Retail Remix

There was no shortage of trends poised to disrupt the retail industry this year — from sustainability to the metaverse. But which trends actually made an impact, and which were just hype?    During this special, rapid-fire episode of Retail Remix, we dig into the Big 8 trends spotlighted by January Digital in early 2022. Vic Drabicky and Sarah Engel dig into:   How these key trends have shaken out...

Consumers are searching for product information on a host of new channels, from marketplaces to social networks, but Google still plays a key role in the customer experience.     But that doesn’t mean Google isn’t taking cues from these new consumer behaviors to shape product and experience innovation. During this special episode of Retail Remix, Lilian Rincon, Senior Director of Product for Shopp...

 Nikki Baird is no stranger to tough conversations. She has held roles as a retail technology executive and an industry analyst, so she knows what it takes to assess, challenge and prioritize new trends and tech investments. Now, as VP of Strategy for Aptos, her job is to discuss the unique challenges and priorities of retail clients, and how they should shape their technology roadmaps.     During...

If you have a cooler or an insulated lunch bag, you likely have an Igloo product. Although the brand has such a vast wholesale network, a direct-to-consumer (DTC) experience was key to establishing a direct line of communication with consumers to build out its product portfolio. Early on, the focus was on acquisition. But then, Kizzy Ezirio, Digital User Experience Director at Igloo, and her team...

As one of the founders of Max Brenner, the highly popular chocolate brand and restaurant chain, Oded Brenner was considered the world’s real-life Willy Wonka.    Now, after a brief hiatus, he’s embracing his inner “business artist” and building a new brand: Blue Stripes. While both businesses are connected by a core ingredient, the cacao fruit, Blue Stripes is leaning into CPG and a mission rooted...

Frost Li has a rich history in tech, and she even helped Wish build out its growth division. In fact, it was during her time at Wish that she discovered her fascination with retail and, specifically, helping retail brands grow.     Social commerce has become a key method for brands of all sizes to reach their audiences and grow market share, however, different platforms have walled gardens and lim...

After inspiring retail pride on a global scale, author and industry legend Ron Thurston is bringing his passion and perspectives on the road... literally . He has been traveling the U.S. in an airstream, stopping in different towns and sitting down with the people powering retail stores.     He took time out of his adventure to sit down for this episode of Retail Remix. Listen in and learn:   What...

When we think of customer experience, the awareness, education and engagement stages of the shopping journey come to mind. In fact, merchants tend to focus on everything that comes before conversion. But as consumers pay more attention to ease and speed of fulfillment, the post-purchase experience is becoming a top priority.     During this episode of Retail Remix, Narvar’s Founder and CEO Amit Sh...

Amazon aggregators took the ecommerce world by storm during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, as these companies navigate economic volatility and shifts in the investor market, they’re focusing on building viable business models with long-term potential. For this Retail Remix episode, we revisit a session from the 2022 Retail Innovation Conference & Expo, which features executives...

Gen Alpha is gaining more spending power and, in turn, more influence on the retail industry. That is why retailers like Kids Foot Locker are focused on creating unique opportunities for these consumers to interact with each other and with the brand.    On Retail Remix, we revisit a recent conversation with Jill Feldman, VP and General Manager of Kids Foot Locker. She shared:     How Gen Alpha beh...

Changing consumer behaviors and the impact of shopping holidays like Prime Day are encouraging marketing teams to rethink the traditional holiday calendar.     In fact, Julie Van Ullen of Rakuten Rewards believes that brands need to look at holidays, promotions and rewards initiatives through an integrated and holistic calendar. During this episode of Retail Remix, she shares her perspectives on h...

Inflation. Shifts in consumer spending. New digital behaviors. There are several trends that could shake up the gifting space, but as we head into the holiday season, brands and retailers need to think about how they can turn these challenges into new opportunities.    Are you ready to differentiate and drive revenue through personalized gifting experiences? During this episode of Retail Remix, Gi...

In the past, consumers who wanted to get their ears pierced had two options: tattoo shops and the mall. According to Louisa Schneider, the mall-based piercing experience in particular felt uncomfortable and impersonal.     She knew there was a better way and that’s why she started Rowan. Now, the ear-piercing brand is growing steadily, thanks to its super-fun studio experience, a successful partne...

It’s never been easier for a brand to gain a foothold online, but even the most innovative brand can only go so far until it needs to invest in its ecommerce experience. Unfortunately for smaller brands, their limited budgets can make it seem like those experiences will always lag behind the bigger brands. One solution? No-code automation.    On this week’s episode, host Alicia Esposito chats with...

Before she founded Parachute, CEO Ariel Kaye had a deep background in consumer behavior research. She used her rich history in understanding and learning to connect with people to create the basis for her business.     Although Parachute started in bedding, the company has expanded strategically into adjacent categories, including bath goods, décor, furniture and even loungewear. During this episo...

We’ve all heard that the customer has more control over the shopping experience, but that hasn’t stopped most retailers from sticking with their same-old business strategies. Joel Bines believes now is the time for retailers to act — and he has a playbook for success.    During this episode of Retail Remix, Joel digs into his book, “The Metail Economy: 6 Strategies for Transforming Your Business t...

In his time at Timberland, Bevan Bloemendaal drove global retail experiences and creative services. He helped bring the brand’s sustainability mission to stores and helped establish new processes for teams across the organization to collaborate to bring physical and digital together.     Now, as Chief Brand and Creative Officer at NELSON Worldwide, Bevan is helping shape brand experiences for bran...

As the ecommerce universe expands, brands and retailers have more opportunities to reach and sell to consumers. Although digital channels can help companies realize a lot of value, they also can create a lot of complexity, especially because all of these different channels have different data requirements and content best practices.     Greg Ives and Bradley Hearn of ChannelAdvisor have seen this...

Digital channels are so powerful for retailers because they offer a wealth of data about how consumers are interacting with content, products, offers and more. As digital gets more embedded into our everyday lives, retailers are using technology and data-powered solutions to support their goals.     During this week’s Retail Remix, Parrish Chapman, Director of Enterprise Sales Key Accounts at Sams...

Fit is a leading cause for product returns. And as consumers shop more online and via their mobile device, they want to ensure they’re selecting the right products and sizes for their needs. Sure, there are many fit tools out there, but FIT:MATCH was designed to add more dimension (literally) to the process, creating more accurate fit recommendations and better curation for consumers.     During t...

It seems like any retailer can open a marketplace today...and many are. As the space becomes more crowded, these platforms need to work harder to stand out.    That’s why Italic is leaning into a very specific value proposition: A vertically integrated model that gives consumers access to luxury-grade products at a fraction of the price. During this week’s Retail Remix, Jeremy Cai, Founder and CEO...

We’ve all seen the data: when brands share user-generated content (UGC), consumers trust them more and, in turn, are more likely to make a purchase.     As VP of Marketing for ResellerRatings, Christina Kay lives and breathes UGC. During this week’s Retail Remix, she shares her perspectives on how UGC is driving the future of social commerce. Listen to learn:   How the rise of ecommerce and new ch...

After his own scary experience with Teflon poisoning, Jordan Nathan started Caraway to provide a safe cookware option for consumers. But little did Jordan know, shortly after he started his company, the world would be spending a lot more time at home.   During this Retail Remix conversation, Jordan shares what he’s learned building the Caraway brand. He reveals:   How the mission of “clean cooking...

Retail media networks are having a real moment. It seems like everyone is trying to capitalize on this new revenue opportunity, and are taking a page from Amazon’s growth playbook. But why?     For this week’s Retail Remix, we dig into the retail media trend by revisiting a fireside chat between Nicole Silberstein, Ecommerce Editor for Retail TouchPoints, and Jess Huang, a former Partner at McKins...

We’re back from Chicago after a whirlwind few days at the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo!     Our heads are still reeling from all of the incredible content and conversations that took place, so we’re going to break down everything we learned on the podcast.     Join Alicia Esposito and content specialist Erica Vallecorsa as they discuss:   Core themes that supported the entire agenda pro...