sporting goods retailers stand to benefit directly from the World Cup, including Nike, Adidas, Puma, and sporting goods chains such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Fanatics. The World Cup’s younger audience profile also aligns with social commerce trends, limited-edition drops, and influencer-led marketing.
I bet we’re not alone when we say we’re getting a little tired of the never-ending Amazon Prime Day promotion. Data service Numerator just reported that shoppers say they are “less excited” about the event than they used to be, and can you really blame them?
Join Shelley and Tim Shea, Founder and CEO of Latticework Insights, as they unpack why culture, not code, decides whether a retailer’s next analytics dollar will be profitable. Fast facts: Agentic commerce is already filling shopping carts before customers reach a retailer’s site, and most brands have no real lever to influence which products an AI agent selects.
The ultimate test of success for long-form advertising is if you remove the logo, would this be a film you would watch? If the answer is no, it’s just a very long ad. Nike and Adidas have just released long-form videos for the FIFA World Cup which pass that watch test.
Recent headlines say Gen Z believes cash is no longer “cool” to use and that they’re all about digital payments. But many Gen Z still use cash regularly, especially teens. Debit cards and mobile wallets are even more popular, far outpacing those who use credit cards.
The new Marc Jacobs Beauty line sold DTC through the Marc Jacobs website, and Sephora feels like the odd man out in the beauty industry. Its playful maximalism and bright colors go against the grain of the market nowadays, and at a time when both Coty and prestige cosmetics are under significant pressure, the venture isn’t just the reinvention of a makeup line, but a big gamble for everyone involved.
The current retailer enthusiasm surrounding dynamic pricing (think Amazon, airfares, and supermarkets) assumes the consumer behaves as a rational negotiator who will calmly accept a price based on a real-time willingness to pay. In reality, consumers do not experience retail that way; they behave more like hunters than negotiators.
The grocery channel is in a fierce battle for market share with Walmart and Kroger duking it out at the top and upscale chains trying to find a way to compete.
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