China update; Strong domestic consumption levels; Slight drop in COVID-19
China update – less severe than anticipated COVID-19 impact on workers, supply chain, and overall production Although the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to have impacts across the globe, it seems that China has done a relatively good job to contain the infection. In our research we have found that…
Read MoreAverage Team Size; Vendor Manager Engagement; How Brands Manage Amazon Advertising
30% growth in Amazon teams in 2021; Headcount growth expected to slow in 2022 Our benchmarking data suggests 2021 was another big year for building the Amazon team, along with 2020. On average, Amazon teams currently consist of 4.6 dedicated individuals compared to 3.6 last year, with 96% of surveyed…
Read MoreHoliday Growth Trends, 2022 Advertising Plans, Hybrid Model
Holiday Growth Trends – brands experiencing choppy holiday season Our research suggests Amazon vendors saw better-than-expected sales performance in October, while November seemed to come in in-line to slightly below expectations due to more muted T5 performance vs. prior years, suggesting Amazon’s extended promotional period was effective in pulling forward…
Read MoreAmazon Shortages & Chargebacks: Suppliers tips & tricks for managing these fines
93% of brands receive supply chain-related chargebacks from Amazon In our benchmarking data we found that nearly all brands receive supply chain-related chargebacks from Amazon, and 90% report receiving shortage deductions that are believed to be incorrect. Benchmarking data from Fall 2020 suggests these fines are typically in the low-single-digits…
Read MoreReal-time T5 feedback; In-store holiday shopping; Inventory trends
Our Traditional Retail team’s real-time holiday research suggests late-November sales performance was mixed across categories and channels. Feedback suggests end of November sales were below brand expectations across key Black Friday categories such as small appliances, electronics and home. Toy category sales sound roughly in line with brand expectations, showing…
Read MorePure Play, Mass & Home Improvement Quarterly Results
Our latest Pure Play highlights from 3Q21 featuring insights on Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Wayfair & more. Shopify had strong growth of 35% this quarter on top of 109% growth in 2020, although revenue and margins were still below expectations due to less online traffic. To offset, the company launched Shopify…
Read MoreWhat Suppliers are Spending on Instacart, Walmart, and Amazon Advertising
After meaningfully ramping up Instacart advertising investments in 2021, our research suggests suppliers are planning for much less growth in ad spend in 2022. While brands remain quite pleased with ROAS, many are experiencing challenges in securing incremental funding given the growing competition for advertising dollars and the inability to…
Read MoreHoliday 2021: Supply Chain Pressures, Rising Demand and Price Increases
Our recent Consumer Holiday Pulse Survey showed 43% of consumers have already started holiday shopping. A net 57% of those shoppers reported that they started earlier this year vs. last, largely due to supply chain concerns. Most brands are experiencing severe supply chain constraints heading into this holiday season including…
Read MoreIncome Level and Amazon Shoppers: The Consumer Insights You Need to Know
Our Amazon Shopper Consumer Study suggests high income shoppers rely on eCommerce, and Amazon in particular, much more heavily than low and middle income Amazon shoppers. On average, high income shoppers are doing 57% of their annual purchases online, and 74% of those online purchases are done with Amazon. This…
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