Mecca: Australia’s Retail Trailblazer
Beauty retailer Mecca hasn’t tried to copy anyone else. It’s critical for every retailer to find its own way based on its leadership, vision, talent, and resources. Beauty retailers, as well as those in other categories, should take inspiration and confidence from Mecca to find their own way toward innovation and maintaining relevance.
The Latest Retail Industry Insights and Analysis
Novig: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 9. 19. 26
Hey, we get that wherever Sydney Sweeney goes controversy follows. Companies who have used her in their marketing think they
Can AI Be Trusted?
Join Shelley and Karen Leland, founder of Sterling Marketing Group and author of “The Brand Mapping Strategy,” as they unpack
When Luxury’s Brand Ambassadors Become Adversaries
The luxury industry has traditionally positioned employees as brand ambassadors. But employees cannot convincingly represent a brand they can’t relate
Listen Up
Retail Unwrapped
Our weekly podcast with Shelley E. Kohan, & guests. Available on your favorite podcast platforms.
Experience
Novig: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 9. 19. 26
Hey, we get that wherever Sydney Sweeney goes controversy follows. Companies who have used her in their marketing think they
Petco: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 9. 12. 26
Apparently, the marketing and promotion planning folks at Petco never studied their retail history about programs that went terribly wrong
Where Is Gen Z Watching Ads?
The ads that actually capture Gen Z’s attention aren’t on the social platforms you’d expect—and that can make all the
Get the Daily Report
Subscribe to The Robin Report and get our latest retail insights delivered right to your inbox.
We will never send you spam or share your info.
Opinion
What Now? What to Do
Tariff-driven cost inflation is likely here to stay, and now, with an ongoing Iranian war, potentially explosive expense inflation is
Tariff Chaos and the Widening Gyre
How does a business leader who may have just breathed a sigh of post-Covid-19 relief in early 2026, only to
What Now? What to Do
Tariff-driven cost inflation is likely here to stay, and now, with an ongoing Iranian war, potentially explosive expense inflation is
Tariff Chaos and the Widening Gyre
How does a business leader who may have just breathed a sigh of post-Covid-19 relief in early 2026, only to
New Episodes Weekly
The Retail Unwrapped Podcast
Retail insights on-the-go, with Shelley E. Kohan. Available on your favorite podcast platforms.
From Our Partners
Placer’s 10 Brands to Watch + 3 Surprises
Check out Placer.ai’s latest enlightening report on the 10 Top Brands to Watch in 2025 when it comes to retail
How LoveShackFancy and WeWoreWhat Are Crushing Consumer Engagement
Watch and learn LoveShackFancy and WeWoreWhat are building engagement and social media strategies that matter to today’s younger consumer.
Technology
It’s Not Your Father’s Vending Machine
From selling cheeseburgers to Lego sets, the modern vending machine has evolved into a convenient storefront in the retail world.
AI Agents: Trusted or Transactional?
AI assistants could do what retail media networks promise but often fail to deliver: increase basket size without making shoppers
Comments Drive Gen Z’s Purchases
Gen Z is turning to the comment sections for trusted product recommendations. A recommendation from a regular person is more
Management
Old Navy Is Caught In a Doom Loop
Old Navy’s move into beauty isn’t reinvention — it’s dilution. A mature brand adding tangential categories without fixing its core
J. Peterman: The Most Famous Fictional Retailer in America
The famed mail-order catalog was a better TV plotline than a retailer, and it appears to have made its last
Operations
So, What Are Retailers Doing With All Those Tariff Refunds?
Billions of dollars’ worth of refunds have been issued, and America’s retailers have used
The China Tariff Punishment Failed
The latest sourcing choice for U.S. importers? Surprise! It’s China. The Trump tariffs were supposed to punish China by driving
Nike: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 8. 22. 26
Hey, don’t get us wrong, we’re all in favor of retailers testing new store concepts and experimenting with different formats.