Which Future Grads Will Run Your Store?
Most retail talent development programs have not adapted to today’s digital marketplace and are not cultivating the right talent. Whether the industry can reverse this is unclear, which may only give way to more tech optimization and retail becoming less human. Add to that, the technology reshaping the store is moving faster than the talent systems can respond to it. If that gap widens, the store of the future may have fewer people in it, both customers and employees.
The Latest Retail Industry Insights and Analysis
Ross Dress for Less: The Robin Report Retail Hit of the Week, 05.30.26
Ross has been a bit of a slacker in the off-price space, as the TJX brands always were outperforming everyone.
The AI-Empowered Store
Join Shelley and Stephanie Cegielski, Vice President of Public Relations and Industry Education at ICSC as they dig into the
New York Is Experiencing a Retail Sea Change
New York is among the world’s most demanding retail laboratories, a city where brand and corporate strategy are simultaneously executed
Listen Up
Retail Unwrapped
Our weekly podcast with Shelley E. Kohan, & guests. Available on your favorite podcast platforms.
Experience
The Return to Stores Is About Connection
For years, the primary role of the store was clear; it was a place to transact. Product was displayed, customers
Ralph Lauren: The Robin Report Retail Hit of the Week, 05.16.26
If we ever needed proof that when it comes to patriotic, Americana-themed designs, Ralph Lauren certainly is among the first
How to Be Human in the AI Era
Join Shelley and Dominick Miserandino, CEO of RTMNexus, as they challenge the current conversation with what employees really want to
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Opinion
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
Retailers Should Be Wary of Trade School Grads
There is a disturbing disconnect between the classroom and performance on a retail sales floor. This is an industry-wide problem.
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
Retailers Should Be Wary of Trade School Grads
There is a disturbing disconnect between the classroom and performance on a retail sales floor. This is an industry-wide problem.
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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
Sephora Pioneers BeautyTech
French beauty retailer Sephora is doubling down on stores while simultaneously accelerating its investment in AI, conversational commerce and digital
How Intentional Is the Social Media Divide?
It’s getting harder for social media users to hear from folks on the other side of any party line. Sophisticated
Woolworths’ Chatbot Went Rogue
Research on human-computer interaction has consistently found that people respond positively to interfaces that feel conversational and warm, while younger
Management
Gen Z May Be Your Next Boss
Next gen managers prioritize transparency and workplace flexibility, and their aversion to top-down management models means they’re empathetic and amenable
Lead Like Her: Meaningful Conversations and Transformative Connections
Bringing our LLH interviews to life, a group of guests met, connected and shared their journeys and goals in deeply
Operations
Why Retail Imitation Can Derail Trust
The paradox of best practices matters because retail is moving through a period of intense imitation. The same technologies are
Real Estate Rethink
A retailer’s physical footprint is its largest forward-looking capital exposure on the balance
sheet. The retail footprint is not
Everlane: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 05. 23. 26
Everlane, which brought a new sense of values and design to the fashion world, is being acquired by Shein, the