“Alexa, what’s new?” She instantly responds, “The new tools of the Technology Revolution.” And trust me, they are awesome new technology tools. If they are embraced and used right, they can provide retailers enormous success. Cautionary note: As tempting as […]
Shoptalk is the New Alexa for Retail Read More »
The U.S. housing market, which has been undergoing a relatively steady recovery since the Great Recession, seems to be hitting a speed bump. However, that doesn’t necessarily spell trouble for home improvement retailers, according to a report published in September
Housing and Home Improvement: Intertwined or Diverging? Read More »
This article is not an attempt to match Edward Gibbon’s epic book, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, in quantity or quality, although its quantity might seem as intense. And it’s not another bashing of Eddie “the magician”
The Rise & Still-Falling Iconic American Brand Read More »
Retailers intuitively understand that everything positive that happens in their stores happens through people. Current employees, specifically the average employees, from sales associates through regional leaders who constitute the majority of the workforce, hold the key to improving operating performance
Change Behavior, Not Employees Read More »
Millennial shopping habits differ greatly from those of prior generations. But their apparel brand preferences? Not as much as one might think. After arriving home last month from college, Jake Thomas (not his real name) spent the next few days
Debunking the Millennial Brand Preference Myth Read More »
Readers of The Robin Report know that I have admired Nordstrom—both the company and the family—for how they run their business through good, old-fashioned retail “blocking and tackling.” The Nordstroms are merchants who are always focused on making life easier
A Fresh, New Look at “The Nordstrom Way” Read More »
Scotland-based BrewDog brewery is a different kind of company that has a very different way of doing things. The genius is in the beer. If building a local world-class brewery in 10 short years, ready to play on an international
Brewdog A New Age Company With a New Age Way to Grow a Global Business Read More »
There’s such a dark cloud of bad news for most general merchandise and apparel retailers today that when I examined how The Children’s Place rose from the near-dead in 2010, made it through a tepid economic recovery, exacerbated by the
The Children’s Place – A Case Study For Winning Read More »
On May 23, 2017 Cotton Incorporated and Sourcing Journal Online co-hosted a media and apparel industry event provocatively titled, “Everything You Know About Cotton Is Wrong.” The goal of the event, according to Kim Kitchings, Cotton Incorporated senior vice president
Everything You’ve Heard About Cotton is Wrong Read More »
Exactly two years ago, on September 22, 2015, we announced the launch of Shoptalk. Today, we are on the brink of hosting an event in Las Vegas with more than 7,500 attendees and 700 CEOs. Below are a few thoughts
Shoptalk’s Two-Year Anniversary: From Zero to 7,500 Read More »
