As 2023 unfolds, powerful internal and external forces are weighin on consumers and companies, producing frictions that can gum up the gears of commerce and stand in the way of more satisfying customer experiences. Concerned about inflation and the cloudy macroeconomic climate, consumers are realigning their shopping habits and adobting cost-cutting behaviors. Fully half of all consumers are either very or extremely concerned about their own personal financial situation. And 96% of surveyed consumers intend to adopt some type of cost-saving behavior over the next six months. Still, eager to resume their pre-covid habits, they arereturning to stores and travelling again. Empowered by technology, they are seeking and demanding seemless in-store and online experiences that better suit their lifestyles and pocketbooks.