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Retail Unwrapped Podcast

Fast Tracking the Beauty Industry

Join Lauren and Shelley as they reveal the weak spots of a trendy business where many beauty brands are off trend out of the gate to meet the demands of savvy customers. They discuss the antiquated 18-to-36-month product development cycle, agentic AI (Chat GPT) marketing that shrinks the time between researching and making a decision to buy and will eliminate the need for traditional advertising.

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Chinese JD Moves West Into Europe
Operations

Chinese JD Moves West Into Europe

The consumer experience is no longer defined by stores but by expectations shaped elsewhere thanks to the speed, convenience and frictionless service of digital platforms. The question we always ask is: What desire can we fulfil? It’s about experiencing electronics, not just completing a transaction.

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Brieane Olson is a Retail Radical
Management

Brieane Olson is a Retail Radical

Olson understands that retail is first and foremost a people, not a product, business, a principle she lives by to guide Pacsun and her team into the future: “At Pacsun, innovation is a mindset and a strong part of our culture. We empower our teams to experiment, take risks, and bring forward ideas that push us into new territory. We listen closely to our community of Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers and see them as co-creators.”

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AGOA and the Butterfly Effect
Operations

AGOA and the Butterfly Effect 

When I try to explain the implications and unintended consequences of policy decisions, the metaphor of the butterfly effect is a good illustration. It refers to the idea that small, seemingly insignificant actions can trigger large, unpredictable consequences over time.

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The Oxymoron of Tech and Nostalgia 2
Experience

The Oxymoron of Tech and Nostalgia

Consumers are deprioritizing retail authenticity and diving headfirst into escapism. A few extra fingers matter less to next gens than the emotional resonance of the video on their screens. The irony is that these videos are generated with deepfake technology that only recently became available, and it feels right on brand for 2025.

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The Hidden Costs of Retail Noise 1
Experience

The Hidden Costs of Retail Noise

Noise erodes trust. When shoppers cannot hear staff clearly, misunderstand promotions, or feel overwhelmed by background clamor, frustration builds. In fashion and specialty retail, where ambiance directly influences spending, the cost of poor sound management is exceptionally high.

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Off the Shelf A Tricky Halloween
Experience

Off the Shelf: A Tricky Halloween

Hershey raised prices by double digits. A 48-count box of full-size bars that cost $40 last year is now $50. So how is Hershey responding? With a switch pitch to smaller vampire-shaped Kit Kats. Really?

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