The Modern Retail Podcast

Nutrition and supplement company AG1 famously built a $600 million business off of a single SKU. Then, in 2025, the brand made major leaps by introducing new flavors and a sleep supplement. CEO Kat Cole speaks with Modern Retail’s Melissa Daniels about how the brand grew its next generation of products from its own scientific research, and how it’s looking to scale through retail beyond its DTC ro...

In honor of July 4, this week the Modern Retail Podcast is revisiting an episode featuring P.F. Candle Company, which produces its candles in Los Angeles. Co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels talked to founders Kristen Pumphrey and Thomas Neuberger about the advantages of and challenges of making products in the United States. Last year, the made-in-America debate was heavily tied to importing...

Few areas of digital marketing have exploded in recent years as much as affiliate marketing. What's more, it's actually proving effective: eMarketer in September said that affiliate marketing would drive more than $210 billion in US e-commerce sales that year. By 2028, that figure is expected to hit over $287 billion. But with that growth comes a myriad of questions about implementation and how br...

Amazon Prime Day isn't as essential as it once was. But for some brands, it can still provide a meaningful sales boost. On this week's episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels spoke with Katherine McKee, the fractional head of growth at Morphology Consulting, to break down the pros and cons of participating in the four-day sales event that is scheduled for June...

On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporter Gabriela Barkho is joined by executive editor Anna Hensel to talk all things World Cup marketing. This week, Modern Retail ran an editorial series on how retailers and brands of all sizes are taking advantage of the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup this summer. Malls are turning into hubs for fans, while retail media networks are looking at this as...

Pride Month is underway, marking a season of celebration that's become a mainstay for some brands. But earning the trust of LGBTQ+ audiences goes far beyond rainbow merch or a few social media posts. This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels interviewed LGBTQ+ marketing specialists Matt Tumminello and Matt Wagner of Target10. Their conversation centers on earn...

Young consumers have always been a sought-after demographic for retailers — but what they value is always changing. Over the past several decades, Pacsun has sought to maintain a strong pulse on the evolving tastes of teenagers.  From viral jeans to strategic partnerships with creators, the mall-based retailer is once again winning over young people. For the first time in 18 years, the company is...

Late May saw a slew of first-quarter earnings reports that reflected meaningful growth for companies like Target and Walmart, but also revealed some bigger shifts in consumer behavior and operational costs. While shoppers dealing with higher fuel costs are pulling back in some areas, like DIY home projects, they're also showing up to treat themselves for limited-edition collabs or deals at off-pri...

In the era of the viral vertical video, there is a seemingly endless appetite for new content. And brands are getting in on original content trying by creating their own series for social media. In January, Gap Inc announced it was creating a new role, a chief entertainment officer, where Pam Kaufman will lead their “fashion-tainment” strategy. This year, David’s Bridal launched “Breaking Bridal,”...

For this week's Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels were joined by Katie Thomas from the Kearney Consumer Institute to discuss how shoppers' financial stress is showing up in their shopping habits. KCI recently released its latest Consumer Stress Index, which monitors 24,000 consumers across 12 countries. It looks not only at consumers' financial picture but also at...

On this week's episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by Modern Retail's platforms reporter Allison Smith to dig into why TikTok Shop is becoming a more legitimate sales channel in the eyes of bigger brands. Less than three years old, TikTok Shop now makes up roughly 20% of all social commerce sales, according to data from eMarketer. The rest...

It seems like every company wants to bill itself as a “lifestyle brand” these days. If a company can truly integrate itself into a customer’s lifestyle – versus just selling them a single product – they can build a more powerful connection over time. But, what does that actually mean in practice? In this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast – recording live at the Modern Retail Marketing Summit in...

Electronic shelf labels are nothing new. Lately, though, the topic has been making headlines as companies like Kroger and Walmart announce they'll be rolling out more of the technology across their stores. The small screens replace the paper stickers that store employees would have to replace by hand anytime there is a price change or stock change. But this is raising concerns among grocery store...

Last week, Allbirds sold for $39 million to American Exchange Group, a vast drop from the peak $4 billion valuation Allbirds had when it went public in 2021. But it’s not just Allbirds that’s dealing with decline in sales. The DTC brand is just one example of a shoe brand that stumbled in an ever-competitive market. The Allbirds fire sale also comes at a time when many sneaker brands are on a come...

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels delve into the vast world of product LTOs, also known as limited-time offers. In the CPG space, these are usually limited-edition flavors or scents that brands drop to create consistent newness.  Spring tends to be a big season for LTOs as brands refresh their assortment. And the trend is only getting bigger. Even legac...

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels sits down with David's Bridal CEO Kelly Cook to go behind the scenes of the company's post-bankruptcy turnaround plan. The roughly 76-year-old U.S. retailer is known for its wedding gowns and formalwear. But it’s had a challenging time staying solvent in recent years and filed for Chapter 11 in November 2018, and again...

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporter Gabi Barkho delves into the growing phenomenon of AI-generated review summaries. It’s one of the many ways generative AI is already impacting the way people discover products and shop online. These summaries are not only changing the way chatbots talk about products, they’re also pushing brands and marketers to navigate customer reviews differe...

In this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels and senior reporter Gabriela Barkho discuss their favorite food and beverage trends of 2026. Fresh off of Expo West, the episode’s discussion revolves around what is considered “in” and what’s “out” across categories. Protein sod and functional coffee remain hot items. Meanwhile, the noise against seed oils conti...

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels speaks with Kris Malkoski, the president of learning and development at Newell Brands who oversees operations for household brands including Graco and Sharpie. They go behind-the-scenes into how the 100-year-old baby gear brand Graco, known for its affordability against higher-priced start-ups, is approaching pricing s...

On this week’s episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by executive editor Anna Hensel to unpack how AI is reshaping marketing workflows and creative output. As customer acquisition costs rise and shoppers grow more discerning, brands are using AI to sharpen targeting and streamline production. But many remain cautious about replacing human tal...

In a blow for President Donald Trump's tariff agenda, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 20 that the Trump administration exceeded its authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in a 6-3 decision. In other words, they deemed that the sweeping tariffs he issued on Liberation Day against nearly every U.S. trading partner were unlawful. Now, many people in the retail industry,...

In 2026, the term direct-to-consumer, or DTC, has become somewhat of a pejorative within the retail startups ecosystem. Enter: “DTC 3.0,” or what’s dubbed as the most sustainable and profitable version of the model to date. The term was popularized last year after an X post by Cody Plofker, the CEO of Jones Road Beauty, though a debate has emerged on what the phrase entails. On this week's episode...

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels is joined by senior reporter Julia Waldow to dive deep into the world of brand activations happening around Super Bowl LX. Many brands don't have the $8 million to drop on a Super Bowl ad. In turn, they're tapping pop-ups, concerts and other IRL experiences to drive awareness before millions of eyeballs in the Bay Area...

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, the staff discusses how the growing presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in cities like Minneapolis is impacting retail. Senior reporter Gabriela Barkho and special projects editor Melissa Daniels are joined by Modern Retail executive editor Anna Hensel to discuss topics like executives' reactions, shoppers’ protests and how brands are express...

On this week's episode, special projects editor Melissa Daniels takes a deep dive into how brands are shaking up their returns playbook. As many as 72% of brands are charging for returns these days, according to the National Retail Federation, but that's a major customer pain point. In turn, it's an area of business that brands are constantly evaluating to make sure their return policies make logi...