It’s not often in the consumer space that we hear about transactions where both the buyer and seller are publicly owned. However, one such transaction was announced last week, when the Korea-based business Naver indicated it had reached an agreement to purchase the U.S. based company Poshmark for $1.2 billion, subject to certain approvals. The […]

Last month, my colleague Maeghan Thompson wrote about how consumers and retailers are planning to cope with what could be a recessionary Holiday season.  In the meantime, forecasters have now given their predictions of Holiday sales.  At first sight, the estimates seem rather jolly, but the fuller picture shows Scrooge in the background. To provide […]

As we close out summer and enter fall, many of us will soon start thinking ahead all the way to the holiday season. Retailers and consumers alike are keenly aware that inflation rates are higher than they’ve been in decades and this holiday will be unique. Consumers are worried about being able to afford gifts […]

Nine months ago, I wrote in this space about the growing popularity of Dry January and the broader category of no- and low-alcohol (NoLo) beverages. The NoLo trend continues. NielsenIQ reports that as of May, trailing 12-month sales of non-alcoholic spirits were up 116% year over year. Celebrities are starting to hop on the trend […]

For most Americans, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic happened abruptly.  In just a couple of weeks in the middle of March 2020, schools sent home their students, all sports were halted, and many stores, restaurants, and theaters closed their doors.  The start of the pandemic was neatly demarcated by these events, but now, years […]