Analytics

Retail sales rose again in July, marking the 10th consecutive month of gains, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, and released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF). “Retail sales maintained their steady upward momentum in July as consumers kept shopping despite ups and downs in other economic indicators,” NRF President and…

Retailers are no longer asking whether artificial intelligence belongs in the business. Nearly every organization is experimenting with AI in some form, whether through personalization engines, predictive inventory tools, customer service assistants, or emerging agentic experiences.  The challenge now is understanding how to measure its impact as AI increasingly shapes discovery, decision-making and customer engagement.…

Retail sales rose for the eighth consecutive month in May despite high gas prices and ongoing inflation, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation. The Retail Monitor uses actual, anonymized credit and debit card purchase data compiled by Affinity Solutions. Total retail sales, excluding automobile…

With millions of Americans expected to travel this Memorial Day weekend when gas prices are historically high, spending both in-person and online are expected to be higher than ever. In an email to Chain Store Age, Adobe predicted that consumers would spend an estimated $10.8 billion online during the three-day weekend (May 23-25), representing a…

Everyone in the industry says "incrementality," and it’s started to mean whatever the person using it wants it to mean. All the major retail media networks sell “incrementality measurement,” and every independent measurement company sells an incrementality product. On the brand marketer side, if you present a retail media strategy without saying the word, you…

Retail sales rose again in March as consumers received higher-than-usual tax refunds that made up for increased gasoline prices, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released by the National Retail Federation (NRF). “Retail sales grew for a sixth consecutive month in March as the first wave of tax refunds offset higher…

After years of rapid growth, new networks launching monthly, and brands eagerly shifting budgets closer to the point of sale, the conversation around retail media has evolved into one of accountability. Advertisers are asking harder questions about what retail media actually delivers, and whether reported performance aligns with real business outcomes. This shift is both…

The Commerce Department's latest U.S. retail sales report — delayed because of last year's government shutdown — shows that Americans spent more than expected in February following three consecutive months of decline. The report comes at a time of extreme consumer wariness: gas prices have reached a national average of $4 a gallon as the…

January often means merchants can finally exhale after the holiday sprint. Demand has normalized, but something feels off. The register was busy. Sales looked good. So why does the bank account tell a different story? If this sounds familiar, you're not alone (and you're not bad at business). You're just experiencing something most small merchants…

U.S. consumers spent nearly $258 billion online during the holiday season lasting from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, according to new data from Adobe. The company said in a press release that was a new record — and beat expectations of $253.4 billion — with consumers spending more than $4 billion in a single day…