Golf's Glow Up and Essential Summer Reading

Plus, the vibe in the U.S. right now, the latest on TikTok and a curious eyewear deal.

Welcome to Inside The Collective, a newsletter that invites you into the brains, conversations and ideas of Allison Collins and Jessica Ramírez, friends and cofounders of The Consumer Collective. Here, we share weekly thoughts on consumer sentiment, news, retail, fashion, beauty, business, things we like, things we don’t — and why. We hope it helps you connect the dots across the consumer world.

What we’re watching:

• The U.S., where we’ll be looking closely at consumer sentiment and shopping habits in the wake of new, large-scale tax cuts, cuts to SNAP that will impact low-income consumers, cuts to Medicaid and tariffs (now set to hit in early August).

• U.S. hiring remained solid on paper in June, but layoffs at major companies still impact consumer sentiment. Lately we’ve seen big cuts at Microsoft (9,000 jobs), PwC (1,500 jobs), Clarks (1,200 jobs) and Bumble (240 jobs).

• Sales started slowly for Amazon Prime Day, but Adobe said day one saw 9.9 percent year-over-year growth. Back to school shopping got a boost, and consumers used discounts to trade up in appliances, sporting goods, furniture, toys, personal care and apparel.

• Some companies, including Walmart, are leaning into vertical integration as a strategy to deal with tariffs. Jess talked to Marketplace about the agility the strategy provides.

• TikTok is reportedly developing a new version of the app for U.S. users, ahead of a possible sale. The sale deadline has been extended three times, and is now Sept. 17.

• Meta bought a stake in eyewear manufacturer EssilorLuxottica in a move that’s said to underscore the company’s commitment to smart glasses. Reminder EssilorLuxottica has made some acquisitions of its own in the med-tech space recently (Optegra and Pulse Audition). (Allison Collins)

What We Like: Japanese Gel Manicures

I got my first Japanese gel manicure while I was traveling, and now I’m hooked. These meticulous manicures and pedicures last a long time, giving me about a month to not have to think about my nails. I have been going to Pauhana on Court Street and would rather accept the higher prices for the less frequent trips to the salon. Recession indicator? Maybe. (Allison Collins)

pauhananail

A post shared by @pauhananail

What We’re Reading:

About straw bags, #summer (WWD Archives)

Dupe culture is coming for the grocery store (Supermarket Perimeter)

At Wimbledon, Luxury Brands Get Tennis FOMO (SportsVerse)

RIP to The Traditional Influencer Part 2 (Realization by Idalia Inc)

Anime is booming on streaming (Variety)

The Analysis: Golf’s Glow Up

The Analysis is available for paid subscribers only. This week, we’re talking about the potential in golf, largely driven by shifting culture around the sport. For more insights, send us a note at info@theconsumercollective.co.