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Commercial Technology
Amazon Extends Its Platform Mentality Even Further Into Devices
NPD’s Technology Industry Advisor, Stephen Baker, analyzes what he believes is the most interesting aspect of Amazon’s recent announcements: the clear path Amazon continues to take in both owning and partnering within its ecosystems.
Watches Jewelry
Luxury Watches and the “Supreme Effect”
While luxury watch brands release new product only once per year, the nature of their very tight distribution has become almost like Supreme’s product drops.
Commercial Technology
The Current State of the Desktop Workstation Market
Workstations are one of the unsung segments of the desktop PC market. In this blog by B2B Industry Analyst, Mike Diamond, find out what is currently driving this category’s growth in the U.S. B2B Indirect market.
The Age of Ecosystem Dominance
The consumer tech market is approaching a transitional moment when the current smartphone-driven ecosystem will be superseded by a voice-driven interface. This blog by Eddie Hold, President of NPD’s Connected Intelligence, looks at how voice control and growth of home automation will ultimately drive the latest ecosystem change.
Beauty
Perfumers Become Superstars
While fragrances had become objects of consumerism, perfume makers are stepping into the spotlight and garnering attention, as consumers today are showing heightened interest for understanding, learning, and honoring the creative process of perfume making.
Voice as a Unifier
The growth in voice-enabled speakers has allowed consumers to begin to see the value of a more integrated smart home ecosystem. By providing a line of sight to a more robust smart home experience, speakers have become a leading indicator of smart home adoption.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Purpose-Driven Brands
Consumers want to know what a brand stands for and what motivates its decisions. Consumers want brands to align with their values. Matt Powell explains how the sports industry is winning here, through companies including Carhartt, Patagonia, Merrell, and VF Corporation.
Apple Watch Series 4: A Change Of Heart
With the launch of the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple has further separated itself from the smartwatch pack with larger edgeless screens, better resolution, and a sleeker design. However, the biggest shift heralded in by the Series 4 is a clear pivot by Apple towards the wellness and healthcare market and away from focusing primarily on fitness.
Retail
Tracking the Retail Rebound
Quarterly earnings are on the rise at Target, Walmart, Macy’s, Kohls, Nordstrom and other major retailers. Here's why that is -- and how they can make the rebound continue.
Big Screens, Big Data: The Future For Smartphones
When it comes to this year’s iPhone news, form factor sizing has risen the ranks to the most heavily speculated aspect. But what do these bigger screens mean for OEMs and carriers?
Elevator Music For The Soul
NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold, explores the evolution of portable music players and why he believes the smartphone is not the best solution.
The Missing Link
NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold, takes a look at what will be needed to make some of today’s high-tech trends more useful in the future.
Office Supplies
An Eco-Friendly Back-to-School
In office supplies, the market for products made from recycled materials is growing. And, as consumers look towards sustainable alternatives to traditional school supplies, reusable notebooks such as the Rocketbook, as well as dry erase boards have become popular options.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Sports and Sustainability
Millennial and Gen Z consumers want to know where their brands and retailers stand on important social and environmental issues, and are willing to take their business elsewhere if those positions don’t align with their own. Matt Powell explains how the outdoor and athletic markets are winning here, and where there’s opportunity.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Back to School 2018 at the Halfway Point
NPD’s sports industry expert Matt Powell recaps the athletic footwear trends he is seeing take shape this back-to-school season.
Beauty
Hair Gets Social
Hair care is the smallest piece of the U.S. prestige beauty market, but growing at more than twice the rate. While makeup and skincare have been changed to the greatest extent because of social media, hair is joining in with brands including Olaplex and Playa.
Commercial Technology
Summer, Summer, Summer Time! – Security Appliances
NPD’s B2B Tech Industry Analyst, Mike Diamond, takes a look at the top performers and growth drivers in the security appliance market for Q2 2018.
The Changing Face of the Smartwatch
The smartwatch has undergone an evolution over the last several years, and with increased support and features, it’s becoming more desirable to a broader range of consumers. NPD Connected Intelligence analyst, Weston Henderek, takes a look at who’s buying, use cases, and what’s next.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Q2 Team Sports Equipment Recap
Golf equipment sales performed well, and soccer improved due to World Cup interest. Matt Powell recaps what helped and what offset U.S. team sports equipment sales in Q2.
Apparel
Getting To Know You…As An Apparel Shopper
Apparel shopping habits are transforming with both retailers and brands evolving to meet shoppers’ elevated expectations. For apparel manufacturers and retailers it takes understanding that not all apparel consumers shop alike to get the shopping experience right.
Luggage Takes Flight
Record travel among consumers and an increased online focus on from brands and retailers has made luggage the fastest growing online accessories category.
Office Supplies
The Changing Face of Back-to-School Shopping
Convenience-based online purchasing methods, and Millennial parents stepping in as the next generation of back-to-school shoppers are shifts that are changing the face of back-to-school shopping for traditional supplies.
Food Consumption
Whole Foods Primed Up My Prime Day Purchase
Amazon is tightening the gap between online and offline experiences by offering discounts to Prime members in Whole Foods. The tightening continues with this year’s Prime Day sales.
Demystifying Prime Day
In anticipation of Prime Day 2018, NPD's Marshal Cohen and Stephen Baker review industry analysis on the event’s past performance discuss its potential.
Food Consumption
The American Kitchen is Alive and Thriving
Contrary to recent news reports that U.S. consumers are eating at restaurants more, consumers are, in fact, increasingly eating and preparing their meals at home.
Video Games
Video Game Industry Predictions for Holiday 2018
NPD video games industry analyst, Mat Piscatella, offers his holiday predictions for 2018. So far this year, total industry spending in the U.S. reflects growth of 15 percent when compared to a year ago. All categories of spending have shown gains, including Software, Hardware, and Accessories & Game Cards
Welcome Back, Triple Tap
As consumers look to disconnect from today’s always-on, always-connected world of smart phones, could ‘phone romance’ result in switching to more simple devices? See NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold’s thoughts regarding his recent switch.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Celebrity Endorsements and Sports Retail
LeBron James is taking his talents to LA, and Roger Federer signed a significant deal with retailer Uniqlo. What impact do endorsements have on sports apparel and footwear sales? Matt Powell offers his perspective.
The Way of Android
While wandering the streets of Tokyo this past weekend, I came up with a theory that a city - and the people within it - is made up of alternating layers of the strange and the expected.
Mobile Payments, Not Rocket Science
NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold, explains what makes mobile payments much simpler in other countries and speculates why the U.S. has been slower to adopt mobile payment solutions.
Foodservice
If Consumers Call It Meat, It’s Meat
There is a debate surrounding the formal definitions of “meat” and “milk” in light of more plant-based meat and milk alternatives in the marketplace.
Video Games
Reflections on E3 2018
NPD video games analyst Mat Piscatella offers his take on how E3 has evolved over the 13 years he has worked in the games industry
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