Big-box general merchandise stores and small-box specialty stores are the focus of the implications of the stair-step movement of categories online—from slowly shifting consumables goods to progressively faster-moving discretionary goods. Big-Box Weakness: As discretionary categories from apparel to toys follow electronics…
Online trends in household spending by category—from apparel to food to toys—are on a trajectory that create a widening gap between consumable versus discretionary goods. The gap is widening as the online market share of discretionary goods accelerates while online penetration…
Household retail spending perked up in January and was a bit better during the holiday than first reported, according to the latest U.S. retail numbers. The revised holiday numbers show that the holiday results were close to the 3.5% forecast by…
Expect that households in 2016 will sustain overall modest growth in their spending—but look for key macro factors to contribute to stronger or weaker growth in places. Energy-dependent markets: Expect state and local markets across the mid-section of the country to…
Household retail spending came in below expectations for the November-December holiday period, based on the latest U.S. retail numbers. Online and homegoods specialty stores were among the exceptions reporting healthy growth. Spending generally remained strongest outside of traditional retail stores—especially at…
The macro trend that matters most for household spending in 2016—beyond the impact of the shift online—is a sustained and deepening letup in price inflation in many goods categories. The biggest impact will come from food prices, which are forecast to…
The holiday will be “deceptively” weak because households continue to spend at a healthy place in many non-retail categories and online. The spending weakness, however, will remain focused in the traditional retail measures that get inordinate attention during the holidays. See…