News

Every week, the Digishare team prepare a digest of the previous 7 days of online retail news. Along the way, we’ll pick the most interesting stories from the worlds of technology, social media, marketing and more, allowing you to see everything at a glance.

Retail News and Trends

Online growth continues, prompting retailers to manage peak demand by bringing Christmas offers forward
https://internetretailing.net/peak/online-growth-continues-prompting-retailers-to-manage-peak-demand-by-bringing-christmas-offers-forward-22149
“Online sales grew by 42% year-on-year in September, with multichannel retailers continuing to outperform online-only pureplays as internet shopping becomes a day-to-day habit, new IMRG analysis suggests.”

BRC – KPMG Sales Monitor: September retail sales up 6.1%
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/10/brc-kpmg-sales-monitor-resilience-of-british-retailers-has-been-nothing-shy-of-remarkable/
“Covering the five weeks from August 30 to October 3, the BRC – KPMG results found sales were up 5.6 per cent in September on a total basis, against a decline of 0.6 per cent for the same time the year before.”

BRC campaign urges shoppers to start buying early for Christmas online and in-store to spread demand during pandemic
https://internetretailing.net/themes/brc-campaign-urges-shoppers-to-start-buying-early-for-christmas-online-and-in-store-to-spread-demand-during-pandemic-22153
“It aims to prevent the pre-Christmas peak trading rush that has, in recent years, started in mid late November. Instead, it wants to see demand flow more smoothly in order to enable staff to work safely while keeping a social distance amid Covid-19 regulations.”

Big consumer behavior shifts in holiday shopping this year
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/big-consumer-behavior-shifts-in-holiday-shopping-this-year/
“In comparison, less then one in 10 U.K. shoppers, (9%) are budgeting more for this year’s holidays, according to a JRNI survey that polled 2,000 U.S. and U.K. consumers.”

Christmas shopping got underway for many shoppers in September – with 40% of purchases made online, BRC retail figures suggest
https://internetretailing.net/peak/christmas-shopping-got-underway-for-many-shoppers-in-september–with-40-of-purchases-made-online-brc-retail-figures-suggest-22118
“Retail sales grew by 5.6% in total in September compared to the same time last year, with 40.1% of sales taking place online, up from 30.8% a year earlier, according to today’s BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor.”

Holiday sales growth won’t reach 2% this year, CBRE says
https://www.retaildive.com/news/holiday-sales-growth-wont-reach-2-this-year-cbre-says/586823/
“As the pandemic’s challenges continue, retailers will see modest sales growth of less than 2% year over year this holiday season, compared to 4.1% growth on average over the last decade, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE.”

Ecommerce start-ups surged during lockdown: Royal Mail
https://internetretailing.net/industry/ecommerce-start-ups-surged-during-lockdown-royal-mail-22150
“Nearly 16,000 new ecommerce businesses were set up during lockdown, the Royal Mail has found. They were the largest single group, as a record 315,000 companies were set up between March and July this year – 7% more than in the same period last year.”

A fifth of UK consumers using social to shop, driven by convenience and boredom
https://internetretailing.net/mobile-theme/a-fifth-of-uk-consumers-using-social-to-shop-driven-by-convenience-and-boredom-22130
“Almost a fifth (17%) of UK consumers are now using social apps to shop, with one in ten (11%) making a purchase this way since lockdown began in March.”

Study: 62% of shoppers that struggle to complete purchases abandon their carts
https://www.retaildive.com/news/study-62-of-shoppers-that-struggle-to-complete-purchases-abandon-their-ca/586749/
“According to a goMoxie survey emailed to Retail Dive, 40% of consumers struggle to do simple tasks on retail websites. More than half of consumers (62%) that struggle to complete a transaction online abandon their cart, the survey found.”

Subscriptions for physical goods to hit $263bn by 2025, overtaking digital subscriptions
https://internetretailing.net/selling/subscriptions-for-physical-goods-to-hit-263bn-by-2025-overtaking-digital-subscriptions–22127
“The market for consumer subscriptions for physical goods will grow from an expected $64 billion in 2020 to more than $263 billion in 2025, a new report from Juniper Research suggests.”

Unprecedented +120% growth in cross-border online sales predicted in October
https://internetretailing.net/international/unprecedented-120-growth-in-cross-border-online-sales-predicted-in-october-22128
“Data from ESW, which is the largest cross-border ecommerce provider globally, suggests that unprecedented sales growth will peak at an average of 135% during the weeks commencing 18th and 25th October 2020.”

Research offers peek at online shopper behavior
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/research-offers-peek-at-online-shopper-behavior/
“When the website does not load quickly or freezes often, 32% ditch the brand, 17% pick up the phone and 12% opt for a live chat.”

Third of UK adults feel vulnerable to fraud when shopping online
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/10/third-of-uk-adults-feel-vulnerable-to-fraud-when-shopping-online/
“A YouGov poll carried out between September 30 and October 1 in support of the Get Safe Online campaign found the UK’s adults have been spending longer 15 per cent online since lockdown began in March.”

Walmart turns Black Friday into multi-weekend sales campaign
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/walmart-turns-black-friday-into-multi-weekend-sales-campaign/
“The Black Friday sales will kick off online Nov. 4, with more deals Nov.7. Then the second phase will start online Nov. 11 and another sales push on Nov. 14. The sales celebration will conclude online Nov. 25 with new discounts offered in store on the traditional Black Friday, Nov. 27”

Amazon returns to ‘debt-fueled growth’ amid online boom
https://www.retaildive.com/news/amazon-returns-to-debt-fueled-growth-amid-online-boom/587100/
“Amid the rapid shift to e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic, costs for Amazon are likely to “surge,” with Moody’s analysts estimating that fourth-quarter shipping expenses could reach $20 billion.”

On Prime Day, Amazon keeps the focus on its marketplace
https://www.retaildive.com/news/on-prime-day-amazon-keeps-the-focus-on-its-marketplace/587137/
“But the e-commerce giant, more than either its third-party sellers or its rivals, probably got the most out of what may be the kickoff of the holiday season.”

Prime Day matters more than ever this year
https://qz.com/1916293/amazon-prime-day-matters-more-than-ever-this-year/
“Not only is it reshaping the holiday shopping calendar in the US, it also threatens to siphon sales from other retailers through the end of the year as it drives more sign ups for Prime.”

E-commerce sales are soaring—but for how long?
https://qz.com/1918063/will-e-commerce-shopping-return-to-pre-pandemic-levels/
“From the first quarter of 2020 to the second, the US Census found e-commerce increased from 11.8% of all sales to 16.1%. So in just one quarter, e-commerce grew as much as it had in the past four years.”

Marketing

State of B2B Content Marketing: 5 Trends That’ll Get You Promoted
https://contently.com/2020/10/15/state-of-b2b-content-2020/
“In our brand new report, we set out to highlight tactics that could help your brand thrive. We analyzed the entire B2B content marketing landscape, talked to experts, and broke down case studies from companies like Google, Microsoft, HubSpot, and more.”

Every week, the Digishare team prepare a digest of the previous 7 days of online retail news. Along the way, we’ll pick the most interesting stories from the worlds of technology, social media, marketing and more, allowing you to see everything at a glance.

Retail News and Trends

Retailers already discounting as Amazon Prime Day sets the mood for peak trading 2020
https://internetretailing.net/themes/retailers-already-discounting-as-amazon-prime-day-sets-the-mood-for-peak-trading-2020–22114
“Amazon Prime Day is set to signal the start of the 2020 peak trading season, analysts agree, although one warns that it could prove a lacklustre start. Data suggests that retailers are already discounting heavily ahead of the event, to be held on October 13 and 14.”

Black Friday set to be 14% bigger than ever before, putting massive strain on retailers, suppliers and distributors
https://internetretailing.net/peak/black-friday-set-to-be-14-bigger-than-ever-before-putting-massive-strain-on-retailers-suppliers-and-distributors-22097
“The pandemic shift to ecommerce is set to make Black Friday the biggest online retail peak to date, with sales expected to be up 14% on last year – putting increasing strain on an already stretched delivery network.”

Half of shoppers expect free home delivery from everyone this Prime Day
https://internetretailing.net/peak/half-of-shoppers-expect-free-home-delivery-from-everyone-this-prime-day-22102
“Half of UK shoppers (53%) expect free delivery as standard, while almost as many (46%) say they wouldn’t purchase from stores that charge for delivery over a certain threshold, and only 15% would pay extra for expedited delivery.”

Black Friday 2020 could see 22% drop in sales after discount “mega peak” sparked by Amazon Prime Day
https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/10/08/black-friday-2020-could-see-22-drop-in-sales-after-discount-mega-peak-sparked-by-amazon-prime-day/
“The extended discounting means more competition for a far smaller chunk of consumer’s disposable income, which has been decimated by COVID-19.”

Holiday e-commerce sales projected to surge this year
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/holiday-e-commerce-sales-projected-to-surge-this-year/
“In fact, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast report, e-commerce holiday sales will “surge,” by 25% to 35%, when compared to the 14.7% increase in 2019.”

Holiday mobile shopping projected to hit $314B
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/holiday-mobile-shopping-projected-to-hit-314b/
“The upcoming holiday season’s mobile device online shopping is expected to experience substantial growth, according to a Forbes report, projected to hit $314 billion, and will represent 44% of all e-commerce sales, according to data by eMarketer.”

Nearly 1 in 4 Brits now “practically addicted” to online shopping
https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/09/24/nearly-1-in-4-brits-now-practically-addicted-to-online-shopping/
“The research, conducted by Argos and OnePoll, found that 10 per cent of online shoppers order so often that they know their delivery driver by name, while 57 per cent would favour online delivery over instore purchasing for the latest products.”

Online grocery sales will hit $250B in five years, claims report
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/online-grocery-sales-will-hit-250b-in-five-years-claims-report/
“The figure represents a 60%-plus jump compared to pre-COVID-19 estimates, according to research from Mercatus, a digital commerce solutions provider, conducted in collaboration with research firm Incisiv. Online grocery shopping adoption has nearly doubled in two years.”

Study: 11% of U.S. shoppers have signed up for Walmart+
https://www.retaildive.com/news/11-percent-of-shoppers-signed-up-for-walmart-study-estimates/586328/
“Based on consumer responses, Amazon Prime may face competition — 45% of Walmart+ subscribers also have Prime subscriptions, according to the survey, and 19% said they migrated to Walmart+ from Prime. About 38% say they think Walmart+ is a threat to Prime.”

Customers Value Brand Trust as Number of Ecommerce Shops Grows
https://smallbiztrends.com/2020/10/brightpearl-consumer-survey-brand-trust.html
“Data reveals that amid the rush to buy products online, 61% of consumers have experienced problems with ecommerce brands.”

Opinion

3 online tips for 2020 holiday marketing success
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/blogs/3-online-tips-for-2020-holiday-marketing-success/
“With lowered expectations for in-store traffic and diminished sales from anemic traffic flows, digital (e-commerce) tactics will play a critical role in shaping holiday season success for retailers — with success being relative this year.”

Marketing

Why Jargon May Be Damaging Your Content
https://contently.com/2020/09/22/jargon-damaging-content-marketing/
“Jargon turns people off. They stop listening, even when they know what the words mean. Our brains respond best to content and stories written in clear, simple language.”

How We Doubled Webinar Leads By Becoming Our Own Biggest Advertiser
https://contently.com/2020/10/05/how-doubled-webinar-leads/
“In this case, however, we made one important tweak that might seem counterintuitive: We used the space to promote ourselves.”

How to Create a Useful and Well-Optimized FAQ Page
https://moz.com/blog/how-to-faq-page
“Your FAQ is the key to providing your customers and search engines with all the answers they might need about your brand.”

Every week, the Digishare team prepare a digest of the previous 7 days of online retail news. Along the way, we’ll pick the most interesting stories from the worlds of technology, social media, marketing and more, allowing you to see everything at a glance.

Retail News and Trends

Online sales up by 51.6% in August on last year, but dip 2.5% month-on-month as retail recovers from Covid-19 lockdown
https://internetretailing.net/themes/online-sales-up-by-516-in-august-on-last-year-but-dip-25-month-on-month-as-retail-recovers-from-covid-19-lockdown-22006
“Overall, ecommerce appears to be retaining much of the growth that it achieved during lockdown, although sales have decreased slightly from July in most categories.”

Online offsets lost store sales, with shoppers spending more once they find a retailer online
https://internetretailing.net/retail-resilience/online-offsets-lost-store-sales-with-shoppers-spending-more-once-they-find-a-retailer-online-21994
“The data also shows that shoppers who only ever purchased from a retailer in-store prior to the pandemic spent, on average, 40% more when they shifted online to make purchases during the pandemic.”

In-app shopping rises above 2019 peak levels across the UK and Europe in lockdown
https://internetretailing.net/mobile-theme/in-app-shopping-rises-above-2019-peak-levels-across-the-uk-and-europe-in-lockdown–21991
“In-app shopping activity has risen to new heights amid the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, seeing a 35% rise in ecommerce app installs – 12% higher than 2019 Q4 holiday season activity.”

Amazon offers luxury brands a new route to market
https://internetretailing.net/strategy-and-innovation/amazon-offers-luxury-brands-a-new-route-to-market-21987
“Amazon said today that it was moving into the luxury category, with selected shoppers to receive invitation-only access to brands including Oscar de la Renta via their mobile devices.”

Amazon launches luxury channel with Oscar de la Renta
https://www.retaildive.com/news/amazon-launches-luxury-channel-with-oscar-de-la-renta/585243/
‘Through the “store within a store” setup, brands sell their collections directly and make their own inventory, selection and pricing decisions. Amazon offers merchandising tools “to create and personalize content,” and the app employs an interactive “View in 360” feature that allows customers to more easily view the details of certain styles.’

Amazon reveals that over 90% of listings in most categories are now from 3rd party sellers
https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/09/18/amazon-reveals-that-over-90-of-listings-in-most-categories-are-now-from-3rd-party-sellers/
“Amazon’s key electronics category is reportedly made up of 96 per cent third-party products, alongside its beauty category, while its home and kitchen category was made up of a whopping 99 per cent.”

Amazon’s product quality woes extend beyond its Marketplace
https://www.retaildive.com/news/amazons-product-quality-woes-extend-beyond-its-marketplace/585426/
‘Three U.S. Senators are demanding that Amazon “immediately stop selling any AmazonBasics products that are defective, notify consumers that are in possession of these products, and work with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to conduct swift and thorough recalls to remove these dangerous products from homes.”’

Walmart membership program grabbing consumer interest
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/walmart-membership-program-grabbing-consumer-interest/
“Just under half of consumers that shop online at least once a week are somewhat or very likely inclined to join Walmart’s membership program, Walmart+, which launches this week.”

Is the world’s largest retailer letting Amazon set the rules?
https://www.retaildive.com/news/is-the-worlds-largest-retailer-letting-amazon-set-the-rules/585255/
‘Walmart+ trades the retail giant’s “always low prices” promise for an exclusive convenience play that, so far, its online rival is winning.’

Consumers back to non-essential shopping, reveals study
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/consumers-back-to-non-essential-shopping-reveals-study/
“A good majority, 67%, of consumers are no longer just shopping for essentials due to the ongoing coronavirus but are also buying non-essentials. Just under three-quarters, 71%, of shoppers worldwide are feeling comfortable in returning to physical store settings.”

Love for online won’t fade once pandemic is over, claims study
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/love-for-online-wont-fade-once-pandemic-is-over-claims-study/
“Once the coronavirus pandemic subsides 86% of consumers will rely on online shopping at the same pace seen during COVID-19 and a big reason is convenience.”

Three ways Covid-19 has affected customers’ shopping behaviour, at Christmas 2020 and beyond
https://internetretailing.net/customer/three-ways-covid-19-has-affected-customers-shopping-behaviour-at-christmas-2020-and-beyond-research-22008
“How has shopping behaviour changed as a result of lockdown and what does that mean for Christmas shopping in 2020?”

Digital will dominate holiday shopping, claims research
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/digital-will-dominate-holiday-shopping-claims-research/
“Three in four plan to do most shopping online and 42% expect to begin shopping earlier than the previous year.”

Study: 20% of retailers ‘dependent’ on the holidays to survive
https://www.retaildive.com/news/study-20-of-retailers-dependent-on-the-holidays-to-survive/585416/
“It’s not clear how much consumers will spend this holiday season, but PayPal suggests in its survey that retailers are offering products through multiple channels online to potentially offset the loss of in-store shoppers.”

Every week, the Digishare team prepare a digest of the previous 7 days of online retail news. Along the way, we’ll pick the most interesting stories from the worlds of technology, social media, marketing and more, allowing you to see everything at a glance.

Retail News and Trends

New August figures suggest online sales growth of recent months starting to slow
https://internetretailing.net/industry/new-august-figures-suggest-online-sales-growth-of-recent-months-starting-to-slow-21976
“Ecommerce sales last month grew by 43.5% compared to the same time last year, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index, but they were down by 4.1% compared to the previous month of July.”

Online sales slow down as Brits head outdoors
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/09/online-sales-slow-down-as-brits-head-outdoors/
“Last month, multichannel retailers outperformed online-only businesses for the fifth month running – recording a rise of 70.5 per cent, compared to 11.4 per cent.”

Surge in online shopping over lockdown thanks to 102% rise in online supermarket shops
https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/09/08/surge-in-online-shopping-over-lockdown-thanks-to-102-rise-in-online-supermarket-shops/
“Consumer spending grew 0.2 per cent year-on-year in the month of August, thanks to a 102.7 per cent year-on-year rise in online supermarket shops.”

Retail’s unlikely pandemic winners
https://www.retaildive.com/news/retails-unlikely-pandemic-winners/584849/
“Wayfair, Overstock and At Home have made gains while much of the industry faces sales declines, layoffs and, in some cases, bankruptcy.”

The questions retailers are asking about holiday shopping 2020
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/blogs/the-questions-retailers-are-asking-about-holiday-shopping-2020/
“U.S. holiday retail sales in 2019 exceeded $1 trillion for the first time ever, according to eMarketer. The 3.7% increase during last year’s peak season, the November-December holiday sales season, was approximately $1.01 trillion”

Amazon pumps up services for India market
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/amazon-pumps-up-services-for-india-market/
“Amazon may be embracing lending and insurance as a way to boost profits in India, due to thin margins in the country, according to the report.”

Amazon offered 40% stake in Indian conglomerate Reliance Retail for £15bn
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/09/amazon-offered-40-stake-in-indian-conglomerate-reliance-retail-for-15bn/
“India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani has reportedly offered Jeff Bezos’ Amazon a $20 billion (£15.6 billion) stake in the retail arm of his Mumbai-based Reliance Industries.”

Amazon under fire after paying just £293m in UK tax on revenues of £14bn
https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/09/09/amazon-under-fire-after-paying-just-293m-in-uk-tax-on-sales-of-14bn/
“Amazon’s tax payment represented a 33.2 per cent increase on its £220 million payment in 2018, with Amazon stating its corporation tax payment this year was reduced as a result of increased capital spending, as well as costs relating to research and development.”

Dozens of AmazonBasics products could pose a safety risk, report says
https://www.engadget.com/amazon-basics-products-could-be-fire-safety-risk-214942687.html
‘According to their lengthy investigation, at least 70 AmazonBasics products have been associated with fires and other safety issues. “Since 2016, at least 1,500 reviews, covering more than 70 items, have described products exploding, catching on fire, smoking, melting, causing electrical malfunctions or otherwise posing risks,” CNN writes.’

Watchdog accuses Amazon of price gouging during the pandemic
https://www.engadget.com/amazon-price-gouging-report-pandemic-142044766.html
“A new report by the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen accuses Amazon of price gouging during the pandemic. According to the group, Amazon increased the prices of essential items like masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, paper towels and toilet paper.”

Key practices for tech brands to drive brand love in today’s tumultuous climate
https://marketingtechnews.net/news/2020/sep/09/key-practices-for-tech-brands-to-drive-brand-love-in-todays-tumultuous-climate/
“For technology companies that may be tightening their budgets amidst the current times, it is still crucial to channel time and resources into ensuring that their consumers are well-engaged with their brands.”

Every week, the Digishare team prepare a digest of the previous 7 days of online retail news. Along the way, we’ll pick the most interesting stories from the worlds of technology, social media, marketing and more, allowing you to see everything at a glance.

Retail News and Trends

Footfall climbs again in August, but physical retail still struggling
https://internetretailing.net/location/footfall-climbs-again-in-august-but-physical-retail-still-struggling-21931
“The latest footfall figures for non-food stores to be released by Ipsos Retail Performance show that in August, shopper numbers were down by -41.7% year-on-year, far better than the -53.0% fall in July”

Shop prices fall across August, driven by discounting, but Brexit cost rises loom
https://internetretailing.net/industry/shop-prices-fall-across-august-driven-by-discounting-but-brexit-cost-rises-loom-21925
“However, announcing the figures, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) also warned that much of these drops were being driven by retailer discounts to drive people to spend. It also said that looming Brexit would force up costs, which more than likely would be passed on to the consumer.”

Black Friday will be quite different in the UK this year
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/black-friday-will-be-quite-different-in-the-uk-this-year/
“A hefty majority of U.K. consumers don’t plan to spend Black Friday in stores and will be online scouring websites for top deals.”

Logistics businesses join forces to issue post-Brexit transition supply chain warning
https://internetretailing.net/operations-and-logistics/logistics-businesses-join-forces-to-issue-post-brexit-transition-supply-chain-warning-21939
“This has implications for UK ecommerce and multichannel retailers that currently source materials and goods from the EU and sell products back to EU customers.”

Consumers opt for more online subs, bargains and new brands – and they are set to stay that way
https://internetretailing.net/retail-resilience/consumers-opt-for-more-online-subs-bargains-and-new-brands–and-they-are-set-to-stay-that-way-21929
“According to the study, as many as 88% will continue in this new vein in the months ahead.”

Amazon says it will grow its workforce by a third during 2020
https://internetretailing.net/strategy-and-innovation/amazon-says-it-will-grow-its-workforce-by-a-third-during-2020-21937
“So far, 3,000 new jobs in its fulfilment and delivery operations have been created, with a further 7,000 to follow by the end of this year in locations including its corporate offices and fulfilment centres.”

Amazon’s top reviewers making tens of thousands of pounds exchanging 5-star reviews for free goods
https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/09/04/amazons-top-reviewers-making-tens-of-thousands-of-pounds-exchanging-5-star-reviews-for-free-goods/
“Amazon UK is reportedly investigating its top reviewers after an investigation by the Financial Times found evidence they were receiving free items from Chinese brands, giving them 5-star reviews, then reselling them on Ebay.”

Amazon accused of spying on employees by monitoring dozens of closed social media groups
https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/09/02/amazon-accused-of-spying-on-employees-by-monitoring-dozens-of-closed-social-media-groups/
“Amazon’s corporate employees are reportedly using social media monitoring tools to track groups used by its Flex delivery drivers in the UK, US and Spain, according to Vice.”

America’s largest retailer is taking on Amazon Prime
https://qz.com/1899679/walmart-is-ready-to-compete-directly-with-amazon/
“After months of anticipation, Walmart this week announced the details of Walmart+, a subscription service that provides members free shipping on a range of items, discounts on fuel, and other perks for $98 a year. When it launches on Sept. 15, Walmart+ will stand as a direct competitor to Amazon Prime.”

A Corona Xmas: Why physical stores will power online shopping this holiday season
https://searchengineland.com/a-corona-xmas-why-physical-stores-will-power-online-shopping-this-holiday-season-340195
“Most shoppers are more likely to make an e-commerce purchase if they can return the item in a local store”

Voice, AR/VR, and New Tech

VR market to reach $20B by 2025
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/news/vr-market-to-reach-20b-by-2025/
“The virtual reality market will reach $20.9 billion by 2025, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets. It will also grow at a compound annual growth rate of 27.9% from 2020 to 2025.”

Every week, the Digishare team prepare a digest of the previous 7 days of online retail news. Along the way, we’ll pick the most interesting stories from the worlds of technology, social media, marketing and more, allowing you to see everything at a glance.

Retail News and Trends

UK retail footfall continues to rise as pent-up demand slowly unleashed
https://internetretailing.net/covid-19/uk-retail-footfall-continues-to-rise-as-pent-up-demand-slowly-unleashed-21897
“Footfall across all retail destinations throughout the UK rose by +4.1% last week from the week before, a significant acceleration in the rise in the previous week of +0.8% and +1.8% in the same week last year.”

Web visits rise +2.9% in July, but online revenues fall by -5% on the previous month
https://internetretailing.net/retail-resilience/web-visits-rise-29-in-july-but-online-revenues-fall-by–5-on-the-previous-month-21902
“This, the research suggests, shows that post-lockdown ecommerce performance is starting to plateau at its new normal – with online revenues since the end of March up on average 39% each month, compared to pre-lockdown levels.”

Amazon speeds ahead of e-commerce competitors in Q2 2020 with a 41.8% QoQ rise
https://internetretailing.net/marketplaces/amazon-speeds-ahead-of-e-commerce-competitors-in-q2-2020-with-a-418-qoq-rise-21912
“JD.com and eBay both saw their own market cap rise by 50% across the quarter and e-commerce giant, Alibaba, also reported an improvement in net earnings and an increase in active users on its platform, according to the data from Global Data.”

More than half of UK retailers have made no preparations for a second wave of Covid-19: study
https://internetretailing.net/covid-19/more-than-half-of-uk-retailers-have-made-no-preparations-for-a-second-wave-of-covid-19-study-21896
“A survey by Brightpearl found that 54% of retailers have made no changes to their business model in the event of a second wave in the autumn or winter.”

Amazon taps into DIY boom with multi-view AR home décor feature
https://internetretailing.net/mobile-theme/amazon-taps-into-diy-boom-with-multi-view-ar-home-decor-feature-21907
“What marks its new service out is that it allows for the viewing of multiple items all at once, so that shoppers can get a clear view of how many pieces will work with new décor.”

Walmart teams up with Microsoft in bid for TikTok
https://internetretailing.net/industry/walmart-teams-up-with-microsoft-in-bid-for-tiktok-21909
“The addition of a social site like TikTok, which has been built from the ground up to drive marketing and ecommerce through video interaction would put the retailer in an interesting new place that could see it taking on Amazon.”

More mobile, more contactless, less predictable: the new way people shop
https://internetretailing.net/mobile-theme/more-mobile-more-contactless-less-predictable-the-new-way-people-shop-21903
“Despite stores across Europe and the UK reopening and those in the US staying open, shoppers are turning more and more to mobile technology to enhance and secure their shopping experience – reshaping retail forever.”

John Lewis opens its online Christmas store 10 days earlier than usual
https://internetretailing.net/peak/john-lewis-opens-its-online-christmas-store-10-days-earlier-than-usual-21898
“The John Lewis & Partners Christmas site will have the full range of Christmas products online – animal baubles are going to be big this year, FYI – with the full range not hitting stores until 25 September, indicating just how digital retail has become.”

Pandemic accelerates consumers towards digital engagement and value-driven shopping
https://internetretailing.net/retail-resilience/pandemic-accelerates-consumers-towards-digital-engagement-and-value-driven-shopping-21904
“Chief among these habits are a pivot towards values-driven purchasing decisions based on political, social and ethical ideas, along with an increase in desire for digital to play a role in keeping them safe online and in physical retail.”

Opinion

How COVID19 is changing commerce forever
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/blogs/how-covid19-is-changing-commerce-forever/
“As consumer habits change and move away from the legacy of brick and mortar to the convenience of e-commerce, it will create a gold rush as brands vie for consumers’ dollars and mind share.”

How 2020 has seen years of change take place in brand retail in just months
https://internetretailing.net/brands/how-2020-has-seen-years-of-change-take-place-in-brand-retail-in-just-months-21849
“The growing use of mobile phones to browse and buy, and the extension of social media into shopping are both magnified by coronavirus, while sustainability and environmental issues continue to be important.”

Preparing for a pandemic holiday season
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/blogs/preparing-for-a-pandemic-holiday-season/
“Come November, those who are still testing technology or channels will fall behind the pack. To set themselves apart, retailers need to roll with changing consumer behavior and, with in-store shopping making up a smaller portion of holiday shopping, enhance every digital touchpoint.”

Understanding Europe’s up and coming retailers – and the context in which they operate
https://internetretailing.net/rxgeu/understanding-europes-up-and-coming-retailers—and-the-context-in-which-they-operate
“Both familiar and less familiar names feature, with long-established businesses and recent start-ups contained in a listing that maps the sheer scale of the ecommerce industry across Europe.”

Retail Rethink: customer engagement
https://internetretailing.net/retail-resilience/retail-rethink-customer-engagement-21860
“Past recessions have shown the importance of continuing with marketing rather than cutting back and the same will prove to be true during this pandemic.”

Voice, AR/VR, and New Tech

Adding AR to your e-commerce site? Here are 3 crucial questions to ask
https://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/blogs/adding-ar-to-your-e-commerce-site-here-are-3-crucial-questions-to-ask/
“Retailers are relying more than ever on their e-commerce sites to engage and win customers — and increasingly, they’re turning to augmented reality and 3D to boost shoppers’ confidence in buying.”