A remarkable thing happened during and after the pandemic: Jewelry sales went through the roof. Personal consumption of jewelry reached $94.6 billion in 2021, up over 50% from the $62.3 billion spent in 2020, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ (BEA) underlying data. Across the board, American consumers bought a ton of stuff in […]
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Expect Another Hit To Supply Chain With New China Shutdowns And Conflict In Ukraine
Despite dire warnings about product shortages impacting holiday retail sales, American consumers found plenty to satisfy their needs. Retail sales for the year advanced a record 14% year over year, reaching $4.47 trillion excluding autos, auto parts stores and gas stations, reaching a 20 year high. Yes, shoppers have been forced to get used to […]
Conspicuous Consumption Is Back as Higher Luxury Prices Drives Demand
The personal luxury goods market has come through the most disruptive year in recent history and emerged on the other side stronger than ever. After reaching a global high of $307 billion in 2019, industry sales dropped a whopping 22% in 2020 only to recover and even top it in 2021, reaching $309 billion, according […]
Retail Unionization Is on the Rise at Amazon, Starbucks, REI and Apple
During the early days of the pandemic, a new phrase entered our lexicon: essential workers. Defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “Essential workers are those who conduct a range of operations and services that are typically essential to continue critical infrastructure operations.” Many retail employees fit that definition including those working in grocery […]
Diamond Jewelry Industry Faces a New Threat: Russia Sanctions
Mere weeks ago, Bain and the Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC) issued their annual “Global Diamond Industry” report, recounting the diamond jewelry industry’s “brilliant recovery” from the pandemic downturn. Covering the entire diamond value chain from production to consumer sales, it reported, “In 2021, revenue increased 62% [year-over-year] in the diamond mining segment, 55% for […]