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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. NPD’s David Portalatin suggests the focus be less on the debate and more on meeting U.S. consumers increasing demand for protein.
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
Sports
Sneakernomics: Team Sports Equipment Recap
It has so far been a solid year for the U.S. team sports equipment market, helped by the new youth baseball bat regulations and golf equipment sales.
Beauty
Are Men the New Scent Aficionados?
Men in the U.S. are increasingly investing in fragrance. As Father’s Day approaches, the opportunity is ripe for brands and retailers to entice the purchase of men’s fragrances.
Apparel
Weaving Sustainable Messaging Into Fashion
As temperatures finally warmed up, something I thought was never going to happen – I set my sights on switching out clothing to match the season.
Sports
Sneakernomics: The State of the U.S. Activewear Market
Activewear sales from February through April 2018 were essentially flat, as the proliferation of fashion brands emulating performance wear continues to take its toll, says NPD’s Matt Powell.
Sports
Sneakernomics: The State of the U.S. Athletic Footwear Market
Athletic footwear sales from February through April 2018 grew in the low single-digits. Matt Powell recaps how key categories and brands performed during these months.
Commercial Technology
Innovation Management – Whacking Piñatas
According to NPD’s U.S. B2B Software and Cloud Tracking Service, one of the fastest growing markets of software is the content and collaboration market. NPD’s Mike Diamond explores how innovation and the need for information management is driving this growth.
Commercial Technology
The Future of Cloud – The Ultimate Trojan Horse
Mike Diamond, Director, Industry Analysis, B2B Technology for The NPD Group, discusses the opportunities that cloud has created for channel partners.
Beauty
From K to J Beauty
Innovative formats, funky ingredients and playful products are hallmarks of K-Beauty, but another country that boasts time-tested rituals and ingredients has been on the industry’s mind recently: Japan.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Legalized Gambling and Sports Retail
The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court which allows states to regulate gambling on sports will have an impact on the sports retail business, Matt Powell explains.
Food Consumption
Checking Out Amazon Go Without The Check Out
Amazon Go is a new kind of store featuring, as Amazon describes, “the world's most advanced shopping technology.” Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst, visits the Amazon Go store in Seattle to get a first-hand look at what some bill as the store of tomorrow.
Commercial Technology
Not The Same As It Ever Was
Mike Diamond, Director, Industry Analysis, B2B Technology for The NPD Group, breaks down some of the factors contributing to growth in the B2B information security market.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Social Responsibility in Sports Retail
In his latest blog, NPD Group’s Matt Powell discusses the consumer behavior of Gen Z, the emphasis they place on social responsibility and why brands and retailers must pay attention.
Watches Jewelry
It’s Time to Rethink the Watch Gender Divide
Historically watches have been labeled “men’s” and “women’s”, but several factors are changing this dynamic - the top watches for men aren't just for men anymore. Industry analysis shows non-gender specificity is an emerging trend in luxury watches that top watch brands are embracing, and now retailers need to as well.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Managing the Marketplace
One of the most difficult tasks in sports retail is managing the marketplace, especially with hot items. Matt Powell offers ways brands can do this effectively to achieve steadier growth and higher profits.
The Wedding of the Century
NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold, analyzes what the newly proposed T-Mobile and Sprint merger could mean for the industry, and discusses the need for mergers and acquisitions as the competitive landscape continues to shift in this digital economy.
Foodservice
Today’s Realities Are Redefining Foodservice
Convenience is and will always be the chief reason consumers use restaurants, but the definition of convenience changes as consumers’ daily realities change.
Welcome to the neighborhood Nordstrom Rack
It’s been quite some time since Nordstrom announced that they were going to be opening their first Nordstrom Rack store in Canada; and since then, there has been significant buzz around when this was going to happen.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Are You Experienced?
The retail experience has never been more complicated, or more important. NPD’s Matt Powell explores the critical components that make a great experience, and what sports retailers can do about it.
Food Consumption
The Consumer Needs to Be First and Foremost
The consumer backlash against GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in the food industry could stem from the fact that the benefits of GMOS were only touted to farmers and agribusiness in the beginning and not to consumers.
Technology
Where Angels Fear To Tread
NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold, discusses the advantages and challenges SpaceX may face in its endeavor to create a satellite-based broadband service, known as Starlink.
Commercial Technology
IoT Implications: A World of Pre-Alerts
Mike Diamond, Director, Industry Analysis, Commercial Technology for The NPD Group, looks at how AI will impact B2B software and hardware needs.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Team Sports Equipment Year in Review
Overall for 2017, U.S. team sports equipment sales declined in the single digits, but below the surface it was a mixed bag, with notable pockets of growth.
Office Supplies
A Digital Detox
With many technologies and smart devices at our disposal, consumers nevertheless need a cleanse from the digital stare. New office designs; growth in pen, planner and notebook sales; and trends like bullet journaling and hand lettering, reflect this digital detox.
The March Four’easter
With four snowstorms hitting the Northeast in March, seasons are blurring as late winter/early spring is seemingly colder and snowier than ever. Contrary to early ads touting sandal weather, boot sales in March have grown the last two years, with the top growing cities being New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston.
Toys
Global Toy Industry Opportunities Amid Toys“R”Us Closure
The global toy industry is bracing itself and trying to work out what this ‘reset’ will mean. Who will benefit from Toys “R”Us’ demise; and if it happens globally, which retailers will see this disruption as an opportunity, country by country?
Fragmented Future of TV
To simplify the complex web of live TV options, NPD Connected Intelligence’s John Buffone has distilled the future into four personas. Identify who you most resemble and perhaps learn a new way to access your favorite shows.
Toys
What Toys‟R”Us Closing Means for the Toy Industry
Crunching the numbers, The NPD Group’s Juli Lennett sets the record straight on what will likely happen to the toy industry when Toys‟R”Us closes all its doors in the U.S.
Sneakernomics: What the Sports Industry Can Learn from Beauty
In today’s retail landscape, industries cannot live strictly in their silos, but must learn from each other. Beauty is among the fastest-growing. Here are the top trends driving its success today, and what others like the sports industry can learn from it.
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