Halloween is here – and that means holiday shopping season is right around the corner.

With Black Friday less than a month away, MSU experts are available to comment on the impact of supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, how shoppers can avoid scams and buying fake products and how retailers can deliver exceptional experiences during a notoriously stressful time of year.

Saleem Alhabash is professor and director of research at MSU’s Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection or A-CAPP, where he leads consumer research projects related to trademark counterfeiting and manages the center’s research portfolio. Alhabash was the lead investigator of the A-CAPP 2023 Global Anti-Counterfeiting Consumer Survey which surveyed over 13,000 consumers from 17 countries. The findings showcased high prevalence of counterfeit purchase behavior among consumers, both with and without intention, as well as a highlighted need for consumer education and awareness strategies aimed at changing consumers’ attitudes and behaviors related to buying counterfeits.

Alhabash has discussed how to avoid online shopping scams with CBS and the Detroit Free Press.

Contact: sa@msu.edu

“The thrill of a good deal is not worth the potential harm that can result from using and consuming a fake product. As you shop this season, ensure that you stay vigilant about any cues that elevate your suspicion — whether it’s a ‘too good to be true’ deal, spelling and/or grammatical errors in product descriptions, grainy or low resolution product pictures, or simply a suspicious seller with no contact information or any branding of their digital presence. While this is not a tell-all checklist, I recommend if any of these risk boxes check, that consumers stop and assess whether they are making the right decision.”

Kari Kammel is the director for the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A-CAPP) at MSU. She is an expert on legal issues pertaining to trademark counterfeiting, U.S. state and federal law, e-commerce and social media liability for trademark counterfeiting, public international and intellectual property legal issues.

Kammel has testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee based on her research and has been quoted in national outlets including Reuters, USA Today and NPR.

Contact: kkammel@msu.edu

“Consumers should slow down and look carefully at where they are buying their products online. The safest way to shop online is direct from the manufacturer or from the brand, or from a trusted online retailer that sells online what they sell in store. Third party sellers, those that are not the brand or authorized sellers or distributors, are the highest risk to purchasing counterfeit goods. If you do think you’ve purchased a counterfeit online, you should report to the platform, to the brand, and also, potentially, to your state attorney general’s office.”

Patricia T. Huddleston is a professor of retailing in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations and affiliated faculty member with A-CAPP. She is an expert on retail strategy, branding and consumer behavior. She has been featured in outlets including Salon and Wisconsin Public Radio.

Contact: huddles2@msu.edu

“Due to a late Thanksgiving, this year’s holiday shopping season is five days shorter. Therefore, retailers are pulling out all the stops to attract shoppers. Some, such as Target, are already discounting holiday merchandise six weeks before the season’s official start.

“Retailers are beginning to use AI technology to assist consumers with shopping. Several retailers offer AI-driven shopping assistants. Macy’s pilot program with its on-call assistant can provide store navigation details, product assortment and availability information for ten stores; Amazon’s Rufus can provide product recommendations and price history, and Michael Kors’ Shopping Muse can offer product recommendations. As AI technology matures, we can expect more retailers to implement shopping assistants in future holiday seasons.”

Jason Miller, Eli Broad Professor and interim chair of MSU’s No. 1-ranked Department of Supply Chain Management is an expert on logistics and transportation. Miller recently has been quoted in national media outlets such as Reuters, USA Today, NPR and the Wall Street Journal discussing the impacts of strikes on supply chains.

Contact: mill2831@broad.msu.edu

“Retailers appear well stocked for the holidays after bringing in many imported goods a bit earlier than usual in anticipation of a possible East and Gulf Coast port strike, which ultimately occurred but lasted a few days. In general, supply chain glitches have fallen back to levels consistent with what was observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and are much less prevalent than in 2022 and especially 2021. Consumer spending remains strong based on the most recent retail trade sales data, suggesting retailers can expect a strong holiday shopping season.”

Simone Peinkofer, associate professor of supply chain management, is an expert on retail strategy and logistics. She has written about the dark side of Amazon returns for Fortune and Forbes.

Contact: simonep@broad.msu.edu

“E-commerce may make shopping more convenient, but it has a dark side that most consumers never see.

“Returning products you ordered from Amazon might seem simple, and it’s often free for you as the consumer. But managing those returns can get costly for retailers, so much so that many returned items are simply thrown out.

“In 2023, returns cost retailers about $743 billion in lost sales. The return process, with transportation and packaging, also generated about 24 million metric tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions in 2022. Together, costs and emissions create a sustainability problem for retailers and the planet.”

Stanley Lim, assistant professor of supply chain management, studies consumer behavior, retail strategy and logistics, with an emphasis on last-mile supply chains, or when a product or service is delivered to the customer.

Contact: slim@msu.edu

“Retailers are facing significant operational challenges with cash-strapped consumers cautiously hunting for deals, driven by market factors such as a shorter holiday season, the presidential election, supply chain disruptions and labor shortages. Record-high e-commerce sales are causing bottlenecks in last-mile delivery and warehousing as compressed shopping windows and increased carrier surcharges strain capacity. Inflation is squeezing retailer margins, pushing consumer spending toward discounts and value-driven promotions. Major retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target are launching early promotions, while platforms like Temu and Shein attract value-focused shoppers with competitive pricing.

“Retailers should revisit return policies and enhance reverse logistics for anticipated returns during the holiday period. Optimizing fast fulfillment and well-coordinated inventory management to avoid delays and stockouts, providing personalized shopping experiences, and implementing early promotional strategies will be key to meeting consumer expectations amid rising costs and peak season pressures.”

Tom DeWitt is the director of MSU’s Customer Experience Management Program, the first program of its kind in North America. He is an expert on how businesses can employ strategies to meet consumer wants and needs, and recently co-authored a book on the topic.

Contact: dewittth@broad.msu.edu

“During the hectic holiday season, juggling work, making holiday plans and shopping leads consumers to desire seamless, informative and transparent online experiences. The ability to compare alternatives, consult product reviews and track purchase deliveries is particularly important.  Expectations for an exceptional customer experience are heightened when purchasing from others, as the consumer’s reputation is at risk. Buying the wrong product or not delivering it on time could be catastrophic. For that reason, comprehensive customer reviews, with side-by-side comparisons, and shipment tracking are of paramount importance during the shopping experience.”

Read a Q&A with DeWitt on what goes into a positive customer experience on MSUToday.