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Going no contact: True or false? Over half of US consumers do not want communications from their grocer generated by AI.
True, 53% say they don’t want AI-generated communications, per Deloitte Insights. Plus, only 22% agree or strongly agree that their primary grocery would use generative AI responsibly in interactions with them both now and in the future.
A piece of the pie: How much did buy now, pay later (BNPL) usage contribute to Cyber Monday sales this year?
A) $529 million
B) $741 million
C) $940 million
D) $1.2 billion
BNPL usage hit an all-time high on Cyber Monday, up 42.5% YoY, per Adobe Analytics.
That’s annoying: Which of the following is the most frustrating online experience consumers have experienced this year?
A) Excessive scrolling
B) Search results that include out-of-stock products
C) Promo codes not applying in the shopping cart
D) Product descriptions that don’t provide enough information
Nearly 3 in 10 (29%) consumers said they were frustrated with promo codes not applying in their online shopping carts, per an October 2023 Digital Commerce 360 and Bizrate Insights survey. Excessive scrolling and search results that include out-of-stock products tied for second, with 26% of consumers experiencing each, respectively, followed by product descriptions that don’t provide enough information (23%).
Keeping it real: What percentage of consumers are planning to buy a real Christmas tree for the first time this year?
A) 10%
B) 15%
C) 20%
D) 25%
One-fifth of consumers are making the switch to a real Christmas tree this year, according to research from the Real Christmas Tree Board as reported by Progressive Grocer.
Dining out: True or false? The number of meals purchased ready-to-eat at grocery stores has grown 17% since 2020 while meals prepared from scratch fell 11%.
True, according to a report from the Specialty Food Association. In addition, baby boomers have greatly increased their usage of prepared meals delivered to home from a service, such as HelloFresh, in each of the past two years to take the lead. For some, this appears to be the perfect melding of convenience with foods that are prepared at home.
Raise your glass: Which is the most popular wine type in the US?
A) Red wine
B) White wine
C) Rosé
D) Sparkling wine
Some 44% of wine-drinking US adults prefer red wine to other types, followed by white wine (28%), rosé (14%), and sparkling (14%), per CivicScience.
Don’t leave me: What is the top reason shoppers abandon their carts online?
A) Wanting to find a better deal somewhere else
B) Shipping costs
C) Waiting to see if the product goes on sale
D) Wanting to see the product in person before purchasing
Nearly one-fifth (19.6%) of US and UK consumers say that shipping costs were the top reason they abandoned their online shopping carts, per a survey conducted by YouGov for Commercetools, as reported by Chain Store Age.
Have a taste: Which of the following is NOT one of Datassentail’s top 10 food and flavor trends for 2024?
A) Violet/floral
B) Cassava
C) Spicy ranch
D) Spam
Cassava was not on Datassential’s list, but the other three are, along with mustard seeds, Caesar everything, shawarma, shaved ice, cresto de gallo pasta, Mexican beers, and sweetened condensed milk.
On repeat: Which of the following is the top reason consumers keep buying from brands?
A) Affordability
B) Product quality/brand trust
C) Discounts
D) Customer service
E) Convenience
Affordability and product quality/brand trust tied for first place, followed by discounts, customer service, and convenience, per Braze as reported by MediaPost.
As seen on TV: What percentage of US and UK consumers ages 16 to 34 have made a purchase through streaming TV?
A) 5%
B) 11%
C) 18%
D) 23%
Nearly 1 in 5 US and UK consumers ages 16 to 34 have shopped via streaming TV, higher than 12% of the general population, per Acxiom.
Pumpkin eaters: Which US state grows the most pumpkins per acre?
A) California
B) Illinois
C) Michigan
D) Virginia
On average, Illinois grows about 37,500 pumpkin pounds per acre, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. California grows about 27,500 pumpkin pounds per acre, Indiana grows about 20,000 pounds per acre, and Michigan and Virginia each grow around 17,500 pumpkin pounds per acre.
Busiest season of the year: What percentage of shoppers say they anticipate ordering for delivery, pickup, and shopping in-store within the same week during the holidays?
A) 23%
B) 33%
C) 43%
D) 53%
Over half of US consumers say they’ll be doing all three kinds of shopping within the same week this holiday season, per Grocery Doppio.
Take a whiff: Dior has introduced a $230 perfume for …
A) Dogs
B) Babies
C) Plants
D) Books
Bonne Etoile, which has “notes of juicy pear, cotton wool, and petals,” is part of Baby Dior’s fragrance and skincare line for infants, per Retail Brew.
As seen on social: Which of the following is the top social shopping platform for Gen Z consumers?
A) YouTube
B) Instagram
C) TikTok
Eighty-five percent of Gen Zers have made a purchase via YouTube, followed by 78% on Instagram and 73% on TikTok, per survey data from Nfinite as reported by Chain Store Age.
Copycat: True or false? Searches for skincare dupes increased 100% YoY in the 12 months ending in August 2023.
False. Searches for skincare dupes have actually increased 123.5%, per NielsenIQ.
Here comes the bride: Which of the following was named wedding color of the year for 2024?
A) Tuscany Yellow
B) Vivid Magenta
C) Marseille Bleu
D) Pantone Purple
The blue shade, named wedding color of the year by Brides and Minted Weddings, is named after the French city of Marseille, where artist Yves Klein created his eponymous color, IKB, based on the “beautiful shade of the city’s sky.”
A thing of beauty: What percentage of non-Sephora customers say they are somewhat or very likely to shop Sephora’s Savings Event?
A) 33%
B) 49%
C) 52%
D) 61%
Over half of non-Sephora customers say they’re likely to take part in the event, which goes through Monday, November 6, per CivicScience. That’s in addition to 7% of non-typical customers who have already shopped it.
Helping hand: What percentage of US adults are somewhat or very interested in using AI chatbots to conduct product research?
A) 24%
B) 38%
C) 41%
D) 59%
Nearly 6 in 10 consumers are interested in using AI chatbots to do product research, per SurveyMonkey data. Fifty-five percent are interested in AI chatbots giving them personalized product recommendations, and 54% are interested in AI chatbots helping them make shopping lists.
Gone shopping: True or false? Over half (51%) of Gen Zers only shop in-store.
True, according to data from NielsenIQ.
Happy Halloween: How many pounds of candy corn does candy brand Brach’s make each year?
A) 10 million
B) 20 million
C) 30 million
D) 40 million
Brach’s makes 30 million pounds of candy corn a year, per CNN.
Time machine: What year was Claire’s founded?
A) 1954
B) 1961
C) 1975
D) 1988
Claire’s was founded in 1961 by Rowland Schaefer. Over the past few years, Clarie’s has been on a mission to reinvent itself to better connect with younger consumers, including metaverse activations, a reimagined piercing experience, a relaunch of its loyalty program, and a partnership with Kohl’s to launch shop-in-shop across 700 Kohl’s locations, per Retail Touchpoints.
Hey, big spender: True or false? Student debt holders are twice as likely to say they plan to spend more on the holidays this year than those without student debt.
True. Over a third (34%) of student debt holders say they will spend more this holiday season compared with 17% of non-debt holders, per CivicScience.
Playing dress up: Which of the following is the top Halloween costume in the US this year?
A) Princess
B) Barbie
C) Spider-Man
D) Witch
Unsurprisingly, Barbie takes the top spot, according to Google’s Frightgeist costume tracker.
Thank god it’s Fry-day: Which fast food restaurant is giving away free fries starting this Friday through the end of the year?
A) Burger King
B) Wendy’s
C) McDonald’s
D) Arby’s
McDonald’s Free Fries Friday promotion, which requires a purchase of at least $1 through the mobile app, starts October 27 and continues every Friday through December 29, per Nation’s Restaurant News.
Drink up: How much has the cost of a pint of beer increased from 2019 to 2023?
A) 30 cents
B) 50 cents
C) $1
D) $1.50
The average cost to buy a 16-ounce malt beverage in 2023 is $1.74, 30 cents more than the 2019 price of $1.44, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as reported by Marketplace.
Something’s fishy here: Volume sales of fresh seafood were down in September for every species except …
A) Catfish
B) Shrimp
C) Salmon
D) Crab
Catfish sales were up 1.9% in September 2023, according to Circana data as reported by Supermarket News.
Skin deep: True or false? Makeup tends to be the most popular item to purchase from a luxury beauty brand.
False. Fragrance is actually the most popular product that shoppers will buy from a luxury beauty brand, followed by facial skincare, haircare, makeup, shaving/grooming products, and body skincare, per CivicScience.
Playing telephone: What percentage of Gen Alpha children have access to their own smartphone?
A) 28%
B) 39%
C) 42%
D) 56%
Over half of Gen Alphas have their own smartphones, according to Datassential. Another 25% have access to a phone but don’t own their own.
Welcome in: What percentage of consumers plan to make their holiday purchases in brick-and-mortar locations this year?
A) 14%
B) 23%
C) 37%
D) 41%
Over a third of consumers plan to shop in-store this holiday season, according to Deloitte. “That’s comparable to the behavior we saw in 2018,” Brian McCarthy, a principal at Deloitte, told MediaPost.
A beautiful thing: True or false? Over half of beauty buyers spent $100 or more on Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days last week.
True. Fifty-six percent of beauty buyers spent over $100 during last week’s event, compared with 46% of the general population, per Nielsen IQ data.
Disks at risk: Best Buy says it will stop selling DVDs online and in-store next year. When did it stop selling CDs?
A) 2018
B) 2019
C) 2020
D) 2021
The electronics retailer stopped selling CDs in 2018, per Bloomberg.
Sweet relief: Which candy brand has announced it would replenish consumers’ candy stocks for free if they run out on Halloween?
A) M&M’s
B) Reese’s
C) Sour Patch Kids
D) Tootsie Rolls
The M&M’s Halloween Rescue Squad will deliver free M&M’s to homes on Halloween night, reports People. For anyone who needs some last-minute treats, they can go to the rescue squad website on October 31 after 3pm to request a refill.
Simple is as simple does: Which of the following did not make the top five list of simplest brands in the US?
A) Burger King
B) UPS
C) Whole Foods
D) Amazon
E) Lyft
Amazon made the No. 8 slot on Siegel+Gate’s list. Whole Foods Market took No. 1, followed by USPS, Lyft, UPS, and Burger King. What makes a “simple” brand? Siegel+Gate scores brands across these five areas: easy to understand, transparent and honest, caring for and meeting consumer needs, innovative and fresh, and useful.
Bring home the bacon: True or false? Nearly half (48%) of Gen Z adults say they are the primary grocery shopper for their household.
True, according to Morning Consult.
Virtual reality: What percentage of 12- to 14-year-old beauty users who use social media in the US say they are interested in interacting with beauty products virtually?
A) 33%
B) 43%
C) 53%
D) 63%
Over half 12- to 14-year-old beauty users on social media are interested in more virtual interaction with brands, per Mintel.
Tis the season: Last week, we shared a list of the 10 busiest shopping days of the holiday season. Which is expected to be the busiest this year?
A) Super Saturday (December 23)
B) Black Friday (November 24)
C) The third Saturday in December (December 16)
D) Friday before Christmas (December 22)
Black Friday will be the busiest day of the holiday shopping season, followed by Super Saturday, the third Saturday in December, and the Friday before Christmas, per the retail traffic consulting and analytics group of Sensormatic Solutions, a Johnson Controls company, as reported by Chain Store Age.
The most frightful time of the year: True or false? Millennials are expected to lead Halloween spending this year.
True. Forty-one percent of millennials plan to spend more on Halloween this year while 52% of Gen X, 50% of baby boomers, and 47% of Gen Z plan to spend less, per Jungle Scout.
Skip the trip: What percentage of US consumers who have noticed retail theft have been shopping in-store less frequently?
A) 6%
B) 12%
C) 24%
D) 36%
Nearly a quarter of consumers who noticed retail theft have been shopping at stores less frequently because of retail theft, per CivicScience. However, over half who have noticed retail theft (53%) say they haven’t changed their shopping behavior and don’t plan to.
For good reason: Other than price or value, what is the top reason shoppers buy private label brands?
A) Quality
B) Taste
C) Helping to meet meal solution needs
Of the 65% of shoppers who cited a reason other than price and value, 30% say they buy private labels due to their quality, followed by taste (26%), and meeting meal solution needs (16%), per data from FMI as reported by Progressive Grocer.
The brand you know: True or false? US adults 55 and older are more likely to purchase from a brand they already know and trust than the general population.
True. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of US adults 55 and older say that knowing and trusting a brand is the top influence on purchasing, compared with 57% of the general population, per CivicScience.
The cool factor: Which of the following was named the “coolest brand” among US Gen Alpha consumers?
A) Netflix
B) YouTube
C) Roblox
D) Oreo
YouTube was named the coolest brand by Gen Alphas, followed by Netflix, Amazon, Sour Patch Kids, Target, Oreo, Nintendo, Roblox, M&M, and The Walt Disney Co., per kids-focused research firm Beano Brain reported by SGB Media.
Clip clip: True or false? Over two-thirds of consumers still use paper coupons.
True. Sixty-seven percent of US consumers still use paper coupons, according to data from Vericast. But almost the same amount (69%) report embracing digital coupons, meaning brands should offer both to maximize their reach.
Take a guess: Was the average value of each transaction at Costco Wholesale Club up or down in its latest quarter?
The average transaction value was down 4.5% YoY in Costco’s Q4 2023, ending September 3, as reported by Insider.
Cut your losses: How much did retail shrink cost retailers in 2022?
A) $98.9 billion
B) $105.6 billion
C) $112.1 billion
D) $120.0 billion
Retail shrink, which includes losses from theft, fraud, and damage, increased nearly 19.4% YoY in 2022 as retailers dealt with unprecedented levels of theft and organized retail crime, per the National Retail Federation.
Crossing over: What percentage of adults who shop or browse on Amazon daily have already used TikTok Shop?
A) 10%
B) 15%
C) 20%
D) 25%
A quarter of daily Amazon browsers have already used TikTok Shop and another 14% are interested in trying it, according to CivicScience.
Making memories: What do over half of consumers in the US and the UK say is the most memorable thing a brand can do?
A) Prioritize original content over following trending topics
B) Take risks with their content
C) Respond to customers
D) Collaborate with content creators and influencers
Fifty-one percent of US and UK consumers said that responding to customers was the most memorable thing a brand could do, according to Sprout Social.
Trick or treat: What will be the most popular children’s costume this Halloween?
A) Princess
B) Ghost
C) Superhero
D) Witch
E) Spider-Man
Around 2.6 million children plan to dress as Spider-Man this Halloween, 2 million plan to be their favorite princess, 1.6 million will go as a ghost, 1.5 million will dress up as a superhero, and 1.4 million will be a witch, according to the National Retail Federation.
In line or online: True or false? Fewer US consumers plan to do the majority of their holiday shopping online this year than in 2022.
False. Twenty-one percent of US shoppers will do 75% to 100% of their holiday shopping online this year, an increase from 19% in 2022, per CivicScience.
True colors: Crayola has recently announced it would begin to sell …
A) Flowers
B) Toys
C) Candles
D) Books
The company, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, has launched Crayola Flowers, an online flower shop that will double as a fundraising platform, per CNN.
Quick buck: Over the last 12 months, how much money have US adults spent on impulse buys based on what they saw on social media?
A) $56 billion
B) $69 billion
C) $71 billion
D) $83 billion
US adults have spent $71 billion on impulse buys based on what they saw on social media, according to Bankrate.
Santa’s little helper: True or false? More consumers find mobile ads most helpful in informing holiday purchases.
False. Thirty-nine percent of consumers said they find streaming service ads most helpful, compared with 28% that said mobile ads are most helpful, per LG Ads as reported by Media Post.
Season of giving: Which of the following will be the top gifting category among millennials and Gen Zers this holiday season?
A) Beauty/personal care
B) Entertainment (movies, music, books, card and board games)
C) Food/candy/gift baskets
D) Fashion (clothes, shoes, accessories)
Entertainment is also the top gifting category for the general population, according to LTK’s Holiday Shopper Story.
Click and pick: True or false? Eight in 10 click-and-collect grocery customers enter the store to either buy items they forgot or select specific items personally when picking up their orders.
True, per data from Acosta Group as reported by Winsight Grocery Business.
Think local: What percentage of US consumers plan to shop at small businesses or locally owned stores this holiday season?
A) 10%
B) 15%
C) 20%
D) 25%
A quarter of consumers intend to shop at small businesses this holiday season, up from 19% last year, per CivicScience.
Lost and found: How much could US ecommerce brands lose out on this holiday season due to poor-performing site search?
A) $4.5 billion
B) $8.2 billion
C) $10.9 billion
D) $13.8 billion
Issues like irrelevant search results, out-of-stocks, and slow-to-return results could cost ecommerce retailers nearly $14 billion this coming Cyber Five, per Nosto.
Cup of Joe: Nissin is adding caffeine to its Cup Noodles to appeal to which audience?
A) Marketers
B) Gamers
C) Students
D) Teachers
Nissin is targeting gamers, specifically those in Asia-Pacific, who often have late-night gaming sessions. The two caffeinated noodle versions will be “soup-free” so gamers won’t have to worry about getting their peripherals dirty.
Beer me: Which brand commands the largest share of Amazon’s nonalcoholic beer sales?
A) Go Brewing
B) Athletic Brewing Company
C) Grüvi
D) Partake
E) Barritt’s Ginger Beer
Athletic Brewing Company captured 46% of Amazon’s nonalcoholic beer sales from June 1 to August 26, 2023, a 21% increase YoY, per Jungle Scout. Go Brewing captured 10% of sales, followed by Grüvi (6%), Partake (5%), and Barritt’s Ginger Beer (4%).
Game, set, match: True or false? In June of this year, sales of pickleball paddles and balls outpaced sales of tennis rackets and balls.
True. Pickleball paddle and ball sales reached $303.7 million in June, slightly more than June sales of tennis rackets and balls ($284.8 million), per Circana as reported by The Washington Post.
Measure twice, cut once: Which retailer captured the largest market share of US home improvement sales in the first half of 2023?
A) Amazon
B) The Home Depot
C) Walmart
D) Lowe’s
The Home Depot captured 27.6% of home improvement sales (both online and offline) in H1 2023, followed by Amazon (25.0%), Lowe’s (18.4%), and Walmart (8.8%), per YipitData.
Double-dipping: What percentage of Forever 21 customers also shop at Shein?
A) 20%
B) 30%
C) 40%
D) 50%
One in 4 Forever 21 shoppers have also bought something from Shein in the past year, per Earnest Analytics. This is a good sign for the two companies, which just teamed up to offer each other’s merchandise online and in-store.
Growth spurt: Which was the fastest-growing consumer packaged goods (CPG) private label brand in the three months ending June 2023?
A) Amazon Basics
B) Kroger’s Smart Way
C) Aldi’s brand
D) Sure Fresh
Smart Way was the fastest-growing CPG private label brand, increasing household penetration by 4.5 percentage points, followed by Amazon Basics (up 1.5 percentage points), Aldi’s private label brand (up 1.4 percentage points), and Sure Fresh (up 1.4 percentage points), per Numerator.