Press Coverage

WWD

Report Traces Macy’s Shoppers Spending Elsewhere

Retail analyst Deborah Weinswig reports that Amazon and off-pricers have captured significant market share from Macy's. Continue Reading →

Quartz

Amazon’s push into fashion retail should scare these companies the most

Coresight Research, an independent firm focused on retail and technology (formerly Fung Global Retail & Technology), surveyed 1,699 demographically representative, internet-using Americans about what clothing they’re buying on Amazon, as well as the stores they’ve shifted away from. Continue Reading →

Bloomberg

Amazon’s Top Apparel Victims: Target, Macy’s, J.C. Penney

Amazon.com Inc. is spiriting away share of apparel sales from Target Corp., Macy’s Inc. and J.C. Penney Co., according to a report Thursday by Coresight Research. Amazon Fashion is tied with Target as the second-most-shopped apparel retailer in the U.S., behind Walmart Inc., as measured by number of shoppers, the survey found. More than 20 percent of respondents said they have switched more of their apparel spending to Amazon and away from Macy’s and J.C. Penney. Continue Reading →

ICSC

Future bright for retail real estate, retailers, Weinswig says

Rising sales and solid shopping center occupancy rates signal a bright future for shopping centers and retailers, and they also challenge a false narrative about the decline of physical retail, according to Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, as cited in a CNBC report. Continue Reading →

Business Insider

We compared grocery shopping at stores in the US and the UK — and it was shockingly clear which country does it better

In the US, retailers' private labels currently capture only a minority share of total grocery spending. Last year, these products accounted for 14.5% of all US spending on consumer packaged goods, according to a report done by FGRT. Continue Reading →

The Guardian

The US retail industry is hemorrhaging jobs – and it’s hitting women hardest

Major retailers shut shops across the US last year. A record 6,700 stores shut in 2017, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, a retail thinktank. Macy’s alone closed 68 stores and shed 10,000 jobs. Drugstore chain Walgreens closed 600 locations. Continue Reading →

Daily Express

Battle to cash in on £3bn sportswear craze: M&S, Joules and H&M to wage war on top brands to boost sales

According to retail analyst Fung Global Retail and Technology, fitness has become a more integral part of life for younger generations, meaning athleisure clothing has become increasingly acceptable outside the gym. 'Millennials tend to take a more holistic approach to health and wellness than older groups do. They exercise more, eat better and smoke less than previous generations,' according to Fung. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

The internet influences nearly half of Gen Z purchases

In the U.S., families spent roughly $830 billion on their Gen Z members in 2015, with $66 billion of that on discretionary items (non-essential items), according to data from Fung Global Retail & Technology cited in the report. Continue Reading →

RIS News

Retail’s 10 Most Influential People for 2018

Deborah Weinswig. Weinswig is the managing director of the Fung Global Retail & Technology. She is responsible for building the team’s research capabilities and providing insights into the disruptive technologies reshaping the global retail landscape. She travels the world to meet with high-level executives and is a frequent speaker at prestigious industry events. @debweinswig Continue Reading →

NY Times

Shoppers Spending More May Make a Merry Season for Retailers

There have been nearly 7,000 announced store closures this year, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, which exceeds the 2008 peak of 6,200. Continue Reading →

Vend

Vend’s Top 100 Retail Influencers for 2018

Welcome to the 2018 edition of Vend’s list of top retail influencers! This year, we’ve expanded the list to 100 influencers (instead of 50) to add more individuals outside of North America and to ensure that we include the most well-deserving folks in the retail industry. Continue Reading →

US News

Cyber Monday Is Amazon’s Time to Shine

Shoppers are expected to spend $1.6 billion more this year on Cyber Monday that they did on Black Friday. In addition, a Fung Global Retail Technology survey found that 82 percent of shoppers plan to buy a gift online this holiday season compared to just 77 percent who plan to buy gifts at a physical store. Continue Reading →

PYMNTS.com

Online Grocery To Spike 50 Percent During Holidays

While the consumer trend of eGrocery is much less developed in the U.S. than in European countries, like the U.K. and France, U.S. online grocery is set to expand, with Fung Global Retail & Technology (FGRT) expecting sales to grow by 50 percent or more year over year this holiday shopping season. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

Walmart and Lord & Taylor: Brilliant, or badly matched?

"The extensive sales channel provided by Amazon’s e-commerce platform, coupled with the company’s data analytics that can help predict and adjust to ever-changing consumer demands, almost ensures that Amazon’s private labels have a real shot at eroding the market share of established players," Deborah Weinswig, managing director, retail think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology, told Retail Dive in an email. "Walmart, leading the pack with over $23 billion in apparel sales in 2017, understands the threat presented by Amazon, and has decided to take action to stem the continuous loss of market share." Continue Reading →

WSJ

Manhattan Retail Landlords Slash Rents to Lure Tenants

Through Nov. 3 this year, U.S. retailers announced 6,636 store closures nationwide, according to a report from Fung Global Retail & Technology, a research and consulting firm. Continue Reading →

Campaign Asia

Singles Day: Big questions and predictions for China’s huge online shopping festival

Despite being able to preorder three weeks in advance, 96% of Singles’ Day shoppers say they will shop on the day itself, 11 November, according to a survey by Fung Global Retail Tech (FGRT), with apparel the most popular category. Continue Reading →

CNN Money

2017 just set the all-time record for store closings

Since January 1, retailers have announced plans to shutter more than 6,700 stores in the U.S., according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, a retail think tank. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

Amazon releases holiday shopping guides

At the moment, those private brands aren’t the focus of Amazon’s holiday outreach, perhaps because it relies so heavily on its marketplace and because, unlike for its July event, it's competing with so many other retailers at the holidays. Still, Amazon is poised to dominate this year: Roughly 75% of all holiday shoppers (and a whopping 90% of Amazon Prime members) expect to buy from Amazon this year, while just half of consumers said they plan gift shopping at Target and Walmart, according to consulting firm Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

National Real Estate Investor

What Is the True Number of Store Closings for 2017?

In the latest sobering research, Fung Global Retail & Technology found that as of the week ended October 6, retailers announced 6,101 store closings, up 183 percent on a year-over-year basis, according to the firm’s Store Openings & Closures Tracker. Not all of Fung Global’s analysis seemed dire, however. The firm also found that retailers had planned 3,427 in store openings, up 60 percent on a year-over-year basis. Continue Reading →

Digiday

Four months in: Michael Kors already making significant progress on Runway 2020

Thus far, sales for seasonal collections have increased from 20 percent of overall sales for the spring 2017 collection to 37 percent for fall 2017, as reported by Fung Global Retail and Tech. This showed the company is experiencing success in diversification and new products. Continue Reading →

The Guardian

Marks & Spencer launches online food delivery service

John Mercer, a retail analyst at Fung Global Retail and Technology, said the retailer had chosen a model like Just Eat’s rather than the traditional route taken by the major supermarkets, which requires big basket sizes to be successful. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Buyer Beware: Investing In The Hottest Retail Technologies Without Getting Burned

According to a recent study by Fung Global Retail & Technology, things are just getting started as disruption in the retail industry is predicted to continue well beyond 2020. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

Could this be the last generation of Toys R Us kids?

According to consulting firm Fung Global Retail & Technology, online toy sales were 18% last year, and the number of parents who do most of their toy shopping at Amazon has doubled, to 14%, over the past five years. Low prices have driven customers to Walmart and Amazon, according to Fung, and price competition from generalists and mass retailers is tough on a retailer struggling to pay off its debts. Continue Reading →

USA Today

As retailers close, thrift stores and consignment reach customers on Facebook, Instagram

Supply doesn’t seem to be running out. The average American woman doesn’t wear 60% of items in her closet, or about $220 billion in potential inventory, according to Fung Global Retail Tech, a consulting firm. Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Can LFW reinvigorate the UK fashion industry?

Fung Global Retail & Technology’s lead UK analyst John Mercer said this shows it seems even less significant when placed an industry-wide context. “Even if LFW can nudge this total closer to £300 million this year, it will be in the context of a UK clothing and footwear market that we estimate will be worth £63.5 billion this year,” Mercer told Retail Gazette. Continue Reading →

Wynn Magazine

Hot Off The Runway

Analysts are keeping a close watch on how many brands will participate. In a special report on the trend earlier this year, Fung Global Retail & Technology Managing Director Deborah Weinswig noted that everything from the rise of digitization and manufacturing efficiencies to globalization and even global warming is pushing fashion houses toward more immediate collections. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

Amazon offers sellers lucrative holidays — if they prepare

Roughly 75% of all holiday shoppers (and a whopping 90% of Amazon Prime members) expect to buy from Amazon this year, while just half of consumers said they plan gift shopping at Target and Walmart, according to a report from consulting firm Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Independent

The History of “Instagram” Make-Up

According to research by Fung Global Retail and Technology, the amount of beauty content on YouTube spiked by 200 per cent between 2015 and 2016. Continue Reading →

Market Watch

This is how much Americans would save if they did all their shopping online

And more shoppers (82%) expect to buy gifts online this year than in physical stores (76%), according to an August survey of more than 1,000 American adult internet users by Fung Global Retail Technology. Continue Reading →

Fox Business

Why Amazon Isn’t Ready for Prime Time in China

But membership programs are also a tough sell in China, where high-profile scandals involving beauty chains and health clubs have made consumers wary, said Deborah Weinswig, New York-based managing director at Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

WSJ

Package-Delivery Companies Hiring Staff, Gear Up Ahead of Holiday Season

Research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology said 82% of respondents to an August survey on the coming holiday season expect to buy gifts online, while 77% expect to buy gifts in physical stores. Continue Reading →

Chicago Tribune

In Illinois’ small towns, empty storefronts loom large: ‘What’s left?’

Since the start of the year, U.S. retailers have announced 5,699 store closures, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, driven by retail bankruptcies, cost-cutting moves and, for a growing number of department stores and big-box chains, decisions to invest in top-performing stores that fit their new strategies. Continue Reading →

Tech Wire Asia

What’s behind Alibaba’s Ele.me acquisition of Baidu’s Waimai?

However, Esme Pau of retail and technology research house Fung Global says this isn’t at all surprising. “We think Baidu’s disposal of its food delivery operations is well expected, as it has been reported in Chinese media that discussions were ongoing,” she told Tech Wire Asia. “We think the competition between Ele.me and Meituan will intensify after the acquisition for China’s food delivery market.” “Food delivery is similar to bike sharing and other online-to-offline (O2O) services that are undergoing consolidation. We think it is likely that the two incumbents will give out more cash subsidies, which end consumers would benefit from.” Continue Reading →

Chain Store Age

The top destination for U.S. holiday shoppers will be…

That's according to the first in a series of reports on "How the US Shops" from global think tank FGRT (Fung Global Retail & Technology). An August survey of more than 1,000 American adult Internet users found that three-quarters of all holiday shoppers and 83% of those expecting to shop online plan to buy from Amazon during the holidays. Target and Walmart are the second- and third-most-popular destinations, respectively, with each set to attract just under half of holiday shoppers. Continue Reading →

Retail Week

Opinion: Is Dixons Carphone right to be cautious on mobile upgrades?

Dixons Carphone’s warning on the smartphone market prompted a second battering of the share price in a fortnight. The company’s note on “challenging conditions” came less than two weeks after a double downgrade by Exane BNP Paribas. That downgrade now looks like a well-timed call. Continue Reading →

WSJ

Proposed Tax Cut for Businesses Puts Mayor de Blasio at Odds With His Party

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Fox Business

Proposed Tax Cut for Businesses Puts Mayor de Blasio at Odds With His Party

Retailers have announced 5,630 major store closures in the U.S. this year, a 175% increase over the same period last year, according to an Aug. 18 report from Fung Global Retail & Technology, a retail think tank. Continue Reading →

Enterprise Innovation

Alibaba ecosystem primed for growth says FGRT

In the Fung Global Retail & Technology report titled “Alibaba Group: From Strength to Strength-An Overview of the Business Units of the World’s Largest E-Commerce Company” the company is noted as becoming better known outside Asia as an innovative force in e-commerce, but many still don’t understand the full breadth of its influence and plans for the future. Continue Reading →

Entrepreneur

Big-box Stores Are Failing. Here’s How Small Businesses Can Scoop up Their Sales.

A recent report from retail think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology estimates that the widespread closures -- nearly 400 stores between those four chains alone -- will leave approximately $2.5 billion in sales up for grabs, $1.6 billion of which will be in apparel alone. Continue Reading →

Bloomberg

Target Needs a Better Grocery Strategy

Aldi expansion to be completed by the end of 2018. Walmart's count includes new, expanded and relocated stores. Source: Fung Global Retail and Technology Continue Reading →

PYMNTS.com

Local Retailers, Surviving or Dying in Retail’s Evolution?

We’ve heard a lot about bigger retailers like Macy’s and J.C. Penney shutting down big numbers of brick-and-mortar locations. Of the 5,321 brick-and-mortar store closures this year, a 218 percent year-over-year increase, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology’s Taking Stock in Retail: The 2017 Midyear WrapUp report, how much can we attribute to local shops? While this number is not readily available at this time, it appears that most of these store closings are tied to multi-location retailers with larger revenue streams. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

Amazon Pay Places could seriously challenge Apple Pay

Amazon Pay Places is well positioned to take on Apple Pay and fill a gap in the highly fragmented mobile payments market, according to report from Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Dallas News

Another way to look at the Amazon effect as department stores report results

Groceries are a big slice of consumer spending but still a relatively tiny piece of online sales, so when the category is stripped out, e-commerce in the U.S. is revealed as a larger business, 15 percent of total sales, according to a new report from Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

CNBC

After last quarter’s bloodbath, little gains for department stores may yield big results

"Younger consumers are shifting from a retailer-focused to a brand-focused buying mentality, and with more brands selling directly to consumers via channels such as Facebook, department stores will likely feel the impact during the back-to-school season," said Deborah Weinswig of Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Sustainability in retail: What is the problem?

“Consumers may say they want sustainability, but there is little evidence of mass-market shoppers willing to pay substantially more for sustainable goods.” Filippo Battaini, research associate at FGRT, sums up the state of sustainability in retail in a rather pessimistic but unfortunately realistic view. Continue Reading →

TrueFit

Fung Global Retail and Technology Releases “Deep Dive: US Consumer” Survey Results

Fung Global Retail and Technology just published a deep dive report into US consumer trends. The report, which can be found here, yielded 3 key findings: Continue Reading →

Chain Storeage Age

Digital Gifting Solutions: Unlocking a blind spot in digital commerce

The discussion was led by Fung Global Retail & Technology managing director Deborah Weinswig, who moderated an executive panel that included Milton Pappas, senior VP of digital marketing for Hudson’s Bay Company’s HBC digital division, Victor Ortiz, VP of digital product management for Toys “R” Us, and myself. Continue Reading →

WWD

Saving the Mall

Some centers are still thriving — mostly the so-called “A” malls situated in affluent, heavily populated parts of the country. But most others are losing shopper traffic and tenants. Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Payless, Abercrombie & Fitch, Sears, Kmart, Ascena Retail Group, Michael Kors, Bebe and Gymboree are among the retailers sharply cutting the store count — and that doesn’t include independent stores that can’t make it in the online era. Fung Global Retail & Technology is projecting 9,452 store closings this year, up 53 percent from the number of doors that went dark amidst the Great Recession in 2008. Estimates from PricewaterhouseCooper and Credit Suisse range from 90 million square feet to 147 million square feet of retail space could go dark this year. The store closures will drag business at malls down, not to mention the mood and consumers’ will to shop, and force many to shut down. Continue Reading →

The Journal Gazette

Buying eco-friendly

Deborah Weinswig, managing director at research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology, says she expects to see more major names introduce more sustainable products. However, she says the trend must be kept in context. Continue Reading →

Nikkei Asian Review

Solo Chinese travelers present new challenges — and opportunities

Independent travelers are also growing in number. According to its survey by Fung Global Retail & Technology, independent travelers accounted for 52% of all outbound trips from China, compared to just 35% traveling in tour groups. The number of Chinese independent travelers totals roughly 70.6 million, approximately the same as overall outbound travelers from the U.S. This translates into considerable spending power, noted Deborah Weinswig, managing director at the consultancy. Continue Reading →

NY Times

Retailers, Brands See Green for Back-To-School Shopping

Deborah Weinswig, managing director at research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology, says she expects to see more major names introduce more sustainable products. But she says back-to-school shopping is still driven, in large part, by frugality. Continue Reading →

CNBC

Retailers, brands see green for back-to-school shopping

Deborah Weinswig, managing director at research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology, says she expects to see more major names introduce more sustainable products. However, she says the trend must be kept in context. Continue Reading →

SalesFuel

JEWELRY SHOPPERS MOVING ONLINE BUT ARE LOCAL STORES?

“A growing trend in jewelry retail: fine jewelry retailers are finally getting online. However, as online shoppers often remain hesitant to invest in a piece of jewelry, retailers are going to need to overcome the innate physical restrictions of e-commerce standards in order to capture a share of this growing market,” Deborah Weinswig writes for Forbes. Continue Reading →

Washington Post

Why this group is trying to stop Amazon from buying Whole Foods

As of Friday, there have been 5,369 announced store closures in the United States, up 162 percent from last year, according to data from Fung Global Retail and Technology, a retail think tank in New York. Continue Reading →

Press Reader

One-third of Americas shop online once a week

At least 5300 stores have announced closures this year which is three times the number over the same period in 2016, according to data from Fung Global Retail & technology. Continue Reading →

Sourcing Journal Online

218% Spike in Store Closures a Necessary First Step

Fung Global Retail & Technology's 'Deep Dive: The US Retail Revolution Solution' provides insights into what precipitated this shakeup as well as roadmap for stores looking for ways to survive. Continue Reading →

eMarketer Retail

Here’s One Positive Sign for Retail

Online isn’t the only bright spot of the industry. Even though retailers from RadioShack and Payless ShoeSource to Sears and JC Penney have announced a total of more than 5,300 store closings so far this year, others are expanding, according to a recent Fung Global Retail & Technology study. The report showed during the same time those store closings were announced, retailers including Dollar General, TJ Maxx parent TJX, Ulta Beauty and German grocer Lidl have announced nearly 3,300 store openings, up 53% from a year earlier. Continue Reading →

GeoMarketing

Alexa Poised To Play A Bigger Role This Amazon Prime Day

Just how big Prime Day really is remains a well-kept secret, notes Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, in a blog post. Continue Reading →

Dallas News

J.C. Penney tries to capture best of Kohl’s in new loyalty program

When asked where they shop for clothes, women rank Kohl's at the top of the list, according to a report this month from Fung Global Retail & Technology that's based on more than 10 years of shopper data focused on Amazon by Prosper Insights and Analytics. The report compared the first quarter with the same period four years ago. Continue Reading →

Glossy

Amazon looks to Prime Day to bolster its fashion brands

While an increasing number of consumers are turning to Amazon for their apparel needs, data shows it continues to be overshadowed by other brands as the preferred platform for style. According to a report by Fung Global Retail & Technology, Amazon womenswear customers have doubled in the last four years: 23.2 percent of Amazon customers have purchased apparel from the platform in the last three months, compared to 14.5 percent three years ago. However, only 1.9 percent viewed Amazon as its go-to source for fashion, instead looking to retailers like Kohl’s, Walmart and Macy’s, the study found. Continue Reading →

The Street

5 Things You Must Know Before the Market Opens Monday

Amazon made an estimated $415 million on its first Prime Day in 2015 and an estimated $525 million on Prime Day 2016, according to FGRT analyst Deborah Weinswig. Analysts are calling for even higher sales in 2017, with some projecting sales of between $800 million and $1 billion for Amazon's third Prime Day event. Continue Reading →

Bloomberg

Macau’s ATMs Are Using Facial Recognition to Help Follow the Money

“They’re not well-educated about how privacy should be important to them,” said Simic Chan, a senior analyst at Fung Global Retail & Technology in Hong Kong. “They feel it’s a norm to have their data collected.” Continue Reading →

Press Release Point

Retail PR Pros Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple

Attendees also heard from Deborah Weinswig, managing director of global intelligence at Fung Global Retail, who outlined the state of the retail industry from an analysts' point of view and offered expert insight into where the industry might be headed over the next few years. Continue Reading →

WWD

Analyst Predicts Store Closures to Outpace 2008 by 53%

year's end. By Arthur Zaczkiewicz on July 3, 2017 A Sears closing in Mountain View, Calif. A Sears closing in Mountain View, Calif. Fung Global Retail & Technology’s latest read on U.S. retailing has 2017 on track to see about 9,452 store closings, which compares to 6,164 units shuttered in 2008 amid the so-called Great Recession. This represents a 53 percent increase in closures and comes despite a large number of store openings from retailers such as Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Aldi. Continue Reading →

Luxury Daily

Fashion resale industry set to grow to $33B by 2021

The fashion market category that relies on consigning high-end apparel and accessories is witnessing a period of enormous growth, outpacing the full-price segment of its industry by 20 percent, according to a new report from Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Chicago Tribune

Sears closes another 20 stores

These closures come in addition to the closing of 226 stores — 164 Kmart stores and 62 Sears stores— already announced this year, according to research firm Fung Global & Retail Technology, which tracks retailers' closings. Continue Reading →

CNN Money

Sears to close another 20 stores

Sears is hardly the only retailer shuttering locations. There have been about 5,300 store closing announcements so far this year, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, a retail think tank. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

Sears Holdings to shutter another 20 stores

But Sears, along with Macy's and J.C. Penney, are "future-proofing their offerings by closing stores," according to a new report from retail think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology. "We estimate that these closures will result in a total of $2.5 billion in annual sales being freed up for alternative retailers to grab," according to the report. "Approximately $1 billion of that total will come from Macy’s closures, $1 billion from Sears and Kmart closures, and $500 million from J.C. Penney closures, we estimate. Based on shopper preference data, we expect Macy’s to retain the highest share of sales when it closes stores and Sears to see the lowest sales-retention rates." Continue Reading →

WFMY News 2

Are We SeAre We Seeing the ‘Death of Malls?’eing the ‘Death of Malls?’

To verify this claim, we reached out to retail experts with The Integer Group and Retail Concepts and pulled a research study from Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Mass Market Retailers

Walmart acquires online clothier Bonobos for $310 million

Bonobos serves a young and loyal base of male shoppers that is less price-sensitive and focused on quality, according to retail analyst Deborah Weinswig, managing director at Fung Global Retail and Technology. Bonobos sells men’s suits, dress shirts, outerwear, golf wear and accessories, mostly online but also through about three dozen brick-and-mortar locations. Continue Reading →

Just Style

Change or die – the stark message for supply chains

This top-down state of affairs has been unsettled both by new technologies and new business models and trade relationships. "Change is obviously hard but change is necessary," said Shoshana Pollack, senior research assosciate at Fung Global Retail & Technology. "Consumer behaviour has changed and Amazon has changed everybody's expectations." Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

What does the Tesco-Booker merger mean for convenience stores?

Fung Global Retail & Technology lead UK analyst John Mercer said the merger could be the starting gun for this process. Continue Reading →

CT Post

Minimalist millennials say no thanks to family treasures

Millennials are also unlikely to ask for their stuff back. They move more frequently than their elders and tend to buy cheaper, short-lasting furniture that’s easy to transport and disposable, according to a recent report by Fung Global Retail & Technology, an international retail think tank. They spent an average of $1,500 on living room redecoration last year, the report found, half of what boomers spent. Continue Reading →

Fashion United

UK fashion chains boosting beauty offering

UK fashion retailers including Topshop and H&M are boosting their sales by capitalising on the demand for beauty ranges, according to a new report from Fung Global Retail and Technology. Continue Reading →

CNN Money

Saks-owner Hudson’s Bay announces 2,000 layoffs

In addition, some 3,300 store closings have been announced so far this year, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, a retail think tank. Continue Reading →

RetailGazette

Summer vs Christmas: Which seasonal campaigns are more important?

Fung Global lead analyst John Mercer adds that this also depends on a company’s audience. “Political campaigns are rarely right for mass-market brands, as Pepsi has learnt,” he told the Retail Gazette. Continue Reading →

Inside TW

台灣新創如何走向全球？ InnoVEX 論壇大解析

而走向國際的同時，新創企業也不得不面對專利、法規等議題。與談的 Fung Global Retail & Technology 調研機構總經理 Michael Zung 認為專利保護雖然不能忽視，但更要把握讓新科技在各國市場試水溫的機會，而能綜觀全局、掌握平衡。 Continue Reading →

The Street

This Chart Shows How Amazon Is Absolutely Embarrassing Every Single Retailer Alive

In fact, old school retailers such as J.C. Penney (JCP) , Macy's (M) and Kohl's (KSS) should be embarrassed by how dominant Amazon is right now. According to new research from Fung Global Retail & Technology on Thursday, Amazon is by far the most popular retailer in the U.S. An April survey showed that almost 70% of U.S. adults polled in April had purchased stuff from Amazon in the previous 90-day period. That number is up from about 64% a year earlier. Continue Reading →

Inside Retail HK

Fast fashion is turning into ultrafast fashion – report

Research house Fung Global Retail and Tech explains that the new crop of online fast-fashion retailers is proving highly adept at rapidly responding to consumers’ increasing demands for immediacy and constant newness, in turn driving their rapid sales growth and success. Continue Reading →

CNN

Department stores have lost more jobs than coal mines

Some 3,300 store closings have been announced so far this year, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, a retail think tank. That's double the number in the same period in 2016 Continue Reading →

The HR Digest

Automation Technology Will Put 6 To 7.5 Million Jobs In Peril

Retail industry is already undergoing downline with the announcement of 3,300 store closings, according to the report of Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Fox2Now

Robots could wipe out another 6 million retail jobs

The retail industry is already undergoing cataclysmic changes, with about 3,300 store closings announced so far this year, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology, a retail think tank. Continue Reading →

The Street

Surprisingly Coca-Cola Is Even Being Harmed by More of America’s Malls Dying

So far in May, announced store closings are nearly twice that of this time last year, while announced openings are up 20%, according to new data from global think tank Fun Global Retail & Technology. Overall, closings have been announced for 3,296 stores this year, up a disturbing 97% year-over-year. Most of the shuttered stores have come from the department and specialty store categories. Continue Reading →

DailyMail Online

Britain’s internet upstarts killing US department stores

John Mercer, analyst at Fung Global Retail, said that choice – once the unique selling point of American department stores – has waned amid the rise in online shopping, while Boohoo and Asos are benefiting from customers who are 'used to convenience and getting products when they need them'. Continue Reading →

Business Insider

Germany’s Lidl prepares to enter U.S. supermarket wars

Lidl is expected to post U.S. sales of roughly $1 billion in 2018, $2 billion in 2019 and $4 billion 2020, assuming it opens just under 100 stores per year, according to a recent note by retail think tank Fung Global Retail and Technology. Continue Reading →

CNBC

Retail’s woes deepen, dragging stocks down further

"Retailers have pledged to close over 3,600 stores since the start of the year, which means closures in 2017 have already exceeded those in 2016 by a wide margin," Fung Global Retail & Technology analyst Deborah Weinswig said in a statement. "We expect more announcements in the coming months, particularly for stores located in lower-grade malls." Continue Reading →

Internet Retailing

GUEST COMMENT Fashion online: more than just ecommerce

At Fung Global Retail & Technology, we cover apparel retailing in-depth and frequently. Here, we distill some of our recent research on three emerging segments in fashion retailing: online rental services, online resale marketplaces and the purchase of designer fashions direct from the catwalk. Continue Reading →

Reuters

Germany’s Lidl prepares to enter U.S. supermarket wars

Lidl is expected to post U.S. sales of roughly $1 billion in 2018, $2 billion in 2019 and $4 billion 2020, assuming it opens just under 100 stores per year, according to a recent note by retail think tank Fung Global Retail and Technology. Continue Reading →

Billings Gazette

Kmart, Ziggy’s, Sports Authority, Hastings: What will happen with these vacant spots?

Store closures this year are nearly double the pace of closures last year, when more than a dozen national retailers announced they were shuttering stores, according to a May report from New York-based analyst Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Dallas News

German grocer Lidl is quietly buying up land in North Texas

Retail analyst Deborah Weinswig of Fung Global Retail & Technology has forecast Lidl's first full-year U.S. sales of $1 billion with 120 stores in 2018. Sales could rise to $4 billion in 2020 with 300 stores Continue Reading →

Small Business

Resilience of the high street: What are the market conditions for small B&M retailers in 2017?

Furthermore, office of national statistics data finds that some 85.5 per cent of total retail sales were made offline last year with 14.5 per cent made online, meaning big opportunities remain for brick-and-mortar retailers, including small businesses. John Mercer, lead UK analyst at think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology says, ‘These top-line figures conceal that brick-and-mortar opportunities are bigger in some sectors than others. Last year, e-commerce captured 5 per cent of sales in the food stores sector, 13.5 per cent of sales at clothing and footwear specialist stores and 10 per cent of sales at household goods specialists. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Consumer confidence continues to fluctuate, but remains well above the 13 month average. What does it mean for spending? Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, weighs in on consumer confidence, spending, and autos.

Consumer confidence continues to fluctuate, but remains well above the 13 month average. What does it mean for spending? Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, weighs in on consumer confidence, spending, and autos. Continue Reading →

Quartz

It’s going to be a long time before India becomes a nation of shopaholics

India’s spending on apparel and footwear is expected to hit $70 billion by 2020, up from $63 billion for the year ended March 2017, according to a new report by retail insight company Fung Global Retail and Technology. Indians spent $645 billion on retail overall in the same year. In per capita terms, though, India still trails other major economies and BRIC nations. For instance, in 2015, per capita apparel consumption in India was just $45, compared to $172 in China. Continue Reading →

CNBC

Nearly every retailer says this is how they’ll bring back traffic. But few are truly delivering.

For a retailer to succeed, it also needs to have the right product. And while technology can help deliver a dose of excitement in stores, it should also take some of the friction out of shopping, Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, told CNBC. Continue Reading →

The Street

What Walmart Is Doing to Try to Slay the Monster That Is Amazon

"Innovation is not solely about technology. It can be what you do inside the box." Continue Reading →

The Robin Report

Store Rationalization, or Price Deflation?

Thanks to Fung Global Retail & Technology, we can show two revealing charts that raise more questions than answers. First of all, while the announced number of store closings total roughly 500 more than store openings, Fung doesn’t account for the square footage difference. Second, we don’t know what the independent and small chain store comparison is. And third, it would seem impossible to account for the hundreds of e-commerce websites opening every week compared to those closing. Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Retail experts respond to Theresa May’s snap general election announcement

John Mercer, the lead UK analyst at Fung Retail & Technology, told the Retail Gazette that while economic uncertainty could entice shoppers to postpone discretionary purchases until there was greater certainty, he does not believe an early election would bring any “meaningful negative impact” to the retail industry. Continue Reading →

Urban Land

Six Forces Transforming the Business Environment

“China is moving to a cashless society,” said Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, who is based in Hong Kong. Mobile payments—payment processes performed via mobile devices—have a huge market share in China. E-wallets (also known as mobile wallets or digital wallets) are used to initiate mobile payments; they account for a 58 percent share of the mobile payment market in China, the highest percentage globally. In the United States, that figure is just 15 percent. Continue Reading →

Business of Fashion

Walmart’s Push to Boost Online Fashion Presence With Acquisitions

Walmart is the world's largest brick-and-mortar clothing retailer, with 2016 sales exceeding $23 billion, according to retail think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Retail Times

Supermarkets and pure players drive growth in value clothing market, Fung Global Retail & Technology finds

A resurgence in apparel sales at grocery stores and a boom in revenues at online-only retailers are driving growth in the value clothing sector, according to a new report from retail think tank, Fung Global Retail & Technology. The value clothing market was worth nearly £10 billion by the end of 2016, equivalent to around one-quarter of the total UK apparel market, and it continues to grow in 2017. Continue Reading →

InsideOutdoor

Consumer See ‘Glass Half-Full’ This Spring

“The glass is certainly half full in 2017, based on Prosper’s confidence indicator among both consumers and small business owners. With optimism riding higher, we could see a lift in consumer spending and small business hiring, and the beginnings of a virtuous cycle where hiring leads to increased spending and further confidence gain,” said Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology at Prosper. Continue Reading →

CNBC

Retail bankruptcies march toward post-recession high

As the industry contracts, incumbent retailers like Kohl's and Target are investing in their physical shops in hopes of grabbing more market share. Between Macy's, Penney's, Sears and Kmart, Fung Global Retail & Technology estimates some $2.5 billion in sales will be captured by competing retailers. Continue Reading →

NY Daily News

Nearly half of women shoppers won’t bother with a store unless it has a sale

It gets worse for retailers: Research from First Insight and Fung Global Retail & Technology published in October found that between January 2013 and June 2016, consumers were only willing to fork over 76% of full price for womenswear items Continue Reading →

Biz Journals

Alphabet soup of technology will disrupt commercial real estate, says ULI panel

A panel on Thursday at ULI Carolinas’ conference in Charlotte discussed how technologies already implemented in international markets will eventually become the new norm in the United States, disrupting our lives, ways of doing business and built environments. The panel — Trish Healy, principal at Raleigh developer Hyde Street Holdings; Linda Isaacson, senior vice president at First American Title Co.; and Deborah Weinswig, managing director at Fung Global Retail & Technology — stressed that seemingly far-fetched technologies are coming soon. Continue Reading →

Chain Drug Review

Mass retailers reap benefits of beauty makeover

There appears no letup in interest in Korean beauty brands, which have seen strong growth in sales volume, with exports reaching $2.45 billion in 2015, according to Deborah Weinswig, managing director for Fung Global Retail and Technology. Korean beauty brands, she reasoned, have adopted fast fashion development cycles for beauty. Just as Forever 21 rushes a runway style to its stores, Korean beauty companies can duplicate the latest trends. BB creams, cushion compacts and sheet masks are all examples. Continue Reading →

MarketWatch

Wal-Mart is beating the pants off Amazon in apparel, and it’s fighting to keep it that way

Fung Global Retail & Technology quotes Euromonitor International, which puts clothing and footwear sales made through Amazon U.S. at $13 billion in 2016. However, excluding third-party sales on its site, Fung says the figure drops to $5.5 billion for the year. Continue Reading →

TextilWirtschaft

Fung Global Retail-Report bezweifelt Amazons Spitzenposition im Modesektor [German Only]

Nach Angaben des Think-Tanks „Fung Global Retail & Technology” (FGRT) sind die aktuell in der Branche kursierenden Hiobsbotschaften zu... [German Only Subscription Required] Continue Reading →

CNBC

One of Macy’s largest threats is getting even bigger

Their expansion should continue to fuel off-price apparel sales, which grew 39 percent between 2011 and 2016, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Auto Outlook Remains Vibrant Heading Into Spring Selling Season

Consumer confidence continues to decline from December’s peak but February’s reading represents a 19% surge over last year. Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, weighs in on the evolving state of the US consumer in 2017. Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Could Amazon be the push the fashion industry needs?

John Mercer, retail analyst at Fung Global added: “Such a move would likely boost consumers’ consideration of Amazon as a fashion retailer.” Continue Reading →

Stuff

17 retails trends for 2017: from robots, to virtual reality, to drones

Global firm Fung Global Retail & Technology has predicted 17 trends that are likely to impact retail this year, some of which involve robots, virtual reality, and drones. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Love Hurts: Valentine’s Day Spending Is Expected To Drop By 7%

Deborah Weinswig, FORBES contributor and Managing Director at Fung Global Retail and Technology, said that there is considerable demand for experiences from gift recipients, like tickets to a sporting event or outdoor adventure. “Some 40% of consumers want an experience gift, however, only 24% plan to give one,” said Weinswig. “We may see an upward trend in experience gifting in the future to fill this shortfall of demand, especially for experiences that cater to tight budgets.” Continue Reading →

Fast Company

Athleisure Makeup Has The Cosmetics Industry Breaking A Sweat

Add that to the fact that millennials are now the largest U.S demographic, and they prefer buying experiences and spending toward "creating a lifestyle," according to a recent report by Fung Global Retail & Technology. Millennials are perhaps the healthiest generation—they exercise more, eat better, and smoke less than previous generations. The gym and yoga studio have become social gathering places. Continue Reading →

Bloomberg

High-Tech Men’s Underwear at $70 Disrupts Sleepy $8 Billion Category

All this has boosted spending. In the past three years, the average price for a pair of underwear in the U.S. has risen by a third, while prices for men’s apparel overall have declined by about the same amount, according to research by Fung Global & Retail Technology and First Insight. Continue Reading →

Glossy

The future of the American mall

In a November report from Fung Global Retail and Technology, managing director Deborah Weinswig referred to what’s happening to the shopping mall in America as “retail Darwinism.” There are simply too many malls — according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, there are 1,221 malls in the United States — and the rise of Amazon and e-commerce is weeding out the weakest properties. Continue Reading →

Just style

Ten retail trends to watch for in 2017

The rise of e-commerce, the adoption of increasingly intelligent technology, faster delivery and the need for better supply chain visibility will all likely dominate the retail industry through 2017. Fung Global Retail & Technology offers some retails trends to watch out for in the year ahead. Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Is the high street fighting back?

Lead analyst at Fung Global Retail & Technology John Mercer argues that the concept of the high street itself is inept, and that the focus should shift to the shopper. “The 'death of the high street' has always been a meaningless concept," he said. Continue Reading →

Sourcing Journal

For Some Stores, Holiday Struggles Were Real

“We continue to be optimistic about 3 percent to 4 percent sales growth and we think sales could come in at the high end of that range,” said Fung Global Retail & Technology’s Shoshana Pollack, senior research associate, during a Planalytics webinar last week. “That’s based on our views that a last-minute surge in shoppers ahead of Christmas more than offset a soft start to the season in early November.” Continue Reading →

NRF

Uniquely Gen Z

In the US alone, consumer spending on Gen Zers totaled a whopping USD $829.6 billion in 2015. 77% of Gen Zers say they influence their families’ food and beverage purchase. Continue Reading →

Shopping Centers Today

What’s trending in 2017

The trend toward “decluttering” – in which consumers strive to buy fewer high-cost products – demands a response from fast-fashion chains in particular, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Connect Media

Pop Up Stores Are a Big Deal Dowtown

Pop-up retail formats are temporary stores that showcase a brand for anywhere from one day to 120 days. “In New York City, pop-ups are popping up everywhere because rents are higher than they have ever been, forcing retailers to look for alternative spaces,” says retail analyst Deborah Weinswig. Continue Reading →

Sourcing Journal Online

Fung Global: Free Shipping Isn’t Free and it Isn’t Sustainable

Ever since Amazon started offering shipping on the house, consumers don’t even want to fork over dollars for small online orders, a new report out by Fung Global Retail Technology said. Free shipping offers have evolved in recent years as retailers battle to accommodate consumers without entirely sacrificing the bottom line—and all in the face of increasing competition. “While free shipping is highly desirable from a consumer standpoint, retailers are usually the ones absorbing high logistics costs, while struggling to maintain competitively low product costs,” the Fung Global report noted. Continue Reading →

Forbes

With Election Over Holiday Gifting Becomes Top Of Mind

The economic foundation for a strong holiday is in place, but consumers remain highly value focused. What does it mean for the holiday shopping season? Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, weighs in on consumer confidence, the Prosper Consumer Spending Forecast, consumer impulsivity and mood in this month’s analysis. Continue Reading →

JLL Real Views

Four emerging trends that have got the retail industry talking

This year, on China’s version of Black Friday – Singles Day, which took place on 11 November – Chinese online marketplace Alibaba traded $18 billion worth of goods. It’s estimated that it will take 9.9 billion cardboard boxes to ship all of these items to Chinese shoppers, for whom shopping is now a national pastime. What’s more, these consumers travel. Around 129 million Chinese tourists are predicted to travel overseas in 2016, according to Fung Global Retail and Tech, are set to spend an average of $1,783 each on goods – up more than 6 percent on 2015 and an amount that has been steadily rising each year. Continue Reading →

Chain Store Age

Black Friday: Top Five Takeaways

The Fung Global Retail & Technology team visited 35 stores throughout the Greater New York City area and Las Vegas on Black Friday for a first-hand view on traffic and sales. Here are their top five takeaways from their store visits: Cyber Monday Starts Early for Walmart, Retailers Repeat Same Deals as Last Year, Tech Influence Felt Across Categories, Amazon was Aggressive on Apparel, Many Promotions Identical In-Stores and Online. Continue Reading →

philly.com

Making a new connection to certain dress-shirt buyers

Deborah L. Weinswig, managing director at New York-based Fung Global Retail & Technology, who focuses on where the two intersect, said the "silver" market, ages 65 to 84, was rapidly expanding. "A lot of retailers are adapting to make it easier for that consumer to shop - such as changing the height of shelves, because as we age, we tend not to be as tall, or if a person uses a walker or wheelchair, then they also need to change the width of the aisles. Retailers are more sensitive to the silvers because that is where the wealth is" as far as buying power," Weinswig said. "They're very active, and you're seeing a lot of magazines with a lot of marketing" toward them. Continue Reading →

Drapers

UK clothing market to rebound in 2017

The UK clothing market is set to grow 2% next year, up from a more subdued 1% this year, according to new research from retail analyst Fung Global Retail & Technology. It found that the market, worth £60.2bn in 2015, grew at a compound annual growth rate of 4.3% during the previous five years but saw a major slowdown in late 2015. Continue Reading →

The Journal Gazette

A Thanksgiving gamble

Fung Global Retail & Technology noted that this year’s calendar includes 31 shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, two more than last year. Continue Reading →

MrWeb

Prosper and Fung Launch Amazon Intelligence Service

In the US, Prosper Insights & Analytics has extended a partnership with international think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology to launch a co-branded Amazon Shopper Intelligence service, highlighting and explaining the online giant's 'encroachment' into different retail sectors. The partners says the service will combine Prosper's insights 'missing from most retailers' loyalty data', measuring and explaining Amazon's march into different areas, with special analysis by Fung helping retailers and investors understand the threat it poses. Continue Reading →

InsideRetail Asia

Downsizing and decluttering will ‘remake retail’

Decluttering: Anatomy of a Consumer Trend and How Retailers Can Win, from international think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology says while for some people downsizing and organising belongings is a matter of choice, for others the process is a necessity as rising housing prices force people to live in smaller homes, says the report. Others are focussing on sustainability and the ethical standards of manufacturers, writes Fung Global Retail & Technology MD Deborah Weinswig. Retailers, especially those in fast fashion that have relied on consumers buying a larger number of lower-priced items, will have to adapt to changing consumer needs and values. Continue Reading →

RetailWeek

Analysis: How Alibaba’s Singles’ Day is reinventing ecommerce

In its latest incarnation, Singles Day is like Black Friday on acid. Black Friday is eclipsed by Singles Day because the former is "all about the price" rather than experience, says think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology managing director Deborah Weinswig. "Retailers just end up racing each other to the bottom," she says. However, with its focus on retailtainment, Alibaba has successfully given its captive market the shopping experience they desire. Continue Reading →

Stuff

China’s Single’s Day sale nets $25 billion in 24 hours

Alibaba's Single's Day, China's one-day shopping spree, posted sales of US$17.8 billion ($25 billion) as of midnight Beijing time, a 32 per cent year-over-year growth rate. "A lot of us had a US$20 billion estimate in our heads, but I don't they're they're going to hit it. But it's still incredibly impressive in terms of the dollar volume," said Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

InsideRetail Asia

US$1 billion in first five minutes of 11.11

International think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology predicts sales of $20 billion during the full 24 hours, up an extraordinary 40 per cent over last year’s total of $14.3 billion, thanks in part to the introduction of Buy+, the world’s first-ever end-to-end virtual reality (VR) shopping experience. “Buy+ will enable global retailers (even those without a physical presence in China) to offer an engaging, virtual in-store experience to Chinese consumers,” writes Fung Global Retail & Technology MD Deborah Weinswig in Singles’ Day Online Shopping Festival Could Also Benefit Retailers’ Physical Stores, a new report. Continue Reading →

TechCrunch

Alibaba smashes its sales record on Singles’ Day, but growth is slowing

[Quoted tweet] @debweinswig: "#VirtualReality is here at #double11 where I virtually shopped @Macys all the way from #shenzhen" Continue Reading →

Economic Calendar

It’s Official – Shanghai Composite Index Enters Technical Bull Market

Retail sales on Singles’ Day, a huge shopping and gifting event in China, cruised to a new record, reports the Shanghai Daily – suggesting the Chinese consumer remains resilient. Chinese shoppers bought US$1.5 billion in goods online within seven minutes when the shopping spree began at midnight. New York-based research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology estimated this year’s sales will exceed US$20 billion, compared with last year’s US$14.3 billion, reports the Shanghai Daily. Continue Reading →

CNBC

Holiday season expected to accelerate online grocery rivalry

"Online grocery will take off this holiday season, with consumers buying more turkeys, cranberry sauce and stuffing online than ever, as a result of Wal-Mart, Kroger and others ramping up their e-grocery services," said John Mercer, a senior analyst and research head at Fung Global, a retail and technology think tank. Continue Reading →

Alizila

Live Updates: Alibaba’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival

While Americans grit their teeth and click their way through same-same marketplaces, Chinese online shoppers are getting a technology upgrade: during Alibaba’s 11.11 sale, they’ll be able to browse Macy’s aisles through a virtual-reality rig and chase virtual cats in their shopping apps, à la Pokemon Go. “Shopping has been a chore,” said Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail and Technology. “In the Chinese market, it’s more of a sport.” Continue Reading →

China Daily

Serve consumers well to make them lead growth

After a year-on-year increase of 54 percent in 2015, Fung Global Retail & Technology forecast that this year's shopping frenzy would see a 40-percent increase to hit $20 billion. [...] Fung Global has based its 2016 forecast on a tailwind from Chinese online shoppers' surging demand for overseas goods and high expectations from the extensive marketing campaign by China's leading e-business giants like Alibaba, which would use virtual and augmented reality features this year. Continue Reading →

NextShark

Alibaba is About to Make $20 Billion in ONE DAY

Research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology is looking at another 40% increase this year to Alibaba’s profit, with an expected $20 billion in sales. The New York firm cites Alibaba’s innovative and aggressive marketing strategies among the keys to its impending success. Continue Reading →

New Ghana

Singles’ Day sales to hit US$20b this year

Similar to the UK and US shopping day Black Friday, Chinese online retailers will offer a slew of promotions on Nov 11, and could generate up to US$20 billion sales this year, a 40 percent increase on last year’s gross merchandise volume of US$14.3 billion, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology. The 2015 figure represented a year-on-year increase of 54 percent. [...] Fung Global said its 2016 forecast was driven by a tailwind from Chinese online shoppers’ demand for overseas goods and by expectations for Alibaba’s extensive marketing campaign, which this year exploits virtual and augmented reality features. Continue Reading →

Korea Herald Business

의류 소비자 3년반새 가격 저항 커졌다

펑글로벌 리테일 앤 테크놀러지(Fung Global Retail &Technology)는 퍼스트 인사이트(First Insight)와 공동으로 지난 2013년부터 지난 6월말까지 3년 6개개월 동안 미국, 캐나다, 스페인 등 주요 11개국에서 판매 중인 의류와 신발, 액세서리 등 패션 관련 10개 부문 5만7000여개의 제품에 대한 판매 가격 및 소비자 성향을 분석했다. Continue Reading →

Chain Store Age

Tech Bytes: Three ways to succeed on Singles’ Day — even if it’s half a world away

Alibaba generated $14.3 billion (U.S. dollars) in 2015 — completely eclipsing the combined sales of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States. Fung Global Retail & Technology expects Singles’ Day this year to reach $20 billion (U.S. dollars), a stunning 40% year-over-year increase. Continue Reading →

NRF

Wearable Technology Migrates to the Rest of the Ensemble

Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, estimates the smart wearables market at $28.7 billion in 2016, with 275 million units shipped. She says wrist wearables are expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 30 percent through 2017, and that apparel, sportswear and body cameras will grow 12 percent annually over that same period. Continue Reading →

Retail Customer Experience

2017 may be the year for supermarket digital experience

Next year may be the year online grocery activity hits its stride as supermarkets expand digital shopping options and more consumers are looking to buy more items than ever. There is an expected 2 percent uptick in online sales of fast-moving goods, according to a Supermarket News report citing insight from Fung Global Retail & Technology analyst Deborah Weinswig. Continue Reading →

eMarketer

Alibaba Singles Day Sales to Climb 40% this Year

The November 2016 report from Fung Business Intelligence Center (FBIC), reveals that there will be 40% growth in Singles Day sales at Alibaba this year, up $5.7 billion from 2015’s $14.3 billion. But it’s not just that Singles Day encourages spending and sales—there are plenty of days around the world that do just that. It’s that the spending is so much higher than any of those other days. Continue Reading →

Business Review Europe

Turkey and vodka most at-risk as retailers prepare for Christmas shoplifting spree

Last week, Fung Global Retail & Technology suggested holiday spending could increase by 3.5 percent year-on-year, with Brits expected to spend around £2.5bn more than the previous Christmas. Stores across the UK could see sales top £73bn in the final two months of the year. Continue Reading →

Chain Store Age

The single biggest shopping day in the world is almost here

Alibaba is expected to generate $20 billion in sales on Singles' Day this year, up from $14.3 billion last year, according to Fung Global Retail and Technology, Business Insider reported. This year, many American retailers will participate in Singles Day, including Macy’s, Target and Starbucks. Continue Reading →

Supermarket News

Online could boom in 2017 as baskets, frequency grow

Online grocery is poised for a major boom in 2017 as an increase in "click-and-collect" options from U.S. retailers like Kroger and Walmart facilitate a consumer shift from buying specific items online infrequently to buying large baskets more frequently. Deborah Weinswig, an analyst with Fung Global Retail & Technology in a report published Monday said the expansion of click and collect at retail will help close a gap between the large percentage of shoppers already making grocery purchases online and the relatively low percentage of fast-moving consumer goods purchased online overall. Continue Reading →

Quartz

Customers are no longer willing to pay full price for clothing

A three-year study that tracked clothing costs versus what global consumers are willing to pay has some bad news for fashion retailers: “On average, across all womenswear categories tested between January 2013 and June 2016, consumers were willing to pay only 76% of full price.” The study, conducted by Fung Global Retail & Technology and First Insight, underscores the pressure to discount that the growth of off-price retail and wide availability of cheap, fast fashion has put on retailers including Gap, J.Crew and Macy’s. Continue Reading →

Who What Wear

Women Are Willing to Pay the Most for This Trend

When it comes to our closet, we all have certain things we're willing to splurge on, and researchers are catching on. A new report from Fung Global Retail & Technology and First Insight found that there is one trend women are willing to pay more for—and no, it's not designer shoes, it's athleisure. The findings indicate that price resistance is increasing, but when it comes to leggings and sneakers, women are still up for paying close to the full retail price. Continue Reading →

The New York Times

Why Wait a Month for a Sofa That’s Not Even What You Wanted?

Millennials became the largest furniture consumer group in the United States in 2014, according to Fung Business Intelligence research. Their spending on furniture increased 142 percent from 2012 to 2014. Continue Reading →

Express & Echo

Christmas online retail boom creates 150 jobs at Sitel’s Exeter call centre

According to analysis from Fung Global Retail & Technology, retailers are expected to enjoy a bumper Christmas season this year as Brits spend around £2.5 billion more than last Christmas. Continue Reading →

Footwear News

New Study: Women Aren’t Willing to Pay Full Price for Clothes & Shoes Anymore

A new report from Fung Global Retail & Technology and First Insight has found that consumers are willing to pay only 76 percent of the full price for merchandise across all womenswear categories. The result, the researchers said, is industrywide price declines as brands and retailers cave to pressure to meet a more price-sensitive consumer’s demands. Continue Reading →

Women's Wear Daily

Pricing Report Shows the Negative Impact of Apparel Markdowns

Fung Global Retail & Technology managing director Deborah Weinswig partnered with First Insight to dive into more than three years of pricing and consumer preferences data on the women’s wear market. After crunching the data, the analysis revealed the impact of a market flush with markdowns that seem to be changing consumer behavior. Continue Reading →

just-style

Digitisation to drive new apparel-making models

"Social networks, consumer reviews/feedback site, purchase histories are already far superior to shop assistants and there is the high convenience of online/mobile shopping," he [Lutz Walter, secretary general of the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing] continued, nothing the finding from a May 2015 Fung Business Intelligence Centre study that online retailers Zalando, in Germany, and showroomprive.com in France had increased sales 94.7% and 47% from 2009-2014, respectively. Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Retail expected to enjoy bumper Christmas season

The resilience of Brits continuing to shop and spend money despite initial fears after the Brexit vote is set to provide retailers a bumper growth this Christmas, according to a new report. Analysis from Fung Global Retail & Technology indicates that the “Brexit bounce” is set to boost holiday spending by 3.5 per cent year-on-year, but the increase could be as much as 4 per cent if recent strengthening trends continue. Continue Reading →

The Wise Marketer

Report: Seniors join Millennials in pursuing experiences over material goods

We kid the Millennials of course - it's one of the few pleasures left to us long-in-the-tooth Gen-Xers. It appears, however, that we do need to reckon with systemic behavior changes in the olds as well as the youngs. A new Fung Global Retail & Technology report entitled “The Silvers Series V: Leisure Services for Seniors” reveals that Boomer senior citizens are also spending more on experiences than on material goods. The report examines the consumer spending patterns of seniors in the U.S., the U.K. and Japan, finding that seniors across all three nations allocate a higher portion of their consumption expenditure to leisure than the average person does. 104.207.215.240 This article is copyright 2016 TheWiseMarketer.com. Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Study praises UK retail’s resilience but warns of structural changes

A new report which analyses the UK’s retail sector has said that although it has gone through “much upheaval” in recent years, especially the recent Brexit vote, British consumers have consistently displayed resilience. The UK Retail Overview: Characteristics, Developments and Prospects report – put together by international analyst firm Fung Global Retail & Technology – also said that the UK retail industry was still regarded as a pioneer of multi-channel and innovative internet-only retailers. However, while it enjoyed several years of solid growth, this growth softened in 2016 and this was because of structural shifts and several other trends in the sector. Continue Reading →

Triple Pundit

The Smart Kitchen: The Next Big Hope for the Internet of Things

“The key drivers in smart home adoption are home security, energy efficiency, entertainment, convenience/productivity, connectivity and health monitoring,” wrote global retail analyst Deborah Weinswig. This is born out in the success of Nest. Over 3 million people bought the Nest because they were offered a clear ROI on their purchase—not just because they could adjust the temperature of their home remotely. The device promised to use its smarts to reduce energy use, save money and pay for itself within two years. Continue Reading →

Retail Dive

How the presidential election is distracting holiday shoppers

There’s never been a presidential election cycle quite like this before. The highly contentious nature of the primaries ultimately resulted in the selection of two historically unfavorable candidates, leaving consumers — and retailers — feeling uneasy about this year's presidential election. Retailers are uncertain about the effect it could have on the holiday shopping season, which is typically the biggest sales period of the year for many retailers. In an August survey gauging retailer sentiment on holiday spending, market research firm Fung Global Retail & Technology and predictive analytics provider First Insight found the majority of the 102 industry leaders surveyed believe the election will have a "strong impact" on consumer spending during the second half of 2016. But it's not clear whether the election will be a good or a bad thing for retailers this holiday season: 33% predicted it would have a positive effect on spending, 31% said it would be negative, and 35% said neutral. Continue Reading →

RetailWire

Are you ready for Generation Z?

Having grown up with social media and assuming instant access to almost all things digital, Gen Z want it all, and they want it now, according to a study from Fung Global Retail & Technology. “The new technology products and services have broadened consumers’ range of choice and quickened the pace of life,” Deborah Weinswig, managing director of the think tank, observed. Continue Reading →

Convenience Store Decisions

Are You Ready for Generation Z?

Retailers, restaurants and leisure companies will be required to adapt to meet the demands of the upcoming generation. According to the new report “Gen Z: Get Ready for the Most Self-Conscious, Demanding Consumer Segment,” from Fung Global Retail & Technology, having grown up with social media and assuming instant access to almost all things digital, today’s image-savvy teens and tweens want it all, and they want it now. Adapting to the wants and needs of Gen Z will be no simple feat for retailers, restaurants and leisure companies. Continue Reading →

Benzinga

Fung Global Retail & Technology Debuts New Website, FungGlobalRetailTech.com

As part of its recent spinoff and renaming to better reflect its role as a global think tank focusing on the intersection of retail, technology and fashion, Fung Global Retail & Technology has introduced a new website, http://www.FungGlobalRetailTech.com, announced Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director. The website launches today, September 7, 2016. Continue Reading →

Women's Wear Daily

Coolest Temps in Six Years Drive Shoppers to Department Stores

Looking at the department store sector from a global perspective reveals a market segment that has faced challenges from specialty retailers and fast fashion firms as well as from off-price retailers such as The TJX Cos. Inc. And the reaction has been to contract and consolidate. In a 142-page report on the state of the global department store segment issued yesterday by Deborah Weinswig, executive director and head of global retail and technology at Fung Business Intelligence Centre, the more mature department stores who have mastered an omnichannel approach will likely succeed. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Consumer Sentiment Stabilizes Post-Brexit Though Small Business Owners Feeling Angst

Prosper’s Consumer Spending Forecast is up from last month and so is consumer confidence (albeit still below the 13-month average), but small business owners’ sentiment is down. Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, weighs in on which categories may benefit from an upswing in confidence and purchase intentions and what may have small business owners worried. Continue Reading →

Women's Wear Daily

As the ‘Instagram Effect’ Grips Gen Z, Consumers Spend $830 Billion on Them

Comprising 26 percent of the global population, Generation Z is a large demographic. But a new report from Fung Global Retail & Technology also reveals how, what and why they spend. And in the U.S. alone, consumers spent $829.5 billion on Generation Z, “whose members have not yet all been born,” said report author Deborah Weinswig, managing director at the firm. Continue Reading →

Chain Store Age

Report: Retailers should respond to needs of ‘silver’ shoppers

Convenience stores stand to benefit the most from a greying population. That’s according to new report from Fung Global Retail & Technology which looks at the impact of the growing 65-and-over population on global economies, industries and retail. "The Silver Series IV: Retail Reconfiguration for Seniors,” noted that with smaller households and appetites, seniors shop more frequently, but make smaller purchases, favoring the convenience store sector. Continue Reading →

Sourcing Journal

Experts Reveal What it Takes to Target the Modern Men’s Consumer

It’s safe to say that most retailers still don’t get today’s consumer, despite the fact that talk about the changed shopper keeps pointing to three key demands: differentiation, personalization and immediacy. At a Project talk dubbed “Breakfast with the Disruptors” and hosted by Pivot, Fung Global Retail & Technology and First Insight in Las Vegas on Monday, five experts dissected what the modern man wants from his apparel and how retailers will need to get it to him. Men today are generally more likely to dress themselves, more interested in what they wear and not at all eager to look like Average Joe. Continue Reading →

DigitalThirst

Beauty Shopping Augmented with New Mobile Apps

Smartphones are the hub of our digital lives today. We use them for everything from mobile shopping to entertainment to instant messaging to augmented reality. Mobile technologies have revolutionized how we search for, try on and shop for beauty products and services. Technological advances mean beauty apps can now be used as personal beauty consultants that allow consumers to virtually try on products, analyze their own skin and schedule on-demand beauty services, all from their mobile devices. Continue Reading →

MobileMarketing

Europe to Go Cash-free By 2030?

Europe could be looking at the end of cash for day-to-day transactions as contactless payments via smartphones see mass adoption on the continent, which is considerably more progressed than other global markets. According to a report from global think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology, some European countries are well on their way to a cashless ecosystem, with retailers, transportation companies and even bank branches no longer accepting cash. Continue Reading →

Women's Wear Daily

Better Second-Half Shaping Up for Broader Retail Market

Although online apparel sales continues to grow, the overall consumer spending trend remains fixated on experiences over buying things. But the market has responded, noted Deborah Weinswig, managing director of Fung Global Retail and Technology. Continue Reading →

CNBC

Men are spending more on underwear, but that’s about it

According to a study that examined prices among nine menswear categories from 2013 through June 2016, underwear was the only one that saw prices rise. Whereas prices on men's items declined an average 27.8 percent over that time — with the most dramatic drops coming from accessories, sweaters and swimwear — underwear prices increased by 34 percent, the report by Fung Global Retail & Technology and First Insight said. Continue Reading →

36Kr

亚马逊 “Prime Day” 购物节创销量纪录，订单量增 60%

Amazon 周三表示，相比上一届 “Prime Day” 购物节，这一次全球订单量涨幅超过 60%，其中美国地区涨幅在 50% 左右。Amazon 没有透露更多具体的销售数据，包括销售额、参与购买的总人数等。但据一些分析师猜测，7 月 12 日当天的总销售额可能在 5 亿美元到 6 亿美元之间。FBIC 分析师 Deborah Weinswig 预计精确的销售额可能为 5.25 亿美元，如果确实如此，那么相比去年的 4.15 亿美元，上涨幅度达 26%。 Continue Reading →

TheStreet

Here’s How Much Analysts Estimate Amazon Hauled in on Prime Day

While Amazon (AMZN) declined to share sales figures from its much-hyped Prime Day shopping promotion on Tuesday, that hasn't stopped analysts from estimating what the e-commerce giant brought in on the day. ...FBIC analyst Deborah Weinswig estimated additional sales of $525 million, up 26% from her estimate of $415 million in incremental sales in 2015. Continue Reading →

ABC 40

Tech Advances To Help Seniors Age Safely at Home and Stay Connected, Says New Fung Global Retail & Technology Report

Developments in robotics and smart homes are addressing the physiological, social and safety needs of seniors (defined as those 65 and older), while creative virtual-learning networks are helping them learn new things and share their own knowledge. Meanwhile, social networks are helping them find companions, thus helping to meet their social and self-esteem needs, writes Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

KNBN-TV Rapid City

Tech Advances To Help Seniors Age Safely at Home and Stay Connected, Says New Fung Global Retail & Technology Report

Developments in robotics and smart homes are addressing the physiological, social and safety needs of seniors (defined as those 65 and older), while creative virtual-learning networks are helping them learn new things and share their own knowledge. Meanwhile, social networks are helping them find companions, thus helping to meet their social and self-esteem needs, writes Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology. Continue Reading →

Zacks

How Did Prime Day Go For Amazon?

Yesterday marked Amazon.com, Inc.’s second annual Prime Day, a Black-Friday like grand sales event that was exclusively open to Amazon Prime subscribers. ...According to Deborah Weinswig, an analyst at FBIC, Prime Day this time around could generate $515 million in sales, reflecting 26% growth over its 2015 estimate of $415 million. Continue Reading →

Jing Daily

Report: Chinese Tourists to Spend Over $255 Billion Abroad by 2025

The report looks at travel spending by households with incomes over US$20,000 and utilizes Visa payment data as well as Oxford Economics projections, excluding spending on plane tickets. Estimates by previous organizations that include airline ticket purchases have been even higher—a report by the London-based nonprofit World Travel and Tourism Council released in March this year states that Chinese tourists spent a total of $215 billion overseas travel in 2015, while a report by China Luxury Advisors and the Fung Business Intelligence Centre says that overseas travel spending by Chinese tourists actually reached $229 billion last year and will hit $422 billion by 2020. Continue Reading →

SB News Online

5 things to know about Amazon Prime Day 2016

It's a special day that Amazon has created for Prime subscribers, they have been promised substantial discounts on a wide variety of products so it's going to be a big day for the online retailer. Deborah Weinswig, an analyst at FBIC, predicts Prime Day could generate $525 million in sales, up 26 percent from its $415 million estimate a year ago. Continue Reading →

InsideRetail Hong Kong

Fung Global predicts new wave of wearables

Moving beyond smartphones and smartwatches, smart shirts and more are expected to emerge as the next generation of wearable technology, according to a new report from think tank Fung Global Retail & Technology. This follows the development of new segments, the merging of others and greater integration with the Internet of Things (IoT), says The Wearables Report 2016: Reviewing a Fast-Changing Market. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Consumer Sentiment Rebounds, Spending Forecast Down Slightly

Prosper’s Consumer Confidence reading is up nearly three points from last month, while the Prosper Spending Score is down less than one point. Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, provides analysis on the future of consumer confidence, the Consumer Spending Forecast and what it says about consumers’ position to spend, the Consumer Mood Index by category, and subsequent categories that may benefit or suffer based on consumer automotive purchase intentions. Continue Reading →

WAFF 48 News

NACDS Total Store Expo Announces New Vision 2027 Participants

The companies whose participation in Vision 2027 was announced previously include: Fung Global Retail & Technology – Led by Deborah Weinswig, executive director and head of global retail technology, the company will introduce 12-15 innovators that provide solutions for consumer goods, the pharmacy, clinics and patient engagement. Their insights will appeal to attendees interested in enhancing the shopping experience, engaging patients through omni-channel strategies, and optimizing data analytics and cloud computing. The company also will bring to Vision 2027 elements of its Innovation Center in Shanghai, highlighting some of the leading-edge retail technology companies that have demonstrated success. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Consumer Confidence Continues To Wilt, Consumer Consumption Patterns Shift

Prosper’s Consumer Confidence reading is down and the Consumer Spending Forecast is flat. Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, provides analysis on why sentiment is soft, as well as where consumer discretionary dollars may be going this summer. She also weighs in on a potential bright spot—the auto market. Continue Reading →

Convenience Store News

Silver Generation Represents a Golden Opportunity for C-stores

The "silver generation," considered adults ages 60 and older, could provide a golden opportunity for convenience store retailers in the future. According to "The Silver Wave: Understanding the Aging Consumer,"” a new report from Fung Global Retail & Technology, the silver generation will drive more than 45 percent of consumption growth in North America. But Deborah Weinswig, managing director of New York-based Fung Global, cautioned retailers must adapt to changing consumer wants and needs on both a macro and micro level to capitalize on this trend. Continue Reading →

Ecommerce Guide

Ecommerce Media Forum gathers leading brands

Other speakers included the Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, Deborah Weinswig, and the CEO of LUMA Partners, Terence Kajawa. Former CEO of Millennial Media and AdMeld, Michael Barrett, led a panel. Continue Reading →

Ad Tech Daily

HookLogic Ecommerce Media Forum Gathers Leading Brands, Retailers and Agencies

Speakers included industry mavens Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, and Terence Kawaja, Founder and CEO of LUMA Partners. Participants included executives from Best Buy, Kohl’s, Peapod, Intel, Coca-Cola, and Xerox. Michael Barrett, former CEO of Millennial Media and AdMeld also led a panel. Continue Reading →

Forbes

Changing Consumers Drive Increase In Amazon Shopper Preference And Soft Auto Outook

Today’s consumers continue to evolve, which is evident in their shopping behaviors and purchase intentions. Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director of Fung Global Retail & Technology, has weighed in again this month on some of Prosper’s leading indicator analytics including Prosper Consumer Confidence, the Prosper Spending Forecast, the Prosper Impulsivity Score, and the Consumer Mood Index. She also took a special look at Prosper’s recently released Amazon Shopper Preference Index. Continue Reading →

Campfire Capital

17-Year-Old Sneakerhead Launches Resale Marketplace

By Deborah Weinswig. A 17-year-old is about to take over the sneaker resale market. Anthony Debrant started collecting sneakers at age 12, saving up birthday and holiday money to buy his first pair of Nike NKE +0.68% Air Jordans. Today, he owns 60 to 70 pairs of sneakers, but he wanted to do more than just collect them—so he came up with an idea for a platform called SneakMart. According to Debrant, SneakMart was created to “simplify the lives of sneakerheads.” It is an online platform for sneakerheads created by a sneakerhead. Read more at Forbes. Continue Reading →

Women's Wear Daily

Analysis Shows Cultural Differences of Consumer Spending in Latin America

As a percentage of total spending, Latin American consumers typically spend most of their earnings on food and drink. Compared to U.S. consumers, these shoppers also face cheaper housing costs. With apparel spending, the percentages vary and are on par with the U.S., but two countries — Brazil and Argentina — have significantly higher expenditures, according to the latest analysis of the region by Fung Global Retail & Technology analyst Deborah Weinswig. Continue Reading →

Chain Drug Review

As baby boomer generation ages, its needs will change

By Deborah Weinswig | It feels like “The boomers are coming! The boomers are coming!” has been a corporate rallying cry for a number of years now as a range of industries have worked to prepare for the aging of the population. But successfully targeting the baby boomer generation has proven elusive for many. A careful examination reveals that finding long-term success within this demographic will require evolving with the boomers as they age — while helping them age without them realizing it. Seniors will drive U.S. population growth as the boomer generation ages. Continue Reading →

Sourcing Journal

More Retail Bankruptcies Will End in Liquidation than Reorganization

New Fung Global Retail & Technology report says more retail bankruptcies will end in liquidation than reorganization. Continue Reading →

[a]listdaily

Why Lifestyle Brands Are Winning

Retail analyst for Fung Global Retail, Deborah Weinswig, explained on Forbes how particular lifestyle brands, like aspirational brand Lululemon Athletica for example, are providing consumers with something of a luxury experience. Lululemon has managed to break records with its fourth-quarter earnings, making revenues around $704.3 million—a nearly 17 percent year-over-year increase from 2014. “Retail outperformers tend to be polarized, positioned at either the high-end or the low-end, while middle-market retailers tend to be squeezed by rising interest rates and increasing standards at the budget retailers,” Weinswig notes. “At the upper end of retail, one particular sector is winning: lifestyle brands.” Continue Reading →

Forbes

Consumer Confidence Bounced Back In March . . . Will Spending Follow?

U.S. consumers have a brighter outlook for the short-term health of the economy, according to the latest Prosper data. The real question, however, is will it spring consumer spending? Deborah Weinswig, Managing Director, Fung Global Retail & Technology, has weighed in again this month on some of Prosper’s leading indicator analytics including Prosper Consumer Confidence, the Prosper Spending Forecast, the Prosper Impulsivity Score, and the Consumer Mood Index, and what they indicate about future spending. Continue Reading →

Washington Post

The latest destination for China’s billions: U.S. hotels

The number of Chinese tourists traveling outside of the country is expected to double to 234 million by 2020, accounting for $422 billion in spending, according to a recent report by China Luxury Advisors and the Fung Business Intelligence Centre. Continue Reading →

WWD

Think Tank: Experience and Entertainment Supercede Stuff

Deborah Weinswig's guest article on WWD. "If you spend enough time looking at data and studying shopper behavior, the fashion apparel business along with traditional retailing is undergoing a major transformation: Consumers are consuming, but it is not the same as it was before." Continue Reading →

Forbes

Consumer Confidence Is Down, Will Consumer Spending Follow?

The market continues its rocky ride. Deborah Weinswig, Executive Director, Head of Global Retail & Technology, Fung Business Intelligence Centre, has weighed in on some of Prosper’s leading indicator analytics including Prosper Consumer Confidence, the Prosper Spending Forecast, and the Prosper Impulsivity Score and what they indicate about future spending. Continue Reading →

Geo Marketing

That’s ‘Retail-tainment!’

To draw connected consumers, the future of retail is about having fun with live fashion shows and virtual reality headsets, says analyst Deborah Weinswig. Continue Reading →

Business Insider

Walmart just signaled a terrifying new reality for American retail

The growth of online retailers, especially Amazon, has made shopping trips less appealing. Just as mall traffic has decreased (Fung Business Intelligence Centre estimates that the average American now visits a mall three to four times a year, as opposed to five to six times a few years ago), visits to big-box retailers are also dropping. Continue Reading →

Furniture Today

Economic Outlook: Furniture headed for ‘disruption’?

Fung Intelligence Report says macroeconomic outlook good, 'disruptive' models on the horizon | The macroeconomic outlook for the home furnishing industry is good, fueled by rising GDP, a healthy employment market and a housing market that is recovering, although unevenly, according to the Fung Business Intelligence Centre. However, the Centre pointed to recent “signs of softness” in the housing market that could dampen industry prospects and its recent Deep Dive into the Furniture Industry Report, noted that, “The road to a full recovery will not be as smooth as it seemed at the beginning of 2015.” Continue Reading →

Home World Business

Fung Business: Millennials Driving Furniture Sales Growth

Millennials forming their own households will help the furniture sector in the United States maintain a compound annual sales growth rate of 2.9% through 2019, according to a Fung Business Intelligence Centre Global Retail & Technology report. ... Yet, Fung Business maintained, Millennials shop differently from previous generations, seeking smaller, multifunctional and affordable furnishings. They are researching and finding these items online. Continue Reading →

Home Furnishings News

Millennials to Boost Home Furnishings Growth

The continuing growth of the U.S. economy has led to a strong housing market, which supports furniture and home furnishing sales, and the outlook over the medium term is optimistic, said Executive Director-Head of Global Retail & Technology Deborah Weinswig in the report titled, "A Deep Dive into the U.S. Furniture Market." Furniture store sales have outperformed department and apparel stores sales, and should continue to do so for the next three years, according to the report published the think tank here, which follows emerging retail and tech trends and specializes in the ways retail and technology intersect. Continue Reading →

Nhật báo Cali Today

Ngành mua sắm chuyển mình trước cơn bão trực tuyến

“Ở Hoa Kỳ, các khu mua sắm trong giống hệt như cách đây 20 năm,” Deborah Weinswig, giám đốc quản trị Fung Business Intelligence Centre cho biết, “Chúng tôi đang làm cho chúng trở nên thú vị hơn, phấn khích, vui nhộn, và nhiều kinh nghiệm mua sắm hơn.” Continue Reading →

Business Insider

China is building malls of the future that could come to the US soon

“In the US, the malls look exactly the same they did 20 year ago,” Deborah Weinswig, executive director at Fung Business Intelligence Centre, said recently in a talk at a JDA Executive Luncheon. “We’ve got to make it more exciting, and more fun, and more experiential.” Changing consumer tastes and the rise of e-commerce means shoppers are visiting malls less and less, with Weinswig reporting that the average American now visits a mall three to four times a year, as opposed to five to six. To compete with online shopping, malls need to match e-commerce in convenience and create experiential reasons to visit the mall that you cannot find online. Continue Reading →

The Daily News - Jacksonville, NC

China is building malls of the future that could come to the US soon

High-end, futuristic malls in China and parts of the US are upgrading technology, hoping to attract customers with “smart” shopping centers. “In the US, the malls look exactly the same they did 20 year ago,” Deborah Weinswig, executive director at Fung Business Intelligence Centre, said recently in a talk at a JDA Executive Luncheon. “We’ve got to make it more exciting, and more fun, and more experiential.” Continue Reading →

Chron

China is building malls of the future that could come to the US soon

High-end, futuristic malls in China and parts of the US are upgrading technology, hoping to attract customers with “smart” shopping centers. “In the US, the malls look exactly the same they did 20 year ago,” Deborah Weinswig, executive director at Fung Business Intelligence Centre, said recently in a talk at a JDA Executive Luncheon. “We’ve got to make it more exciting, and more fun, and more experiential.” Continue Reading →

Smyrna-Clayton Sun-Times

China is building malls of the future that could come to the US soon

High-end, futuristic malls in China and parts of the US are upgrading technology, hoping to attract customers with “smart” shopping centers. “In the US, the malls look exactly the same they did 20 year ago,” Deborah Weinswig, executive director at Fung Business Intelligence Centre, said recently in a talk at a JDA Executive Luncheon. “We’ve got to make it more exciting, and more fun, and more experiential.” Continue Reading →

telegram.com

China is building malls of the future that could come to the US soon

High-end, futuristic malls in China and parts of the US are upgrading technology, hoping to attract customers with “smart” shopping centers. “In the US, the malls look exactly the same they did 20 year ago,” Deborah Weinswig, executive director at Fung Business Intelligence Centre, said recently in a talk at a JDA Executive Luncheon. “We’ve got to make it more exciting, and more fun, and more experiential.” Continue Reading →

RIS News Insights

Epic and Inside Stuff from the NRF Big Show 2016

Smart Quotes from Smart People: “What predictive analytics is able to do for you is to find out where the low hanging fruit is, where the strongest correlations are that can be acted on for the least amount of effort.” – Deborah Weinswig, Fung Business Intelligence Center Continue Reading →

Business Spectator

How to attract more Chinese tourists to Australia

However, the number of Chinese visiting in Australia is a drop in the bucket compared to the total number of Chinese tourists globally. 100 million Chinese travelled abroad last year and that number is set to increase to 234 million within this decade, according to Fung Business Intelligence Centre. Continue Reading →

Point of Sale

Deborah Weinswig To Present At #NRF16

Deborah Weinswig will present her unique perspectives on the evolution of commerce - and the good that evolution can achieve - in a trio of speeches at events centered around the National Retail Federation's BIG Show, being held January 17th to 19th at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here. "The Big Show is the most comprehensive look at the latest global trends in retail and technology, so it's a very busy few days for us all," Weinswig notes. "It's an honor to be asked to participate in so many activities, and particularly with RetailROI, to be a part of an event that does so much for children in need, worldwide." Continue Reading →

Sourcing Journal

Post Holiday Blowout Sales: A Boon or Bust for Retail?

With retailers desperate to clean out inventory after a lackluster holiday selling season, sales—though fewer than Black Friday—will likely boast deeper discounts and better quality. And with no major holidays on the horizon until spring, FBIC said retailers won’t be holding back this week. “They are offering deep discounts on Christmas items (including trees, wreaths, ornaments and wrapping paper), electronics (such as laptops, desktops, TVs and gaming products) and higher-end clothing, especially designer clothing,” the report noted. “Many are also offering great sales on fitness equipment to take advantage of consumers’ perennial New Year’s resolutions to live a healthier lifestyle.” Continue Reading →

Daily Journal of Commerce

Here are 3 trends for gift buying this year

[Trend #3] Pricey Toys. Prices are climbing for toys as manufacturers pack lots of technology into them. Deborah Weinswig of the Fung Business Intelligence Center says in a recent report that prices of what the company considers the top 20 expected toys was nearly 36 percent higher than last year, with the average price of $64.99. Continue Reading →

Sourcing Journal

Online Fitting Technology in High Demand as E-Commerce Swells

In markets such as the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, around 20 percent of clothing and footwear sales will be made online this year. With online shopping for fashion getting more and more popular, a perennial challenge is the issue of fit: Will the product the shopper chooses fit properly? Enter, online fitting technology. To help overcome these barriers, more and more retailers are adopting third-party online fitting services. (Based on our two reports on online fitting technology. You can find them here: bit.ly/1S5ouDN) Continue Reading →

South China Morning Post

Chinese investors expand acquisitions worldwide to tap outbound Chinese travellers

HSBC did a survey pegging outbound Chinese traveller numbers are expected to hit 242 million by 2024 which is more than double last year’s amount estimated by HSBC to be 116 million. With that in mind, Chinese investors are hot on their heels with an extensive and growing list of global luxury hotel developments and acquisitions. “A lot of Chinese travellers going overseas. Chinese (hotel) owners have a great opportunity to take advantage of that,” said McIntosh. In addition, a recent report by the Fung Business Intelligence Center and China Luxury Advisors found that outbound Chinese travellers spending will hit US$422 billion by 2020, up from an estimated $200 billion this year. Continue Reading →

GlobeSt.com

ICSC: Retail is in a State of Flux

“Retail is in a state of total disruption.” That declaration—made by Marie Driscoll, senior analyst at Fung Business Intelligence Centre—provides an underpinning to a number of thoughts and ideas that emerged from the buzz at ICSC’s national deal making conference, held here earlier this week. Making the comment while leading the “Omni-shopping: Understanding the new Consumer and their Impact on Shopping Centers,” education session, she added, “We’ve had siloed thinking in terms of where sales are coming from but we can’t be beholden to next quarter’s earnings report. That’s no way to run a business.” Continue Reading →

Women's Wear Daily

Another December Lull Leaves Retailers Wanting More

It’s now clear that retailers are on course for an OK — but far from great — holiday season with moderate gains of around 3 percent, though many remain skittish about discussing business and are increasingly concerned about margins for the fourth quarter. “I’d say there was a midholiday lull. We checked in across the board,” said Deborah Weinswig, executive director of the Fung Business Intelligence Centre for Global Retail & Technology. The weather and a lack of events in stores impacted the level of business, Weinswig suggested. “There has been an increase in promotions, unplanned, to move product,” she said. “This week, friends and family promotions should start to help.” (WWD subscription required to read full article) Continue Reading →

Reuters

Marriott, Alipay tie up to let Chinese travelers book online

Overseas spending by Chinese tourists is expected to rise 23 percent this year to $229 billion, and will nearly double to $422 billion by 2020, according to a report by consultancies China Luxury Advisors and the Fung Business Intelligence Centre. Continue Reading →

Chain Store Age

Holiday forecast: Cold temps, hot sales

Favorable weather, an extra shopping day and new tech gadgets should attract more shoppers this holiday season, according to a new report. The U.S. Holiday 2015 Forecast from the FBIC Group says retailers should expect a happy holiday 2015 selling season, with combined spending in November and December to rise between 3% and 4% over 2014 levels to between $626 billion to $633 billion. See full report here: www.fbicgroup.com/?q=publication/%EF%BF%BCus-holiday-2015-forecast-things-are-looking-holidays Continue Reading →

Women's Wear Daily

Nordstrom Aims for $20 Billion in Sales by 2020

“It’s interesting that Wall Street finally started to understand the need to invest and grow smartly. Nordstrom broke the ground on all that,” says Deborah Weinswig, executive director of the Fung Business Intelligence Centre. Continue Reading →

Skift

7 Charts Highlighting the Spending Power of Chinese Travelers

Skift, the largest industry intelligence and marketing platform in travel, extracted 7 charts from our recent report, "Chinese Shoppers Going Global" for this recent piece. "Chinese travelers will increasingly search for local, authentic products to snag during overseas trips as they become more independent and forgo escorted shopping tours, many intending to spend whatever it takes to bring home souvenirs with great stories. — Dan Peltier" Continue Reading →

WSJ ChinaRealTime

Chinese Tourists Will Spend $229 Billion Abroad in 2015

WSJ's ChinaRealTime covered our recently released report "Chinese Shoppers Going Global." "Despite an economic slowdown, the depreciation of the yuan and turmoil in the stock markets, China’s tourists are set to hit the roads and skies this week to celebrate their country’s birthday. According to a recent report from consultancies Fung Business Intelligence Centre and China Luxury Advisors, China’s outbound traveler numbers are still growing and are poised to double by 2020 to 234 million passengers, from more than 100 million last year." Continue Reading →

Jing Daily

REPORT: OUTBOUND CHINESE TRAVELER SPENDING TO HIT $422 BILLION

Jing Daily covered our recently released research on the Chinese overseas traveller. "Despite fears that an economic slowdown, currency devaluation, and stock market fluctuations will crimp Chinese travelers’ demand for international travel (and shopping), a new report indicates that we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg." Continue Reading →

Barron's

Dress for Uniform School Success

Deborah Weinswig was recently quoted in Barron's for an article on School Uniforms, stating "Uniforms are no longer plaid ties and sport coats; they are now more likely to include casual polos and khakis." Note, subscription required. This was a follow up to FBIC's recent School Uniform report, which can be found here: https://www.fbicgroup.com/?q=publication/flash-report-school-uniforms-2015-fbic-global-retail-tech-sept-8 Continue Reading →

SuperMarket News

Consumers moving away from processed foods, report says

Incremental changes in consumer behavior indicate a trend away from packaged and processed center store foods toward healthier and “free from” selections, according to a report from Fung Business Intelligence Centre. “This is a very real trend [that will] continue to trickle down to mass-market consumers, and economic recovery is likely to strengthen [it],” Deborah Weinswig, executive director and head of global retail and technology for FBIC, New York, said. [Note: Registration required] Continue Reading →

Retail Gazette

Global beauty sales look at “massive growth”

In an article by Veebs Sabharwal, Retail Gazette quoted Deborah Weinswig and the FBIC report on Global Beauty: Gobal beauty sales, already a nearly $400bn market, is on the verge of explosive growth from emerging markets, but will see an industry influx as consolidation and technology disrupt channels of distribution, says Fung Business Intelligence Centre's just-released Global Beauty Report. "As developing and nascent regions increase their average per capita spend, the global market could see a potential 50% growth in the next 10 years," notes Executive Director-Head of Global Retail and Technology Deborah Weinswig. "Expect major consolidation and channel switching in less mature markets." Continue Reading →

NRF STORES Magazine

Selling Satisfaction

Sandy Smith in the April 2015 issue of "STORES Magazine" wrote about fitting rooms being the latest tech playground of retailers. Deborah Weinswig was quoted. "“The fitting room is extremely important, to shoppers and retailers alike,” says Deborah Weinswig, executive director and head of global retail research and intelligence with the Fung Business Intelligence Centre. “Think about it this way: A customer decides to shop in your store, moves through the first several gateways in the shopping experience and finally commits to an item she wants to try on. “Getting her into the fitting room is the first major accomplishment. Getting her to buy is the ultimate goal,” she says. “How that piece of clothing makes the customer look and feel at that moment in the dressing room is critical for both the sale and the creation of a loyal customer. The fitting room is where the magic happens.” Continue Reading →

THE ASSOCIATION FOR CONVENIENCE & FUEL RETAILING

DON’T DISCOUNT BABY BOOMERS

A piece on baby boomers by NACS quoted Deborah Weinswig, as well as quoted FBIC's research. "Just as they have at every other stage of their lives, Boomers are now redefining what it means to be old," said Deborah Weinswig, executive director-head of global retail and research at FBIC, in a press release. "On the whole, they are healthier, richer and more active than previous generations of older Americans. Younger Boomers (ages 55 to 64) earn and spend more than the average U.S. consumer, and significantly more than the avidly courted Millennials." Continue Reading →

CNBC

Smartwatch or fitness tracker? Why age and sex matter

In a piece for CNBC by Krystina Gustafson, Deborah Weinswig is quoted: Deborah Weinswig, executive director of FBIC research firm, sounded a similar tone in a note to investors. In it, she forecast that the Apple Watch will change the wearables' landscape. "In technology, and notably in wearables, it's not always the first to market who rules the perch," she said. "The winner is the one who offers a differentiated product and can effectively inform the consumer." Continue Reading →