Although some use the words “membership” and “subscription” interchangeably, 64% of consumers believe there is a distinct difference in these types of programs. But what do consumers really expect from these commerce experiences? Retail TouchPoints and CI&T collaborated on a survey of 1,000+ consumers to find out. Melissa Minkow, author of the report, sits down with host Alicia Esposito to dig into some of the report’s key takeaways, including: How consumers differentiate membership models f...
Aug 05, 2024•44 min•Ep. 220
Rebekah Kondrat has worked for brands known (and loved) for their incredible store experiences: Apple, Starbucks and Warby Parker, among others. She has taken these experiences to start Rekon Retail, a company that helps brands scale their retail operations and set them up for long-term success. During this RetailThinkTank Ideation Session, host Alicia Esposito sits down with Kondrat to discuss the keys to a successful store operation and how Rekon Retail is helping brands like Olfactory and M.M...
Jul 31, 2024•14 min
Milani Cosmetics has been around for more than 20 years. And although plenty of beauty trends have come and gone in that time, the brand has maintained relevance and even acquired new customers by staying true to its core value props — and its distinct marketing approach. During this episode of Retail Remix, we’re replaying an episode of Experience Insiders featuring Milani Cosmetics Chief Marketing Officer Jeremy Lowenstein. During their discussion, Jeremy and host Alicia Esposito dig into: How...
Jul 29, 2024•46 min•Ep. 219
In its early days, Birdy Grey was very much an “Instagram brand.” That means Grace Lee Chen, Monica Ashauer and their entire team looked to social communities (and especially Instagram) to gather feedback and determine what products they should sell in order to grow their business. Birdy Grey has relied on this community to grow and position itself as a disruptor in the wedding industry, which has evolved significantly with the advent of TikTok and other social channels. During this episode of R...
Jul 22, 2024•23 min•Ep. 218
TikTok and Alibaba are just two of many tech juggernauts testing virtual influencers, and these AI-generated personalities are bringing immersive commerce experiences to a completely new level. What is happening in this space today…and what will the future hold? Most of all, what will the rapid evolution and maturation of this space mean for how we build our own digital identities? Alicia Esposito explored this topic with Sharon Gai, an ecommerce expert and author of the book Ecommerce Reimagine...
Jul 17, 2024•10 min
Hearst is harnessing its expansive portfolio of brands and its highly credible editorial team to take a curated, content-driven approach to commerce. Robert Gash, the company’s CTO of Ecommerce, has played an integral role in this new, exciting era for the company, onboarding key partners to support the new experience. During this episode of Retail Remix, Robert shares details into Hearst’s mission and vision, as well as how he’s working with SoundCommerce to collect, aggregate and leverage data...
Jul 15, 2024•44 min•Ep. 217
Taking a big leap that drives you — and your business — outside of your comfort zone can be scary. But Steve Dennis believes those leaps are critical to surviving, if not thriving, in this new era of disruption. Host Alicia Esposito has author Steve Dennis back on the show to chat about his latest book, Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption , to discuss the personal and professional experiences that motivated him to put the pen to paper. They also chat about: What’s ...
Jul 08, 2024•36 min•Ep. 216
Despite headlines claiming the death of the shopping mall, some developers are reimagining the experience to make it memorable, even unforgettable, for consumers. During this episode of Retail Remix, host Alicia Esposito sits down with someone who is helping shape the future of the mall: Justin Stein, EVP of Leasing at Tanger. During this episode, he shares details on: Tanger’s transformation, including thinking more like a curator and less like a traditional operator; His team’s approach to ten...
Jun 24, 2024•28 min•Ep. 215
When Anna Harman wanted to get a new ear piercing, she only had two viable options: an upscale boutique that would charge her hundreds of dollars...or a tattoo parlor. While the latter was just as safe as the former, the experience left her feeling wanting more. Most of all, the experience made Anna realize what a big white space there was in the market, which inspired her to start Studs with Lisa Bubbers. During this episode of Retail Remix, Anna shares Studs’s origin story, as well as: The ess...
Jun 17, 2024•23 min•Ep. 214
Will Eadie is in the world of employee experience, also known as EX. He and his company WorkJam believe that a great EX leads to a great CX. If that’s the case, why do so many retailers struggle to invest in the right tools and strategies that drive EX? We had Will on Retail Remix to find out. Listen to this episode to learn: What EX entails and why it matters more than ever; How EX can lead to CX outcomes; How retailers like JCPenney are seeing success with their EX investments; and Tips for fi...
Jun 10, 2024•41 min•Ep. 213
Alex Weinstein is equally passionate about marketing and data science, and he’s putting that passion to good use as Chief Digital Officer of Hungryroot. Although one could easily lump Hungryroot in with other grocery delivery services, the company is investing heavily in artificial intelligence to power customer-facing touch points as well as back-end operations. During this episode of Retail Remix, Alex shares: Hungryroot’s key differentiators in the fast-evolving digital grocery space; The com...
Jun 03, 2024•35 min•Ep. 212
We are taking this week off, but tune in next week for another great episode of Retail Remix! Be sure to subscribe to hear the latest episodes when they launch.
May 27, 2024•1 min
We’ve all heard about subscription models that give customers monetary perks in exchange for recurring purchases. But brands like IPSY are elevating this concept by integrating compelling content, community and exclusive access to products. IPSY’s merchandising team plays a central role in bringing the brand promise to life. Led by Chief Merchandising Officer Kristy Westrup, the merch division tests more than 8,000 products per year to curate the best assortment for customers. During this week’s...
May 20, 2024•34 min•Ep. 211
As CTO and Global General Manager for Zenni Optical, David Ting plays a critical role in determining the company’s key technology investments and experience priorities. It should come as no surprise, then, that artificial intelligence (AI) has been at the top of his priority list. During this week’s Retail Remix, he shares how he researched, tested and optimized AI investments for the business. He shares insights on: How consumers search and browse on the Zenni Optical site, and how these behavi...
May 13, 2024•43 min•Ep. 210
Jill Pavlovich and Francisco Bram work very closely on shaping the customer experience for Albertsons shoppers. Together, they collect, integrate and analyze rich customer insights and then transform this information into compelling experiences across all channels. During this episode of Retail Remix, they share more details on: How their teams collaborate to shape omnichannel strategies and prioritize new tech investments; How Albertsons consumers shop today, and how Albertsons is creating expe...
May 06, 2024•45 min•Ep. 209
Dr. Marcus Collins isn’t just a professor. He is an author, a marketing strategist who has worked with some of the world’s top tech brands and musical acts, and a cultural translator. It is this rich career history that has inspired his latest book, For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be , and is why he’s taking the stage at the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo this June. Host Alicia Esposito sat down with Marcus to discuss: How the culture of bra...
Apr 29, 2024•30 min•Ep. 208
As Head of Trends for Insider Trends, Jack Stratten has toured some of the world’s newest, and most innovative, retail stores. Through these tours, he has been able to uncover how consumer behaviors have shaped storytelling techniques, technology integration and more. During the NRF Big Show, Jack sat down with host Alicia Esposito to discuss the key trends he’s uncovered in his tours around the world, as well as what he loves most about some of the Big Apple’s top shops. Listen to learn: Why Gl...
Apr 22, 2024•29 min•Ep. 207
Boisson was created to make it easier for consumers to discover and learn about non-alcoholic beverage brands. The company helped jumpstart the market, which is projected to have a 25% compound annual growth rate through 2028. Founder Nick Bodkins had a vision where Boisson was “the Sephora of NA,” bringing together the power of an immersive ecommerce experience, neighborhood-style stores with passionate employees, and a wholesale strategy that drove growth for new brands. Although Boisson recen...
Apr 15, 2024•44 min•Ep. 206
Brands and retailers that specialize in formal events and big “life moments” (think weddings, proms and the like) need to think about customer loyalty — how to win it and how to keep it — in a completely different way. For example, David’s Bridal has leaned into community and crowdsourcing to create programs that allow consumers to build beautiful life moments. During this episode of Retail Remix, Kelly Cook, the President of Brand, Technology and Finance for David’s Bridal, shares how the brand...
Apr 08, 2024•48 min•Ep. 205
Brian Librach has held leadership positions at various retail brands, from Old Navy to Pacific Sunwear and Urban Outfitters. So needless to say, he’s faced his fair share of hardships and lessons learned. The one big thing he has found is that many retail leaders are “stuck halfway up the ladder.” This reality ultimately inspired him to write his book: The Retail Leader’s Roadmap . During this episode of Retail Remix, Brian shares: The big lessons he learned during his rich career in retail; Wha...
Apr 01, 2024•19 min•Ep. 204
Connected TV (CTV) is becoming a central marketing and advertising channel for brands as streaming networks bolster their subscription offerings. They’re becoming a conduit for delivering engaging, personalized campaigns that drive brand awareness, product discovery, in-store traffic and conversions. Roku is helping drive this new era of shoppable content by providing the streaming devices consumers need to access content across apps and devices. Plus, through partnerships with companies like Wa...
Mar 25, 2024•37 min•Ep. 203
Retailers know that digital influences the customer journey, from initial awareness to post-purchase. So why is there still such a staggering divide between consumers’ digital and physical brand experiences? We explore the gaps, challenges and opportunities on this week’s Retail Remix with Justin Racine and Zach Zalowitz of Perficient. Together with host Alicia Esposito, they explore: The key digital influencers for in-store traffic and activation; The increasingly central role of inventory visi...
Mar 18, 2024•28 min•Ep. 202
Juxtapose positions itself as a “creation-oriented investment firm,” which means their investment process is based on businesses that don’t exist yet. Focusing on industries that are under-served, Juxtapose’s team then harnesses the power of entrepreneurialism and an investment firm’s diligence to identify and invest in new business opportunities. During this week’s Retail Remix, Ben West, Partner at Juxtapose, digs into the company’s investment process and how this approach shapes his perspecti...
Mar 11, 2024•30 min•Ep. 201
Four years and 200 episodes later, we’re celebrating how far the retail industry and the Retail Remix podcast have come! What better way to do that than to listen back to the conversations that sparked some of the show’s top geek-out moments? Listen to find out which guests drove some of our most thought-provoking conversations on: Omnichannel strategy; The evolution of store design; The future of digital communities; Branded content strategy; and The unique role of mobile apps....
Mar 04, 2024•34 min•Ep. 200
Stitch Fix has access to rich data and insights to understand consumers’ wants, needs and behaviors. Additionally, it harnesses the unique knowledge and expertise of its styling and merchandising teams to ensure it is striking the right balance between personalized service and surprise and delight. During this episode of Retail Remix, Loretta Choy, Chief Merchandising and Client Services Officer of Stitch Fix, shares how the team: Blends the traditional art of merchandising and the science of da...
Feb 26, 2024•43 min•Ep. 199
Up to 81% of consumers say they prefer to shop with brands and retailers that have both online and offline channels, according to CI&T’s latest Connected Retail Report . This data point may not be surprising most, but it’s the underpinning of a lot of new trends around how consumers browse, compare and purchase products across channels, and Melissa Minkow, the author of the report, sits down with host Alicia Esposito to dig into the key takeaways, including: Whether price-conscious consumers...
Feb 19, 2024•21 min•Ep. 198
Ron Thurston turned his passion for retail into the book Retail Pride and podcast series Retail in America. Now, he's turning his learnings speaking with retail leaders, associates and emerging talent alike into a new company: OSSY. During this episode of Retail Remix, he reflects on how his career pivot over the past three years has brought him to founding OSSY. He discusses: What’s “broken” in retailers’ approach to talent acquisition and hiring; The hidden biases in the recruitment process; W...
Feb 12, 2024•28 min•Ep. 197
Although generative AI has the power to shake up all retail functions, early use cases and success stories suggest that marketing, content and ecommerce teams have the most to gain. These teams are feeling more pressure to create relevant, impactful and on-brand content. Gen AI will allow them to accomplish all of this — and at scale. During this episode of Retail Remix, Alicia Esposito explores the opportunities for brands and retailers with Michelle Bacharach, Co-founder and CEO of FindMine. T...
Feb 05, 2024•46 min•Ep. 196
Digital channels and platforms make it easier for brand leaders to create and amplify stories at scale. However, many retail executives have learned that despite its power, digital can never replace the distinct value of physical environments. That’s why brands like Adidas, Converse, The North Face and Vans have tapped Starch Creative, a creative agency that specializes in bringing compelling brands into physical spaces. During this episode of Retail Remix, CEO Brandon Ball weighs in on: How bra...
Jan 29, 2024•36 min•Ep. 195
The National Retail Federation drew 40,000+ attendees from across the retail realm who were eager to explore the hottest trends and tech — from AI to retail media and in-store optimization. During this week’s Retail Remix, host Alicia Esposito recaps the Big Show with Nicole Silberstein, Ecommerce Editor for Retail TouchPoints, and Phillip Jackson, Co-founder of Future Commerce, including how the event could be an indicator for future retail tech investments and the sectors that will see tractio...
Jan 22, 2024•40 min•Ep. 194
