February’s retail sales report may suggest a slowdown, with sales increasing by just 0.2%—well below the expected 0.6%. January’s numbers were even more concerning, showing a 1.2% decline, the sharpest drop in over three years. However, these figures do not indicate that consumers are
The e-commerce boom has permanently reshaped consumer expectations around delivery speed, convenience and sustainability. As online shopping becomes the norm across categories, brands are racing to future-proof their last-mile logistics strategies. Failure to provide affordable, rapid fulfilment and sustainable delivery options risks customer churn and brand erosion. Our latest global
Amid the increasing fracturing of traditional media channels, declining trust in institutions and advertising, and the deprecation of third-party data, brands are at an inflexion point for establishing relevance and direct relationships with consumers globally. In our latest global market study surveying over 15,000 consumers across nearly 20 countries,
For decades, the standard narrative around emerging markets framed consumers in these regions as cost-conscious and primarily driven by economic necessity when making purchases. However, research from Rwazi's on-the-ground consumer intelligence networks reveals surprising data disproving this simplistic assumption. Through ethnographic studies, digital anthropologies and hyper-local surveys conducted
The metaverse may seem like a far-off futuristic concept, but understanding this convergence of physical and virtual worlds is quickly becoming necessary for leading consumer brands. With projections that metaverse experiences could unlock $800 billion in commerce by 2024, the need for robust consumer insights around this channel is only
Over the past half-decade, contingency after contingency has mercilessly exposed the fragility within modern global supply chains. Trade disputes, pandemics, forced labour controversies, environmental disasters, geopolitical conflicts – each crisis has progressively exacerbated the brittleness plaguing enterprise resource flows. While disruptions are inevitable, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a prolonged real-time
In many corners of the Western world, the unrivalled digital utility of apps like Google, Facebook and Amazon has been taken for granted. But across Southeast Asia and other high-growth markets, a burgeoning new category of all-in-one "super app" platforms has rapidly rearranged consumer behaviour and commercial battlegrounds.
If you're apt to think of Twitter's "blue check" as an irrelevant shorthand from Web 1.0, think again. Social media identity verification has become a battleground for brand legitimacy in the creator economy fueling Web3. At the core of Web3 – the sweeping paradigm
Move over basketball and soccer. Increasingly, the athletes of tomorrow are foregoing real-world sports to pursue careers as digitized esports superstars battling on virtual fields of play. While the concept of organized competitive video gaming has existed for over four decades, the 2020s are solidifying esports as a ubiquitous cultural
In the not-so-distant past, luxury purchases were almost solely markers of affluence and indulgence. Rolls-Royce commanded respect for its six-figure price tag and lavish material embellishments. Scoring an exclusive Hermès Birkin bag meant joining the rarified circles of the global elite. However, a rapidly mainstreaming value among modern high-income explorers
In 1999, few could foresee the eventual metamorphosis of consumers that big tech platforms and the smartphone revolution would catalyze. Who could predict a "social media influencer" becoming a coveted marketing channel surpassing TV commercials? If businesses fail to anticipate, analyze and adapt to large-scale consumer shifts or
Consumer behavior in 2023 bends can sometimes feel like a kaleidoscope of contradictions. Gen Z environmental evangelists promoting sustainability, yet splurging on fast fashion. Middle-aged affluent suburbanites craving local farm-to-table meal kits, delivered in single-use plastic containers. Health-conscious urban dwellers cross-shopping supplements with sporadic impulse buys of indulgent sweets and