Consumer

Exclusive news, analysis, and commentary on consumer-facing sectors, like sellers of clothing, food, and electronics.

Consumer

Can Upstart Entrants Shake Up the Soda Industry?

Photo illustration by Connor Lin / The Daily Upside

Once thought to be fizzling, fizzy drinks are bubbling with growth and investment at a pace not seen in years.

5 min read
Consumer

Walgreens Price Cuts Confirm More Consumers Are Getting Picky

Photo by Paul Sableman via CC BY 2.0

The drug-store chain lowered prices on more than 1,500 items including vitamins, chips, lotion, and Squishmallow plushies.

2 min read
Technology

PayPal Grows a New Ads Business

Photo via PayPal

PayPal is harnessing purchase data to join the ever-growing list of companies with a new offshoot advertising business.

2 min read
Consumer

Good Luck: Travel Should Be a Mess This Weekend

Photo by Beyond My Ken via CC BY-SA 4.0

If 3 million people pass through security checkpoints Friday, it’d mark the busiest travel day ever recorded.

2 min read
Consumer

Target Slashes Prices to Entice Shoppers Tired of High Prices

Photo by Farragutful via CC BY-SA 4.0

The retailer will cut prices on up to 5,000 grocery items to keep pace with lower-cost rivals like Walmart.

2 min read
Consumer

Walmart’s Market Cap Jumps to All-Time High After Stellar Earnings

Photo by Mike Mozart via CC BY-SA 3.0

The retail giant posted $161 billion in quarterly revenue, marking a 6% increase and beating its earlier sales target.

2 min read
Consumer

Temu Gets Spooked by Possible TikTok Ban

Photo illustration by Connor Lin / The Daily Upside

The-commerce app, which has spent a fortune marketing itself in America, is reportedly starting to hedge its reliance on the US market.

2 min read
Consumer

Uber’s Behavior Prediction Model May Come With Privacy Problems

Photo via U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Uber wants to know how you feel before you even get into your ride.

2 min read
Consumer

Uber Takes a U-Turn Back to Unprofitability

Photo by Ilya Plekhanov via CC BY-SA 4.0

A $721 million loss from equity investments in other companies pulled the entire company down to an overall loss of $654 million.

1 min read
Consumer

The Private-Equity Takeover Bell Is Tolling for Peloton

Photo via Peloton

At least one PE firm has reportedly spoken with Peloton as it considers going private, but no deal is certain.

1 min read
Consumer

Brick-and-Mortar Stores Start Leaning into Online Shopping

Photo by Hobi Industri via Unsplash

In 2023, roughly 42% of e-commerce orders involved a store acting as a fulfillment hub or a place where consumers can pick up or return items.

1 min read
Consumer

Climate Change Insurance Startup Arbol Raises $60 Million

Photo by John Middelkoop via Unsplash

The new fundraising comes just a month after Arbol spun up a subsidiary catering to homeowners in US coastal communities

2 min read
Consumer

McDonald’s May Have to Tap Out on Raising Prices

Photo by Lucas van Oort via Unsplash

First-quarter revenue rose, but global same-store sales grew just 1.9%, slightly below what Wall Street had predicted.

1 min read
Consumer

Blade to Launch Hamptons-Bound Luxury Bus Line

Photo by Sue Elias via CC BY 2.0

Tickets start at $195, with passengers treated to free Sweetgreen salads and espresso martinis.

1 min read
Consumer

Gucci’s China Problem Is Testing Investors’ Patience

Photo by Do Nhu via Unsplash

The company says a turnaround will take time as the market for luxury goods cools and China muddles through economic doldrums.

1 min read
Patent Drop

Humane’s Latest Patent Makes the AI Pin Ambidextrous

Photo via U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Despite Humane’s lofty dreams to disrupt the smartphone status quo, critics have not been thrilled with the startup’s debut device.

2 min read
Consumer

Weight-Loss Drugs Are Dragging Down Snack Makers’ Bottom Line

Photo by Chemist4U via CC BY-SA 2.0

A new survey finds evidence that “the drugs have a meaningful impact on consumer behavior and spending on groceries and restaurants.”

2 min read
Consumer

Beer Sales Propel Constellation Brands to Strong Quarter

Photo by James Kern via Unsplash

The company’s flagship Modelo brand continues as top dog after surpassing Bud Light in sales last year.

1 min read
Technology

DoorDash to Test Savings Program in Pennsylvania

Photo by Griffin Wooldridge via Unsplash

Starting this summer, DoorDash will contribute to savings accounts for its delivery couriers in Pennsylvania.

2 min read
Consumer

Chase Bank Gets into the Ad Game

Photo by Jan van der Wolf via Pexels

Chase Bank announced a new advertising unit that will use customer transaction data to target them with ads.

2 min read