Holiday Shopping 2/page/3 news and trends

Retailers Cut Christmas-Themed Item Orders Ahead of Lukewarm Holiday
Retail // November 05, 2024

As the holiday shopping season begins, expect to see fewer Christmas-themed items in stores. Retailers such as Walmart are ordering fewer Christmas trees, toys and decorations this year, in anticipation of a lukewarm shopping season, Reuters reported Tuesday (Nov. 5). According to the report, Walmart — the largest retailer...

As Consumers Plan Their Thanksgiving Shopping, AI Stirs the Pot
The Weekender // November 02, 2024

Thanksgiving has come a long way from its pilgrim origins — this year, the robots are taking over. That is, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how consumers plan their holiday shopping. Increasingly, the technology is impacting how consumers spend, with one study finding that 90%...

Hallmark Bridges Digital Gifting With Real-World Touches
Gift Cards // November 01, 2024

As the holiday season approaches, the quest for the perfect gift intensifies. With consumers increasingly seeking personalized and convenient gifting solutions, Hallmark has introduced Gift Card Greetings, a new product merging physical greeting cards with digital gift cards. These cards feature various designs for different...

Retail Brief: Walmart and Amazon Revamp Strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Walmart Amazon whole paycheck // November 01, 2024

Walmart and Amazon are both ramping up their strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, seeking to capture consumer interest during the holiday shopping season. Walmart’s Black Friday events will unfold in three phases. The first event begins online on Nov. 11  at noon ET...

Interviews & Exclusives
Retail Brief: Walmart and Amazon Revamp Strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

November 01, 2024
Walmart and Amazon are both ramping up their strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, seeking to capture consumer interest during the holiday shopping season. Walmart’s Black Friday events will unfold in three phases. The first event begins online on Nov. 11  at noon ET for Walmart+ members, with general access at 5 p.m. ET, […]

Mass Market Retailers Cut Prices to Win Budget-Conscious Shoppers This Holiday Season

October 10, 2024
As we approach the holiday season, mass merchants and dollar stores are unveiling a plethora of new deals designed to attract budget-conscious consumers grappling with financial struggles. This year, many...

Mixed Economic Signals: Strong Jobs Report, but Declining Confidence

October 07, 2024
Monday (Oct. 7) marked a double dose of economic data that provided a continued diet of mixed signals. First up, the Federal Reserve’s latest data on consumer credit showed an overall...

Consumers Feeling Better About Inflation — Will They Feel Comfortable Spending?

January 19, 2024
Headed into the new year, consumers are confident about the economy, and about overall trends in inflation. As reported by the University of Michigan’s survey of consumer sentiment, the latest reading...

Quick Reads
Target Plans Holiday-Themed Upgrades In Store and Online

November 05, 2024
Target is getting a holiday makeover as retailers prepare for a potentially tepid shopping season. The retailer announced recently that it would be turning its physical and digital retail presence into a “fantastical destination” for the holidays, outfitting stores with things like peppermint swirl decor — in Target’s standard red and white colors — and (in some stores) […]

Retailers Cut Christmas-Themed Item Orders Ahead of Lukewarm Holiday

November 05, 2024
As the holiday shopping season begins, expect to see fewer Christmas-themed items in stores. Retailers such as Walmart are ordering fewer Christmas trees, toys and decorations this year, in anticipation of a...

Walmart Taps AI to Add Personalization to Holiday Shopping Experience

October 31, 2024
Walmart is touting its AI capabilities as it prepares for the holiday shopping season. The retail giant on Wednesday (Oct. 30) announced several ways it would use artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI...

AI Tools and Independent Sellers Key at Record Amazon Sales Event

October 10, 2024
Amazon says customers saved more than $1 billion during its October shopping event. The eCommerce giant touted this statistic in a Thursday (Oct. 10) press release in the wake of its latest Prime...