Consumer Spending Slows in September
The NRF Retail Monitor found that consumer spending slowed on a monthly basis in September after a busy summer but year-over-year increases remain strong as retailers prepare for the holiday season.
Valuespending: Retail’s New Competitive Advantage
There’s a seismic shift happening at the checkout—and it’s not about payment methods or point-of-sale screens. It’s about intent. Welcome to the age of Valuespending.
New Survey Finds Gap in Offline-to-Online Customer Engagement
AI-powered platform Brij released a new report, The AI Fluency Gap: The Hidden Retail Opportunity in Offline-to-Online Engagement, revealing a widening disconnect between retailers’ AI ambitions and their ability to unify and activate customer signals across channels.
Research Finds Retailers Suffering From Stock and Staffing Challenges
Tariff turmoil has put retailers in a tough spot, leaving them guessing how much inventory to buy while grappling with staff shortages and unhappy customers. Warehouse and store inventory software provider GreyOrange released its Eye on Inventory report revealing how tariffs are disrupting store inventory levels and sales floor operations.
Wakefern Selects New Platform for Personalized Marketing Campaigns
Supermarket customer intelligence and engagement ecosystem Birdzi announced that Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the U.S., will implement Birdzi’s customer intelligence platform to better understand shopper needs and enhance promotional outreach.
2025 E-commerce Study Found Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings
Ryder System, Inc. published its 11th annual benchmark study on U.S. shopping behaviors, preferences and expectations, with a special section on holiday shopping. Ryder E-commerce Consumer Study: How U.S. Consumers Are Shopping in 2025 offers insights to help brands and retailers optimize omnichannel sales and supply chain strategies amid economic uncertainty.
NRF Predicts Halloween Spending to Reach Record $13.1 Billion
Halloween spending is expected to reach a record $13.1 billion this year, according to NRF's annual consumer survey. The figure is up from $11.6 billion last year and exceeds the previous $12.2 billion record set in 2023.
August CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor Data Shows Increased Sales
The CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor found that retail spending continued to grow in August as consumers stocked up on school supplies and tried to beat rising tariffs that could be beginning to affect prices.
New NFIB Survey Finds Small Business Optimism Improves Again
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 0.5 points in August to 100.8, nearly three points above the 52-year average of 98. Based on these findings alongside a new survey from NFIB, small business optimism is improving once again.
End of ‘de minimus’ Exemption Disrupting Small Businesses
The "de minimis" U.S. tariff exemption for package shipments under $800 just ended on August 29th, 2025. This rule aimed to avoid the administrative cost of collecting small amounts of tax and facilitated global e-commerce by enabling companies like Shein and Temu to ship directly to consumers.
Small Business Optimism on the Rise
The National Federation of Independent Business published its July report, which found that small businesses are experiencing better business conditions, leading to a rise in overall optimism.
Strong Spending in July as Consumers Responded to Sales
Retail spending bounced back in July as consumers sought out summer sales promotions to buy goods before more tariffs take effect.
Credit Card Fees Account for $3 Billion of Back-to-School Costs
The “swipe” fees that banks charge merchants to process credit card transactions will drive up the price of school and college supplies by $3 billion this year and cost the average family between $20 and $30.
Back-to-School Season Begins Early for Majority of Shoppers
A recent NRF survey found that consumers are already beginning their back-to-school shopping, with 67% having already begun purchasing items for the upcoming school year. The early start is up from 55% last year and is the highest since NRF started tracking early shopping in 2018.
Small Business Optimism Remains Steady in June
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index found that small business optimism remained steady in June, while uncertainty fell. Taxes remain the top issue on Main Street, but many others are still concerned about labor quality and high labor costs.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act Signed Into Law
On July 4th, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law by President Trump. Often referred to as the "Big Beautiful Bill," this budget reconciliation law represents a significant legislative package that enacts various tax and spending policies, forming a core part of the current administration's agenda.
Anxiety & Confusion From Tariffs Are Causing Uncertainty
This year began with high expectations for the strength of the U.S. economy, with a strong 2.8% year-over-year growth in gross domestic product in 2024 that was led by consumer spending. Since then, anxiety and confusion have taken center stage in the economy and financial markets as uncertainty over public policy has intensified.
Small Business Optimism Increases in May
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index found that small business optimism increased in May. However, uncertainty is still high among small business owners.
Small Business Sales Grow Slightly in May
Fiserv's Small Business Index for May 2025 found that despite shifting spending patterns as consumers navigate near-term economic uncertainty, small businesses maintained solid year-over-year sales growth of (+3.3%) and total transactions rose (+3.8%).
Father’s Day Spending to Reach Record $24 Billion
Father’s Day spending is expected to reach a record $24 billion this year. The figure is up from last year’s $22.4 billion and exceeds the previous record of $22.9 billion in 2023.
