The Retail Exchange podcast

The phrase ‘Wellbeing’ has become commonly adopted in recent years. But it has taken on increased significance and importance for retailers and employees in the face of the global pandemic, and rightly so. Now is most definitely a time to put people before profit. Coming up on this episode of The Special, we take an in-depth look at the human impact of the outbreak across the industry and the impo...

Retailers across Europe have acutely impacted by the pandemic in recent weeks. Less so in North America: Until now. To find out more about the unfolding situation in both the U.S and Canada, The Retail Exchange host Dave Evans reports from New York as look at how the pandemic is affecting retailers on the other side of the Atlantic as physical stores close their doors. He is joined by Bloomberg re...

The global Covid-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health emergency. But it is also an economic crisis, causing astonishing turmoil for retailers around the world as they close the doors on their physical stores. For how long, we don’t yet know. In many sectors of retail, business has all but stopped, and without hardly any warning. And we are, frankly, only at a very early stage of whatever thi...

No one has ever seen anything like this. An unprecedented crisis demands unprecedented responses. In our first episode of ‘The Special’ series, we explore how the Covid-19 outbreak is affecting grocery retailers. What are some of the biggest issues facing retailers right now, and how are they tackling them? Host Martin Popplewell is joined by a series of guests, as we try to make sense of the vola...

Best known for his work with brands such as Foot Locker, Starbucks, Verizon and Nike, Kambiz Hemati embodies the serenity that permeates the retail spaces he designs. In our latest episode of The Interview Series, sponsored by NG Retail Summit 2020 , US host Dave Evans sits down with the respected retail designer to discuss the art of brand storytelling and the importance of creating physical spac...

In case EuroShop is not on your regular shopping list of trade fairs, it’s the world’s biggest retail expo. Across the four-day event, more than 100,000 visitors passed through its doors. It’s an incredible spectacle. Huge halls. Extraordinary spaces. With over 2000 exhibitors, 600 speakers and 500 sessions, across 8 stages, there was plenty of inspiring creative visions to capture visitor’s imagi...

In this latest episode of The Interview Series retail podcast HEMA CEO, Tjeerd Jegen, joins us for an exclusive chat ahead of his talk at   Retail Week Live 2020 . He joins Ben Bland to explain how a ‘return on value and values’ is helping drive new growth, and discuss his own storied retail career. There are many ways for a retailer to make a name for itself. From original product...

In this special episode of The Interview from The Retail Exchange podcast, our host Ben Bland looks ahead to Retail Week Live 2020 with Sarah Clark – Retail Week Live Advisory Board Member and chief commercial officer of luxury homewares retailer OKA. Widely considered to be the UK’s flagship retail event for those who want to stay informed, Retail Week Live 2020 takes place in London 25-26 March,...

In this special roundtable episode from The Retail Exchange podcast, we’re in New York for NRF Big Show 2020 as guest host Karl McKeever talks retail performance with our panel of retail experts. With retailers on both sides of the Atlantic releasing their ‘Golden Quarter’ results, our guests reflect on the latest trading updates and discuss some of the surprising (and not so surprising) highs and...

In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with  World Retail Congress  to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In our final episode, we discuss why all retailers will have a responsibility to be sustainable as the planet faces up to the growing climate crisis. Gues...

In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with   World Retail Congress   to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In this second episode, we discuss the evolution of consumer behaviour and societal trends. Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, i...

In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with  World Retail Congress  to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In this first episode, we talk technology. Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, is joined by Heal’s Customer & eCommerce Directo...

Rituals believes that happiness can be found in the smallest of things. Inspired by the wisdom and ancient traditions of Asian cultures, the Dutch-based retailer is passionate about transforming everyday routines into meaningful Rituals. It’s a philosophy that extends to the shopping experience within the physical retail environment. In an exclusive interview, recorded at Future Stores 2019 , host...

In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to New York for an exclusive interview with Macy's national director of window presentation, Roya Sullivan. She shares the behind-the-scenes story of preparations for its highly anticipated Christmas windows, and talks about the challenge of managing windows for the one of the world’s most iconic department stores.

Launched back in 2015, Allbirds is a booming shoe brand with sustainability at its heart. The San Francisco-based startup may only be four years old but it is already focused on building the brand worldwide. Makers of “the world’s most comfortable shoe”, it designs environmentally friendly footwear, has a burgeoning reputation for quality and is enjoying fast-paced retail growth. In this special e...

In an exclusive interview, recorded at  Tech Festival 2019 , host Jason Bradbury sits down with Josh Bottomley, global head of digital, data and development at HSBC, to discuss the tech challenges of becoming a successful retail bank in the digital world.

Host Ben Bland sits down with V-Mart chief operating officer, Samir Misra, to discover more about the country's economic boom, the retailer's high velocity growth, and its blueprint for delivering sustained retail success. Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019.

The Samsung KX concept in London’s Coal Drops Yard is taking brand experience in the physical space to another level. This is not a shop. It’s a place to explore the latest in tech innovation, in a new way – to see things, play, learn, push your limits and open your mind. Guest host Jason Bradbury sits down with Tanya Weller, director of Samsung Showcase to discuss the story behind the new Samsung...

In this episode, special guest host Jason Bradbury sits down with David Coombs, head of strategic services at Cheil UK to talk about the changing face of brand loyalty, the issue of consumer data rights ownership, and sort tech myths from the reality.

In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to San Francisco for an exclusive interview with thredUP president Anthony Marino. We also catch up with the brand's co-founder and CTO Chris Homer, during his visit to Tech. Festival 2019, to learn about the technology fuelling its phenomenal growth.

In an exclusive interview, recorded at Future Stores 2019 , host Martin Popplewell sits down with Three UK Head of Omnichannel & Digital First, Graham Johnston, to talk about the importance of delivering a seamless customer experience, and what lies in store in a 5G connected future.

Dutch clothing label Unrobe is a new sustainable fashion brand on a mission to dress people by 'undressing' the fashion industry. Host Ben Bland caught up with the brand’s founder, Daan Ubachs for an exclusive interview, to discuss why there has never been a better, or more important time, for change. Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019

Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019, host Ben Bland meet the brand's Head of Retail Aleksander Milenkovic, to learn more about this unorthodox, fun loving brand's story - one that's full of colour designs, celebrity collaborations and exceptional charm that they say is guaranteed to make you smile.

In an exclusive interview, recorded at the World Retail Congress 2019 , our host Ben Bland is joined by Riverford Organic Farmers' founder, Guy Singh-Watson, to talk about the award-winning business which puts its success down to a spirit of ethical trading, and to discover why his decision to shun traditional retailers was, in his view, a good thing.

In an exclusive interview, recorded at the World Retail Congress 2019, host Ben Bland sits down with Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium to discuss the challenges facing UK retail in the light on unprecedented change in the industry that's resulted in difficult trading conditions and evolving shopper habits.