Retail Remix

Is the shift to digital is a one-way street or will ecommerce go back to how it operated before the pandemic? Which categories will be able to capitalize on new or accelerated digital behaviors?  During this discussion, initially aired as part of Retail TouchPoints ’ Retail ThinkTank hub, host Alicia Esposito sits down with Rick Watson, Founder and CEO of RMW Commerce Consulting, to discuss what i...

As fulfillment comes more to the forefront of the modern customer experience, brands of all sizes are trying to differentiate. Shopify Fulfillment Network is expanding its capabilities and honing its craft of helping entrepreneurs do just that.    But what trends are driving the division’s strategic priorities? What lessons and examples from the pandemic are setting the foundation for future innov...

Retail is a hot market for venture capital and investment firms. VCs, funds and other investors are funneling cash into hot tech startups and disruptive brands alike, helping to shape the future of retail.     RevTech Ventures is one firm that sits at the intersection of the brand and tech worlds, and has a sole focus on the retail industry. Rachel West plays a crucial role in discovering viable b...

Riding on the hype surrounding cryptocurrencies, NFTs have become hot commodities in the digital creation space. While some tech fanatics are bidding on NFT versions of tweets, brand loyalists are snatching up NFT products.     But what does the future hold for NFTs? How do they present new opportunities for brands and retailers to fuel digital innovation and virtual experiences? This special edit...

Stephanie Fox , COO of Thrasio, was employee number one and has played a critical role in the company’s growth. Now, following a year of significant funding and the onboarding of a new retail CFO, Thrasio is in a prime position to lead in the marketplace space.     Stephanie joins Retail Remix to dig into Thrasio’s story and how her roots in brand building have inspired her work as COO and a liais...

The payment experience has always been convoluted and clunky, especially when consumers’ need to authenticate their information.    But in the new retail era, consumers want security to be ever-present yet invisible throughout their shopping experiences. During this episode of Retail Remix, David Britton of Experian shares how retailers can respond and still be mindful of new security trends and f...

In the new world of brand marketing, authenticity trumps all. You could say that influencers helped shape this new reality. In the post-COVID era, influencer marketing has reached a tipping point that is redefining marketing and advertising as we know it.   During this episode of Retail Remix, Lindsay Jerutis , General Manager of ShopStyle Collective, shares how the company is helping retailers id...

What does the store of the future look like? A common question that is being answered in completely new ways due to the pandemic.    During this special episode of Retail Remix, we have two design experts on board to discuss the latest research, investments and best practices that are driving design innovation. Aaron Birney of Gensler has helped brands across industries develop their store experie...

Allen Adamson has decades of experience in branding and marketing, and he’s even helping shape the minds of future marketers! That’s why on Retail Remix, we ask him some pointed questions on how the essence of branding has changed over the past year and what tactical advice he has for businesses moving forward. Listen to learn:  How brands can best “ride the wave” of disruption and develop a proac...

Dr. Steven Shwartz has more than 40 years of experience in artificial intelligence (AI). A researcher, analyst, author and investor, Steven has invaluable knowledge of how the technology has evolved and, most of all, how retailers can realize the value of its capabilities. As a result, Steven has uncovered some misconceptions and flat-out lies about AI. During this episode of Retail Remix, Steven...

“Vending commerce” is joining the contactless commerce conversation. While product vending machines have been a staple in airport terminals for years, Dawn Dickson , Founder and CEO of PopCom, believes implementation will reach new heights in the digital-driven era of retail.     During this episode, Dawn makes her case for the vending machine’s powerful role in the customer journey. In fact, she...

During the heart of the pandemic, consumers reported a 23% increase in the number of brands they felt an emotional connection with. While some of this was likely indicative of the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 lockdowns, Mario Natarelli believes that the measures retailers took to nurture relationships with consumers during this critical time will set a new standard in brand intimacy moving f...

As consumers rely more on digital channels to browse and buy, retailers are embracing real-time communication channels to drive consumer engagement and conversions. Text messaging, live chat and social messaging are driving a new era of customer engagement that supports personalized, contextual experiences.  During this week’s Retail Remix, we sit down with Dennis Steele , Co-Founder of Podium , a...

This week’s episode is brought to you by Gimbal . Of all the different trends and tech in the industry, 56% of retailers say they expect supply chain to be the area they transform the most over the coming years.   Why? Because as consumers expect instant and convenient access to products, fulfillment is becoming a key point of differentiation. EY’s Americas Consumer Retail Leader Jeff Orschell , c...

Do you feel overwhelmed by the volume of emails and messages you get? So do your consumers. In fact, David Wachs believes they’re so overwhelmed that they’re spending less time engaging with your marketing messages...and more time deleting them.     That’s why David made a career shift from digital to more personal communication. With Handwrytten , he’s helping businesses of all sizes master the a...

Margot Bloomstein has helped brands like Timberland and Lindt develop their marketing, content and user experience (UX) strategies. She has used her experience and research on brands across industries to tackle a known industry problem: winning and keeping customer trust.  The result is the new book called: Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap . During this e...

Michelle Collins built her business, A Non-Agency, in the early days of the “experiential marketing” era. Now, as the digital divide closes and retailers rethink their real estate strategies, she believes there’s significant opportunity for innovation.     During this episode of Retail Remix, Michelle shares her take on experiential marketing’s evolution and how brands and retailers can prepare fo...

Cause marketing. Purpose-driven marketing. Brands across industries are hearing these phrases more frequently as consumers seek to align with brands with similar beliefs.  But brands that simply create one-off campaigns based on social holidays risk looking like performative allies. To help organizations navigate through this exciting (yet inundating) era of “woke marketing,” Katie Martell is stud...

This week’s episode is brought to you by Podium . The pandemic has accelerated retail’s latest reinvention. While the news cycle is churning out new ideas, predictions and perspectives about this reinvention, Andrew Smith, Co-Founder of ThinkUncommon, believes folks are getting a lot wrong.  Andrew and his fellow co-founder Gareth Jude tackle these myths and misconceptions head on with their new b...

Each social network has a unique way of rating content based on the unique needs and behaviors of its users. Their goal is to ensure they’re creating highly curated, relevant feeds that feature only the best content.   These algorithms are what make the apps so engaging — even addictive. But how do different algorithms impact brands and retailers who are working diligently to create a diverse libr...

Brilliant Earth made a splash in the retail industry with its emphasis on ethical sourcing and it’s digital-first business model. Over the past 15 years, the company has maintained its dedication to both by prioritizing purpose-driven business strategy and experience innovation.  But what’s driving Brilliant Earth today, while so many businesses are trying to find their footing and forge a path fo...

Beers, wines and spirits is a $3 trillion industry worldwide and this industry is seeing a significant transformation as a result of COVID-19.   As consumer mindsets and behaviors change, especially as they buy more alcohol online, 3x3 Insights is helping brands and independent retailers find new ways to reach and engage their audience. These methods stem from rich data, which includes demand data...

The Outlook Guide has been an editorial mainstay for Retail TouchPoints for nearly a decade. Every year, the editorial team gets fascinating takes from experts and analysts on the trends they believe will dominate in the year ahead. But this year’s guide was especially interesting to curate, given the great acceleration of trends we witnessed in 2020.   During this special episode of the Retail Re...

Millennial and Gen Z consumers are extremely cognizant of their financial health. They’re more likely to use their debit accounts and are more wary of racking up credit card debt. It’s no surprise, then, that the “buy now, pay later” space is booming.     Afterpay is one of the companies driving this new payment revolution, giving consumers the power to pay for purchases over four installments, in...

The murder of George Floyd in May 2020 sparked a social reckoning around the U.S. It also sparked intense conversations among executive leaders — and those conversations are continuing to this day.    But what separates the organizations with the best intentions and those who are taking significant action to create more opportunity and equality for black employees and other minorities?   During th...