Dads are the GOATs of Sports
❤️ Missing this dreamboat today. Sports was our love language. This Father’s Day I’m remembering how our quality time was spent in […]
Tariffs Change Consumer Habits
Tariffs are reshaping how consumers shop — and it’s happening fast. In Part 1 in my new series, Tariffs in Retail, we […]
RCC STORE 25 Highlights – Day 1
The best part of retail? The people. Yesterday the Retail Council of Canada united Canada’s vibrant retail community at RCC STORE25. Even […]
How Tariffs are Changing Consumer Habits
Tariffs are shifting shopper habits. Welcome to this first post in the series Tariffs in Retail. In the coming weeks, we’ll examine […]
Retail Marketing Gets Super Social
Retail truly is a people business. So, it’s no wonder more retail stakeholders are prioritizing relationships – even amid 2025’s market uncertainty. […]
Fan Power = Retail Power
SPORTS x RETAIL = 🔥🔥🔥 Playoff energy is more than hype — it’s fueling global retail growth across categories like: 👚 Apparel […]
Sports Fuel Retail
🏀 Sports ignite retail growth. 🏒 As playoff season sparks passion among hockey and basketball fans, it’s the perfect time to examine […]
2025 Retail Revenue Drivers
It’s time to grow the top line. 📈 As tariffs and inflation erode margins, retailers and brands of all sizes are looking […]
Retail in 2025 – Porter’s 5 Forces Highlights Reel
Retail market factors are highly volatile in 2025. To go from chaos to clarity, let’s break it down using the Porter’s 5 […]
B2B Content With Sizzle
2025 has rattled retail and marketing teams. No matter what’s going on in the economy, 3 things are certain: 📣 You have […]
Retail in 2025: Porter’s 5 Forces
How is retail power shifting in 2025? The Porter’s 5 Forces model helps us clarify the effects of market volatility on global […]
How Covid-19 Changed the Global Face of Retail. 5 Years Later We Check In
5 years ago, retail changed. The Covid-19 pandemic: 📈 Catapulted e-commerce as a retail essential🚗 Made curbside service a differentiator🌟 Turned store […]
Q1 2025 Top Retail Trends Video
Q1 was WILD. Amid the upheaval in global retail and its effect on people, you’ll see pockets of growth and optimism. To […]
Q1 2025 Top Retail Trends
What happened in retail in Q1? (A lot!) What’s up: 🔺 Tariffs🔺 Supply chain shifts🔺 AI adoption🔺 Value-oriented retailers’ store counts What’s […]
Thank you Hudson’s Bay Company
354 years of retail. Here is a tribute to Hudson’s Bay Company and why this retail icon means so much. In addition, […]
2025 Retail Strategy Trends – Highlights Reel
2025 is … unusual. Retail and CPG leaders are scrambling to revise their 2025 business strategies amid shifting: 🌏 Political;💰 Economic; and🤖 […]
2025 Retail Strategy Trends
🎢 2025 is a rollercoaster for retail. For some, it’s thrilling; for others, it’s nauseating. See 5 retail strategy trends that affect […]
3 Ways AI Meets Consumer Needs
AI helps retailers get closer to consumers. Watch how retailers in: 👚 Apparel🛒 Mass merchandise🍎 Grocery … apply AI to align with […]
Starbucks’ Retro Strategy
Starbucks reconnects with customers and its brand essence. Watch how the coffee giant’s new Back to Starbucks policies reflect: 💚 Customer-centricity💚 Connection💚 […]
Retaliatory Tariffs Rattle Retail
You can’t spell retaliatory without retail. 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 What happens when a warm, mutually-beneficial trade relationship turns rocky? We’re already seeing hints […]
Retail Tech Trends Highlights
Quick highlights reel! 🎬 Watch which technologies are retail priorities driving investment this year. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/poBTR2-XVzM For the full list of 2025 retail […]
Which Super Bowl ads won?
📣 Several ads scored touchdowns during last night’s Super Bowl LIX. OVERALL TRENDSCompared to last year, we saw far more AI and […]
Tariffs Rattle Retail
Even in chaos, there is opportunity. New U.S. tariffs affecting: 🇨🇦 Canada🇲🇽 Mexico🇨🇳 China … have rattled consumers, companies and governments alike. […]
2025 Retail Tech Trends – Highlights Reel
Which innovations will power retail this year? Watch this short video to see which technologies are retail priorities driving investment. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uKaMqO68sQ0 For […]
2025 Retail Tech Trends
Ready for the blistering pace of retail innovation? This year’s top retail technologies include both apparent and emerging trends like: 🤖 AI, […]
2025 Retail PEST Analysis Highlights Video
🛍️ 2025 will be a lively year for retail! This 2025 Retail PEST Analysis highlights top trends shaking up global retail, which […]
Top Retail Expert 2025
🎉 Grateful to be named a Top Retail Expert again in 2025. ❤️ It has been an honor to learn from, collaborate […]
2025 Retail PEST Analysis
Buckle up: 2025 will be a wild ride. Factors keeping retail CEOs up at night include rapid change and uncertainty of what’s […]
Q4 2024 Top Retail Trends – VIDEO
Check out the top trends affecting global retail this quarter. 🎬 Watch this short clip to see what market factors are affecting: […]
Q4 2024 Top Retail Trends
What happened in retail in Q4? What’s up: 🔺 Holiday deals🔺 AI’s ubiquity🔺 Social shopping (& more) What’s down: 🔻 TikTok’s leverage […]
Retail & Tech Giants Align
Retail and tech leaders are entwined. While far from exhaustive, this high-level view of retail and tech giants shows how many of […]
AI Permeates Global Retail
Why is AI a global phenomenon? In this final installment of a 3-part series, we examine AI’s international appeal in retail. Scroll […]
AI Permeates Retail Processes
Does AI help retail CEOs sleep better at night? It just might, given how this innovation is so versatile, helping to boost […]
AI Permeates Retail Categories
Across categories, AI permeates retail. Welcome to this first installment of a 3-part series on how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the retail […]
B2B Marketing in 2025
📣🛍 Which marketing trends will shake up retail in 2025? We’ve already started to see: 📅 Retail events come roaring back📱 Digital […]
Q3 Top Retail Trends – VIDEO
Which retail trends stood out in Q3? 📺 Watch this video for a glimpse of patterns that dominated headlines over the summer. […]
Q3 2024 Top Retail Trends
What happened in retail in Q3? What’s up: 🔺 Investment in stores🔺 Retail media maturity🔺 AI’s ubiquity (& much more) What’s down: […]
5 Ways Marketing is Evolving & What It Means for Retail
Marketing has changed. What worked 5 years ago or even 2 years ago in some cases no longer performs well. Scroll through […]
Speak the Language of Retail Media
Is retail media jargon foreign to you, too? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and confused by all the unfamiliar terminology and acronyms. […]
Endemic vs. Non-Endemic Brands – VIDEO
🔥 What’s hot in retail media in 2024? An emerging trend in retail media the growth of non-endemic brands. Walmart recently made […]
On-Site vs. Off-Site Retail Media – VIDEO
Brands are following consumers along the shopper journey. They’re buying retail media ads to reach shoppers and influence their purchase decisions. 🎬 […]
Online vs. Offline Retail Media – VIDEO
📣🛍 Retail media helps brands follow consumers along their omnichannel journey. Yet many people think retail media strictly relates to digital ads. […]
Retail Media is on Fire! – VIDEO
Retail media is on fire! In this new video series, we’ll cover retail media basics then highlight leading players, top trends and […]
Mobile vs. Laptop Shopping
📱 Does mobile make us more impulsive? Compared to shopping on laptops, shopping on our smartphones can be a different experience. It […]
2024 Retail Tech Trends – VIDEO
Which tech trends are exploding in global retail? 🎬 Watch to see which innovations are fuelling growth, driving efficiencies and keeping up […]
Retail Ecosystems Integrate
Welcome to the third and final installment of the 2024 Retail Strategy Trends series. 🌟 We examine how retail ecosystems – industry […]
Media Becomes the Store
In part 2 of this 3-part series on 2024 Retail Strategy Trends, we examine how media is becoming the store. 🛍 To […]
Retail TECHonomics
Welcome to part 1 of the 3-part 2024 Retail Strategy Trends series. The first trend we’ll examine is retail TECHonomics. 💰 Years […]
AI in Retail – VIDEO
Why is AI everywhere in retail? 🎬 Watch this video to see which market factors (like margin pressures) have fuelled demand for […]
Thank you! Milestone video
🎉 Grateful to reach this milestone … ❤️ Thank you to my LinkedIn followers around the world, including clients, colleagues, industry peers, […]
Are Brands Ignoring the 50+ Crowd?
Are brands neglecting consumers aged 50+? 📈 According to Harvard University, just over 34% of the U.S. population is 50 or older […]
Private Label Power VIDEO
Private labels, private brands, store brands, owned brands … Whatever you call them, they’re soaring in popularity right now. 📈 In the […]
2024 Retail PEST Analysis Highlights
What’s really shaping retail strategy this year? 🎬 Watch this review of my 2024 Retail PEST Analysis from January to see which […]
What retail trends dominated Q2?
What happened in global retail in Q2? 📺 Watch this short video for a glimpse of retail patterns that stood out in […]
Q2 2024 Top Retail Trends
What happened in retail in Q2? What’s up: 🔺 Private label love🔺 AI spices up grocery🔺 The retail party is still in […]
Mid-Year Review – 2024 Retail PEST Analysis
What factors shape 2024 retail strategy the most? So far this year, certain market factors have had a greater impact on retail […]
Private Label Gains Power
Consumers’ appetite for private label keeps growing. Worldwide and across categories, more retailers are aligning their store brand strategies with consumer needs […]
Retail Media Insights Panel
“All the retail stakeholder groups win” with effective in-store retail media. [37:35] Grateful to participate in ADvendio’s Retail Media Insights Panel: Exploring […]
2024 Global Grocery Trends
What’s in store for grocery? Growth and agility. Notice how grocery retailers are investing in: 🍎 Boosting the top line with retail […]
Amazon SWOT Analysis 2024
Amazon keeps transforming global retail. 🛍 The global retail standards setter and e-commerce infrastructure builder also stays true to its customer obsession […]
Shopify SWOT Analysis 2024
Shopify empowers businesses to win in a digital economy. ❤️ Shopify loves entrepreneurs and has smashed barriers to entry so smaller sellers […]
Q1 2024 Top Retail Trends
What happened in retail in Q1? What’s up: 🔺 AI’s popularity🔺 Private label sales🔺 The intensity of competition in global e-commerce What’s […]
Kroger SWOT Analysis 2024
Kroger stays true to its roots in service and innovation. The Cincinnati superstar is the largest traditional supermarket company in the U.S. […]
Target SWOT Analysis 2024
What makes Target so popular? For starters: 🎯 People-first leadership🎯 Powerhouse private labels🎯 An elevated store experience As consumers’ needs and the […]
Walmart SWOT Analysis 2024
Walmart keeps winning. The most omnichannel retailer on the planet has made major moves in recent years and they are paying off […]
VIDEO: Media Evolves, Retail Wins
🛍 Retail + media keep evolving … All eyes have been on advertising since Sunday’s Super Bowl. It’s the perfect time to […]
Which Super Bowl ads won?
Super Bowl LVIII had viewers glued to their screens. The nail-biting game, overtime drama and outstanding creative ads gave us lots to […]
Game Time: Sports Energize Retail
Sports energize global retail. 🏈🛍 Ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl, let’s look at how sports are fuelling excitement among consumers, retailers, brands […]
2024 Retail Tech Trends
Retail doubles down on tech … A recent survey found retail executives expect technology investments to increase by an average of 10% […]
2024 Retail Strategy Trends
What’s driving retail strategy this year? It’s more than just AI and retail media. Major themes that weave through 2024 retail strategy […]
Thank You!
Grateful (and a bit woozy) to be named among RETHINK Retail’s Top Retail Experts for 2024. It’s an honor to be in […]
2024 Retail PEST Analysis
What will keep retail CEOs up at night in 2024? As we ring in the new year, let’s examine macro factors affecting […]
Top Retail Trends in Q4 2023
What’s happening in retail in Q4 2023? What’s up: 🔺 Black Friday sales results🔺 Returns process innovation🔺 Channel blurring, as DTC shops, […]
Retail’s Healthcare Expansion
Retailers expand into healthcare to earn a healthy bottom line. Last week, Amazon announced Prime members can access quality, convenient care through […]
Retail Revenue Drivers for 2024 Growth
Topline growth protects retail margins. In 2024, more retail companies will sell to both B2C and B2B markets to diversify their revenue […]
Cost-Effective Marketing Practices
Make your marketing more affordable. Recent marketing layoffs and budget cuts have forced marketing teams around the world to do more with […]
Happy Small Business Week!
How it all began … I always loved books (and dressing like a hoochie, apparently), so I feel grateful to celebrate 10 […]
Retail’s B2B Growth Drivers
While consumer spending slows, B2B spending grows. Rising inflation forced retail CFOs to get creative and find new revenue drivers and efficiencies […]
Amazon’s Just Walk Out Tech Takes Off
More physical stores are going frictionless. Amazon’s Just Walk Out tech has expanded beyond Amazon Go, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods to […]
Top Retail Trends in Q3 2023
These 5 trends shaped global retail over the summer. Big themes among them include: ⭐ COMPETITIVENESS: Companies invest in strengthening their competitive […]
Retail Media – Looking Ahead
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 30: Retail Media – Looking Ahead Where is retail media headed? These 12 trends provide a hint of how […]
Who Has Retail Media Power?
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 29: Who Has Retail Media Power? Retail media is magnetic … Around the world, the retail media space continues […]
Retail Media PEST Analysis
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 28: Retail Media PEST Analysis What’s shaping retail media strategy? These external forces affect retail media stakeholders (retailers, brands, […]
Retail Media Partnership Trends
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 27: Retail Media Partnership Trends Partnerships help retailers go deeper into media … These retail media partnerships help retailers […]
Retail Media Key Success Factors
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 26: Retail Media Key Success Factors What’s the foundation for retail media success? Key success factors include: 👁 Industry […]
Retail Media Risks
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 25: Retail Media Risks What threatens retail media success? 🚩 Resistance to change🚩 Silos within and across organizations🚩 Non-standardized […]
CTV Shakes Up Retail Media
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 24: CTV Shakes Up Retail Media Retail media plays a starring role in TV’s evolution. Retail media connected TV […]
Why Grocery is a Retail Media Magnet
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 23: Why Grocery is a Retail Media Magnet Why are brands gobbling up advertising in grocery? Factors like: 🍎 […]
Stores Evolve With Retail Media
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 22: Stores Evolve With Retail Media Retail media is moving into stores. Here’s why. ❤️ We still love brick-and-mortar. […]
Retail Media Metrics
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 21: Retail Media Metrics Metrics help brand advertisers measure retail media effectiveness. Key performance indicators (KPIs) span the full […]
Retail Media is All About the Data
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 20: Retail Media is All About the Data It pays to know the customer. Brands use a retailer’s first-party […]
Retail Media Goes Full Funnel
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 19: Retail Media Goes Full Funnel Consumers’ omnichannel habits are disrupting marketing. The path to purchase is no longer […]
Ad Buying & Selling Evolve With Retail Media
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 18: Ad Buying & Selling Evolve With Retail Media Retailers are now media companies. More brands and agencies buy […]
Retail Media Inspires Retailer-Brand Collaboration
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 17: Retail Media Inspires Retailer-Brand Collaboration The retailer-brand relationship keeps evolving from combative to collaborative. Companies are rethinking how […]
Retail Media Sparks Restructuring
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 16: Retail Media Sparks Restructuring Global retail rethinks its marketing and tech infrastructure. 92% of brand advertisers and 74% […]
Retail Media Reveals Marketing Silos
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 15: Retail Media Reveals Marketing Silos Retail media’s explosive growth prompts marketers to examine the status quo. PAIN POINTS […]
Retail Media Fuels Global Growth
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 14: Retail Media Fuels Global Growth The global digital retail media advertising market hit $111 billion US in 2022, […]
Retail Media Leaders – Tech providers
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 13: Retail Media Leaders – Tech providers These tech leaders are connecting the retail media ecosystem. They have made […]
Retail Media Leaders – Brands
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 12: Retail Media Leaders – Brands Who’s showing leadership among retail media advertisers? 🍏 Food & beverage💋 Health & […]
Retail Media Leaders – Retailers
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 11: Retail Media Leaders – Retailers Who’s showing leadership in retail media? These global retailers. 3 key takeaways: 🛍 […]
Consumers’ Retail Media Needs
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 10: Consumers’ Retail Media Needs Consumers are the heart of retail media. Savvy, empowered and increasingly mobile, consumers can […]
Tech Providers’ Retail Media Needs
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 9: Tech Providers’ Retail Media Needs Tech providers are the digital backbone of retail media. A wide range of […]
Brands’ Retail Media Needs
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 8: Brands’ Retail Media Needs Better reach, better results … Brands advertise across retail media to reach targeted consumers […]
Retailers’ Retail Media Needs
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 7: Retailers’ Retail Media Needs Why does it seem like every retailer is getting into retail media? Consider these […]
Retail Media Stakeholders
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 6: Retail Media Stakeholders It takes a retail media ecosystem … B2C and B2B stakeholder groups that collaborate to […]
Retail Media Glossary
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 5: Retail Media Glossary Are you fluent in retail media? I certainly wasn’t when I started studying this space […]
Endemic vs. Non-Endemic Brands in Retail Media
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 4: Endemic vs. Non-Endemic Brands in Retail Media Brands are positioning themselves along our shopping journey. Retail media advertising […]
On-Site vs. Off-Site Retail Media
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 3: On-Site vs. Off-Site Retail Media Brands have a growing number of choices in where they advertise to reach […]
Online vs. Offline Retail Media
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 2: Online vs. Offline Retail Media Retail media is omnichannel, as this snackable post shows. While many people think […]
Retail Media is on Fire
#30DaysofRetailMedia | Day 1: Retail Media is on Fire 🔥 Welcome to this new series dedicated to examining retail media’s profound influence […]
Top Retail Trends in Q2 2023
What shaped 2023 retail strategy in Q2? Over the past 3 months, these trends have dominated global headlines. Big themes among them […]
Retail Power in June 2023 – Porter’s 5 Forces
Who has retail power right now? This mid-year review of Porter’s 5 Forces shows retail stakeholders have retained their respective levels of […]
2023 Retail PEST Analysis Mid-Year Review
What’s influencing retail strategy? Over the past 6 months, certain market factors have had an outsized effect on retail strategy, as noted […]
Look How Far Amazon Has Come
Look How Far Amazon Has Come! From overcoming pandemic out-of-stocks to smashing Prime Day records and emerging as the biggest advertiser in […]
Look How Far Target Has Come
Look how far Target has come! Since the pandemic started, Target has invested in delighting customers with: 🎯 Shop-in-shop excitement🎯 E-commerce efficiency🎯 […]
Look How Far Walmart Has Come
Look how far Walmart has come! Since 2020, Walmart has shown strategic agility by adapting to consumers’ needs, competitors’ moves and market […]
2023 Retail Risks
What risks do retail CEOs navigate? Overall, these 7 risks show how: ⚠️ AGILITY is required to keep up with these powerful […]
Retail Theft on the Rise
Retail theft keeps rising. To protect employees, customers and property, more retailers are taking action to mitigate this costly industry risk. Shoplifting […]
Latin America E-Commerce Explodes
Latin America’s e-commerce market is muy caliente. In this final post in a series on global e-commerce, we look at how e-commerce […]
South Africa E-Commerce Matures
Mature e-commerce markets (US, UK and China) often grab attention. This second post in a global e-commerce series flips the map upside […]
Ireland E-Commerce Soars
E-commerce is booming on the Emerald Isle This first post in a series on global e-commerce markets looks at the rise in […]
Private Label’s Global Growth
Private labels keep growing more powerful. Sales of private label products are rising around the world, as consumers seek options for: ⭐ […]
Top Retail Trends – Q1 2023
What’s shaping 2023 retail strategy? So far this year, these 7 trends have dominated global headlines. Overarching themes include: ⭐ TECH: Retail […]
2023 Global Grocery Trends
Grocery shopping gets with the times. This year’s hottest grocery trends include: 🍎 Retail media networks🍊 Private labels🍌 Automation These trends directly reflect […]
Meaty vs Snackable B2B Content
How hungry is your audience? Whether you create B2B content in-house, with ChatGPT or it’s done for you, match your content format […]
In-Store Tech Trends
What’s in store? Lots of tech. Stores keep getting smarter, as retailers around the world invest in in-store technology to improve: – […]
Retail’s B2B Boom
Retail leaders are wooing B2B buyers. As consumer spending slows, retail leaders are catering to retailers’ and brands’ needs to fuel growth […]
Social Shopping Evolution
E-commerce is getting more social. More retailers and brands align their online marketing with consumers’ habits to reach them where they already […]
AI-Driven Cost Reduction
CFOs must love AI. Following last week’s post, AI in Retail, this visual shows how AI can cut costs across business functions. […]
AI in Retail
AI is revolutionizing retail. The global market for AI in retail is expected to reach $24 billion by 2028, rising by a […]
5 Steps to Make Your B2B Content More Strategic
Capitalize on the B2B boom (especially in retail tech). Use these best practices to align your B2B content with your overall business […]
B2B Content With Sizzle
B2B is booming, especially in retail tech. Use these best practices as a checklist to connect with B2B buyers with content that […]
Retail Media’s Global Appeal
Why did retail media networks top several 2023 trend lists? As consumer spending slows, more retailers now focus on selling advertising to […]
2023 Retail Tech Trends
Retail tech is on fire. Themes among this year’s top retail tech trends include: PROTECTING PROFITS: Retailers and brands adopt innovations to […]
Retail Power in 2023 – Porter’s 5 Forces
Retail power dynamics keep shifting … Over the past year: Inflation eroded companies’ and consumers’ purchasing power Employees swung from The Great […]
2023 Retail Strategy Trends
Retailers blaze a trail beyond traditional retail … This year, more retailers will fuel growth as they: Target B2B buyers with services […]
2023 Retail PEST Analysis
Which factors will influence retail strategy this year? POLITICAL: New global alliances and risks ECONOMIC: Slowdowns squeeze businesses and consumers SOCIAL: Anger […]
2022 Retail Growth Trends
Retail’s bright spots … Amid reports of soft demand and retail layoffs, several areas show promise, including retail media and private labels. Notice […]
TikTok’s Meteoric Growth
In this second post in the series on retail’s marketing evolution, we examine TikTok’s meteoric rise in popularity. Within 5 years of […]
Retail Media Networks
Retail media boom time … Although consumer spending has declined, retail media networks have emerged as a powerful B2B revenue driver. RETAILERS […]
How Retail Businesses Adapt to Inflation
Retail companies react to inflation … In this series on inflation, we’ve already seen how rising prices change consumer behavior. Now we […]
Inflation’s Big Impact
Inflation is shaping shopping. These recent statistics (and those below) show inflation’s: PERVASIVENESS, affecting most consumersPRESSURE on personal finance decisionsINFLUENCE on consumer […]
Inflation Changes Consumer Habits
Inflation is everywhere. As the cost of living rises around the world, purchasing power declines and our money no longer stretches as […]
E-Commerce Catapults Forward
E-commerce keeps evolving. Last week we looked at how we’re still smitten by stores. Now let’s examine the effects of changing consumption […]
We Still Love Stores
We adore what’s in store. Even as e-commerce booms, we’re still smitten by stores. Brick-and-mortar’s timeless benefits include: ❤️ Engaging our senses❤️ […]
Physical Stores vs. E-Commerce
Skip the store (or get out & shop)? As our omnichannel habits evolve, are you more likely to: ⭐️ Escape your pandemic […]
2022 Retail Strategy Trends Mid-Year Check-In
What’s driving 2022 retail business strategies? This final post in our mid-year check-in series reviews evidence of 2022 retail strategy trends. REAL […]
Retail 2022 – Porter’s 5 Forces Mid-Year Check-In
How has retail power shifted? This mid-year check-in shows some notable movements in recent months. BUYER POWER Consumers: Medium-High (vs. High in […]
2022 Retail PEST Analysis Mid-Year Check-In
A lot has changed in 6 months … This mid-year check-in on January’s 2022 Retail PEST Analysis reveals new market pressures and […]
Rising Retail Costs
Retail costs keep climbing. After examining Profitability Pressures and Retail Revenue Drivers, it’s time to look at retail costs. As expenses mount, retailers and […]
Retail Revenue Drivers
It’s time to grow the top line. As profitability pressures and retail costs mount, retailers and brands are getting creative at how […]
Profitability Pressures
What’s squeezing retail profits? Several market factors keep retail CEOs and CFOs up at night, including: 🔹 Inflationary pressure🔹 Reduced consumption🔹 Supply […]
Living Large: 2022 Luxury Trends
Bank on swank … Even as inflation soars, luxury shoppers still pamper themselves by investing in upscale brands. More notable trends: 🛍 […]
2022 Retail Risks
Retail gets riskier … Across retail categories, CEOs face complex market factors that affect their 2022 strategies. Consumers are also affected by […]
RoboLabor
Robots are transforming into retail associates. Rising demand for robotics is due to: ⭐️ Global e-commerce growth⭐️ Retail’s ongoing labor shortage⭐️ Consumers’ […]
Retail Partnership Patterns
Partnerships strengthen retail power. These patterns emerged across the recent Pandemic Partnerships series, which examined retail and tech giants Walmart, Instacart, Shopify, […]
Retail 2022 – Porter’s 5 Forces
Who has retail power? Market volatility continues to shift power across global retail players. Key success factors in 2022 include: ⭐️ Agility⭐️ […]
2022 Retail Strategy Trends
What’s fuelling retail strategy? Overall, companies are investing in a superior customer experience in 2022 through: RISK MITIGATION: Building local and global […]
Amazon’s Pandemic Partnerships
Titans of industry are teaming up. From cashierless coffee shops to sustainability stewardship, Amazon’s recent collaborations contribute to meaningful change in global […]
Target’s Pandemic Partnerships
Target partners with retail powerhouses. From retail giants to up-and-coming brands, these partnerships have inspired: 🎯 SHOP-IN-SHOP formats to reimagine the department […]
2022 Retail Tech Trends
Tech moves retail forward. This year, innovations will make retail: ⭐ FRICTIONLESS: Smooth processes let shoppers skip the checkout line ⭐ FAST: […]
2022 Retail PEST Analysis
What factors will influence retail strategy this year? Overarching themes in this year’s PEST analysis include: Global systemic restructuring: Supply chains, infrastructure […]
Shopify’s Pandemic Partnerships
Partnering up as e-commerce evolves … Canadian e-commerce giant Shopify has boomed during the pandemic as it: 🛍 Connects sellers of all […]
Value is in Vogue
Frugal is fashionable. 🔸 60% of U.S. Millennials live paycheck to paycheck🔸 49% of Americans across all cohorts live paycheck to paycheck🔸 […]
Instacart’s Pandemic Partnerships
Instacart is delivering the goods. Its pandemic partnerships reveal how the delivery star is taking on rivals like Uber and DoorDash by […]
Walmart’s Pandemic Partnerships
Walmart’s been busy hooking up. Collaborations keep strengthening the retail giant’s competitive position during the pandemic. As retail gets more digital and […]
REWIND – 2021 Retail Trends
What a year for retail tech! See how retail leaders have innovated this year. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES Walmart launched a driverless truck pilot […]
Target SWOT Analysis
Target is doing so many things right. Differentiating factors include: ⭐️ Happy, loyal associates⭐️ Powerful partnerships & private labels⭐️ A focus on […]
Ultra-Fast Food
10-minute grocery delivery? The market for instant home delivery is booming in Europe and North America as e-grocery matures: 🍎 54% growth […]
Walmart’s Partnerships Boost Retail Power
Walmart wants to win. Bold partnerships improve its competitiveness by accessing partners’ competencies, helping Walmart align with urgent market trends. Investing in tech […]
2021 Retail Risks
Retail’s getting riskier. Here are 5 risks that retailers, brands and their supply chain partners are trying to mitigate to ensure business […]
Jeff Bezos’ Retail Legacy
Jeff Bezos changed retail forever. By catering to us like royalty with tech-driven convenience and efficiency, Amazon’s founder: ⭐️ Raised industry standards⭐️ […]
Revisiting 2021 Retail Strategy Trends
It’s been a busy year in retail. Let’s see how these 2021 strategy trend predictions from December have come true so far. […]
Revisiting 2021 Retail Tech Trends
It’s retail tech’s time. A 39% YoY rise in U.S. e-commerce sales in Q1 ($196 billion vs. $141 billion) shows how much […]
Revisiting Retail’s Revolution
What keeps retail CEOs up at night … Let’s revisit this 2021 Retail PEST Analysis from January 2021 to capture today’s market […]
1 Year Later – How Covid-19 Changed Global Retail
Retail looks different. Today marks one year since this piece initially went live, so let’s see which changes have stuck. LASTING CHANGES: […]
E-Commerce as Entertainment
E-commerce and entertainment keep converging. Today Amazon announced it’s buying MGM Studios, as the line between merchandise and media consumption continues to blur. […]
Livestreaming Enlivens Retail
Retail goes live to air. Livestreaming helps retailers and brands: – Interact with consumers in real time– Target relevant audiences– Fuel e-commerce […]
Fitness Invigorates Retail
Health drives global retail growth. The $1.5 trillion global wellness market boasts an annual growth rate of 5-10%. Consumers want to look […]
Sustainable Advantage
This Mother’s Day, retail celebrates Mother Earth. 73% of global consumers say they would change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental […]
E-Commerce Fuels Stores’ Evolution
What’s in store? E-commerce’s influence. Online shopping growth has forced retailers to transform their brick-and-mortar stores into omnichannel assets. As e-commerce catapults […]
Virtual Try-Ons: Try Before You Buy
Seeing is believing – and buying. To earn consumer trust and e-commerce sales, Retailers; Brands; and Tech companies … are investing in […]
Private Label Power
The pandemic has made private labels extra popular. In 2020, the CPG industry grew >10% and private labels accounted for 18% of that […]
Ravenous for E-Grocery
We crave convenience. Consumers’ migration to e-commerce has made grocery the most exciting (& strategically significant) retail category, as: – Consumers desire […]
Delivering the Goods
The mall has arrived on our doorsteps. As e-commerce matures, we’ve seen remarkable growth in delivery services now that online shoppers expect […]
Porter’s 5 Forces: Retail 2021
Who has retail power? Porter’s 5 Forces model helps to explain market influences as retail undergoes tremendous upheaval. To manage fierce competition, […]
Home Sweet Home
There’s no place like home. A full year of working, learning and exercising at home has inspired us to reimagine our domestic […]
COVID-19’s Retail Legacy
What. A. Year. Let’s look at COVID-19’s profound influence on global retail over the past 12 months, including 5 mega-trends. OVERALL THEMES: […]
Ladies Who Launch
Women make their mark in business. In time for International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate women-owned businesses — and their growing influence. Notable […]
2021 Retail Acquisitions
Retail companies go shopping … It’s barely March yet we’ve already seen intriguing retail acquisitions this year, as: – Amazon knows what […]
China’s Retail Innovation
For a glimpse of retail’s future, let’s look at China. Since Friday kicked off the Lunar New Year, it’s the perfect time […]
Super Bowl LV Marketing
It’s the biggest night in television. As consumers remain homebound, this Super Bowl Sunday will be a super-sized marketing moment. That’s because […]
How Retail Giants Compete
Rivals reveal where retail is heading. This final post in a series highlights how Amazon and Walmart lead with their strengths to […]
Walmart 2021 Strategy Diamond
Frugal is fashionable — and Walmart’s making moves to stay ahead. As value shopping and value-tier rivalry soar, this framework shows how […]
Amazon 2021 Strategy Diamond
How Amazon keeps winning … As this framework (Hambrick & Frederickson’s Strategy Diamond) reveals, the e-commerce giant sets industry standards, dazzles consumers […]
2021 Retail PEST Analysis
What keeps CEOs up at night … Retail companies’ C-suite teams juggle staggering complexity and ambiguity as they navigate market factors like: […]
Why Tech is Winning
Revenge of the nerds? The 43% surge in the tech-heavy NASDAQ index in 2020 proves it pays to be digitally-savvy. That’s because, […]
2021 Retail Tech Trends
In 2021, e-commerce will catapult forward. The pandemic sparked a mass migration to digital to satisfy our basic needs, from food to […]
2020 Bestsellers
Which products sold well in 2020? Pants? No way. High heels? So silly. Baby Yoda tree toppers? Now you’re talkin’! According to […]
2021 Retail Strategy Trends
What does 2021 have in store? Reinvigorating retail and getting closer to consumers are macro strategic trends we’ll see in the new […]
2020 Retail Partnerships
Look who’s hooking up … These 2020 retail partnerships reveal where retail is heading, retailers’ strategic priorities and which core competencies matter […]
Social Commerce is the Future of Retail
Last week’s announcement of the new partnership between TikTok and Shopify dazzled global retail markets. This partnership unites social media, video and […]
Walmart SWOT Analysis (Q4)
Walmart wants to win. This high-level SWOT analysis shows how Walmart has faced certain weaknesses to strengthen its competitive position during this […]
Amazon SWOT Analysis (Q4)
Profitable pivots: 2020’s COVID-19 curveball rattled even the biggest retail leaders. In this SWOT analysis check-in, we see how Amazon has responded […]
Why Small is BIG in 2020
Big retailers think small. As the 2020 holiday sales season kicks off, leading retailers seek nimble small businesses to give consumers what […]
7 Ways to Boost Brand Trust
At its core, brand trust is all about communication. Companies can gain a competitive advantage by embracing opportunities to share with honesty, […]
Global E-Commerce Boom
The future of retail is online. This year’s global pandemic has made e-commerce a retail necessity to connect companies and consumers. More […]
Why Private Label’s Hot
Private label is on fire. McKinsey found 34% of consumers spent more on private label products during the pandemic, with 44% citing […]
Amazon Gets Intimate
Oh baby: Amazon is getting intimate with us. It could be the lockdown loneliness kicking in but I’m convinced that Amazon is […]
2020 Retail Trends
According to Stats Canada, Canadians caused a 99% surge in online purchases between February and May, As e-commerce booms, here are some […]
Amazon’s Path to Post-Pandemic Prosperity
This infographic’s alternative title could easily be Why Jeff Bezos Will be a Trillionaire Soon. Last week, Amazon went on a shopping […]
Pandemic Bestsellers
Shopping habits shift: As we all know, panic in March led to out-of-stocks for items like flour, yeast and toilet paper as […]
E-Commerce Gets Spicy!
Today’s announcement of Walmart’s strategic partnership with e-commerce superstar Shopify is shaking up online shopping. Yet Shopify also recently made headlines for […]
E-Grocery Success Factors
Consumers crave convenience: 2020 is boom time for grocery retailers with robust e-commerce infrastructures. That’s because COVID-19 has shaped how we shop: […]
2020 Retail PEST Analysis
What keeps CEOs up at night: Coronavirus impact, global recession, and mass protests and movements for starters. As this PEST analysis shows, […]
How COVID-19 Changed the Face of Global Retail
COVID-19 has changed the face of retail. This year’s pandemic has affected retail companies across channels and around the world. This infographic […]
2020 Retail Rumble
Forget crowdless UFC matches – 2020’s biggest rumble is taking place between retail giants Amazon and Walmart. Their arena is today’s unrelenting […]
Is Walmart winning?
2020 SWOT analysis: Is Walmart winning? The world’s biggest retailer has shown surprising agility to serve consumers during the coronavirus crisis. The […]
Is Amazon Pandemic-Proof?
Most retail companies are burning their 2020 business strategies. The coronavirus crisis has: – Left many independent retailers and brands insolvent– Prompted […]
The New Skill Set
What Businesses Want (in a Pandemic)… Today’s devastating news that the U.S. jobless rate hit its highest level since the Great Depression […]
Pandemic Power Play
By investing $4 billion of operating profit into its COVID-19 plan, Amazon is setting itself up for spectacular success that will last […]
Pandemic-Driven Pivots
Creativity conquers chaos: This year, agile companies have shown profound resilience by reinventing themselves in response to the coronavirus pandemic. From beer […]
5 Steps to Make Your Communications Strategic
The coronavirus crisis has forced companies to adapt to new global market realities. Now marketing, communications and sales teams have an urgent […]
9 Tech Trends Taking Off Due to Coronavirus
Digital Renaissance: We’re in the midst of a massive, global shift toward the digital realm. Over the past two months, the coronavirus […]
Amazon is Perfectly Positioned for a Pandemic
It’s Amazon’s time: The coronavirus crisis is Amazon’s opportunity. The e-commerce giant is brilliantly positioned for this moment. Key trends driving Amazon’s […]
Coronavirus Fuels Hiring in These 6 Sectors
Recession-proof sectors: Although we’re all affected by profound changes due to the global coronavirus pandemic, certain industries are booming right now. Among […]
Save Time on Your Marketing in 2020
Delight your CEO (and make your competitors cry) by maximizing your marketing productivity in 2020. Create consumable content your audience craves by […]
Whole-Brain Content
The most effective content for sales balances left-brain logic (cold, objective facts) with right-brain emotion (warm, subjective feelings). Does your marketing appeal […]
B2B Marketing for Lead Generation
Content marketing trends to include in your 2019 and 2020 marketing strategies to sell to B2B buyers.
Strategic Content
Before you start drafting the content your next marketing campaign, make sure your message resonates and gets results. This handy resource for […]
Meaty vs. Snackable Content
Create content your audience craves. Meaty content drives thought leadership; snackable content drives lead generation. How hungry is your audience for your […]
How to Create Irresistible B2B Content
Even the dullest B2B topics can transform into riveting content your audience will actually want to read and share. These 3 proven […]
In-Demand Content
What your audience wants: Add these popular types of content to your 2019 content marketing strategy.
Know Your Audience
Know your audience: That’s the powerful marketing lesson from Irish rock band U2’s current Joshua Tree tour. Consider the contrast … 2014: […]
Proof the Freelance Revolution is Unstoppable
October is Small Business Month, so it’s the perfect time to acknowledge and celebrate a thriving entrepreneurial trend: the rise of the […]
Why E-Commerce Giants are Getting Physical
In May, e-commerce powerhouse Amazon announced it will open more physical stores, following the lead of online cosmetics brand Birchbox and online […]
5 Ways AI Helps Retailers Delight Customers
📈🛍️ AI use soars in retail. See why retailers and brands are turning to AI to accommodate different: 🍎👖 Retail categories💰🕰️ Consumer […]