Free Data GraphicCoresight Bites: Chinese New Year 2021—Retail Sales See Impressive Year-Over-Year Growth Against Weak 2020 Coresight Research March 1, 2021 The Chinese government encouraged people to stay put for the recent Chinese New Year festival, impacting more than 100 million people who would typically return home for the holiday each year. Chinese New Year 2020 was turbulent, with most retail and food-service businesses affected by the outbreak of Covid-19. In 2021, retail and food-service sales over Chinese New Year grew 28.7% year over year—but this spending was still much lower than during the holiday in 2019, when all activities (such as retail and travel) were operating as normal and at full capacity. Read our separate report on strategies for international brands to capitalize on Chinese New Year. Click the image to read more about the topic. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Kohl’s CEO Removal—Why It Happened and What It Means for US Department StoresThree Data Points We’re Watching This Week UK Store Openings and Closures—2024 Review and 2025 OutlookWeekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 46: Store Openings Down 11% Year Over YearHead-to-Head in US Department Stores: Kohl’s vs. Macy’s
Insight ReportUS Consumer Tracker: Signs of a Return to Stores (Select Findings) Coresight Research March 1, 2021 Reasons to ReadThis report provides select findings from Coresight Research’s February 22 survey of US consumers on their behaviors and expectations, with a focus on implications for retailers. This report is available for free and can be accessed by registering for a free account. We highlight selected findings from our weekly survey across three key topics: • What product categories respondents had purchased online and in-store in the past two weeks • Whether respondents are avoiding public areas —and which types of places they are avoiding • Which retailers respondents bought food and nonfood products from Our full report is available to premium subscribers and includes further findings on shoppers’ current online spending habits and the retailers they shopped at. Click here to view all of our weekly survey reports. Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Head-to-Head in US Warehouse Club Retailing: Costco vs. Sam’s ClubEconomic Sentiment Improves: Weekly US Consumer Sentiment, Week 50, 2025—Data GraphicFinancial Confidence Reaches Five-Month High; TJX Dominates Off-Price Retail; Dollar Tree Leads Dollar Stores: US Consumer Survey InsightsUS CPG Sales Tracker: Homecare and Health Dominate at the Start of 2025
Deep DiveUS Consumer Tracker: Signs of a Return to Stores (Full Report) Coresight Research March 1, 2021 Reasons to ReadCoresight Research’s February 22 survey provides a detailed update on US consumers’ behaviors, concerns and expectations amid the coronavirus crisis, with a focus on the implications for US retail. Our tracker questions cover the following: What product categories respondents had purchased in-store and online in the past two weeks Which retailers respondents had bought food and nonfood products from in the past two weeks What activities respondents have done in the past two weeks Whether respondents are currently avoiding public areas—and which types of places they are avoiding We also present findings and trend data on what consumers are buying more and less of than pre-pandemic. If you do not have a premium subscription, you can access select findings in a complimentary abridged report. Click here to view all of our weekly survey reports. CONTENTS What’s the Story? What Shoppers Are Buying and Which Retailers They Are Buying From What Consumers Bought In-Store and Online Which Retailers Consumers Purchased Food and Nonfood Products From What Shoppers Are Doing and Where They Are Going Consumers Visiting Enclosed Shopping Centers Reaches New High Fewer than Eight In 10 Are Avoiding Public Places Reviewing Trend Data in Current Purchasing Behavior What Consumers Are Currently Buying More Of and Less Of What We Think Methodology Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Sentiment; Tariff Perceptions; Inflation Reactions—Taking the Consumer Pulse on Essentials: US Consumer Survey InsightsDisrupting Retail: Lessons from SHEIN and TEMU on Redefining Consumer Engagement and Supply Chain InnovationWeekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 14: Marks & Spencer Announces Store Openings Across Multiple FormatsWeekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 20: Bob’s Discount Furniture Announces Store-Expansion Plan
Analyst CornerWeinswig’s Weekly: Retailers and Investors Seek To Unlock Value from Retail Real Estate Coresight Research February 28, 2021 Reasons to ReadIn each report in the Weinswig’s Weekly series, Coresight Research CEO and Founder Deborah Weinswig reflects on a topical theme in retail. This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” discusses how retailers and investors are looking to unlock value from retail real estate. Each report also includes recent retail and technology headlines from Asia, Europe and the US. This report is available for free and can be accessed by registering for a free account. Please Login to read the full report. Not a member? To access this content for free, register for a free account. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Three Data Points We’re Watching This Week, Week 25: Predictive Data—Looking Ahead in US RetailEssential Guide to Groceryshop 2025: Harnessing AI, Shopper Insights and Retail Media to Build Future-Ready CommerceHigher-Income Sentiment Declines; Holiday Shopping Lull Before a Promotional Surge: US Consumer Survey InsightsWeekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 26: River Island To Close 30+ Stores
Insight ReportMacy’s Updates Polaris Strategy 2021: Retailer To Expand Backstage in 2021 and Grow Digital to $10 Billion by 2023 Coresight Research February 26, 2021 Reasons to ReadOn February 23, 2021, Macy’s reported its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results for fiscal 2020. The company also provided an update of its Polaris Strategy, which is designed to accelerate top-line growth and increase profitability across channels. We present highlights in this report. Click here to read more Coresight Research coverage of Macy’s. CONTENTS What’s the Story? Financial Results: Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2020 Increase in Digital Increased Delivery Costs, Impacting Gross Margin Attracting a Younger Demographic in 4Q20; Around 4 Million New Digital Customers Stores Set To Comprise 65% of Sales in Fiscal 2021 Polaris Strategy Update Digital Sales To Grow to $10 Billion in Three Years; Macy’s To Invest 2.5X Higher Capital Spend in 2021 Plans To Add 35 Backstage Stores in 2021 and Proceed with 125 Store Closures Focus on Supply Chain and Fulfillment Services To Further Increase Profitability Testing Off-Mall Locations and Scaling Store Fulfillment Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:China’s 6.18 Shopping Festival 2025: Promotion Rules Simplified, Extended Festival Duration and Governmental StrategiesInnovator Profile: Lica World—Delivering Compelling AI-Created Video to Maximize ROASUS CPG Sales Tracker: Growth Momentum Eases Amid Greater Consumer CautionBeauty Shopping in Focus; Economic Sentiment Turns Negative: US Consumer Survey Insights
Store TrackerWeekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2021, Week 8: Sleep Number To Open 40–50 New Stores Coresight Research February 26, 2021 Reasons to ReadOur Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker reports on store closures, openings and bankruptcies. We cover: A week-by-week comparison of store openings and closures in the US and UK year to date in 2021 What is happening in retail in the US and UK this week Year-to-date 2021 major US and UK store openings and closures This week, there are highlights from Fry’s Electronics, Havertys Furniture, Sleep Number, The Giant Company, The RealReal and Ulta Beauty in the US. Click here to view our full collection of Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Trackers. Complementing our weekly report, the Coresight Research Retail Store Databank offers our premium subscribers access to openings and closures data from 2012 to 2021 year to date, filterable by sector and year. Click here to view. Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Global Tech and Retail Layoffs in 2025: Structural or Cyclical?Financial Sentiment Hits a Year-to-Date High: Weekly US Consumer Sentiment, Week 33, 2025—InfographicEarnings Insights 4Q24, Week 6: Sales Decline for Kroger, Macy’s, Ross Stores and Other RetailersEconomic Sentiment Shows First Uptick in Eight Weeks; Plus, Drugstore and Pharmacy Shopping in Focus: US Consumer Survey Insights
Insight ReportChinese New Year Review: Retail Sales See Impressive Year-Over-Year Growth Against Weak 2020 Coresight Research February 25, 2021 Reasons to ReadThe Chinese government encouraged people to stay put for the recent Chinese New Year festival, impacting more than 100 million people who would typically return home for the holiday each year. We discuss retail sales over the holiday, including the impact of people not returning home on consumer spending. We cover the following key points: Retail sales in China over Chinese New Year Consumer spending this year—including the impact of changed travel behaviors Duty-free shopping as a developing feature of holiday spending in China Click here to read our report on strategies for international brands to capitalize on Chinese New Year. Click here to read our Monthly Consumer Update for China, the UK and the US. Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Analyst Corner: Evaluating Ulta Beauty’s Marketplace Launch as a Strategic Response, with Madhav PitaliyaAmazon Bids to Acquire TikTok—What It Means for US E-Commerce2Q25 Retail Inventory Insights: Diverging Strategies Amid Tariff Impacts in the Pre-Holiday Build-UpAnalyst Corner: Three Technologies Driving the Future of US Retail, with Anand Kumar
Event CoverageCoresight Research Innovator Showcase: Five Retail Technology Innovators Compete for Digital Outreach Opportunity Coresight Research February 25, 2021 Reasons to ReadOn February 18, 2021, Coresight Research hosted its Innovator Showcase—an online pitch competition between five retail technology innovators. The innovators competed for the opportunity to host an exclusive webinar with Coresight Research that will support the winner’s outreach to the industry and promote thought leadership. In this free report, we present highlights from the pitches of the five competing companies, as well as from the presentations of three early-stage startups founded during the Covid-19 pandemic, which presented their businesses while the judges deliberated. We also reveal the winner of the pitch competition. This report is available for free and can be accessed by registering for a free account. Click here to watch the on-demand webinar of this event. Please Login to read the full report. Not a member? To access this content for free, register for a free account. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Holiday Bites: Resale Shopping and Secondhand Selling—Data GraphicThe STORE Framework for Driving Innovation in RetailWeekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 31: Trader Joe’s Continues Store ExpansionWeekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 45: Fired Earth To Close Stores Due to Administration
Free Data GraphicCoresight Bites: US Gift Cards Market To Grow in 2021 and Beyond Coresight Research February 25, 2021 Although gift cards have been a significant source of revenue for US retailers for some time, they saw a significant jump in sales in 2020 amid the pandemic-driven shift to online shopping, with the gift cards market seeing year-over-year growth of 9.5%. Coresight Research expects growth to remain robust in 2021 and beyond. Click the image to read more about the topic. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Earnings Insights 1Q25, Week 6: Costco Wholesale, Deckers Outdoor and Ulta Beauty Report Growth While Department Stores Face Challenges—InfographicThree Data Points We’re Watching This Week, Week 31: US Consumer Sentiment, AI Investments and Canada StoresFinancial Sentiment Turns Negative; Tariff Pessimism Deepens; Inflationary Trade-Down Persists: US Consumer Survey InsightsThe Great Retail Reset: When Cost, Culture, and AI Collide
Flash ReportActivist Investors Seek Change at Kohl’s: An Analysis of Metrics and a Benchmark to Industry Coresight Research February 24, 2021 Reasons to ReadAt Kohl’s 2021 annual meeting of shareholders, activist investors issued a letter to shareholders pushing for board changes to increase profitability. Kohl’s officially rebutted this letter on February 22, 2021. In this report, we analyze selected key metrics that the Investor Group identified in its assessment of Kohl’s: revenue and market share; profitability; and sale and leaseback potential. We compare these metrics to largest department store chain in the US and Kohl’s competitor, Macy’s. This report is available for free and can be accessed by registering for a free account. CONTENTS What’s the Story? Activist Investors Seek Change at Kohl’s: An Analysis of Metrics and a Benchmark to Industry Revenue and Market Share Profitability Lease Buyback Potential What We Think Please Login to read the full report. Not a member? To access this content for free, register for a free account. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Weekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 20: Asda Opens New Format; Skims Plans to Step into the UK in 2026Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 9: Joann To Close an Additional 300+ Stores, Shuttering All LocationsHead-to-Head in US Department Stores: Kohl’s vs. Macy’sSycamore Partners To Acquire Walgreens Boots Alliance—Exploring the Reasons for and Implications of the $23.7 Billion Deal
Free Data GraphicCoresight Bites: UK Retail Sales Decline amid Lockdowns Coresight Research February 24, 2021 In January 2021, total UK retail sales fell for the second consecutive month amid a third national lockdown in England. Nonessential retailers (most nonfood retailers) were forced to close from January 5 (separate lockdowns have been enforced in devolved nations of the Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales). Supported by the closure of nonessential stores in England from January 5 and similar lockdowns in other UK nations, total online retail sales climbed 75.0% in January after rising by 6% in December. Online sales grew as a percentage of overall retail sales in January to 35.2%. Coresight Research’s monthly reports keep you up to date on US and UK retail sales, US retail traffic and in-store metrics and key global consumer indicators. Click here to view our full collection of Monthly Reports. Click the image to read more about the topic. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:US CPG Sales Tracker: Beauty and Food Drive E-Commerce Growth; Discretionary Categories ReboundAnalyst Corner: Beauty’s Back! The US Beauty Market Bounces Back, with Madhav Pitaliya and John MercerHigher-Income Sentiment Improves; Holiday Shopping Is Firmly Under Way: US Consumer Survey InsightsWeekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 42: 40 New Openings for Ross Stores Reflect Off-Price Encroachment
Insight ReportUS Retail’s Updated Gift Card Guidelines: Accounting for Breakage and Bankruptcy Coresight Research February 24, 2021 Reasons to ReadUS retailers witnessed a surge in gift cards sales in 2020. We discuss how US retailers account for gift card sales as well as unredeemed gift card balances under the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 606 update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). We also cover retailers’ unused gift card liabilities, including Amazon, Target and Walmart, and how outstanding gift cards are managed in the event of retailer bankruptcies and liquidations. Click here to read our report on key trends impacting the US gifting market. CONTENTS What’s the Story? Why It Matters Gift Card Accounting: In Detail Accounting Entries for Sales and Redemption of Gift Cards Under FASB’s Updated Guidance Accounting Entries for Unredeemed Gift Cards Escheat Law ASC 606 Adoption Timeline Why Was the Overhaul of Financial Reporting Necessary? Gift Card Accounting by Leading US Retailers Retailers’ Liabilities: Bankruptcies and Liquidations What We Think Implications for Brands/Retailers Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Shoptalk Spring 2025: Day Two—Next-Generation Search and the Leading Edge of Storytelling, from Influencers to Lived ValuesFinancial Confidence Stabilizes: Weekly US Consumer Sentiment, Week 42, 2025—Data GraphicTariff Pessimism Cools; Inflationary Trade-Down Persists: US Consumer Survey Insights ExtraAgentic Commerce—How Should Retailers Leverage GEO to Maximize AI-Engine Visibility?
Insight ReportJanuary 2021 Monthly Consumer Update: US, UK and China Coresight Research February 24, 2021 Reasons to ReadAnalyzing consumer demand in January 2021, we saw strong retail sales growth in the US, while the UK posted its second consecutive month of decline. China maintained growth momentum in its latest retail sales figures from December. We examine data and assess the overall trends in the US, the UK and China across the following key consumer indicators: Earnings versus inflation Food and fuel prices Retail sales Coresight Research’s monthly reports keep you up to date on US, UK and China retail sales, US retail traffic and in-store metrics, and key global consumer indicators. Click here to view our full collection of Monthly Reports. Complementing our monthly reports, the Coresight Research US Retail Sales Databank brings together retail sales data to help you understand the scale and trajectory of US retail. Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Essential Guide to Shoptalk Fall 2025: Turning Current Challenges into Long-Term Strengths with Retail AlchemySentiment Holds Steady As August Tariffs Deadline Looms: China Consumer Survey InsightsInflation Up, Sentiment Down: Alarm Bells for the US Consumer Economy?Earnings Insights 4Q24, Week 7: Costco, Inditex and Puma Lead with Solid Fourth-Quarter Growth
Insight ReportIndia Retail Insights: India Embraces Social Commerce, Bypassing Traditional E-Commerce Coresight Research February 23, 2021 Reasons to ReadIn this report in our India Retail Insights series, we explore the expanding social commerce segment of e-commerce in India. We discuss the following key points: The size and trajectory of India’s social commerce market Key models and players in India’s social commerce ecosystem—including case examples from Bulbul, DealShare, Instagram and WhatsApp Social commerce funding in India Our insights on why India’s consumer market is uniquely receptive to social commerce Our outlook for the future of social commerce in India Click here to read our outlook report on India’s $800 billion retail sector. For a timeline of key festivals and holidays for promotional campaigns in India, click here. Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Essential Guide to Groceryshop 2025: Harnessing AI, Shopper Insights and Retail Media to Build Future-Ready CommerceAI Underpins the Tech-Driven Shift in US Grocery, from Smarter Forecasting to Faster CheckoutUS Retail and Consumer Outlook: June 2025New Technologies to Drive Retailer-Supplier Collaboration: Insights Presented at NACDS Annual Meeting 2025
Free Data GraphicThree Things You Need To Know: US Consumer Tracker—Where Are High-Income Consumers Cutting Spending? Coresight Research February 23, 2021 We present Three Things You Need To Know on US Consumer Tracker: Where Are High-Income Consumers Cutting Spending? Find the full report here. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Analyst Corner: Agentic AI Will Change Shopping and Selling, with John HarmonRetail 2025: 10 AI Trends—An Inflection Point in the GenAI RevolutionGrocery Retailing—US Real Estate Insights: Value and Specialty Grocers Lead Store Expansion as Traditional Retailers Lag BehindAnalyst Corner: Five Back-to-School Shopping Trends to Watch, with Madhav Pitaliya
