An Amazon listing for a stand mixer was updated with profanities. While some Amazon sellers are laughing, they see it as a bigger long-term platform problem.

Analysis

TikTok Shop listings are surfacing on Google Shopping

February 28, 2024  ■  4 min read

As it works to grow TikTok Shop, the company appears to be investing in SEO ads to reach new customers.

Brands like Jolie and Lululemon are fighting off copycats through dupe swapping

February 14, 2024  ■  4 min read

Although imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, the dupe trend has become a headache for premium brands.

Other news to know

  • Home Depot is acquiring specialty distributor SRS for $18.25 billion. The deal, Home Depot’s biggest ever, comes as the retailer courts professionals over do-it-yourselfers.
  • Faced with surging cocoa prices, chocolate companies are turning to alternatives like gummies and caramel this Easter.
  • Workers at Sega of America reached a bargaining agreement this week, becoming the first major North American gaming company to do so.
2,335
Home Depot stores worldwide
Top Stories Mar 29

A proposed swipe fee deal from Visa & Mastercard causes concern among retailers 

March 29, 2024  ■  7 min read

While it could save a proposed $30 billion in fees, some retail experts say that's "a drop in the bucket" compared to what they're already paying.

Research Briefing: How the Kroger-Albertsons merger impacts retail media networks

March 28, 2024  ■  3 min read

In this edition of the weekly briefing, we examine the continued FTC lawsuit that has paused and Korger and Albertson merger and its affect on retail media networks as seen in data from Modern Retail+ Research.

Amazon Briefing: Brands are ‘losing their minds’ over new seller fee structures

March 28, 2024  ■  8 min read

Earlier this year, Amazon announced new pricing structures for sellers. The reaction has been quick -- but will the impact be as bad as brands think?

‘There’s been nothing new for half a century’: How Sunday is trying to shake up the yard and garden industry

March 28, 2024  ■  4 min read

Sunday first launched in 2019 with lawn care products, but has since expanded to pest control and garden products. Founder and CEO Coulter Lewis joined this week's Modern Retail Podcast.

Limited Series
The Future of Brand Marketing

The lines between brand and performance marketing are blurring. It's no longer enough to spend millions on a TV campaign and hope people find your brand. In this series, Modern Retail looks into how the wild, expensive world of brand marketing has been upended over the last few years.

Podcasts

Technology

The header image shows an illustration of a computer that has multiple shopping-related windows open.

Brands report a rise in imposter advertisers on platforms like Meta & TikTok

March 28, 2024  ■  7 min read

Over the last couple of years, e-commerce brands have been hit with yet another issue — fake ads purporting to be the company on platforms like Meta and TikTok.

‘More energized by their work’: How Shopify’s dual-track promotion plan is working out

March 27, 2024  ■  7 min read

Employers are seeing higher retention when successful individual contributors aren’t forced into management positions.

How advertisers are leveraging Roundel’s best practices to maximize retail media spend

March 20, 2024  ■  4 min read

Renee Doerre, senior director of strategy and enablement, Roundel Creating impactful e-commerce strategies begins and ends with the consumer experience. From websites to apps to in-store experiences and third-party platforms, shoppers can connect with brands at many touchpoints. Consumers want a convenient and personalized shopping experience and advertisers must create lasting ways to capture and […]

Marketing

Following the ‘better-for-you’ trend, C4 rebrands & reformulates its pre-workout powders

March 27, 2024  ■  3 min read

C4 is switching up the packaging, ingredients and flavors of its pre-workout powders, signaling a new direction for its active nutrition business. It will roll out the revamped products over the next few months online and in partners including The Vitamin Shoppe and Target.

Adidas NIL program

As March Madness unfolds, more brands look to get involved in NIL deals

March 26, 2024  ■  4 min read

NIL deals — which allow athletes to receive financial compensation for their name, image and likeness — has opened a new lower-cost opportunity for brands to be involved with big college sporting events like March Madness outside of traditional corporate sponsorships.

Lemon Perfect's product lineup.

Why Lemon Perfect is supplying bachelorette parties with free products

March 25, 2024  ■  4 min read

It’s not unusual for people to ask brands or celebrities for free gifts on special occasions like bachelorette parties, weddings or birthdays. However, Lemon Perfect sees this trend as a chance to acquire new customers.

Operations

Illustration of a black shoe on a yellow background

Why women in retail are leaving CEO positions

March 28, 2024  ■  9 min read

For every woman brought into a director role, two leave, according to LeanIn and McKinsey research. That’s especially true for retail — which has seen a recent women CEO exodus.

A woman opening a box

Mercari eliminates selling fees, heightening competition with ThredUp & Poshmark

March 27, 2024  ■  4 min read

Mercari previously had a 10% flat commission for every sale made on the platform. Now the resale platform is choosing to eliminate that fee entirely for sellers.

Brands are uncovering holistic consumer insights with transaction data

February 14, 2024  ■  4 min read

Jonathan Chin, Co-founder, Facteus The landscape of consumer insights has been traditionally navigated through customer surveys, detailed web analytics, cookie tracking and first-party data collection. These techniques, foundational to retailers’ and brands’ understanding of consumer behavior, predominantly hinged on self-reported preferences, online engagement metrics and data gathered directly from customer interactions.  While these methods have […]