Category: Retail
Jeff Bezos’ Retail Legacy
July 4, 2021
Jeff Bezos changed retail forever. By catering to us like royalty with tech-driven convenience and efficiency, Amazon’s founder: ⭐️ Raised industry standards⭐️ Elevated consumer expectations⭐️ Influenced global retail’s digital backbone (Plus, Amazon helped me snag a John McEnroe t-shirt & matching infant onesie as gifts; I won Christmas 2010!) Even as Bezos exits the CEO […]
Revisiting 2021 Retail Strategy Trends
June 21, 2021
It’s been a busy year in retail. Let’s see how these 2021 strategy trend predictions from December have come true so far. COLLABORATIONSadidas + PelotonFamily Dollar + InstacartGap + WalmartGoogle + ShopifyTarget + AppleWhole Foods + The Weather Channel EXPANSIONBanking services: Amazon, IKEA, WalmartDigital ads: Amazon, Facebook, Family Dollar, Google, Macy’s, WalmartDTC brands: Andie, Harry’s, […]
Revisiting 2021 Retail Tech Trends
June 14, 2021
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 online shopping has matured during the pandemic [Digital Commerce 360]. Now retail tech companies are transforming the global e-commerce infrastructure to connect companies and consumers, as they grow in digital sophistication. Recent developments: […]
Revisiting Retail’s Revolution
June 7, 2021
What keeps retail CEOs up at night … Let’s revisit this 2021 Retail PEST Analysis from January 2021 to capture today’s market conditions. Additional factors: POLITICAL– International travel restrictions shift– U.S. infrastructure bill could help companies & consumers– CDC relaxes mask guidelines for fully vaccinated Americans ECONOMIC– Prices rise for products & raw materials– Retail […]
1 Year Later – How Covid-19 Changed Global Retail
May 31, 2021
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 & e-grocery explosionHome delivery boom timeBOPIS & curbside pickupCashless is king MORE CHANGES: Dark storesOff-mall expansionDigital magnetism like AR & livestreaming OVERARCHING THEME:Most of these changes support online shopping and stores’ emerging […]
E-Commerce as Entertainment
May 26, 2021
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. Media assets can help retailers: 🔹 Extend their marketing reach🔹 Embed their offerings into our everyday habits🔹 Personalize marketing to fuel e-commerce sales🔹 Reduce acquisition costs🔹 Maximize lifetime value per customer & loyalty […]
Livestreaming Enlivens Retail
May 24, 2021
Retail goes live to air. Livestreaming helps retailers and brands: – Interact with consumers in real time– Target relevant audiences– Fuel e-commerce sales Notice how tech giants and department stores are adding livestreaming to their marketing strategies. Have you ever watched a retail livestream? Related: 2021 Retail Tech Trends2021 Retail Strategy Trends SOURCES: Droesch, Blake. […]
Fitness Invigorates Retail
May 16, 2021
Health drives global retail growth. The $1.5 trillion global wellness market boasts an annual growth rate of 5-10%. Consumers want to look and feel good. Most (79%) consumers believe wellness is important; 42% say it’s a top priority, according to McKinsey. See how consumers’ desire for immunity and/or glorious glutes has energized sales of: Equipment […]
Sustainable Advantage
May 8, 2021
This Mother’s Day, retail celebrates Mother Earth. 73% of global consumers say they would change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact, according to Nielsen. In response, more retailers and brands now protect the planet by adapting their: 🌎 Products🌎 Packaging🌎 Processes Overall themes include global industry collaboration, innovation and building trust with transparency […]
E-Commerce Fuels Stores’ Evolution
May 2, 2021
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 forward, global retailers are collaborating with tech and logistics partners to deliver omnichannel: – Speed;– Agility; and– Convenience (Notice how many grocery and big box retailers are showing omnichannel resilience.) How else have […]
Virtual Try-Ons: Try Before You Buy
April 25, 2021
Seeing is believing – and buying. To earn consumer trust and e-commerce sales, Retailers; Brands; and Tech companies … are investing in virtual try-ons that superimpose products on our bodies. Virtual try-ons modernize marketing across retail categories, as consumers now expect: Digital convenience; Personalized experiences; and Tantalizing, highly-visual marketing From blonde highlights to bling, here’s […]
Private Label Power
April 18, 2021
The pandemic has made private labels extra popular. In 2020, the CPG industry grew >10% and private labels accounted for 18% of that growth (IRI). Private brands represent $120 billion in U.S. grocery sales alone (Boston Consulting Group). Now more private brands are popping up across retail categories – especially segments with solid sales during the […]
Ravenous for E-Grocery
April 11, 2021
We crave convenience. Consumers’ migration to e-commerce has made grocery the most exciting (& strategically significant) retail category, as: – Consumers desire time savings– Brands adapt to changing consumer tastes– Retailers seek omnichannel loyalty for a competitive edge Also, physical grocery stores have evolved to support omnichannel success with buy online pick up in store […]
Delivering the Goods
April 4, 2021
The mall has arrived on our doorsteps. As e-commerce matures, we’ve seen remarkable growth in delivery services now that online shoppers expect home delivery that is: Fast Free Convenient These trends are fuelling demand for delivery that connects retailers, brands and restaurants with consumers (especially since we’ve been home all year). How often do you […]
Porter’s 5 Forces: Retail 2021
March 28, 2021
Who has retail power? Porter’s 5 Forces model helps to explain market influences as retail undergoes tremendous upheaval. To manage fierce competition, companies can boost their bargaining power if they: Differentiate their offerings Reflect in-demand consumer trends Invest in e-commerce for omnichannel agility Also, as tech-driven supply chains grow in power, companies are establishing strategic […]
Home Sweet Home
March 21, 2021
There’s no place like home. A full year of working, learning and exercising at home has inspired us to reimagine our domestic space. See how our homebody lifestyle sparked a cross-category retail boom. Thank you to the brilliant Santosh Kushwaha of Visual Best for designing this stunning infographic. How has your home changed over the […]
COVID-19’s Retail Legacy
March 14, 2021
What. A. Year. Let’s look at COVID-19’s profound influence on global reatil over the past 12 months, including 5 mega-trends. OVERALL THEMES: 1. WOW!So much has changed in so little time. 2. STORES ARE RESILIENTBrick-and-mortar stores faced capacity constraints yet their appeal is inextinguishable. 3. TECH IS UNSTOPPABLEAutomating traditional retail processes has made the industry […]
Ladies Who Launch
March 7, 2021
Women make their mark in business. In time for International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate women-owned businesses — and their growing influence. Notable trends: – 82% of female business owners are Gen X or Boomers – Their top industries (health, beauty & fitness), are in-demand in retail right now – Diversity reigns, as half of these […]
2021 Retail Acquisitions
February 28, 2021
Retail companies go shopping … It’s barely March yet we’ve already seen intriguing retail acquisitions this year, as: – Amazon knows what Selz– Walmart’s Thunderstruck– ASOS wants its diverse assortment to be a HIIT. (I’ll show myself out.) TRENDS: – Health & wellness– Value & luxury tiers boom– Big retailers connect with small brands BIG […]
China’s Retail Innovation
February 15, 2021
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 to examine China’s growing influence on global e-commerce. Many retail tech investments we’ve seen in North America and Europe over the past year have been common for years in China. These innovations are […]