The Joy Economy: Why Consumers Are Trading Basics for Big-Ticket Purchases in 2025

Despite their plans to cut back, consumers aren’t tightening their belts – they’re strategically reallocating their spending. McKinsey’s latest ConsumerWise Research reveals a fascinating trend: while people say...

The Hidden Psychology of Holiday Self-Gifting: What Video Ethnography Reveals About Modern Shoppers

Strategic self-gifting emerges as one of the top holiday shopping trends this season. The stresses of 2024 are leading to a bit of #selflove that includes #selfgifting. Our...

Holiday Shopping Trend: Visual Search Drives Purchases

Holiday shopping is in full swing, with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday just days away.  As consumers gear up for the biggest retail events of...

Research Lessons from an Aging Population

Martha Stewart broke the internet when Sports Illustrated unveiled its swimsuit issue featuring the 81-year-old cover girl. Clearly, today’s seniors are not your grandparents’ grandparents. Seniors like Martha...

Putting LGBTQ+ Allyship Into Action

In honor of Pride month, I’m spotlighting the power of allyship and the importance of educating allies. Folks in the LGBTQ+ community usually don’t need to be told...

Building a Metaverse Research Community | Considerations and Conclusions From Our Recent Teen Study

  The metaverse has opened up a new world of interaction and communication, especially for teens. Nearly a third of US teens own a VR device, with 14%...

Research across cultures improves food access

Newly arrived refugee families in Denver didn’t understand how to use their full WIC benefits and didn’t like some of the foods available to them through the program....