Listen in as Shelley and Eliot reveal how the Orton family has resisted the temptation compromise their values in a screen-driven, digital marketplace. Their conversation gives a voice to deeply held values, classic, wearable clothes, and a retail ethos (including a customer bill of rights) that survives the test of time.
How Does The Vermont Country Store Keep Going? Read More »
It is mind-boggling that a vertically integrated direct-to-consumer industry disruptor, generating 70 percent margins on a brilliantly conceived offering, ended up selling it for pennies on the dollar. But honestly, how many people want to buy a $15,000 bed?
Sleep No More: A Tale of Self-Destruction Read More »
A lot of companies think that loud and messy and customizable and, honestly, an unserious aesthetic proves a human actually made it. Packaging with the low-fi, Nickelodeon slime-esque aesthetic of hyper goo maximalism is the perfect in-group signifier to make next gen impulse purchases move.
Decoding Hyper Goo Maximalism Read More »
The boom and bust of Korea’s AI-fuelled financial markets could be foreshadowing a wider global meltdown. The way its digital natives are dealing with their reversed fortunes could also be a leading indicator of how the rest of the world’s consumers will cope.
We get that companies want to protect their valuable brand names, but Buc-ee’s, really? Over the past few months, they’ve sued at least half a dozen retailers—maybe more—for names and/or logos that they say are too similar to their iconic beaver character.
Buc-ee’s: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 8. 8. 26 Read More »
Fashion brands are facing the prospect of higher inventory costs thanks to an EU ban on destroying unsold apparel, accessories and footwear. As of July 19, large companies are now prohibited from incinerating or sending unsold products to landfill. Why major brands ever thought this was morally justifiable is another question. The new rules also cover customer returns and force fashion retailers to prioritize selling products through discounts or alternative markets, donating them or preparing them for reuse.
EU Dispatch: European Luxury Feels the Heat Read More »
With the entire home furnishings category, especially furniture, in the doldrums, retailers in the sector are looking at new categories, including services, as the way to save themselves. But will it work?
Home Retailers: Search for Life Beyond Furniture Read More »
Join Shelley and Ben Seidl, CEO and Co-Founder of Autolane, as they discuss the potential crisis brewing at malls and stores for managing these fleets of cars. Major retail landlords, including Simon Property Group, Federal Realty, and Jamestown, are already installing driverless parking infrastructure across properties in Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Jose, and beyond.
Autonomous Delivery in the Driveway Read More »
H&M’s pivot toward ongoing partnerships with niche designers and independent collectives marks a fundamental shift in its retail strategy: it’s sustained cultural relevance over short-term noise. While legacy luxury houses often struggle with agility and genuine relatability, independent creators hold the cultural trust that big brands crave.
H&M’s Subculture Collabs Read More »
Brand clarity improves the customer experience because it removes any friction the customer consciously notices. Clarity defines space and place, creating an environment to help keep customers from feeling lost or unsure. Clarity makes shoppers more willing to stay. Identity doesn’t require spectacle; it requires alignment before a single fixture goes up.
Why Brand Clarity Matters Read More »
