September 17, 2021 Six Major Challenges Facing Retailers to Survive Holiday
You think Covid was bad? Welcome to Delta. The pandemic continues to plague retailers and brands as the Delta variant plays havoc with the most profitable time of the year for most retailers… holiday. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they look back and face forward discussing how Covid and now Delta have redefined the industry. Learn about the six challenges facing Holiday 2021, including supply chain and shifting consumer behavior to the impact of long-term remote working, labor shortages and the price increase dilemma that are keeping the C-suite up at night.
September 10, 2021 Apple and Google are putting a crimp into digital marketing. Google says no more cookies and Apple has opt-out options on its new operating system. Consumers want personalization, and they also want privacy. They can have it both ways with first-party data. The challenge is how retailers use this data and create broader strategies for awareness and acquisition. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they deconstruct how to deliver personalization and privacy to demanding, savvy consumers.
September 3, 2021 It’s no longer women’s lingerie on four and shoes on two. Stores are diversifying into platforms, partnerships and services that meet customers’ evolving demands. And shared analytics and AI tools across retailers and brands are helping to create a synergistic and holistic view of the customer… at last! Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they explore how tech has enabled retailers to offer a comprehensive ecosystem that pays off as a win/win for retailers, brands and consumers.
August 27, 2021 It’s anybody’s guess how this will play out through the holiday season, the disruptions just keep coming in waves. Producer and import price indices are rising—but consumer price inflation (CPI) is tending to outpace them. Strong demand and constrained supply mean more out-of-stocks, and U.S. shoppers are becoming fatigued with stockouts on store shelves. And we are still staying at home, retreating from public places, such as shops, malls, restaurants and travel destinations. Listen in as Robin Lewis, Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist and special guest Deborah Weinswig, CEO of Coresight, dig into the data and diagnose what’s in store for retail.
Timestamps
5:30 Deborah Weinswig’s bold prediction
7:07 On-demand manufacturing on the rise
11:04 Limited time, limited quantity, limited offer builds loyalty and margins
14:25 Consumers retreating from public spaces and its impact on holiday
18:23 The context of IOS (inflation, Out-of-Stocks, and Consumers Staying at Home)
23:30 What gas prices can tell us about consumer mindset
August 20, 2021 If you want to lead the field, make innovation a business model and race ahead of the competition. Championed by iconic athletes. Nike serves its customers holistically, and it just keeps getting stronger. Listen in as Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist reveal how Nike continuously reinvents itself as a leader in experience, design, customer service, personalization, localization, inclusion, and lots of fresh new ideas including Nike Rise, Nike Live and the House of Innovation.
August 13. 2021 Service in retail has been on a downward spiral well before the pandemic. Covid-19 capped off a shortage in workers with retail leading all industries in the Great Resignation. Fewer workers put more stress on those left behind and demanding consumers are stressing out sales associates that are already struggling with inventory shortages and unprecedented returns. Tune in to Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they discuss the future of retail frontline workers and the decline and fall of customer service.
Time Stamps:
3:00 The five factors impacting service
3:50 Why the shortage of workers
6:30 An overworked workforce
8:10 Less stock in stores
10:50 Major supply chain issues
12:45 The impact of Gen Z’s view on service
August 6, 2021 It takes being a professional virus hunter to know what to do at this juncture in our global pandemic. Who makes the right call? The CDC? FDA? WHO? Your boss? Retail is approaching near chaos in decoding how to manage the policies and protocols that change daily with no clear direction from Federal, state or local authorities. And what’s worse, the health and security of innocent people has been politicized. Listen in to Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they sort through how major industry players are thinking about how to balance public safety, labor considerations and long-term profits in the face of an ongoing health crisis.
Time Stamps
5:10 – A chaotic tangle for retailers
10:00 – CEO’s balancing act—public safety, labor considerations, profits
14:10 – Supply and demand’s disequilibrium continues to play havoc
19:40 – No clear direction
22:00 – The only weapon against the invisible invader
July 30.2021 Tech innovations reveal insights about your customers that you may not see in plain sight. In-person analytics should be as common for each retailer as online analytics are for their websites. How do retailers measure and leverage the shifts in consumer behavior as cities and businesses reopen? Join special guests George Shaw, CEO of Pathr, Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they explore how algorithm-based spatial intelligence provides meaningful insights to help understand live customer interactions in real time, increase sales, decrease losses and manage your workforce. To watch the Vodcast of this presentation, go here >>
For more information on Pathr and their Real-time Spatial Intelligence visit them here >>
July 23, 2021 Clothing prices are edging up and quality is edging down. Pragmatic consumers are headed toward rental, reuse and borrowing from friends for a small fee. Rent the Runway is preparing for an IPO. Collaborative consumption is on the rise. Listen in as Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist weigh in on how the sharing economy is reshaping retail and how the consumer is claiming power in shifting the supply chain.
July 16, 2021 Mike Gould, former CEO of Bloomingdale’s, speaks out! Has retail lost its way? We talk about purpose-driven business models, but have we lost sight of the real purpose of-business? Mike has a lot to say about the state of retail, it’s culture and how it has been derailed by a bottom-line mentality. He ought to know: Mike has the strategic brilliance of Peter Drucker melded with pragmatic operational leadership. He joins Robin Lewis, and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, to talk about the industry and how it can improve. Listen in for a lively, wide-ranging conversation.
July 9, 2021 You know the drill: Designed in America, made and/or assembled somewhere else. U.S. consumers are so price sensitive that even patriotic Made in America movements have historically failed. The renaissance of Made in America could become a reality if technology can help keep the prices down. Listen in to Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they debate the future of offshore, nearshore and onshore American manufacturing.
7/2/21 Everyone is talking about Agile Stores, but is it all hype? What’s the benefit of agility and how can you implement agile strategies to ensure high-performance? Data can be a powerful tool or irrelevant if it’s not translated into action and connected to results. Join Phil Thorne, Managing Director of Quorso, with Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they dig into how to implement the right tech systems to turn rich data into focused efforts, measurable impact and scalable success. Listen and learn how to think and act smart so that you too can adapt rapidly to the volatile retail landscape.
TIMESTAMPS
3:40 Quorso surfaces unique actions that individual stores can execute
5:09 Retailers and brands are literally choking on data
10:34 Business strategy in context
13:30 Integration and scalability are key
16:30 The agile store
June 25, 2021 Digital marketplaces, even with competing sellers on the same platform, are the future of retail. Word of caution: An overabundance of brands offered through one platform is devaluing the customer experience, plus the near-infinite level of choice stacked up in endless online aisles with too much of the same thing competing for attention is ultimately not going to win customer loyalty. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they dig deeply into the current state of marketplaces. Ultimately, online marketplaces will only work if the vendors and products being offered align with the target customer. Random partners across categories that are not in sync with the brand and its customers are doomed to fail.
June 18, 2021 The future of retail requires an ecosystem overhaul. Today, CEOs are faced by the rigorous challenge of retaining customers who are elastic – meaning fluid in their ever-changing expectations and behaviors. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, with guest Dan Binder, Partner at Columbus Consulting as they debate four foundational issues reshaping retail: investment in new inventory systems, automation of smart supply chains, enhanced data, analytics and marketing skills, and streamlined technological efficiencies. Listen in to find out how to ramp up your retail game to stay profitable and relevant to customers who demand meaningful engagement.
June 11, 2021 D2C is the new darling of retail consultants. But it’s tricky and risky for traditional retailers with multiple vendors to play in this popular sandbox. It takes time, resources, and money to build out a sustainable D2C model. Key point: D2C is no panacea for struggling retailers. Listen in to Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they delve into the opportunities and complexities of going direct.
TIMESTAMPS:
1:17 Clarifying DTC, D2C and the shifting direction.
19:21 Retailers need technology investments to support a direct-to-consumer or dropship model.
21:20 Inventory visibility, vendor collaborated supply chains and systems integration are critical.
25:45 Retailers that want to play in the D2C market really have three choices.
June 4, 2021 All dressed up and nowhere to go? That sentiment will become a dim memory of the past pandemic. When it’s safe people want to #1 see family and friends, #2 go on vacation #3 go out to dinners/bars. These are great indicators for the apparel segment. Join Robin Lewis, Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist and special guest Kim Kitchings, Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing for Cotton Inc. as they delve into recent consumer research that reveals good news for the retail sector. For additional information, visit Cotton Inc. and check out this Covid-19 Consumer Concerns at-a-glance.