A Scrumptious Moment of Merchandising
In this episode, the host celebrates Patina, a retailer renowned for its flawless merchandising across all locations. They describe a recent visit to the Maple Grove, Minnesota store, highlighting a standout capsule presentation that exemplifies the brand's aesthetic and attention to detail. The discussion underscores how consistent visual storytelling enhances the shopping experience and reinforces brand identity. The host’s personal admiration serves as a testament to the power of thoughtful store design.
Home Care Redefined with The Clorox Company's Oksana Sobol
In this episode, Oksana Sobol, Vice President of Insights and Decision Intelligence at The Clorox Company, discusses the newly released "Home Care Redefined" research, which reveals shifting consumer priorities toward emotional and wellness outcomes in home cleaning. Key takeaways include...
Starbucks’ Loyalty Revamp — The Blueprint for Modern Rewards | Reimagining Retail
In this episode of Reimagining Retail, host Susie David‑Kenyon and analysts Arielle Fager and Sky Canabis dissect Starbucks’ newly launched multi‑tier loyalty program. They debate whether the revamp is a defensive move to protect margins—by devaluing points and raising thresholds—or...
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲
In this episode, the host explores how visual merchandising—specifically the strategic placement of a campaign display at a store entrance—can shape the entire customer experience. By describing a simple yet effective setup featuring a rainbow color scheme, low‑lying folded products,...
Creators Meet Commerce: How They Guide Customers From Inspiration to Checkout | Behind the Numbers Special Edition
In this special edition of the eMarketer "Behind the Numbers" podcast, senior analyst Minda Smiley moderates a panel with Corey Weaver, Head of Influence at Gap Inc., and Alexis Call, Director of Digital Merchandising at Stanley 1913. The discussion explores...
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻
The episode examines the gap between retail strategy and in‑store reality, using Walgreens' recent "celebration" assortment rollout as a case study. The host notes that while the plan promised extensive party supplies, the actual shelf space fell short, especially for...
IKEA Welcomes Decathlon Into Its Stores | Fast Five Shorts
IKEA is piloting a "store‑within‑a‑store" concept by hosting France’s Decathlon inside its Croydon location, marking the first time a major global brand occupies dedicated space in an IKEA blue‑box store. The hosts debate whether the partnership makes sense, noting both...
Schlotzsky's Is Betting On A New Store Model | Fast Five Shorts
The episode examines Schlotzsky's new, smaller‑footprint store prototype that re‑emphasizes its deli identity and cuts operating costs by 20‑25% through self‑order kiosks, digital pickup zones, and a lean back‑of‑house layout. Chief Brand Officer Donna Varner explains the rebranding back to...
Pete Nordstrom on the Enduring Power of Retail’s ‘Best Mousetrap’
Nordstrom celebrated its 125th anniversary as a $16 billion retailer, having evolved from a Seattle shoe store into a full‑line department chain. In 2023 the Nordstrom family partnered with Mexico’s Liverpool to take the company private, giving it greater speed and...
Retailers Keep Adding Strategy Before Fixing Execution
In this episode, the host highlights HomeGoods as a benchmark for retail brand experience, emphasizing its relentless focus on daily fundamentals such as store layout, product presentation, staff engagement, and robust processes. The discussion underscores that operational excellence—though rarely spotlighted—underpins...
Tous Les Jours' Path to 1,000 US Locations - Where We Buy #372
In this episode James Cook talks with Taeyeon Kim, Chief Development Officer of CJ Foodville’s Tous les Jours, about the brand’s rapid expansion across the U.S. Kim explains the bakery‑café’s French‑Asian concept, its menu highlights like matcha, ube drinks and...
628: The Amazon Listing Mistakes That Are Killing Your Conversions (And How to Fix Them) With Daniela Bolzmann
In this episode, host discusses Amazon listing optimization with Daniela Boltzmann, founder of Mindful Goods, highlighting the costly mistake of repurposing Shopify creatives for Amazon. Daniela shares her journey from a full‑service agency to a project‑based model focused on high‑converting...
Awarded Campaigns: Lucky Yatra, on How a Ticket-Lottery Turned Fare Dodgers Into Paying Passengers
In this episode of Behavioral Science for Brands, Michael Aaron Flicker and Richard Shilton dissect the "Lucky Yatra" campaign by Indian Railways and FCB India, which turned ticket serial numbers into a daily lottery to incentivize fare payment. They explain...
Designing With the Room
In this episode of Retail in Real Time, host discusses the challenges and strategies of space planning for circular retail environments, using Daiso's uniquely shaped store in Minneapolis as a case study. The conversation highlights how the store’s layout maximizes...
When Transition Becomes the Experience
In this episode, the host reflects on the response to their recent article, "The Distance Between Intent and Experience," using the piece as a springboard to explore the broader theme of transition—from initial intent through to lived experience. They dissect...
Customer Joint Value Creation with Bimbo Bakeries USA's Jeff Hendrix
In this episode, Jeff Hendricks, Chief Customer Officer of Bimbo Bakeries USA, discusses how the company is leveraging real‑time customer and POS data to close the gap on missed sales and improve supply‑chain execution in an omni‑channel environment. He explains...
Confessions Of Supply Chain Executives | What Has To Be True For E-Groceries To Be Profitable?
In this episode, host Chris Walton and Richard McKenzie, CEO of Valak (Rolik Group), dissect why U.S. grocery e‑commerce remains unprofitable despite a 19% penetration rate. They identify the primary cost drivers—inefficient picking/packing, high last‑mile expenses, and low basket sizes—and...
Ian Scott's Guide to Unforgettable Retail - Where We Buy #371
In this episode, retail strategist Ian Scott walks host James Cook through the concept of a "retail safari," explaining how he curates immersive store tours for clients seeking inspiration beyond their own categories. Scott highlights the importance of mixing specific...
Burger King’s President Answers the Phone | Fast Five Shorts
Burger King President Tom Curtis launched a two‑week initiative where he personally fielded customer calls and texts on a dedicated work number, recording the interactions for a marketing campaign and future service improvements. The move builds on the successful "Whopper...
Gap Inc. Debuts Encore To Unify The Four Brands | Fast Five Shorts
Gap Inc. launched Encore, a unified cross‑brand loyalty program for Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, consolidating nearly 40 million members into a single points bank with three tiers—Core, Premier, and All Access. The program adds perks like extended returns,...
Kohl's Bets On The Deal Bar To Win Back Shoppers | Fast Five Shorts
Kohl's is rolling out a front‑of‑store "deal bar" featuring items under $10 across all 1,100+ locations, aiming to spark impulse purchases with rotating seasonal assortments. Retail analyst Evan Mann acknowledges the concept can boost sales but doubts it will significantly...
S07.EP03 - B2B Branding: The Unsexy Truth with Martin Zarian
In this episode, hosts Jacob Cass and Matt Davies interview Martin Zarian, founder of the full‑stack agency Factory 39, about the challenges of branding in the B2B space. Martin explains that a brand is the sum of experiences and emotions...
David’s Bridal Is Turning 300 Wedding Tasks Into One Click | eTail West 2026
In this OmniTalk Retail interview at eTail West 2026, David’s Bridal CEO Kelly Cook outlines the company’s “Aisle to Algorithm” strategy, an AI‑driven, asset‑light approach that condenses the 300‑task wedding planning process into a single click. She describes the “tech...
Solving Furniture Decision Fatigue Through AI and Retail Partnerships at Furniture.com | eTail West 2026
In this episode, Ann Mazinga chats with Alex Seaman, SVP and co‑founder of Furniture.com, about the platform’s AI‑driven solution to furniture‑shopping decision fatigue. Furniture.com aggregates dozens of trusted retailers into a single, agentic checkout experience, using AI to standardize product...
From Idea to £25m Exit - Jimmy's Iced Coffee Founder, Jim Cregan
In this episode of Uncensored CMO, founder Jim Cregan recounts how he turned a personal craving for iced coffee into Jimmy's Iced Coffee, launching the brand in Selfridges just four months after forming the company and eventually exiting for £25 million....
Tariffs Are Down, But Uncertainty Is Back
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Trump lacked authority to impose the emergency “Liberation Day” fashion tariffs, reducing the import levy to a baseline 10 percent with a possible rise to 15 percent. While the headline cut offers short‑term...
The Rise of Mike’s Hot Honey: Founder Mike Kurtz on Authentic Growth & Collaboration in the Hospitality Business
In this episode, founder Mike Kurtz recounts the origins and explosive growth of Mike's Hot Honey, from a spontaneous discovery on a Brazilian hiking trip to its adoption by major chains like Taco Bell and KFC. He details the grassroots...
Exclusive First Interview with Edge Retail Academy's New CEO Ft. Becka Johnson Kibby
In this episode, Michael Burpo interviews Becca Johnson‑Kibbe, the newly appointed CEO of Edge Retail Academy, about the company's role as a business‑coaching and data‑analytics arm of the Edge POS system, the industry’s most widely used jewelry point‑of‑sale platform. Becca...
Confessions Of Supply Chain Executives | 2026 Is the Year Supply Chain Technology Stops Being a Prediction and Starts Being...
In this episode, host Chris Walton and Amir Khoshniyadi, VP at Williott, dissect five supply‑chain trends that will define 2026, emphasizing that technology adoption is moving from pilot‑phase hype to mandatory, budget‑driven implementation. They explain "physical AI" as the fusion...
E633: I Snuck Into Alibaba’s China HQ
In this episode, host Dave recounts his misadventure of missing Amazon's China conference and unexpectedly gaining access to Alibaba’s Hangzhou headquarters, offering a behind‑the‑scenes tour of the modern campus and its co‑working culture. He contrasts Alibaba’s ecosystem—highlighting Taobao’s massive GMV...
𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲
In this episode of Retail in Real Time, host Chris Niesen examines Target’s handling of post‑Valentine’s Day floral inventory, highlighting the lack of price adjustments or clearance cues for perishable seasonal items. He points out that the failure to implement...
Lightning Round: Fashion Week Trends, 2016 Throwbacks, Robert Duvall & Curling | Fast Five Shorts
In this six‑minute lightning‑round episode, the hosts riff on upcoming fashion trends from New York Fashion Week, championing structured tailoring over grunge and dark romanticism for 2026. They then reminisce about 2016 pop culture hits before shifting to a brief...
Are ChatGPT Ads the Next Retail Channel? | Fast Five Shorts
Target and Albertsons are piloting conversational ads in ChatGPT, where sponsored product suggestions appear alongside user queries based on keywords. Early results show a 40% monthly traffic lift for Target, and the ads are clearly labeled and separate from the...
Is Pay Transparency the New Standard? | Fast Five Shorts
The episode discusses Co‑op’s new gender‑pay‑gap toolkit, launched with YHTL and Diversity in Retail, which will guide businesses from 2027 on identifying gap drivers, creating action plans, and improving recruitment, mentorship, and flexible working. Guest Jen explains that while UK...
Nike’s Brand Reset Hits Converse | Fast Five Shorts
Nike’s restructuring of Converse has led to a work‑from‑home directive for many employees ahead of anticipated layoffs, highlighting the brand’s steep revenue decline and reliance on the Chuck Taylor line. Analysts on the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five debate whether...
How [Solidcore] Picks the Perfect Location - Where We Buy #370
solidcore has accelerated its expansion, growing from 85 studios in 2022 to 165 today and targeting 205 locations by year‑end. The boutique fitness chain focuses on women aged 25‑35, emphasizing community‑driven experiences and preventative wellness. Site selection prioritizes co‑tenants such...
What Retailers Actually Think About Agentic Commerce With Stripe's Maia Josebachvili | 5IM
In this five‑minute interview, Maya Jose Bakvili, Stripe’s CRO of AI, explains "agentic commerce"—AI‑assisted chat purchases and AI‑delegated buying—and how Stripe’s infrastructure supports retailers in this emerging space. She highlights four persistent retailer concerns: maintaining control as merchant of record,...
Interview: Mark Ritson on Consistency, Pricing Power, and the Myths Holding Marketers Back
In this episode Mark Ritson, a marketing professor and founder of the MiniMBA, discusses the often‑underestimated power of consistency in brand communication and how it drives long‑term growth. He introduces his "Bothism" framework, urging marketers to blend seemingly opposing strategies...
Lightning Round: Luxury Hotels, Valentine’s Spending & McNugget Caviar | Fast Five Shorts
In this rapid‑fire segment, the hosts discuss three trending retail topics: the surprising resilience and price‑inflation of luxury hotels, the projected £2.38 billion UK Valentine’s Day spend, and McDonald’s limited‑edition “McNugget caviar” offering. Joe Laszlo shares personal anecdotes—a memorable stay at...