Retail & Ecommerce

The face of retail is rapidly evolving as shopping expands beyond traditional brick and mortar stores. Online shopping, subscription services, showroom stores, and experiential retail are redrawing consumer expectations. Where will shoppers want to spend in the years ahead?

At The Harris Poll, we are continuously monitoring shopping trends, and predicting the future of retail. We will update this page throughout the year with emerging insights that help retailers plan their next moves.

Drawing data from real consumers, we report the stories that matter most to retailers. How can retailers best balance online and in-store offerings? Will COVID permanently shift the way Americans shop and what they buy? How do shopping preferences vary by generation? What types of experiences and services do consumers expect? What types of brand partnerships resonate with consumers? What marketing initiatives pay off?

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Current Trends in Retail & Ecommerce

The way that consumers shop and pay for goods is constantly evolving along with technology, innovation, and culture. As we move further out of a pandemic, and closer to a recession, will consumers’ payment preferences change? As ecommerce increases convenience, will consumers still want to visit physical stores?

Here, we provide a data-driven snapshot into the world of retail to help brands and companies prepare for future consumer expectations. We measure consumer sentiment towards key trends including Buy Now Pay Later, in-store versus online shopping, and a comparison of popular grocery brands.

Read Our Retail Snapshot

Featured Retail Insights

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We dive into even more subjects in our one-off briefs and in-depth reports.

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Retail Articles & Insights

In The News

Fall Fashion Marketing - How Consumers Prioritize Price And Quality Over Social Responsibility

In The News

Patagonia and Costco are ranked America's most reputable brands. Twitter, Fox, and Trump sit at the bottom.

Case Study 1 min Read

Overstock.com Case Study

In The News

What We Want Now In Our Kitchens: The News From The Bertazzoni Trend

In The News

Pelotons and pets, new homes and new jobs: We regretted a lot this year

In The News

Holiday Shopping 2022 - How Retail Brands Can Keep Black Friday Momentum Going

In The News

Americans Cut Back on Spending With Inflation Hitting Holidays

Brief 3 min Read

Kroger Delivery expands the popular supermarket's reach

In The News

Poll: Most Cook County residents think downtown Chicago is more dangerous than a year ago

In The News

Americans prefer to hit the road than buy a lot of stuff this holiday season

In The News

What If Buying Used Clothes Was as Easy as Buying New?

Case Study 1 min Read

Costco Case Study

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