Retail101online

Send us Fan Mail Self-checkout has become one of retail's favourite villains. It's blamed for rising theft. Retailers are reducing it. Politicians are questioning it. And customers increasingly find themselves surrounded by cameras, barriers, receipt checks and interventions designed to stop loss at the checkout. But what if we're looking in the wrong place? In this episode of Retai...

Send us Fan Mail Most retail turnarounds start in the wrong place.  A new promotion. A new planogram. A new customer service initiative with a snappy name and a laminated poster for every staffroom.  Jim Collins spent five years studying companies that went from good to truly great — and found something uncomfortable: the strategy is almost never the problem. The people almost always are.  In Epis...

Send us Fan Mail Why do some stores fall apart the moment their manager leaves — and others barely miss a beat?  In Episode 1 of our 5-part mini-series From Good to Great: The Retail Edition, we tackle Jim Collins' most counterintuitive finding — Level 5 Leadership — and bring it directly onto the shop floor.  Spoiler: the best store managers Collins found weren't the loudest, most chari...

Send us Fan Mail Why do we do things the way we do? It's a deceptively simple question — and one that took this Retail Voices conversation somewhere rather different from where I originally expected it to go. My guest is Daryl Urbanski, founder of BestBusinessCoach.ca and host of The Best Business Podcast. We started with a conversation about systems, habits, sustainable growth and the struct...

Send us Fan Mail Most loyalty programmes don’t change behaviour. They simply reward what customers were already going to do. In this episode of Retail Voices, I’m joined by Mark Mortimer Davies, CEO GCC at Choithrams and one of the most experienced leaders in retail loyalty, customer behaviour, and engagement systems. With decades of experience spanning Air Miles, BOUNZ Rewards, Dubai Points, and...

Send us Fan Mail Customer experience isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s a profit driver. In this episode of Retail Voices, I’m joined by Vance Morris, former Disney leader, entrepreneur, and founder of Chesapeake Service Solutions, to explore how customer experience can become a true competitive advantage in retail. Vance’s journey is anything but conventional — from Disney leadership to business failu...

Send us Fan Mail Retail transformation isn’t just about technology — it’s about understanding how people actually behave. In this episode of Retail Voices, I’m joined by Andy Ellwood, Founder & CEO of Stretch, to explore the intersection of AI, human behaviour, and transparency in grocery retail. Andy’s journey is anything but typical — from launching a business at 12, to working in aviation,...

Send us Fan Mail Retail communication is entering a completely new era. In this episode of Retail Voices, I’m joined by R. J. Taylor, CEO and founder of Backstroke, to explore how AI-powered messaging is transforming the way retailers communicate with customers. Backstroke helps brands generate smarter, higher-performing customer communications using AI — improving engagement, conversion, and cust...

Send us Fan Mail Most brands think they’re telling great stories. Customers think otherwise. In this episode of Retail Voices, I’m joined by John Elbing, creator of the Storybuilding methodology and Chief Storybuilder Officer at Standpoint, to unpack why traditional storytelling fails — and what retail brands should do instead. John has helped hundreds of companies clarify their message, align the...

Send us Fan Mail Negotiation is one of the most critical — and overlooked — skills in retail. From supplier contracts to promotional deals, the way you negotiate can make or break your margins, your relationships, and your reputation. In this episode of RETAIL101online , we explore the art of negotiation : Why preparation is 90% of success (BATNA, ZOPA, and more) How communication styles — passive...

Send us Fan Mail Retail doesn’t fail because of bad strategy — it fails because of poor execution. In this episode of Retail Voices , I’m joined by Jon Dario , retail executive, leadership trainer, and founder of Jon Dario Media, to break down his AIM framework — Action Item Management . AIM is a simple but powerful system designed to help retail leaders turn endless to-do lists, emails, and follo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Retail101online, Mark Lack breaks down Dr. Robert Cialdini’s 6 legendary principles of persuasion — and shows how they apply directly to the day-to-day challenges of retail leadership. From motivating your team to influencing customer decisions ethically, this episode is packed with psychology-backed insights and practical takeaways. Learn how reciprocity, commi...

Send us Fan Mail Unlock one of the most powerful retail secrets hiding in plain sight: the endcap . In this episode of Retail101online , we explore how end-of-aisle displays can dramatically increase sales without changing prices or stock levels. Backed by global case studies (ASDA, Tesco, Target, Don Quijote), retail psychology (Kahneman’s System 1, Underhill’s shopper flow), and in-store strateg...

Send us Fan Mail Launch day! Series 3 of RETAIL101online kicks off with the one thing that separates winners from wallpaper: brand differentiation . In this episode I break down what real differentiation is (not logos or limited-time drinks), how to build your Brand Wedge (Promise • Proof • Persistence), and the exact plays convenience stores and small-format retailers can run to stop blending in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Retail Voices , host Mark Lack is joined by Shikha Jain , Lead Partner for Consumer & Retail at Simon-Kucher , one of the world’s leading consultancies in pricing, sales, and marketing. This conversation goes beyond discounts and promotions to explore something far more powerful: value — how customers define it, how brands communicate it, and why it matters...

Send us Fan Mail 🎄 Christmas in Retail: Real, Tough, and Joyous! 🎄 Ever wondered what Christmas is really like behind the counters, in the stockrooms, and on the shop floor? This special RETAIL101 episode takes you deep into the heart of the holiday season in retail. From chaotic busy days to heartwarming moments with customers, we explore both the challenges and the joys of working through the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Retail Voices, host Mark Lack sits down with Ricky Ho — Founder of SourceReady — to explore how AI, data, and global transparency are rewriting the rules of retail sourcing. Ricky breaks down the real friction points facing brands today — from supplier discovery and verification to compliance, diversification, risk management, and the increasing pressure to move...

Send us Fan Mail Running a store bakery without being a baker?  You can—if you run the operation . In this episode, Mark Lack breaks down the B.R.E.A.D. framework— Basics & Hygiene, Recipe & Range Quality, Engagement & Communication, Availability & Inventory, Development —so you can spot what matters, lower waste, lift availability, and keep customers coming back for the fresh stuf...

Send us Fan Mail Steven Bartlett’s bestselling book and podcast The Diary of a CEO have captured the world’s attention—but what can retail professionals actually learn from it? In this extended deep-dive episode of Retail101online , recorded just ahead of the Christmas retail rush, we unpack not just the book—but the man, the mindset, and the methods behind one of the most influential business pla...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Retail Voices , host Mark Lack sits down with Max Ma — Founder of 7thonline — to break down the real reason retail planning fails, and how AI, better data, and smarter processes are transforming how retailers buy, forecast, and operate. Max shares the original “broken moment” that inspired him to create 7thonline, and why planning is still one of the retail indu...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really mean when we say “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”? In this episode of Retail101online, we go beyond the buzzword and explore whether culture truly trumps strategy—or if it’s just a leadership cliché. We’ll unpack: The origin and meaning of the phrase Real-world retail examples of culture and strategy colliding Why culture alone isn’t enough How to align yo...

Send us Fan Mail “Let’s circle back and align on a value-led pivot before we move the needle…” If that sentence made you laugh (or cry), this episode is for you. In this week’s Retail101online , we dive headfirst into the wonderful, wobbly world of business jargon. From procurement to performance reviews, LinkedIn humblebrags to boardroom buzzwords — we’re calling out the clichés that should’ve be...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Retail Voices , host Mark Lack sits down with Luke Doran , Founder of The One Percent , to explore how mindset, self-awareness, and marginal gains are reshaping what it means to lead in retail today. Luke brings lessons from both elite sport and corporate coaching to the table — revealing how small, consistent changes can deliver extraordinary results.  They dis...

Send us Fan Mail In this BONUS episode of RETAIL101online: Retail Voices , host Mark Lack sits down with Ashutosh Labroo , Chief Human Resources Officer and Founder of SuccessionIQ , to explore how human capital is transforming the future of retail . Ash shares his unique perspective on what it really takes to build and sustain high-performing teams in an industry that never sleeps. From navigatin...

Send us Fan Mail Title : Big vs. Best: Who Really Wins in Grocery Retail? In this deep-dive episode of Retail101Online , we explore the difference between being the biggest and being the best in global grocery retail. While giants like Walmart dominate by size, we spotlight the five retailers consistently praised for operational brilliance, customer experience, and long-term strategy. 🔍 Featuring...