What distinguishes Korea’s retail expansion from China’s is not just aesthetics, but strategy. Chinese platforms have often relied on price leadership and logistical scale, pushing vast volumes of low-cost goods through digital channels. Korean brands, by contrast, have emphasized brand equity, storytelling and innovation.
Korean Brands Are Moving into a Mall Near You Read More »
Athletes have always been role models. Veteran skier Lindsay Vonn has been a Rolex brand ambassador since 2009. But recently, luxury fashion houses have been joining the race to sign the next sporting icon. At Beijing 2022, 18-year-old freestyle skier Eileen Gu’s gold medal tally led to a high-profile partnership with Louis Vuitton. The Winter Games have amplified celebrity endorsements into an entirely new form of influence.
The Olympics Is a Runway Grab Read More »
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.
Kohls: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 2.21.26 Read More »
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.
Eyewear Outperforms Luxury Categories Read More »
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.
Is Your Brand Scented? Read More »
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.
A New Formula for Luxury Marketing Read More »
Retailers that continue to compete primarily on product breadth risk becoming background noise. Availability doesn’t equate to value. Curation isn’t a niche strategy reserved for luxury brands or personal shoppers. It is becoming table stakes for relevance in a crowded, fatigued marketplace.
Curate or Get Curated Read More »
TikTok Shop harnesses the power of interest-driven impulse shopping through entertainment, rather than consumer necessity, like Amazon. Using “shoppertainment” to lock down Gen Z consumer loyalty is where TikTok Shop excels.
What’s TikTok Shop’s Future? 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 »
If higher-income households in large metro markets are driving the e-grocery surge, what happens with everyone else? What happens to the budget-constrained families in smaller markets who can’t justify the premium? What happens to the traditional grocers who built their entire business model around serving those customers?
If You’re Not Watching Grocery, You’ll Miss the Future of Retail Read More »
