• Retail & Ecommerce

    Hardware store sales growth decelerating after pandemic-fueled surge

    Consumer transaction data reveals that sales for the home improvement industry skyrocketed early in the pandemic as many consumers stayed at home during shelter-in-place orders. A year and a half later, home improvement sales are still higher than pre-pandemic levels, but sales growth at a select group of major hardware store chains did not maintain … Continued
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    • Retail & Ecommerce

    Spikes in Office Depot’s back-to-school sales vary by metro area

    This back-to-school season marks the first time that many students across the U.S. are returning to the classroom since schools transitioned to remote instruction in March 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Interestingly, August 2021 consumer sales for office supply company Office Depot (which includes stores under the Office Depot and OfficeMax brands) were lower than … Continued
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    • Retail & Ecommerce

    Eyewear sales rising as Warby Parker sets sights on IPO

    Warby Parker—a Digitally Native Vertical Brand (DNVB) specializing in eyewear—has visions of an IPO. Warby Parker is known for its at-home try-ons and its “buy a pair, give a pair” initiative. The DTC company started in ecommerce and later became omnichannel, with a network of stores throughout the U.S. Consumer transaction data shows how sales … Continued
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    • Retail & Ecommerce

    Cross-shopping between Etsy and Depop increased ahead of acquisition

    In June 2021, global ecommerce company Etsy announced that it would acquire Depop, a UK-based resale marketplace that has also been gaining traction in the US. Consumer transaction data shows that during the pandemic, a growing percentage of U.S. customers at Depop have also been making purchases at Etsy. Additionally, cross-shoppers between the two companies … Continued
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    • Retail & Ecommerce

    Sales take flight ahead of Allbirds IPO

    Allbirds, the San Francisco-based startup known for its sustainable footwear collections, recently filed for an IPO. Initially launched as a DTC sneaker company, Allbirds has been growing its retail footprint over the last few years while also expanding into apparel categories. As Allbirds prepares for its public debut, consumer spending data reveals how returning customers … Continued
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    • Retail & Ecommerce

    Macy’s earnings surprise signals consumers’ return to retail

    As retailers see increased traffic from shoppers returning to brick-and-mortar stores, department stores such as Macy’s are experiencing significant sales growth. In fact, Macy’s Inc.’s (NYSE: M) most recent earnings report outperformed investors’ expectations. Consumer transaction data identified growth in retail channel sales and spend migration from competitors as factors potentially driving Macy’s earnings surprise. Transaction … Continued
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