The free flow of consumer data that has fed the digital advertising ecosystem has slowed, and will soon be a trickle. As the iOS 14.5 update began downloading into iPhones in late April, Apple, by switching its tracking default from opt-out to opt-in made advertisers dreaded worst-case scenario a reality. Now iPhone users, who are generally considered to be the more affluent consumer cohort, must actively grant permission for any app to track their activity across other companies' apps and websites. Absent this authorization, the operating …
Technology
High Tech Elevates Activewear
After a year that saw more than a few people sapped of their motivation, the warm weather of spring is inspiring many of us to get up and get active again. Inevitably, consumers will mark the occasion with some new workout wear. Of course, many school and work-from-home outfits featured activewear pieces, making it safe to say the athleticwear trend will remain strong for some time. Activewear Trending That's why those in the activewear market should take note of the latest trends and performance technologies that are offered in consumers' …
Why Outfits Matter
Nice outfit! Thanks, an algorithm styled it for me. Controversial? Maybe. If you ask a fashion editor (like I was for most of my career) it might all sound a bit suspect. Not to mention worrying. The same might be said for brand merchandisers and online content creators. They’d be forgiven for asking you and your outfit styling algorithms to politely step aside from their carefully crafted on-brand creations. How do you quantify creativity after all? And what about style? But that’s just it: when it comes to the power of AI and automated …
Virtual Fashion Is More Than Fun and Games
We have documented the evolution of the digital fashion movement here over the past year, and the early rumblings are becoming a roar. What may have been a fad is now an established a trend. Given the technological bent of the SXSW festival, it’s not surprising that virtual fashion is at the center of its fashion programming in 2021. If you consider SXSW the leading edge between the present and the near future, digital fashion is worth revisiting. Digital Fashion Is Now and Forever A series of SXSW talks presented by technologists, designers, …
What is It About Peloton?
The omnichannel fitness/lifestyle brand has exploded in the pandemic economy. Peloton was founded in 2012 by John Foley. The founder previously served a brief stint as the CEO of Barnes and Noble, preceded by a variety of dot com positions. Foley discussed his years-long battle with the venture capital community as he persistently pitched his concept. In a 2019 interview with NPR's Guy Raz Foley, he explained, "I would bet I pitched three times a day for four years…I probably pitched 3,000 people, and then the 400 institutions that all said …
Virtual Stores: Are They Here to Stay?
Full disclosure: I did not set foot in a store this season. In normal times, my in-store holiday shopping mood toggles between energized and irritated. Wandering through a crowded, slightly overheated store, dragging a coat with a bulky scarf-stuffed sleeve looking for inspiration is a trial, but there have been moments when retail kismet struck. During holiday 2019, I experienced such karma at Nordstrom’s New York flagship, achieving a satisfied shopper’s dopamine hit, and walking out with several gifts. A Nothing-Like-Normal Holiday 2020 In …
Warby and the Natives
Tons have been written about DTC native brands, the startups, viral unicorns still trying to make a buck, and those new brands who are making lots of bucks. Most of them were created by young tech geeks, business school grads and kids with a lot of common sense and empathy for what people want. Digital-native retail brands address the pain points that people do not want to experience to acquire their wants and desires. And most of these young entrepreneurs have a technology bandwidth that was growing exponentially in their brains when they were …
Four Startups Reinventing Retail
The Robin Report Innovators Network introduces you to startups with novel solutions that improve the performance and profitability of retail and brand operations. Our first four Innovators have engineered actionable systems to streamline retail in everything from contract management and fit to employee accountabilities and shared data platforms. With the thousands of startups that have a hope and a dream, our Innovators are providing relevant solutions throughout the industry. Why Start Up? With so many startups in the retail-tech arena, it's …