And just like that, we seem to be at war with our closest neighbor, best ally, and first or second-biggest trading partner (depending on how you do the math). Now who’s to blame?
Surviving the Latest Trade War … With Canada Read More »
Although a convergence of economic and geopolitical pressures is souring consumers’ outlook and pulling sentiment down, when looking at their actual spending—especially heading into the back-to-school and college season—they seem to put those concerns aside if you’re looking for a correlation between sentiment and spending.
The Consumer: Anxious, Financially Stretched, and Driving Retail Growth Read More »
Join Shelley and Dan Altman, author of the High Yield Economics newsletter, as they unpack why the K-shaped economy is persisting, and why diversified supply chains and revenue streams are a survival strategy for retail leaders.
An Economist’s Warning on Shifts Impacting Holiday 2026 Read More »
Shein, the Chinese-origin online seller of trinkets and baubles, first came on the U.S. scene in 2017, and then really exploded in the early 2020s. It sent shockwaves through a whole genre of American apparel and gift retailers who couldn’t compete with its fast—and impressively cheap—business model.
Shein: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 8.1.26 Read More »
The economic shockwaves of the Iran war have spread far beyond average American consumers, shaking their heads in disbelief or cursing at the gas pump. The businesses that depend on that shopper, which include every grocery retailer, food manufacturer, and CPG brand in the country, are sounding the alarm.
The Domino Effect of the Iran War Read More »
Join Shelley and Dan Altman, chief economist and bestselling author of the High Yield Economics newsletter, as they zero in on what the ruling will trigger for retailers and consumers. They discuss whether companies will claw back the tariffs they have paid.
A Leading Economist Weighs In on the SCOTUS Tariff Reversal Read More »
How does a business leader who may have just breathed a sigh of post-Covid-19 relief in early 2026, only to be confronted by the now-illegal “Liberation Day” program, proceed? Business executives, both CEO’s and owners of small, medium, large and overlarge enterprises, always have faced the vagaries of uncertain futures driven by rising inflation, rising interest rates, ever-changing consumer preferences, competitive challenges, etc. But these issues now all pale in the uncertainty of yet another new round of tariffs.
Tariff Chaos and the Widening Gyre Read More »
Will 2026 see a continuation of the volatile tariff swings of 2025 and will the U.S. stop importing from. China? And the answer is: It is unlikely that tariffs will stabilize into something more predictable—not free trade, but a stable managed relationship where some doors close while others remain strategically open, especially when it comes to a pragmatic relationship with China.
Why We Can’t Quit China Read More »
2025 may go down as the year retail lost the plot — and tried to rewrite it at the same time. At a recent Robin Report roundtable, four veteran retail experts — Mark Cohen, Warren Shoulberg, Phil Lempert, and Jasmine Glasheen
Retail in 2025: Tariffs, Tumult, and the Search for Sanity Read More »
Retail, inevitably a zero-sum game, has had more than its fair share of players who are on the borderline. Some, like Rite Aid and At Home, have ended up in bankruptcy, while Walgreens was acquired and taken private by private equity giant Sycamore. Macy’s is perhaps the most talked-about struggling retailer, but in its most recent quarter, it beat analyst forecasts.
How Do You Explain the Recent Surge in Retail Sales? Read More »
