Future Commerce

Main Takeaways: Wayfair has curated in-house brands and has seen success due to its focus on customer experience and lack of awareness of brand. Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to customer experience. Wayfair understands that investment in its own teams is the best way to fill gaps in talent. Wayfair is popping up in two physical locations this holiday season. Wayfair: E-commerce...

Main Takeaways: Retail consolidation is happening, and it really is survival of the best fit. Phillip really wants Alexa to stop trying to figure him out. Amazon raises its minimum wage to $15, but are workers really benefiting? Shopify launches a glorified Apple Genius Bar in Downtown LA. Adobe has an uphill battle in integrating its acquisitions into a seamless ecosystem. Traditional Retail is M...

Main Takeaways: Amazon takes a third (actually more like fifth) leap into physical retail. Phillip takes a trip down memory lane, was Service Merchandise the original Amazon? This episode would make it into Amazon's 4-star store. Retailers may want to jump on the Amazon copycat train for better in-store curation. Amazon Opens Yet Another Retail Space: Is Brick and Mortar Back? Amazon adds another...

Main Takeaways: California bans bots from pretending to be human. Finally, brands are getting on board will real-size fashion. Brian and Phillip banter over "chose your own ending" episodes. California Passes Law to Stop Bots From Behaving Badly: Bots have earned themselves quite a nasty reputation lately. Sneaker bots specifically have people (especially Phillip) aggravated with how the...

Main Takeaways: Salesforce CEO Benioff goes on a multi-million dollar shopping spree. Amazon is setting up a new headquarters; Will it be in DC? Why doesn't anyone want to work for Target? Apple is creating lifestyle products that you can't (or won't) live without. Highlights from Shop.org 2018: The innovation lab outpaced last year's conference by far. Body related technology was a major focus. A...

Main Takeaways: Fitzroy Toys manages to operate as B2B company with a B2C feel. The retail apocalypse is really just the end of boring retail. Big brands are having to get scrappy to keep up with start-ups. From 4th Grade to Fitzroy: CEO Stefanie Botelho's entrepreneurship journey actually began in toys: she started her first business venture in the 4th grade where she sold finger puppets to her c...

Show Notes Main Takeaways: Brian gets to visit all the cool exhibits with all the cool toys in the Innovation Lab at Shop.org 2018. Personalization seems to be the name of the game in emerging technology. Avatars with a user's exact measurements may just be the preferred shopping experience of the future. Is it time to drop the E in e-commerce? Can Body Scanning with 3D Models Make Clothes Fit Bet...

Show Notes At the forefront of innovation: B-A-N-A-N-A-S. The One-A-Day Banana nearly broke the internet. One package, six bananas varying in ripeness so you can have the perfect ripeness each day. This could be a good solution for grocery delivery services because produce is a big challenge for them. It's tough to get the perfect avocado or banana when you order online. Rent the Runway has receiv...

According to Allen Nance email has transcended from a communication platform to a global source of identity for consumers the world over. The CMO of Emarsys sits down with us to talk about how this communication medium has a globally accepted protocol which may unlock the key to identity in a social and mobile commerce future. Listen now! Show Notes About Allen Nance (an "Email OG") Alle...

"Voice is dead", Hema launches experiential grocery, cast your votes with the blockchain! Also - which online mattress retailer is opening 200 stores in the USA? One guess, and it rhymes with "blasper". Listen now! Show notes Phillip's wife received a package from Care/Of Vitamins and it had someone else's pills in it (!!!!) When new companies enter the pharmaceutical and healt...

Sucharita Kodali of Forrester Research joins us to talk about the unfortunate demise of Toys 'R Us and her new book, "Toys 'R Bust: Reasons One of the Country’s Most Revered Retailers Collapsed". Show Notes About Sucharita Kodali Sucharita is a retail analyst at Forrester Research with a focus on online retail and technology. She once worked at Toys"R"Us and is writing a book c...

Show Notes About Monika Kochhar Monika Kochhar is the co-founder of Smartgift , a gifting platform that is working to solve the complexity of shopping for others. About Smartgift Consumer brands use Smartgift's platform to let gift recipients customize their gifts or swap them for other gifts of their choice from comparably priced recommendations. Gift senders pay for the item after the recipient...

Show Notes We're turning two! After 7 years and 2 billion dollars Magic Leap created... Snap Spectacles? Magic Leap is a U.S. startup company that is working on a head-mounted virtual retinal display, called Magic Leap One , which superimposes 3D computer-generated imagery over real-world objects, by "projecting a digital light field into the user's eye", involving technologies potential...

"FREAKING PRIVACY? HOW DOES IT WORK?" We dig into the privacy impacts of advancements in facial recognition software and how it has vast impacts on Global Commerce. PLUS: Brian has a huge announcement! Listen now! Show Notes Brian said "Sayonara" to Amazon. Now he's allowed to say Amazon. Amazon! Amazon! Amazon! Pills Prime Amazon acquired online pharmacy PillPack If your healt...

LIVE from IRCE 2018! The Supreme Court of the United States is about to make a decision in a landmark case which may affect how sales tax nexus is calculated for merchants in all 50 states. Dave Pelton, Product Line Leader at Vertex, breaks down how this decision could affect retail and how - regardless of the outcome - online merchants may be impacted going forward. Show notes LIVE from IRCE 2018...

Community-building is powering everything from product innovation to commerce platforms. In this episode we dive into how to build a community and how to do it with authenticity. Plus: how did Kanye West's Yeezy brand shape the entire footwear industry in just 5 years? Show Notes Main Takeaways: Phillip realizes that some content ages better than others. Retail renaissance will always be relevant....

Main Takeaways: Adobe moves to acquire Magento Commerce, an e-commerce platform with a massive community. Netflix manages to beat out everyone in a battle of the best content. If users agree to pay for social media, would Facebook ever change its ad-based model? Social media advertising may of turned Phillip into a sneakerhead. America's Second-Hand Economy: A Tale as Old as Time. Phillip and Bria...

Main Takeaways: The sharing economy is helping regular people lead their best lives. Real-sized model diversity is actually becoming a reality with big brands In 2018 retail pretty much runs our lives Levi Jean jackets + Google enabled tech= less impressive than expected The Retail Apocalypse is as likely as a Zombie Apocalypse The Sharing Economy: Aspirational Luxury Goes Mainstream: The sharing...

Main Takeaways: Instagram discovers that Phillip has a thing for sneakers. Facebook wants to venture into matchmaking, and they certainly have enough data to do it.   Can data-rich companies step up their security game? Retailers are using real-time data to put employees in the right place at the right time. Personalized wellness packs: The future of health? Professors are leaving the classroom fo...

Main Takeaways: Baked by Melissa gives away 100,000 cupcakes to prove love and sugary treats really do win. Oculus Go is better than a party trick. Instagram decides that they want more than just dopamine-fueled likes from their users. Amazon vs. Alibaba, who will win the battle of the commerce giants? Did the world peak in the mid 90's? Now we can all recognize all the Royal Wedding guests. Magen...