Strong discretionary spending contrasts with weaker grocery demand and high fuel bills.
High cash-back multiples for groceries and gas helps connect with consumers focusing on essential spending.
Wallets and retailers have been reluctant to adopt NFC tech given barriers and incumbents’ extreme dominance.
On today’s podcast, we discuss how consumers decide what’s worth buying, why we spend hours trying to save $10 on groceries but think nothing of spending thousands on a vacation, how uncertainty influences the way people make decisions, and why being a smart shopper is becoming part of our identity. Tune in for a discussion featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Analyst Grace Broadbent, and Ayelet Fishbach, Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
AI research has moved from novelty to habit in the shopping journey, and it's changing more than where consumers start looking. It's changing who wins.
Fewer buyers and more borrower stress make grants, buydowns, and servicing key differentiators.
Richemont posts standout growth as consumers favor investment-worthy pieces.
Inflation pushes shoppers toward Walmart and dollar stores.
Restricting affiliates’ use of AI may protect credibility but limit exposure.
Amazon Prime Day 2026 set record sales, but the headline number hides a value shift: shoppers spent less per household, leaned into everyday essentials, and grew harder to satisfy. Amazon's first members-only same-day grocery Prime Day, and its widening membership lead, reshaped the event. Analysts read the results as a bellwether for the holiday season. This FAQ covers what Prime Day is, how the 2026 event actually performed, what shoppers bought, and how brands and rival retailers should respond.
AI steers purchase decisions: Consumers use AI to vet products before buying and heed its advice, making complete product information critical for brands.
The Bieber capsule reinforces Gap's denim heritage, betting product credibility can outlast viral controversy.
Commerce media is becoming less about individual channels and more about creating connected customer experiences. Brands are increasingly combining offsite and onsite media to build awareness, drive consideration, and convert shoppers.
A successful takeover could reorder the balance of power for digital wallets and agentic commerce.
Amazon Prime membership fell to 54% of US adults in June 2025 before rebounding to 64% by May 2026, keeping it the most widely held retail membership by a wide margin, according to a June report from Bizrate Insights and EMARKETER.
Data-driven expansion and service-led experiences show why physical retail still matters in menswear.
Health advice is the No. 1 reason consumers turn to AI for guidance, putting greater pressure on physicians to correct inaccurate information.
Lower energy prices mask stubborn costs for gas, groceries, and other essentials.
Mexico marks a high-profile expansion, though Canada and Europe may offer a smoother path than competing with authentic local cuisine.
Native integration brings on-demand delivery to thousands of merchants.