Retail insights at the intersection of now and next. Unfiltered. Unbiased
The idea of full price retailers setting aside a dedicated promotional area in their stores goes back at least to the famous “O” tables (opportunities) merchandised by up-and-coming junior buyers at A&S including Allen Questrom and Mike Gould.
Join Shelley and Rachel Williamson, founder and CEO of Running Great Stores, as they unpack how frontline operational excellence is compromised when managers are denied the tools, training and authority they need to succeed. Rachel says that great leadership requires continuous investment in self-improvement, honest conversations with supervisors, and a willingness to address both wins and failures.
Early data on gender disparities in workforce AI training and encouragement show that the workplace of the future might be even less inclusive. McKinsey reports that fewer entry-level women (21 percent) report that their managers have encouraged them to use AI, compared with 33 percent of entry-level men.
Successful eyewear rivals the versatility of today’s designer handbag collections. Customers blend moods, styles, and personal expression throughout their everyday lives. For fashionistas (and the easily bored), multiple branded eyewear is the norm, not unlike a closet full of handbags.
Retail is in a moment of transition. It is missing something fundamental: a systems thinking approach to making decisions with the operational infrastructure to support them. Asynchronous decision-making is not only a hidden cost, but it can also overwhelm a store masquerading as. Fulfillment center.
There’s something in the air: Ambient scent marketing continues its steady ascent. Think of scent as a logo in the air—another way to communicate your brand message. It’s powerful and more memorable than something you can see and touch.
They say the third time is supposed to be charmed but in this case it’s more like three strikes and you’re out.
Join Shelley and Katie Thomas from the Kearney Consumer Institute as they challenge conventional wisdom about the economy that’s leading retailers to misclassify customers and fail on pricing, assortment, and messaging.
The uber luxury market is the only one poised for genuine, sustainable, profitable growth. It’s time to forget about the ‘aspirational’ consumer, lusting after high-end, name-checked logos and settling for an over-packaged bottle of a marquee brand’s fragrance. Forget too, the quaint notion of ‘masstige,’ because life changes at the macro-level while marketers change at the micro-level.
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