Holiday Shoppers Want to Buy From Small Businesses
Constant Contact's 2026 Small Business Now Holiday Report found that despite economic pressures, shoppers are aligned to support small businesses, and small businesses are confident that they will have a successful holiday season.
Shoppers Will Use Cyber Week Deals to Stock Up on Basics
With five weeks to go before Cyber Week, brands are finalizing their ads, and most of them are focusing on holiday gift ideas. However, this year, U.S. shoppers are expected to use the week’s discounts to buy everyday products in bulk.
New Report Finds Consumers Prioritizing Wellness in 2027
Curious as to what consumers are actually planning to do for their health this year and who they are trusting to help, PartnerCentric surveyed 1,002 U.S. consumers about their wellness goals, spending, supplement habits and where they shop. They also dug into a year of U.S. search data to see which health topics are picking up speed.
New Shopper Data Signals the Era of Product-Led Sales
A new askpolly study of online conversation about what makes people buy more in physical stores finds that self-serve product demos, kiosks and well-designed store layouts are doing the persuading, while sales staff barely register.
NRF Forecasts 2026 Holiday Sales Growth
The National Retail Federation (NRF) recently released its annual holiday forecast, predicting retail sales in November and December will grow 4.2% over 2025. That...
New Study Finds Holiday Spending Expected to Rise in 2026
Retail sales are forecast to grow between 4.3%–4.9% this holiday season, with total expected spend topping $1.7 trillion, according to ICSC’s 2026 holiday shopping forecast. Findings from ICSC’s annual Holiday Intentions Survey reinforce this forecast, as consumers prioritize holiday spending and experiences above competing financial priorities.
Halloween Challenges Christmas as the Bigger Holiday for Millennials
New research released by omnichannel platform Lightspeed Commerce Inc. reveals Halloween has become a major cultural and spending holiday for millennials.
AI Can Cost Retailers More Than the Job It Replaces
Specialty retail and supply chain leaders are being told that Agentic AI adoption is a straightforward cost-saving decision. But the financial case for AI can be harder to establish than the technology itself, especially for independent retailers running lean teams and tight margins.
Halloween Spending is Set to Hit $13.5 Billion
Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween in 2026, according to a new NRF forecast. But alongside the spending boom, shoppers are looking for ways to make their celebrations feel personal and get more use from what they buy.
Beat the Shipping and Logistical Challenges This Holiday Season
As the leaves begin to turn and the end-of-year rush approaches, small business owners across the country are gearing up for their most crucial stretch of the year: the peak holiday shopping season. This article offers some helpful tips to beat shipping and logistical challenges during the season.
More Retailers Are Choosing Recyclable Edge Protection
Returns are already expensive for retailers, and damaged furniture shipments can add return freight, replacement costs and extra labor to the total. Recyclable edge protection engineered for heavy furniture can help reduce preventable damage before it happens.
Inventory Issues Deter Consumers From In-Person Shopping
According to new research from gStore, retail inventory issues continue to disrupt shopping trips even after last year’s tariff turmoil. The June survey of 1,035 U.S. adults who have visited a fashion, general merchandise or specialty store in the last 90 days reveals just how far consumers will go to avoid unpleasant interactions.
Small Businesses Embrace the Role of Creator in 2026
In a new Small Business Now report, Constant Contact discovered that to stay visible while managing the daily hustle of running a business, small businesses are fundamentally rewriting their job descriptions to embrace the role of “creator” — and leaning on AI to get it all done.
Key Factors That Are Driving Consumer Shopping Behavior
A new consumer survey found a variety of key factors that are driving consumer shopping behavior. Ahead of the holiday shopping season, these results are crucial for retailers looking to stand out against the competition.
Google Rolls Out New Platform Properties
In early July, Google announced new platform properties for Search Console, allowing anyone to track how their social and video posts on Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube perform on Google Search, Discover and Google News. These new capabilities are now available to everyone globally.
Small Business Optimism Picks Up in June
Due to expectations for better business conditions and sales improvements, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.1 points in June to 97.4, nearing its 52-year average of 98.0. The Uncertainty Index fell 2 points from May to 89, remaining well above its historical average of 68.
CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Shows Sales Growth in June
Retail sales climbed for the ninth month in a row during June as positive factors overcame challenges to the economy, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor.
Early Shopping and Inflation Shape Back to School 2026
Many consumers are already planning their back-to-school shopping needs. For retailers looking to stay relevant and win over customers, this article offers some shopping trends from Coresight Research and NRF to market wisely this season.
These 5 Overlooked Markets Are the Next Frontier in Retail Growth
For many retailers, growth strategies often revolve around the same target audiences of urban shoppers: millennials and high-income consumers. While these groups remain important, this article dives into the different consumer groups that retailers should be marketing to.
The Heated Rivalry Effect: Cultural Moments Now Drive Retail Demand
Retail demand is no longer shaped primarily by seasons or promotions. Increasingly, it is shaped by culture. In this article, John Shapiro explains how the series Heated Rivalry offered a clear example of how quickly cultural visibility can translate into worldwide commercial impact.
