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.
How Not to Run a Retail Business Read More »
They say the third time is supposed to be charmed but in this case it’s more like three strikes and you’re out.
Eddie Bauer: The Robin Report Miss of the Week, 2.14.2026 Read More »
There is a disturbing disconnect between the classroom and performance on a retail sales floor. This is an industry-wide problem. If you ask any local retail manager, they’ll probably tell you they’re retraining new hires from scratch while eating the costs of avoidable returns. To be blunt, what retailers fail to realize is that the counter is only as good as the training behind it.
Retailers Should Be Wary of Trade School Grads Read More »
Melissa Gonzalez didn’t plan to revolutionize retail. The Principal and founder of MG2 and author of The Purpose Pivot, left her Wall Street career for a more creative path, leveraging her analytical talent, risk management ability and affinity with consumer passion. Her career has been defined by clarity in the midst of chaos, by understanding the bigger picture.
The Only Female Leader in the Room Becomes a Disruptive Tech CEO Read More »
Take that Amazon and Google and all the rest of you entitled Magnificent Seven: You’ve got a new trillionaire member, and it’s not another tech bro AI and agentic wannabe.
Walmart: The Robin Report Retail Hit of the Week, 2.7.2026 Read More »
A proposed class action lawsuit has reportedly been filed in San Diego claiming that Costco’s labeling on its famed $4.99 rotisserie chicken contains “No preservatives, MSG, gluten, artificial flavors, or colors” is…foul (fowl?).
Costco: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 1.31.2026 Read More »
Amazon’s new giant store is its latest shot at figuring out physical retailing. After all the wrong turns the online giant has taken, one has to ask if this new format is just another mismanaged dead-end.
It’s Walmart 4,606, Amazon 1 Read More »
Shelley caught up with five more innovators at NRF 2026 to get their takes on the retail industry and an outlook for this year. Their conversations ranged from the connected store and talent development to geolocation analytics and the need for personalization.
NRF Trade Talks: Five More Unique Perspectives Read More »
Join Shelley and Sandy DeFelice, Senior Vice President of Revenue and Strategic Accounts at Digital Wave Technologies, as they reveal how clinging to traditional product descriptions and outdated data structures are becoming untenable.
NRF Trade Talks: Four Unique Perspectives Read More »
Is founder Chip Wilson able to save Lululemon, or will his ego push the brand further into irrelevance? And the answer is: One man’s ego is not the soul of a brand, and this founder’s re-emergence can’t dictate a public company board’s fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders.
Chip Wilson’s Fight To Save Lululemon, Redux Read More »
