Insight ReportThe 12 Weeks of Holidays: #11—Our Predictions for a Digital December in US Retail Coresight Research December 10, 2020 Reasons to ReadThis report is part of The 12 Weeks of Holidays series, in which we present key data, trends and observations as we count down to the peak holiday season. In this report, we present our expectations for a digital December and analyze the implications for US retailers. We cover recent retail traffic trends, mobile commerce and digital selling tools, popular online product categories, and online-order fulfillment and last mile-delivery. Click here to read the previous report in the 12 Weeks of Holidays series, which explores trends in footfall to retail stores among US shoppers. Click here to read all Coresight Research coverage of US holiday retail. CONTENTS What’s the Story? Why It Matters Our Predictions for a Digital December in US Retail: In Detail Physical Retail Traffic Drops, While Online Sales Surge Mobile Commerce: Retailers and Brands That Optimize Digital Selling Techniques Will Convert Shoppers This Holiday Top Online Product Categories: Apparel and Electronics Prove Popular Online-Order Fulfillment and Last-Mile Delivery: Opportunities for Competitive Advantage What We Think 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:Five Ways Brands and Retailers Can Use AI/ML and Shared Data to Energize End-to-End Product ManagementInnovator Profile: Veesual—Enhancing the Online Apparel Shopping Journey with Image GenerationHoliday 2025 Survey Insights: Shopping Activity Builds Amid Black Friday WeekendWeekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 2: Barnes & Noble CEO Announces Store Expansion Plan
Insight ReportRetail Robustness Index: December 2020 Update—Shifting Consumer Demand Hits a Number of Top Retailers’ Scores Coresight Research December 10, 2020 Reasons to ReadCoresight Research’s Retail Robustness Index, first published on March 26, evaluates the 100 largest US retailers (by revenue) on their ability to weather dramatic shifts in demand as the Covid-19 lockdowns began. This report updates the scores based on financial reports and store-reopening announcements. We rank the companies according to four metrics: financial health, sales capacity, product mix and management tenure. This report also includes the following key content: Monthly changes in the index November index outlook The top 10 retailers in our ranking and commentary on the companies that have seen the biggest score changes Retail robustness by segment The appendix details our methodology of calculating index scores. This report follows the Retail Robustness Index: November 2020 Update. Click here to view Coresight Research’s ongoing coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. 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:Holiday Bites: Resale Shopping and Secondhand Selling—Data GraphicCEO Brief: A Turning Point for US Consumers and the Economy?Downward Trend in Economic Expectations Ends: Weekly US Consumer Sentiment, Week 17, 2025—InfographicAgentic Commerce: What Retailers Need to Know for Holiday 2025 and to Succeed in 2026—Premium Subscriber Call, October 2025
Insight ReportConsumer Tech Briefing: At-Home Fitness Startups Flourish amid the Pandemic Coresight Research December 9, 2020 Reasons to ReadOur Consumer Tech Briefing series discusses recent developments in the world of technology. This month, we look at the following new tech and funding developments: Lululemon’s introduction of products from tech startup Mirror in its stores Recent funding raising rounds for home fitness technology brands Tonal and Zwift We also discuss our expectations for the future of the post-pandemic home fitness market. Click here to read our previous Consumer Tech Briefing report, which discusses new 5G tech releases from Apple and OnePlus. Click here to read more Coresight Research coverage of consumer technology. 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:Three Data Points We’re Watching This Week, Week 30: US Retail and the Consumer—Latest MetricsGroceryshop 2025 Day Four: AI and Data Are Driving Shopper Journeys and Unified OrganizationsWeekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 36: UK Sees 25% Fewer Closures Year Over YearWeekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 20: Bob’s Discount Furniture Announces Store-Expansion Plan
Deep DiveE-Commerce Platforms Make Multibillion-Dollar Investments in Logistics as Online Demand Surges Coresight Research December 9, 2020 Reasons to ReadWith the Covid-19 pandemic having significantly accelerated the growth of e-commerce, the global e-commerce logistics market is booming as platforms strive to meet consumer demands for delivery. In this report, we look at recent investments into logistics capabilities by select e-commerce platforms—including Amazon, Alibaba, Flipkart and JD.com—across six key areas, from facilities to autonomous delivery technologies and last-mile delivery. Click here to read about holiday hiring drives among US retail and logistics firms. CONTENTS What’s the Story? Why It Matters E-Commerce Platforms Upgrade Logistics: A Deep Dive Six Key Investment Areas Facilities Recruitment of Logistics Staff Partnerships with Logistics Firms Last-Mile Delivery Autonomous Delivery Technologies Cross-Border Fulfillment What We Think Implications for Brands/Retailers Implications for Technology Vendors 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:September 2025 US Retail Sales Outlook: Retail Outlook Score Plummets; Holiday-Quarter Growth Projection ModeratesWeekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 20: Bob’s Discount Furniture Announces Store-Expansion PlanShoptalk Spring 2025 “Shark Reef” Startup Pitch Competition: Innovator ProfilesHead-to-Head in Global Discount Grocery Retailing: Aldi vs. Lidl
Three Things You Need To Know: US CPG Sales Tracker—CPG E-Commerce Climbs 66%, Driven by Strong Growth in Online Food Sales Coresight Research December 8, 2020 We present Three Things You Need To Know on US CPG Sales Tracker: CPG E-Commerce Climbs 66%, Driven by Strong Growth in Online Food Sales. Find the full report here. This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Three Data Points We’re Watching This Week, Week 15: US CPG LatestAnalyst Corner: US Consumer Sentiment Varies by Age and Income—Uncovering Demographic Trends, with Aditya KaushikHoliday 2024: UK Retail Wrap-Up—Cautious Spending and Late Shopping Fuel Volatile Peak TradingUS Beauty Retailing: Market Forecast and Competitive Landscape—From Rebound to Reinvention in 2026
Insight ReportInsights from China: Tapping Into China’s High-Growth Male Beauty Market Coresight Research December 8, 2020 Reasons to ReadChina’s male beauty market is on the rise and still has huge growth potential. In this report, we outline the market and discuss its key growth drivers. We explore how beauty brands can better reach Chinese male consumers, through esports sponsorship and brand collaboration. Click here to read the previous report in our Insights from China series, which explores the success of Freshippo, Alibaba’s grocery chain, considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic this year. 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:US Store Tracker Extra, June 2025: 120+ Million Square Feet of Retail Space To Close This Year, Outpacing Openings by Over 1.5XThree Data Points We’re Watching This Week, Week 25: Predictive Data—Looking Ahead in US RetailAWS Re:Invent 2025: Five Insights from a Flood of Agentic AI Announcements by AmazonGlobal Outreach Summit 2025 Insights: India’s Digital Leap in Apparel Sourcing and Sustainability
Deep DiveSix Ways Covid-19 Will Continue To Impact US Retailers and Consumers Coresight Research December 8, 2020 Reasons to ReadCoronavirus vaccines are now in production, and there are indications that the US economy is on the road to recovery from the global pandemic. In this report, we analyze six ways in which pandemic-driven changes to the economy, retail and consumer behavior will impact the US retail industry moving forward. These include repercussions from unemployment rates on spending power (which vary across consumer income groups), the effects of changed business operations, such as work-from-home practices and reduced travel, and how a vaccine will influence the outlook for the service industry. We discuss the implications of these impacts for retailers. Click here to view additional coverage of the impact of Covid-19 on retail, which includes Coresight Research’s proprietary US consumer survey findings. CONTENTS What’s the Story? Why It Matters Six Ways Covid-19 Will Continue To Impact US Retailers and Consumers: A Deep Dive The Unemployment Rate Is Moving in the Right Direction, but Recovery May Slow in the Short Term Lower-Income Consumers Will Have Their Spending Constricted in the Short Term Higher Earners May Spend More Freely Birth Rates Will Drop Significantly, Impacting Childcare and Education Spending in the Long Term The Surge in Homebuying Will Drive Retail Sales but Should Wane in the Medium Term A Vaccine Will Prompt a Switch Back to Services in the Medium and Long Term What We Think Implications for Brands/Retailers Implications for Real Estate Firms 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:Weekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 47: Store Openings Exceed 1,500India’s Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: How Convenience, Technology and Sustainability Powered a Multibillion-Dollar FestivalWeekly UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 39: Amazon and Bodycare To Close All StoresThe STORE Framework for Driving Innovation in Retail
Event CoverageRetailers United “Help America Stay Open” Pitch Event Preview (Part 2): RevTech Ventures-Backed Companies To Present Their Business Models Coresight Research December 7, 2020 Reasons to ReadOn December 8, Deborah Weinswig, Coresight Research CEO and Founder, will emcee Retailers United’s second pitch competition, in which five US retail startups will compete for a $10,000 grant and mentorship from industry leaders. In this free report, we profile the three RevTech Ventures-backed startups that will present at the competition but will not be competing for the prize—namely Topl, Singuli and Recurate. This report is available for free and can be accessed by registering for a free account. Click here to read the Retailers United “Help America Stay Open” Pitch Event Preview (Part 1) report, which outlines the event’s structure and the judges involved, and profiles the five startup contestants. 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 34: The Sleep Haven Files for AdministrationShoptalk Spring 2025: Day Three—Community Building, Earning Loyalty and Enhancing Search Are Top of MindUS Beauty Retailing: Market Forecast and Competitive Landscape—From Rebound to Reinvention in 2026Innovator Profile: Wayvee Analytics—Analyzing Customer Emotions to Boost Store and Shelf Performance
Insight ReportUS Survey Update: Shoppers Purchased Online over the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, with Strong Demand for Apparel (Select Findings) Coresight Research December 7, 2020 Reasons to ReadThis report provides select findings from Coresight Research’s December 1 survey of US consumers on their behaviors and expectations, with a focus on implications for retailers. This week, we focus on consumer shopping activities over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, which spans Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 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: Thanksgiving-to-Cyber Monday shopping activities—and consumer preference for online channels The most-shopped product categories over the extended weekend Whether respondents are buying more or less of any retail categories as a result of Covid-19 and, if so, which types of products Our full report is available to premium subscribers and includes further findings on the shape of holiday demand, as well as shoppers’ current online spending habits, avoidance of public places and the activities they expect to do in the next two weeks. Click here to view additional coverage of the impact of Covid-19 on retail, which includes US consumer survey findings from previous weeks. 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:Global Tech and Retail Layoffs in 2025: Structural or Cyclical?High Income Consumers’ Sentiment Improves; Government Shutdown Impacting Shoppers: US Consumer Survey InsightsHigh-Income Consumers’ Economic Optimism at Five-Month Low; Holiday Shopping Accelerates: US Consumer Survey InsightsUS Retail and Logistics Holiday Hiring Hits Lowest Level in Over a Decade—Data Graphic
Deep DiveUS Survey Update: Shoppers Purchased Online over the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, with Strong Demand for Apparel (Full Report) Coresight Research December 7, 2020 Reasons to ReadCoresight Research’s December 1 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. This week, we discuss consumer shopping behavior over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, which spans Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Our findings cover the following: The shape of holiday demand, including consumer preference for online channels and the most-shopped categories Consumer sentiment related to holiday season promotions We also present findings on shoppers’ current online spending habits and avoidance of public places, as well as what activities they expect to do in the next two weeks. If you do not have a premium subscription, you can access select findings in a complimentary abridged report. Click here to view additional coverage of the impact of Covid-19 on retail, which includes US consumer survey findings from previous weeks. CONTENTS What’s the Story? Thanksgiving-to-Cyber Monday Holiday Weekend Shopping Consumers Opt for Online Shopping Appear and Footwear Is the Most-Shopped Category One-Quarter Are Disappointed with the Discounts This Year What Shoppers Are Doing and Where They Are Going More Consumers Had Bought Apparel Online in the Past Two Weeks More Consumers Expect to Get A Haircut than Actual Behavior Indicates Over Eight in 10 Are Currently Avoiding Public Places Reviewing Trend Data in Current Purchasing Behavior What Consumers Are Currently Buying More Of and Less Of Almost Three-Quarters Are Switching Spending Online What Consumers Are Currently Buying More Of Online 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:2026 Sector Outlook: US Drugstore Retailing—Strong Volume Growth Amid Margin PressureMarch 2025 US Retail Sales: Retail Sales Rebound Amid Tariff ConcernsHigh-Income Consumers’ Economic Optimism at Five-Month Low; Holiday Shopping Accelerates: US Consumer Survey InsightsShoptalk Spring 2025 “Shark Reef” Startup Pitch: Recap—12 Innovators, Two Winners
Question of the WeekWhat Are Mall Operators Doing To Future-Proof Shopping Centers? Coresight Research December 7, 2020 QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What Are Mall Operators Doing To Future-Proof Shopping Centers? This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in:Rolling Metric Picks Up After Last Week’s Dip: Weekly US Consumer Sentiment, Week 29, 2025—InfographicRetail Trends and Shopper Traffic Update, Q3: Early Findings & Strategic OutlookThree Data Points We’re Watching This Week, Week 30: US Retail and the Consumer—Latest MetricsSteadiness Continues: Weekly US Consumer Sentiment, Week 15, 2025—Infographic
Insight ReportEarnings Insights 3Q20, Week 5: Discounters Stand Strong and Beauty Sees Strong Recovery; Declines Continue for Some Apparel Brands Coresight Research December 7, 2020 Reasons to Read Our weekly Earnings Insights reports feature highlights from recent management commentary at major US retailers within our Coresight 100 coverage list, as they report third-quarter 2020 earnings. We condense what retail companies are reporting regarding the following key content, with a focus on the impact of the coronavirus crisis: Management commentary on demand trends in the third quarter (where reported)—including comparable sales growth, details on consumer demand by category or channel, and qualitative insights The strength of e-commerce The outlook for demand, as reflected in revenue guidance or more qualitative commentary This week, there are highlights from companies that reported in the week ended December 6, including Dollar General, Five Below, Kroger, PVH Corp and Ulta Beauty. Read the Earnings Insight 3Q20, Week 4 report here. Click here to read our wrap-up report for the second quarter of 2020. 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:Rolling Metric Sentiment Declined This Week: Weekly US Consumer Sentiment, Week 36, 2025—InfographicSector Focus: Department Stores—Data GraphicUS Retail and Logistics Holiday Hiring Hits Lowest Level in Over a Decade—Data GraphicApril 2025 US Retail Sales: Growth Rate Reaches New High for 2025 Despite Economic Uncertainty
Analyst CornerWeinswig’s Weekly: The Elongated Holiday Season Hits a Softer Tone on Cyber Monday Coresight Research December 6, 2020 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 forecasts for online sales growth this holiday season, following Black Friday and an anticlimactic Cyber Monday. 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:Five Ways Brands and Retailers Can Use AI/ML and Shared Data to Energize End-to-End Product ManagementAnalyst Corner—US Convenience Store Retailing: Battling Headwinds and Seeking New Opportunities, with Sujeet NaikUS CPG Sales Tracker: In-Store CPG Sales Fall While Beauty Remains ResilientWeekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 34: Car Toys Takes Year-to-Date Retail Bankruptcies Total to 24
Flash ReportHoliday 2020: US Black Friday and Cyber Monday Insights—Digital Sales Growth Underwhelms on Cyber Monday Coresight Research December 4, 2020 Reasons to ReadThis year, Black Friday in the US has been mainly digital, as consumers shift spending to e-commerce. In this free report, we discuss digital sales performance on Black Friday and during Cyber Week, covering the following: US retailers’ digital revenues and year-over-year growth, with data from Adobe Analytics and Salesforce The boost to digital sales provided by pickup services US retailers’ average discount rates through Cyber Week versus last year Popular product categories among US shoppers The impact of social media during Cyber Week Click here to read all Coresight Research coverage of US holiday retail. 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:Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 8: US Store Closures Exceed 3,000, Up 420% Year Over YearThe Impacts of US Tariffs: Assessing Companies’ International Sourcing Exposure by CountryConsumer Optimism Softens Ahead of Golden Week: China Consumer Survey InsightsThree Data Points We’re Watching This Week, Week 33: US Consumers’ Tariff Perceptions
Event CoverageRetailers United “Help America Stay Open” Pitch Event Preview (Part 1): Five Retail Startups To Compete for $10,000 Coresight Research December 4, 2020 Reasons to ReadOn December 8, 2020, Deborah Weinswig, Coresight Research CEO and Founder, will emcee Retailers United’s second pitch competition, in which five US retail startups will compete for a $10,000 grant and mentorship from industry leaders. In this report, we outline the event’s structure and the judges involved, and profile the five startup contestants. Click here to read our Retailers United “Help America Stay Open” Pitch Event Preview (Part 2) report, which discusses the three RevTech Ventures-backed startups that will also present during the event but are not competing for the grant. 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:Reinventing Store Checkout: Minimizing Friction to Drive Business GrowthWeekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 25: Furniture Frenzy—At Home’s Bankruptcy, Ashley’s Store Renewal and Openings from IKEA, Wayfair and MoreRetail-Tech Landscape: Retail MediaAgentic Commerce: How Retailers Can Make Their Products Discoverable and Shoppable for 800 Million ChatGPT Users
