Members of Generation Alpha were born after 2010, so the oldest members of this generation are about to enter their teen years. They’ve been dubbed “mini-millennials” because of the similarities in purchasing behavior between this demographic and their millennial parents. (Not unlike the similarities between Gen Z and their Boomer grandparents.) As the most educated generation, Generation Alpha is already highly opinionated and activists, with a fully developed position on most current issues. In a 2019 survey published in Business Wire, Gen …
Prioritizing Brand Protection Before the Holiday Rush
Counterfeits pose a dangerous threat to any retail brand. Since every single sale is a pivotal branding opportunity, especially for young, burgeoning eCommerce brands, an online marketplace flooded with counterfeits can be particularly dangerous. One in five customers will boycott a brand after mistakenly purchasing a counterfeit product, and that’s not the kind of ratio that any retailer –– from the smallest Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) site to the behemoths like Amazon –– can afford to ignore. In the age of online reviews, it’s especially …
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Are Facebook and Instagram Toxic for Young Consumers?
Social media can be toxic for young consumers, and some platforms are worse than others. The Facebook empire, in particular, has been in the hot seat lately due to the recent release of a few studies that point to the destructiveness of Facebook and Instagram for teen girls’ perceptions of body image. In investigating claims, Facebook found that “one in five teens say that Instagram makes them feel worse about themselves.” Not a good look for the largest social media platform. Advertising on Facebook and/or Instagram is a given for most …
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Psycho Bunny Doubles Down on Physical Stores
What can we make of a brand that’s taking a look at everything else that’s happening in the retail industry and doing the exact opposite? Psycho Bunny is a men’s and children’s retailer that’s doing just that. The company actually opened in two mall locations in the past few months, when the rest of the retail world was shuttering stores, with plans to open more than 15 new mall stores throughout the year in 2021. It’s an interesting turn of events, with so many signs pointing to the death of traditional malls. Especially from such a booming …
The Shape of Things to Come
To the terror of millennials everywhere, Gen Z has officially canceled the skinny jean. Denim’s wider silhouette is only eclipsed by the flamboyant nature of today’s styles. The post-pandemic consumer mindset is defined by post-traumatic growth, or “the positive psychological change that is experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances." Experiencing Fashion PTSD Post-traumatic growth can result from circumstances such as war, climate change, loss, or a global pandemic. A single incident can change the …
Walmart and Amazon Vie for Fashion Crown
What a difference a year makes. Amazon recently eclipsed Walmart as the retailer with the highest apparel sales, and its growth doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon. According to Wells Fargo, Amazon’s apparel and footwear sales in the U.S. grew by 15 percent in last year. This means that Amazon’s apparel sales are now 20 percent to 25 percent above Walmart’s. The luxury segment is a particular bright spot for Amazon. Not in the sales made by the luxury brands, but in Amazon using the luxury segment to create a better brand …
Why Legacy Retailers Are Moving to TikTok and Other Video Tools
Email marketing is dead. A full inbox causes stress and anxiety, and it doesn’t facilitate purchasing. This is especially true among next-gens, who prefer almost any other communication tool to inbox-centric dialogue. A 2020 study from consulting firm Creative Strategies found that there’s a generational gap in the platforms that respondents use for work. Those 30 and older use email among their top collaboration tools, while the under 30 crowd uses Google Docs most often for collaboration, closely followed by Zoom and iMessage. Legacy …
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Is the “Self-Love” Industrial Complex Here to Stay?
The term “self-love” has been applied to everything from showing more skin to using a meal planning journal. But marketing is no longer centered around making consumers feel bad about themselves, and I think we can all agree that is a beautiful thing. “Self-love” and “self-care” have joined spiritually themed merchandise as the newest marketing musts. The growth of these categories was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, during which over 1/3 of consumers increased their self-care. To date, a whopping 9 in 10 Americans practice some form of …
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