January Digital

At Shoptalk Luxe, leaders across fashion, jewelry, beauty, and hospitality returned to the same idea: luxury brands are built on clarity and trust. Discussions throughout the show focused on protecting brand DNA, expanding with intention, and how AI is already influencing how consumers discover and evaluate brands. Our President, Sarah Engel, joined leaders from Christian Louboutin, Harrods, Mejuri, Axel Arigato, Jumeirah, and more to explore what’s next for luxury. Read our full Shoptalk Luxe recap for a breakdown of the key themes from the show.

Luxury doesn’t grow through constant reinvention. It grows through clarity and trust. At Shoptalk Luxe, leaders across fashion, jewelry, beauty, and hospitality echoed the same themes: strong brand DNA, intentional expansion, and AI reshaping discovery long before customers ever reach a site or store. Our President, Sarah Engel, joined leaders from brands like Christian Louboutin, Harrods, Mejuri, Axel Arigato, Jumeirah, and more to unpack what modern luxury really requires. Read our full Shoptalk Luxe recap for a breakdown of the key themes from the show.

There’s something about Abu Dhabi that inspires big ideas and bold moves. It’s the perfect setting for the first-ever Shoptalk Luxe this January. Luxury isn’t standing still. As experiences blur across channels and customers demand more, we’ll be exploring how leading brands are elevating storytelling, hero products, and physical + digital experiences to drive loyalty and growth. I’ll be on stage with an incredible group of global leaders who are defining what’s next for luxury, including: - Krishna Nikhil (Hunza G) - Kristina Blahnik (Manolo Blahnik) - Sunday Riley (Sunday Riley) - Michael Ward (Harrods) - Anne de Vergeron (REPOSSI) - Michael Grieve (Jumeirah) - David Gandy (David Gandy Wellwear) - Albin Johansson (Axel Arigato) - Noura Sakkijha (Mejuri) I’ll also be leading a session on Agentic AI and the future of search alongside leaders from Capgemini and OpenAI, sharing how January Digital is helping brands use AI as a driver of anticipation, agility, and truly connected customer experiences. I’m grateful to be working side-by-side with Rebecca Bemhena, Josephine (Jo) Wylie, and the powerhouse Shoptalk Luxe team as we shape these conversations. If there’s a question you want explored or a topic you think deserves the spotlight, please send it my way. And if you’ll be in Abu Dhabi, let’s connect. The future of luxury is unfolding there, and I’m excited to help shape what comes next. #ShoptalkLuxe #Luxury #Retail #AI

When you think of Abu Dhabi, you think of exceptional service, modern sophistication, and natural beauty… the perfect backdrop for the inaugural Shoptalk Luxe in January. As physical and digital experiences blend and expectations shift, Shoptalk Luxe will explore how luxury brands are redefining storytelling to connect where accessibility meets aspiration. We’re proud to be among the select few shaping the future of luxury retail at this first-of-its-kind event. Our President, Sarah Engel, will be take the stage alongside global icons including: - Krishna Nikhil (Hunza G) - Kristina Blahnik (Manolo Blahnik) - Sunday Riley (Sunday Riley) - Michael Ward (Harrods) - Anne de Vergeron (REPOSSI) - Michael Grieve (Jumeirah) - David Gandy (David Gandy Wellwear) - Albin Johansson (Axel Arigato) - Noura Sakkijha (Mejuri) Sarah will take part in a series on Generative AI and Next-Gen Search with Capgemini and OpenAI leaders, sharing how January Digital helps brands turn AI into a tool for anticipation, agility, and connection. We’re partnering closely with the Shoptalk team as these sessions evolve, so if there’s something you’d love to hear discussed, or a question for any of these leaders, drop it below. And if you’ll be in Abu Dhabi, let’s connect! The future of luxury is unfolding there, and we’re proud to help write it. #ShoptalkLuxe #Luxury #Retail #AI

Cyber Monday is underway, and the momentum from a strong Black Friday weekend is carrying straight into today. Here’s where the industry landed and what we saw reflected across our client set: - Reuters reported that Black Friday delivered record eCommerce sales, rising about +9% YoY - AI-powered shopping tools emerged as a major traffic driver, fueling an +805% YoY increase to retail sites. - The day accelerated mid-day Friday, with brands that closely timed and monitored their afternoon spend seeing the strongest gains. - CVRs were down YoY across most brands, but higher AOVs (likely driven by price increases) helped mitigate the impact. - Amazon delivered meaningful sales spikes, especially for brands that prepared storefronts early. Fast and free Prime shipping continued pulling shoppers in despite heavy DTC promotions. As consumers are in front of their computers today, deal-hunting behavior will build quickly. Make sure all Black Friday language has been swapped for Cyber Monday across copy and creative, and monitor budgets closely so you can stay agile, lean in where demand rises, and sustain performance throughout the day. Cyber Monday is just getting started. Time to keep the momentum going! #BlackFriday #CyberMonday #Retail #Ecomm

Black Friday is here, and we’re seeing intent turn into action. After a week of long consideration cycles, shoppers are FINALLY converting on the deals they’ve been watching. What we’re seeing so far: - Lower CVR earlier in the week has rebounded, showing consumers are now making purchases. - Brands that invested in filling the funnel early are seeing it pay off, while those that waited… not as much. - Paths to purchase remain longer than in previous seasons, so patience with performance is essential; knee-jerk campaign changes only create unnecessary fluctuation. - Add-to-carts remain higher than in years past, so while today is big, don’t sacrifice the next 10 days by focusing too narrowly on immediate returns. - CPMs and CPCs are still varied across brands, but generally show modest YoY increases on Meta and Google (~10%). This morning's surge has been stronger than expected. It appears consumers are finally ready to spend, so stay alert and agile as the biggest buying hours are still ahead. Here's hoping the momentum continues! #BlackFriday #CyberMonday #Retail #Ecomm