When Tim Baxter left Express, he thought he might semi-retire. What he discovered instead was a vision he'd been building toward for 30 years; a belief in the meaningful role a retail store can play in people's lives, and his conviction to bring it to life. In this conversation, Haley Boehning sits down with Tim to unpack the story behind The Baxter Collective, a new highly-curated physical retail platform opening its first store in Rye, New York. Designed to fill the white space between the endless aisles online and the niche boutique, The Baxter Collective isn't about reinventing the department store. It's about something older and more human: a neighborhood store where people feel welcome, the edit is done specifically for them, and the sales team knows their name. 

The conversation is a masterclass in leadership and clarity of conviction. Tim talks about the moment he realized what was missing in retail today, not a format, but a feeling. He shares what he learned from 30+ years across Macy's, Express, and in his board seat at Stitch Fix about why brands lose their way, why simplicity is harder than it looks, and why the store manager is the most underestimated person in the business. Behind every bold business move is a leadership story. This is Tim Baxter's. If you've ever wondered what it takes to bet on a new idea after a long career, or how to stay close to the customer when everything around you is telling you to scale, this retail story is for you. 

Special Guest: Tim Baxter, Founder, The Baxter Collective 

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The consumer movement to invest in secondhand is led by values: meaning, provenance, and sustainability. Re-commerce is not a niche; it’s a $180-$200 billion global, parallel economy growing up to five times faster than traditional retail. The brands that get this right think beyond the first sale and plan for the lifetime value of a product, including multiple sales. Join Shelley and Romain Fouache, CEO of Akeneo, as they discuss why eBay's acquisition of Depop for $1.2 billion strengthens its core business and marks a structural inflection point.  A data expert, Romain makes the case for the power of transparency. Secondhand operations are logistically incompatible with firsthand retail models. Every resale item is its own unique SKU, its own story, condition, and context. Brands that attempt to glue re-commerce onto traditional operations without rethinking their infrastructure are setting themselves up for expensive failure. Listen and learn how the brands that will win in re-commerce will be the ones with the richest, most comprehensive product information, including materials, origin, manufacturing details, and use history. 

Special Guest: Romain Fouache, CEO, Akeneo

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The recent Supreme Court decision outlawing the “Liberation Day” tariffs has added another level of uncertainty to the financial outlook of American retailers. Join Shelley and Dan Altman, chief economist and bestselling author of the High Yield Economics newsletter, as they zero in on what the ruling will trigger for retailers and consumers. They discuss whether companies will claw back the tariffs they have paid. Dan says that although companies and the government have records of the money that was paid, it could be sorted out but would be extremely messy.  He adds it would be nearly impossible to refund consumers by tracing those purchases to specific people. Ultimately, with the change in tariffs retailers will have higher margins, so, will prices come down? Dan cautions, “We have seen the economy in a sort of paralysis, both in the job market and in investment plans, because people didn't know where these economic policies were going to land. But now we've opened up all this uncertainty again.” This candid conversation puts the challenges facing retailers squarely on the table predicting that small businesses will take the brunt of economic uncertainty over the next 12 months. Listen and learn how an economist clears the air on tariff chaos.

Special Guest: Dan Altman, Chief Economist and Bestselling Author, High Yield Economics 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

How does the retail frontline succeed, despite leadership dysfunction? The disconnect between corporate decision-making and the frontline reality has reached a breaking point. Store managers are caught holding the bag for supply chain disasters, tariffs, empty shelves, and operational chaos they never created. Join Shelley and Rachel Williamson, founder and CEO of Running Great Stores, as they unpack how frontline operational excellence is compromised when managers are denied the tools, training and authority they need to succeed. Rachel says that great leadership requires continuous investment in self-improvement, honest conversations with supervisors, and a willingness to address both wins and failures. She has spent decades turning around underperforming stores and she's witnessed firsthand what happens when flawed corporate leadership disables store teams. She is candid about the uncomfortable truth that retail has become a revolving door job instead of a career destination. The weakest link? Frontline leaders who lack the mentorship and training they need to develop the capacity for emotional intelligence. Frontline leaders who succeed have learned to take ownership of their own career development instead of depending on corporate training programs. Listen and learn why the retail profession is at risk of a leadership vacuum.

Special Guest: Rachel Williamson Founder and CEO, Running Great Stores

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

There is widespread confusion about the popular and overused K-shaped economy meme. General understanding oversimplifies consumers into "haves, have-nots, and have-everythings," when the reality is far more nuanced and fluid. If retail executives make million-dollar decisions based on an incomplete understanding about the K-shaped economy, it's going to cost them. Join Shelley and Katie Thomas from the Kearney Consumer Institute as they challenge conventional wisdom about the economy that's leading retailers to misclassify customers and fail on pricing, assortment, and messaging. Katie reveals that the middle class isn't disappearing but rather is pragmatic and surprisingly mobile, selectively reallocating resources across all categories that makes traditional good-better-best models look obsolete. Listen and learn about the real crisis facing retailers; it isn't about hitting price points; it's about the growing price-value mismatch that risks losing loyal customers who have more options than ever in a marketplace where luxury brands have overpriced themselves and cheapened products at the bottom create an inevitable race to the bottom.

Special Guest: Katie Thomas, Lead, Kearney Consumer Institute (KCI) 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

A complete reversal of the traditional concept-to-market approach will improve margins, speed to market, and sustainability goals. What does that look like? Materials lead the design process instead of design leading materials selection.  Join Shelley and Liza Amlani, principal and founder of Retail Strategy Group and co-author of The Material Life, as they discuss why design innovation is typically mismatched with process innovation in the fashion supply chain, and what the consequences are. Liza says, “Process innovation is the most underrated opportunity in the fashion supply chain.” Listen and learn how Lululemon, Viore, and Uniqlo know their fabrics are their competitive edge.  Many other retailers still operate with design-led processes that create costly overdevelopment. This conversation challenges everything retailers may believe about their role in proprietary product creation and margin optimization.

Guest: Liza Amlani, principal and founder of Retail Strategy Group and co-author of The Material Life

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Customers have high expectations in their transaction experiences that do not end with the purchase. Today’s empowered and convenience-focused consumers want easy returns, and FedEx is on a mission to make that a reality using AI as a tool to improve the experience.  Join Shelley and Jason Brenner, Senior Vice President Digital Portfolio at FedEx as they delve into the fascinating world of returns logistics and how the process has evolved. Jason says consumer familiarity with ‘no box, no label’ returns jumped from 37 percent to 48 percent in just one year. He attributes the increase to consumers’ perceived value around the experience. “Nearly half of U.S. customers say they're now familiar with ‘no box, no label’ returns and the usage continues to increase year over year; the reason is that once shoppers try it, they understand how convenient and how low stress it can be,” he adds. Their conversation deconstructs shipping logistics and reveals why confidence comes from predictability and visibility that is grounded in a simple UX supported by reliable communications with thoughtful updates throughout the post-purchase journey. As with any customer service, trust, reducing stress and anxiety and managing expectations are crucial. Listen and learn how this iconic logistics organization continues to push the envelope to deliver better customer experiences.

Special Guest: Jason Brenner, Senior Vice President Digital Portfolio, FedEx

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Last week, Shelley caught up with five more innovators at NRF 2026 to get their takes on the retail industry and an outlook for this year. Their conversations ranged from the connected store and talent development to geolocation analytics and the need for personalization.  Listen and learn from the experts. 

Matthew Cry transformed his retail leadership experience by leveraging a better way to engage with customers and product with daily insights. “The physical store is the pulse on everything that's happening, connecting your inventory, shoppers, store teams, what's being bought, and what's not being bought. So, we're thinking when a customer is in that moment looking for something, we should be able to show her other products that are available in her size, and we should be saving the sales associate time from not having to do that manually.”

Kimberly Minor’s explains there is no longer a direct linear career path: “How do we create pathways to new jobs, and how do we prepare people to be flexible so that they are ready when new opportunities open?” She adds “If you're curious about what your future could look like, then you should be curious about what other opportunities are available.”

As a professor at FIT and Parsons School of Design, Marie Driscoll distills the underlying trend in retail to the range of AI tools that are aiding the retail practice. Her NRF observations range from Mango , Dick’s and LVMH to the K-shaped economy and the challenges of real estate and the luxury market. From a consumer perspective, going into 2026, she says, “I think the consumer is sitting in the best seat. She has so many choices, and the retailers that are creating valuable services for their customers will win.”

Dominic Miserandino explores what makes the customer experience joy; he says experiential is a human connection.  As a connector, he adds, “I think we have evolved into a non-experiential, transactional retail culture, meaning DoorDash, press the button; Uber Eats, press the button. And the consumer is saying, yeah, that's awesome.” As an antidote, he adds, “You have to seek the emotional connections of humanity. So, retailers need to think about how they can humanize at scale.”  is the connection among them all.”  

Gary Sankary’s work on mapping and geo-spatial analytics helps retailers understand why things happen where they do inside and outside stores—everything from the global all the way down to the neighborhood. As a contrarian, he says, “I'm going to be an outlier here and say Agentic AI is not going to innovate; what drives retail success is innovation and design. What AI is helping us do is expand the scope of the things that we can look at.”

Matthew Cyr, CEO, Founder, Crave Retail
Kimberly Minor, CEO Co-Founder, WOC Retail Alliance (WOCRA)
Marie Driscoll, TRR Contributor, Professor, FIT, Parsons School of Design
Dominic Miserandino, Founder and CEO, RTM Nexus
Gary Sankary,Retail Industry Lead, Esri

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Shelley caught up with four innovators at NRF 2026 to get their takes on the retail industry and an outlook for this year. Their conversations ranged from managing returns and geo-location insights to advanced tools for managing inventory.  Listen and learn from the experts. Tim Robinson has interesting insights on a significant challenge for retailers, especially, post-holiday: returns.  Ethan Chernofsky provides critical analytics to retailers on the implications of traffic patterns in physical stores.  He says, “Visit durations are down but the number of visits for every category per customer is going up. So, value, product, experience, and brand affinity have a lot more significance.” Jay Hakami has innovated a novel tech platform that is predictive and helps retailers manage inventories. He says, “Today, with Agentic AI, we're getting into the predictive side going into dynamic planning and allocation. So, we’re essentially setting up buyers and planners for absolute success.” George Shaw is also an expert on measuring consumer behavior stating, “Retailers don't want a bunch of dots moving around maps. They want the metrics that they actually care about. We give them a very simple, clean, clear dashboard that they can use operationally at scale.” 

Special Guests:

Tim Robinson, Senior Vice President of Commerce, Blue Yonder
Ethan Chernofsky, Chief Marketing Officer, Placer.ai
Jay Hakami, CEO and Founder, Skypad
George Shaw, Senior Vice President, Standard AI
 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Most retailers think they're keeping pace with AI advancement, but they're operating with fundamentally broken data while the entire shopping model collapses around them. The customer shopping journey is shifting, and AI agents will manage the entire experience. Why? Agentic evolution outmatches traditional human-based search. When shoppers ask arbitrary questions like "show me the best handbag," the results bear no resemblance to how retailers tag or describe products. And search is only getting more complex: Multi-channel descriptions are mandatory because products need different optimized text for social media, mobile screens, and desktop displays. The truth is that many retail leaders don't understand what agentic AI actually means or how to apply it for maximum operational gains. Join Shelley and Sandy DeFelice, Senior Vice President of Revenue and Strategic Accounts at Digital Wave Technology, as they reveal how clinging to traditional product descriptions and outdated data structures are becoming untenable. They discuss how retailers should stop worrying about adding AI features and focus more on a complete restructuring of how product data flows through their systems. Learn why retailers need centralized data approaches that connect previously siloed systems, giving agents comprehensive enterprise views. Discover how the attributes assigned to products across all systems determine whether consumers can find them through AI-powered search. And find out how to make data governance the foundation so that getting data structures, schemas, and governance right becomes the prerequisite for any AI implementation.

Special Guest: Sandy DeFelice, SVP of Revenue and Strategic Accounts at Digital Wave Technology

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Here’s an interesting fact: 1.6 million tradespeople trust their friends over impersonal brands. And here’s why: Most workwear brands claim they understand their customers, but they're designing products by committee in the boardroom and based on their P/L.  Join Shelley and Eric Gerard who discuss how he built his BRUNT Workwear brand with the people who actually wear the work gear.  They reveal how BRUNT was launched with the encouragement of childhood friends who were brought up in a blue-collar manufacturing town. Unlike Eric and his colleagues, the workwear industry has forgotten who it serves and would be better served by paying attention to what happens when customers help design their own products.  BRUNT eliminated PFAS from water-resistant fabrics before regulations required it, positioning the brand ahead of market demands while legacy competitors are still scrambling to reformulate. BRUNT stays close to its customers, outfitting the New England Patriots field crew this season, partnering with unique talent like Diesel Dave who tricks out trucks and professional motocross athlete Travis Pastrana. It’s also a mainstay in rally racing, NASCAR, and automotive stunt performance. BRUNT’s Bucket Talk is “a monthly podcast that takes listeners across America to meet the “most badass tradespeople, industry leaders and personalities.” Growing from an initial 110 stores to 858 doors nationwide while maintaining its brand integrity proves that authentic products are relevant and can scale when you understand your local communities and customers. 

Guest: Eric Girouard, Founder + CEO at BRUNT Workwear

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We’ve all read the real estate headlines, both positive and otherwise. So, what’s really next in retail real estate? There's nowhere left to expand: Occupancy in quality centers is running 96 to 97 percent in desirable locations. It’s a landlord’s market with store openings continuing to outpace closures by roughly 2:1. And capital is still flowing into retail real estate and property tech despite negative headlines. Join Shelley with real estate experts Stephanie Cegielski, Vice President, Research and Public Relations of ICSC and Steve Morris, Founder of ASG as they reveal how retail real estate is operating from a position of strength driven by limited supply, disciplined development, and sustained demand for high-quality space. They discuss how retailers are competing aggressively for high-quality space, consolidating footprints, leveraging data-driven site selection, and designing stores to support omnichannel convenience rather than pure browsing. While landlords currently hold leverage, lease structures are becoming more flexible and collaborative. Mixed-use, wellness, value retail, and data-enabled decision-making are defining the next phase of physical retail growth. Listen and learn what to expect in real estate as developers up their game in delivering the services and experiences customers want.

Special Guests: Stephanie Cegielski, Vice President, Research and Public Relations of ICSC and Steve Morris, Founder of ASG

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Most grocery retailers are chasing a $1.6 trillion market but Sprouts Farmers Market is deliberately ignoring $1.3 trillion of it. Join Shelley and Nick Konat, President and COO of Sprouts, as they reveal why the retailer has a laser focus on the $300 billion health enthusiast segment. Marching to a different drummer, Sprouts is driving 8 to 10 percent annual store growth while competitors struggle with more conventional strategies. That alone makes Sprouts a 2025 Crave Retail Radical! Learn how the retailer is expanding from 23 states to coast-to-coast while maintaining a smaller, more intimate format that runs countertrend to the superstore orthodoxy dominating the industry. The company's counterintuitive approach celebrates the fact that customers will shop elsewhere. Sprouts is banking on solving the friction points that plague being a healthy eater: limited access to product, high costs, confusing claims, and mediocre taste. Sprouts is a model in retaining talent with a 30 percent internal promotion rate, and its purpose-driven ethos translates into solid bottom-line results. Nick explains why Sprouts is perfectly aligned with the explosive growth in the health food category among Gen Z and millennials. This strategy isn't about trends but rather about supporting longevity-focused consumption behavior that will reshape grocery. 

Special Guest: Nick Konat President, and Chief Operating Officer of Sprouts Farmers Market 

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Traditional fashion and automotive industries are wedded to a leather supply chain that requires 20 toxic processing steps and plastic coatings, while they simultaneously claim environmental leadership. The uncomfortable reality executives don’t acknowledge is that traditional leather production isn't just environmentally destructive—it's becoming economically obsolete. Join Shelley and Stephanie Downs, a biomaterials pioneer and CEO of Uncaged, as they have an honest conversation about how fashion executives who use natural leather are caught between mounting environmental pressure to change and legacy suppliers who resist touching alternative materials. Brands are being forced to choose between tradition and transformation. Meanwhile, major automotive brands including Jaguar and Land Rover are already piloting leather alternatives, responding to reputational risk from environmentally conscious consumers. To strengthen public awareness of leather alternatives, Uncaged just announced a new partnership with Oscar winning actress Natalie Portman who is a longtime vegan activist.

Special Guest: Stephanie Downs, CEO, Uncaged Innovations

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Full disclosure: Don’t ever underestimate the power of weather and its impact on retail. There is no other external driver that influences the consumer as frequently, meaningfully, and continuously as the weather. In fact, it influences more than a trillion dollars in retail sales on an annual basis. Join Shelley and Evan Gold of Planalytics as they discuss the fact that the weather is more volatile now than it ever has been before with extreme weather events occurring in the U.S. every three weeks. Evan explains that retailers need to proactively plan with demand forecast accuracy that can increase overall profitability up to 30 percent. Smart retailers incorporate weather analytics into their planning, so they are more weather aware and proactive instead of being reactive with flexible strategies in place as simple as putting weather-driven items in more prominent locations and ensuring the right staffing levels. The holiday selling season is subject to the weather since many retailers do 20% or even more of their annual sales in the month of December. Evan says the good news is that the first few weeks of December in the U.S. are going to continue with persistent, cold temperatures that are going to keep customers in that winter holiday mindset. Listen and learn why weather's a very emotional topic and when retailers can get all functions of their business on the same page by proactively strategizing weather’s complex nature, the outcome is more profitable. 

Special Guest: Evan Gold, EVP, Global Partnerships & Alliances, Planalytics

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Sometimes it takes tenacity combined with fearless confidence to launch a retail brand. That’s how Hulken achieved what most brands consider impossible: Pitching Target in June and landing their rolling totes on the shelves by November. Join Shelley and Hulken co-founder Alex Schinasi to learn why the most successful omnichannel strategies aren't about being everywhere, but about identifying the few channels significant enough to actually move the needle on revenue. Alex shares how a lean team of six full-time employees operates with surgical precision, why they spent two years perfecting the product before spending a dime on marketing, and how their industrial packaging background created a competitive moat that fashion-forward competitors can't replicate in Hulken’s popular rolling totes. One key lesson for D2C brands? The shift from 95 percent direct-to-consumer selling to physical retail-focused growth requires brands to make sure that the margins and distribution can support the scaled business model. Alex shares that selecting the right retail partners is essential for D2C brands to scale by navigating complex vendor requirements and operational standards.

Special Guest: Alex Schinasi, co-founder, Hulken

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

A look back at retail 2025 reveals that consumer behavior volatility has reached unprecedented levels, with shopping patterns shifting hour-to-hour rather than seasonally. Most C-suite leaders are woefully unprepared to handle this level of velocity. Join Shelley and RJ Hottovy from Placer.ai as they discuss a range of consequential retail shifts. Holiday promotions now start in September as retailers panic to lock in sales before consumer confidence erodes. Mobile commerce will capture 56.5 percent of ecommerce sales, fundamentally altering the role of physical stores. AI's real retail impact isn't chatbots—it's transforming in-store sales associates into product experts. And an anticipated $1 trillion holiday season arrives as retailers face flattish foot traffic but rising online fulfillment center visits. They also weigh in on leadership succession at Walmart. Incoming CEO John Furner faces opportunities to scale Walmart’s retail media business; attract more younger millennials and Gen Z families, not just traditional bulk buyers; and serve higher-income consumers who are increasingly shopping at Walmart. Listen and learn how 2025 will preview another unpredictable retail year.

Special Guest: R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research, Placer.ai

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The retail frontline sales staff is often an untapped, but highly valuable resource.  Everyone wants to know that they matter and can make a difference. So, how do retailers empower their store associates, their most critical customer-facing ambassadors? In an increasingly tech-driven business, new digital tools are designed to create lasting customer relationships that match loyalty with employee job satisfaction. This is especially powerful in small retail businesses where personal loyalty is the gateway to beating the competition. Join Leigh Sevin, co-founder of Endear, and Shelley as they discuss how modern CRM platforms transform data into authentic customer connection. They explore how AI in partnership with employees can enhance personal outreach and make a brand relevant and meaningful. They also discuss the future of personalization that pairs the message with the individual, informed by sales associates who know their customers best. Their conversation reveals how software, analytics and data can propel a retail business through the insights of its frontline sales ambassadors. Learn from this actionable discussion how tech empowers and inspires store associates to level up service, play a more positive strategic role, and find renewed purpose by using AI to make their jobs easier and strengthen their customer relationships. 

Special Guest: Leigh Sevin, Co-Founder of Endear

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Here’s a stark warning for beauty executives: Brands that cling to traditional manufacturing models are already obsolete—they just don't know it yet. The challenges facing beauty CMOs are hitting critical mass: It's not just driving growth, it’s how to get to market at the speed of culture shifts and keep up digitally and socially. Lauren Thermos is General Manager of Atelier, an Australian product innovation studio dedicated to bringing new products to market faster and better, and a self-described disrupter. Join Lauren and Shelley as they reveal the weak spots of a trendy business where many beauty brands are off trend out of the gate to meet the demands of savvy customers. They discuss the antiquated 18-to-36-month product development cycle, agentic AI (Chat GPT) marketing that shrinks the time between researching and making a decision to buy and will eliminate the need for traditional advertising; and the rise of TikTok as the marketing and product launch platform of choice for young consumers. They also pull back the curtain on why fast-tracked indie creators and celebrity-founded beauty brands are eclipsing many traditional beauty behemoths. Listen in on this provocative conversation about the next frontier of the beauty business.

Special Guest: Lauren Thermos, General Manager at Atelier

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Big brands in the food industry face a double-edged challenge: Make snacks healthy and deliver duller colors and unfamiliar tastes. Eliminating dyes and reducing preservatives and sugar are consumer demands that are forcing food manufacturers to reformulate decades-old products that those consumers have developed taste preferences for. Join Shelley and Misty Skolnick, Co-owner of Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels as they discuss how this company in rural Pennsylvania has been producing handmade, 100% natural pretzels as healthy snack options for decades. The conversation covers more than commercial food trends; it explores the challenge from consumers who demand product transparency certification that is resulting in reformulating products that transform familiar food tastes in deference to healthy ingredients. Will this movement collapse when visual appeal and familiar flavors disappear from well-loved products? The food industry is facing an existential crisis balancing wellbeing with familiarity. Unlike food giants scrambling to re-engineer their formulations at scale, smaller producer Uncle Jerry’s Pretzels figured this out 40 years ago.

Special Guest: Misty Skolnick, Co-Owner of Uncle Jerry's Pretzels

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Shelley and Tom McGee, president and CEO of ICSC, discuss a mix of consumer trends that will impact holiday spending. It might surprise you to know that Gen X controls 33 percent of all spending (although only 19 percent of the U.S. population); so why are retailers still ignoring them? There’s $1.4 trillion wealth transfer to this generation that nobody's talking about. Overall, consumers are resilient but cautious, price-sensitive and selective, focusing on value and budgeting more carefully making discount retailers the beneficiaries. Next, while tariffs haven’t dramatically increased prices yet, the real impact has been on consumer mindset and timing — people buy earlier, avoid waiting for discounts, and are cautious about overspending. Gift cards are increasingly popular as practical, budget-friendly gifts that also appeal to younger, sustainability-minded generations. In terms of retail development, there’s a supply-demand mismatch in retail real estate. There’s a strong retailer demand for well-located suburban spaces, but they are facing limited new construction. Retail sales have risen about 82 percent since 2009, but physical retail space has only grown 7 percent. Tom reinforces not to rule put physical stores; they remain critical for browsing and as fulfillment centers. Listen and learn about how this confluence of trends results in a mixed prediction for holiday.

Special Guest: Tom McGee, President and CEO, ICSC

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When you are an architect who works on projects around the world, your perspective about American retail changes through a refined filter. Kevin Roche, Founder of Roche Design Strategy, has the advantage of understanding firsthand the power of Return on Experience (ROE). He believes traditional retailers face an uncomfortable truth: Legacy KPIs are measuring the wrong things entirely. The most successful retail destinations have quietly augmented traditional metrics with something more elusive: ROE. Join Shelley and Kevin as they discuss innovators like Le Bon Marché (a TRR Retail Radical) that invests half a million euros in evening concerts with no direct sales conversion tracking. Dior's Paris flagship operates a museum with paid admission. And Restoration Hardware (another Retail Radical) builds luxury hotels and operates yachts. These are calculated investments that require a decade or more to mature funded by patient capital. They explore the fundamental question confronting retailers: Are they in the hospitality and entertainment business or the transaction business?  The stores winning today don't sell products—they orchestrate experiences so compelling that customers join the brand rather than simply buy from it. Yet most retail boards remain trapped in short-term thinking, unable to make the courageous leap toward investments that won't show ROI or ROE for years.

Special Guest: Kevin Roche Founder, Roche Design Strategy

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Modern leadership often confuses constant availability with maximum impact. It veers off course when it ignores intuition in favor of data. Join Shelley and Melissa Gonzalez, Principal and founder of MG2 in a conversation about her new book, The Purpose Pivot, which explores why understanding your genuine zone of impact requires ruthlessly eliminating everything without purpose. They discuss how most executives spend their days trapped in meetings that deplete rather than energize them, mistaking a full calendar for productivity. Melissa describes how important it is to recognize your intuition as unfiltered market intelligence about misalignment between your role and your actual competitive advantage. She adds, the leaders who will dominate the next decade won't be those who power through everything, but those who know how to focus on their impact and precisely when to tap out.

Special Guest: Melissa Gonzalez, Principal and founder of MG2 and author of The Purpose Pivot

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Here’s a surprising fact: A workplace revolution is underway and fundamentally reimagining how ergonomics drives productivity and employee retention. With mandates of returns to office, companies are discovering that outdated workspace designs are accelerating turnover. Progressive organizations leverage ergonomic innovation as a competitive weapon. Join Shelley and Bob King, Founder and CEO of iconic workplace solutions company, Humanscale, as they discuss how remote work fundamentally shifted workers’ expectations about their physical work environment demanding dramatically superior workplace experiences. Workplace wellness has been transformed from a nice-to-have perk into a non-negotiable expectation. Learn why 96 percent of workers can't properly use their office chairs and how smart executives are turning workplace design into a competitive advantage.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The fashion industry's stubborn reliance on outdated supply chain practices is bleeding profits and destroying consumer trust. Traditional approaches to sizing, inventory management, and trend forecasting are creating failures across the entire value chain, from excess inventory that decimates sustainability goals to astronomical return rates that crush margins. While most companies still operate with historical sizing that ignores consumer evolution, best-in-class retailers are using disciplined digital tools to compress product development cycles and eliminate costly inventory inefficiencies. In anticipation of Tech Fest’s one-day (10.9.2025) online program on AI, innovation and systems thinking, join Shelley and Janice Wang, CEO of Alvanon, as they reveal how forward-thinking leaders are discovering that AI isn't just another tool, it's the bridge that connects siloed departments and transforms decades of unstructured data into a competitive advantage.

Special Guest: Janice Wang, CEO, Alvanon 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Spoiler alert: The physical store is an experiential platform that can tap into retail media network ad spending projected to reach $100 billion by 2026. In a digital marketplace, dynamic advertising platforms leverage AI-powered analytics to capture real-time customers. Walmart gets it and its Connect media platform is driving 12 percent of their profits. Join Shelley and David Simon, EVP of Advertising for Mood Media and President of Vibenomics, as they discuss how market pressures, including tariffs, are accelerating retail media strategies for high-margin revenues. They reveal how retailers can build retail media empires that seamlessly blend physical and digital customer experiences, unlocking goldmines of analytical data that are passing traditional retailers by.

Special Guest: David Simon, EVP of Advertising for Mood Media and President of Vibenomics and In-Store Marketplace 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Primark's strategic U.S. expansion started 10 years ago and is a master plan in calculated retail growth that could fundamentally reshape America's affordable fashion landscape. Primark has 450 stores worldwide and 33 in the States. It has ambitious plans to expand with 60 to captivate the American shopper. Join Shelley and Rene Federico, Head of Marketing for Primark U.S. as they discuss Primark's integrated approach to pricing, sourcing, and market positioning. Their strategy creates competitive advantages that position them to capture significant market share during a time when consumers want fashion without sacrificing style or quality. The Dublin-based brand has a proven track record creating emotional connections with customers that transform routine shopping into discovery experiences. Find out more about Primark’s plans for their new Herald Square flagship and how they plan to expand their retail magic to American consumers.

Special Guest: Rene Federico, Primark U.S. Head of Marketing

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Crisis management has become a requisite strategy in today’s fractious marketplace. The socio-political landscape has become a minefield for retailers where one misstep can trigger unprecedented consumer backlash and boycotts. In today's hyperconnected environment, every consumer with a smartphone becomes a potential crisis catalyst, documenting empty shelves and operational failures that go viral instantly. Join Shelley and crisis management expert Edward Segal to learn why successful retailers must shift from reactive damage control to proactive crisis prevention. Their conversation reveals how major retailers are failing in everything from Cracker Barrel's tone-deaf new logo rollout to a succession of mismanaging DEI initiatives. The result is that customer credibility and trust are eroded, turning loyal customers into vocal critics. Listen and learn why traditional crisis management approaches are obsolete and why there is an emerging need for chief geopolitical officers to navigate an increasingly polarized marketplace and build crisis prevention systems before problems spiral out of control. 

Special Guest: Edward Segal, Best-Selling Author and Crisis Management Expert

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

How do you make yourself matter to your local community? If you’re a hardware retailer, what you have to offer is more than nice; it’s a necessity. Ace Hardware gets it. They are innovative players in the retail media landscape with RedVest Media, designed to drive embedded community relationships that translate into measurable ROI advantages. Join Shelley and Molly Hjelm, Corporate Vice President of Retail Media, as they discuss how Ace Hardware is riding the seismic shift in retail media and leveraging authentic community connections to create marketing experiences that feel helpful rather than intrusive. With 5,100 stores generating 50 million monthly site visits and a 30 percent year-over-year ecommerce growth rate, Ace is a local chain that has quietly built a massive digital ecosystem that rivals those of major retailers. Most striking is how their 73 million ACE Rewards members and thousands of vendor partnerships co-create unprecedented customized opportunities—where local store owners anticipate what their communities need and deliver a personalized retail experience customers care about remember.

Special Guest: Molly Hjelm, Corporate Vice President, Retail, Ace Hardware 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Some turnarounds make for epic legends. How do you rebuild a brand and transform it dramatically in two years? The Honest Company, co-founded by Jessica Alaba in 2011, is experiencing a renaissance with double-digit revenue growth and the highest gross margin in the history of the company. Join Shelley and Carla Vernón, CEO of The Honest Company in a candid conversation on how authentic brand purpose to maintain honest standards for a portfolio of cleanly designed products, margin enhancement to drive profitability, and operating discipline results in customer loyalty and shareholder trust. The sensitive skin market is expected to reach $80 billion by 2030. Honest’s standards exceed both U.S. and EU regulatory requirements, banning 3,500 ingredients and product development through proprietary in-house toxicology and laboratory testing is a commitment to customers and the industry at large. As a result, The Honest Company has created unshakeable customer loyalty even during economic uncertainty. 

Special Guest: Carla Vernón, CEO, The Honest Company 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Provocative, controversial, and blunt observations about what’s making retail news headlines. Shelley and TRR contributor Mark Cohen, who is an industry veteran and former director of retail studies at Columbia Business School, explore a few of the difficult challenges facing retail leaders. They reveal truths about vendor abuse (new revenue streams from chargebacks for questionable violations), the myths about great customer service despite public boasts, and how return to office policies, although unpopular, are mandated by CEOs taking a hardline to uphold the viability and sustainability of the business. It’s a conversation that pulls no punches!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

While consumers fixate on tariffs as the primary force behind rising food prices, the reality is far more complex and revealing. Regulatory changes, labor costs and operational expenses coupled with new tariff pressures on some food categories are creating uncharted supply-demand dynamics. Join Shelley and Stew Leonard, Jr., president and CEO of Stew Leonard’s as they discuss the three-tier cost structure that's creating permanent price pressures and reveal surprising consumer behaviors that smart retailers are leveraging for a competitive advantage.

Special Guest: Stew Leonard Jr., President & CEO, Stew Leonard’s 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The retail industry stands at a crossroads where artificial intelligence threatens to eliminate millions of jobs while simultaneously creating new opportunities—but only for those retailers smart enough to adapt. Rather than competing with AI, forward-thinking executives are discovering how to amplify human skills like negotiation, empathy, and conflict resolution in collaboration with technology. Join Shelley and Kevin Finnegan from Global Recruiters of Lowcountry as they expose a new reality: 59 percent of retail workforces will require retraining by 2030, and ironically, AI may be the solution for upskilling employees. They also tackle how companies implementing return to office (RTO) policies without understanding underlying cultural shifts are discovering that younger workers simply won't tolerate mandates—they'll just leave and find new jobs instead with a 14 percent spike in employee turnover.  While physical stores remain the ultimate competitive advantage, most retailers are treating their retail associates as expense lines rather than revenue-generating assets capable of creating memorable customer experiences. The future belongs to retailers who can humanize their brand experience with an upskilled workforce while leveraging technology strategically. 

Special Guest: Kevin Finnegan, from Global Recruiters of Lowcountry

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Federal Reserve's policy paralysis is creating a perfect storm for retailers heading into the most critical selling season of the year. Inflation is still threatening, labor markets are more fragile than they appear, and tariff-driven price increases are hitting apparel and durables precisely when consumers need to make back-to-school and holiday purchases, Join Shelley and economist Daniel Altman as they discuss how smaller retailers are being systematically squeezed out as they lack the capital to absorb tariff costs at the border, potentially creating inventory shortages during peak selling periods. Their conversation reveals the dangerous disconnect between Washington's focus on Wall Street metrics and the harsh reality facing retailers on Main Street. The timing couldn't be worse—with trade negotiations understaffed and reciprocal tariffs potentially hitting in October or November, retailers may face simultaneous stock market volatility and consumer spending uncertainty during their most profitable quarter.

Special Guest: Economist Daniel Altman, author of the ‘High Yield Economics’ newsletter

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The retail apocalypse isn't coming—it's here, and survival depends on adaptation, not market dominance. Consumer behavior has fundamentally shifted beyond price sensitivity to a complex value equation encompassing convenience, curation, and experiential factors. Consumers have restructured how they engage with brands, migrating away from traditional retail stores toward a melding of physical retail, ecommerce, vertical retail, and social commerce platforms. Join Shelley and David Katz, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Randa Apparel and Accessories, as they discuss today’s complex consumer marketplace disrupted by geopolitical events and the new realities of artificial intelligence which presents both immediate tactical wins and transformational opportunities. While everyday AI streamlines operations, transformational AI reshapes entire business models. The companies that master this dual AI approach will emerge as tomorrow's market leaders. The key insight: stop trying to return to normal. Normal is a constraint. Disruption is your opportunity to invent a sustainable future using an entirely new strategic playbook.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Do you know how to unlock the hidden opportunities in what your customers aren’t telling you? Traditional consumer research captures what customers say they want but misses the subconscious decisions driving 85 percent of purchasing behavior. Ethnographic research reveals the gap between stated preferences and actual shopping patterns identifying untapped revenue opportunities hiding in plain sight. Join Shelley and Matt Mueller, founder of Mindful Innovations Services and author of The Mindful Innovator, as they discuss how operational efficiency often conflicts with the emotional triggers that drive purchase decisions – from sustainability claims to packaging functionality issues. 

Special Guest: Matt Mueller, founder of Mindful Innovations Services and author of, The Mindful Innovator 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Greg Licciardi, Vice President of Sponsorships and Partner Programs at the Association of National Advertisers; Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Fordham and Seton Hall Universities.  

AI may replace some marketing functions as a more precise, cost-efficient way to reach and retain customers. The challenge is to match AI’s efficiency with the fundamental human connections that drive long-term brand value and loyalty. Join Shelley and Greg Licciardi, Vice President of Sponsorships and Partner Programs at the Association of National Advertisers, as they explore how successful brands are balancing hyper-personalization with authentic human connection. The CMO challenge isn't keeping pace with AI's velocity, it's staying strategically relevant for customers distracted by marketplace noise.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The traditional wholesale model isn't dying—it's evolving into something far more strategic and profitable than many executives realize. The widespread belief that direct-to-consumer channels automatically deliver superior margins is a myth. Successful brands are leveraging sophisticated wholesale partnerships to achieve sustainable growth and profits. Join Shelley and Liza Amlani, Founder of Retail Strategy Group and co-author of The Whole Sale in a revealing myth-busting conversation. They explore strategic developments in luxury retail distribution, including high-end brands partnering with warehouse clubs. They also discuss how major retail consolidations are reshaping merchandising strategies and assortment planning. Learn how forward-thinking leaders are discovering that the future belongs to brands that master collaborative wholesale strategies rather than abandoning them entirely. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest:  Nikki Baird, VP of strategy and product at Aptos

The retail landscape is facing unprecedented disruption as traditional profit centers collapse, and new opportunities emerge from the chaos. This isn't just another economic downturn—it's a fundamental shift where retailers must choose between playing defense with outdated tactics or seizing the moment with innovative tech strategies. Although tariff uncertainty is paralyzing inventory planning and ecommerce profitability is plummeting, retail leaders are discovering that physical stores have become their most powerful competitive weapon, and novel tech solutions are upping the game. Join Shelley and Nikki Baird, VP of strategy and product at Aptos, as they discuss the upcoming perfect storm fueled by the convergence of artificial intelligence reshaping consumer search behavior, payment compliance deadlines forcing technology upgrades, and potential holiday inventory shortages. Learn how hesitation kills retail brands, bold action separates winners from casualties, and why store associates are more valuable than digital algorithms. The companies that understand digital transformation aren't just surviving uncertainty; they're redefining what retail success looks like in an AI-driven, store-centric future.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guests: 

Lisa Holland, Executive Head Enterprise Analytics at Albertsons Companies

Dan Bonert, Senior Vice President of Retail Media, Merchandising Analytics and Collaborations at NIQ

Wendy Liebman, CEO and Founder/Chief Shopper at WSL Strategic Retail

Craig Dubitsky, Founder of Happy Coffee

The retail apocalypse isn't coming from economic downturns; it's being driven by executives who still believe traditional demographics predict shopping behavior and loyalty.  Customers have moved beyond typical market segment classifications to psychological and emotional influences.  The most successful organizations have abandoned demographic targeting and price wars to focus on earning customer trust through authentic value propositions that solve real human problems. Join Shelley and guests Lisa Holland, Executive Head Enterprise Analytics at Albertsons Companies; Dan Bonert, Senior Vice President of Retail Media, Merchandising Analytics and Collaborations at NIQ; Wendy Liebman, CEO and Founder/Chief Shopper at WSL Strategic Retail; and Craig Dubitsky, Founder of Happy Coffee as they discuss the new state of customer marketing. They reveal how leveraging retail media networks (processing over 2.4 trillion weekly transactions) delivers unprecedented behavioral insights. They also describe how winning companies are transforming physical retail spaces from transactional hubs into community connection centers where human connection creates indispensable relationships that digital alternatives cannot replicate. Breakthrough insights reshaping a competitive advantage are that emotional innovation trumps technical apps. Plus, an authentic brand voice cannot be manufactured by third-party performative marketing campaigns but must emerge organically from genuine values integrated directly into operational decisions.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Arick Wierson, Emmy-winning producer and TRR contributor 

The retail apocalypse isn't coming from Amazon or an economic recession—it's being manufactured in Washington through tariff policy that defies basic business logic. A comprehensive analysis of C-suite perspectives across small, medium, and large retailers reveals an industry caught between political conviction and economic reality, where even a "modest" 10 percent tariff can obliterate the profit margins that grocery and discount chains measure in single digits. Join guest Arick Wierson, Emmy-winning producer and TRR contributor and Shalley as they discuss how the emergence of "Trump majeure" as contractual language signals how deeply trade uncertainty has penetrated corporate planning, forcing executives to treat policy volatility like natural disasters. They analyze how the real crisis will emerge in Q4 when holiday inventory decisions made months earlier collide with tariff reality. Small and medium retailers lack the working capital to front-load inventory or the negotiating power to secure favorable financing terms, while their larger competitors deploy sophisticated hedging strategies. This creates a two-tiered market where scale determines survival, potentially accelerating retail consolidation beyond what digital disruption alone could achieve. The irony is profound: Policies designed to protect American jobs may ultimately destroy the very small businesses that form the backbone of local economies, while benefiting only those retailers with sufficient resources to navigate regulatory complexity.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guests: 

Sonja Chapman: Associate Professor in the Department of International Trade and Marketing at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology

Ken O’Brien: CEO and President of Gemini Shippers Group

The shifting seas of trade policy is creating economic whiplash and ripple effects far beyond immediate cost implications, forcing strategic pivots that impact everything from production timelines to container logistics. While large retailers have invested eight-figure sums to rapidly shift production to alternative markets like Vietnam and Bangladesh, these facilities often struggle to match China's scale and efficiency, producing only about two-thirds of required volume. Join Shelley, Sonja Chapman, Associate Professor in the Department of International Trade and Marketing at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology, and Ken O’Brien, CEO and President of Gemini Shippers Group, as they discuss how the evolving global supply chain landscape demands strategic recalibration by forward-thinking organizations. Retailers and brands must face critical decisions about balancing redundancy with efficiency as traditional supply networks undergo transformation.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Jan Kniffen, CEO of retail consultancy, J Rogers Kniffen Worldwide 

Today's retail industry faces unprecedented transformation driven by three major forces: tariff restructuring affecting global supply chains, AI implementation across all business functions, and evolving consumer behaviors that reject mediocrity. Industry expert Jan Kniffen, CEO of retail consultancy, J Rogers Kniffen Worldwide says, this is a "retail tectonic shift where the industry isn't simply evolving but "being torn down and rebuilt on a dead sprint.”  Join Shelley and Jan as they discuss how the retail industry stands at a pivotal moment that will determine which organizations thrive in the next decade. They also caution that retailers merely reacting to disruption face increasing irrelevance in a landscape dominated by forward-thinking competitors who manage the onslaught of change.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Maytee Pereira, Managing Director in PwC’s US Customs and International Trade practice 

Regardless of the flipflops of the Trump administration’s trade policies, retailers are operating in the middle of a tariff war. When nations retaliate, executive strategies for tariff-driven disruption are thrown into chaos. Retailers face unprecedented challenges managing the transformation of 10-20 percent blanket tariffs into a complex web of constantly changing country-specific penalties disrupting forecasting, sourcing, and pricing strategies. Maytee Pereira, Managing Director in PwC’s US Customs and International Trade practice joins Shelley to help deconstruct tariff inequities. Supercenters can leverage scale to minimize shocks while discount retailers, heavily dependent on Chinese imports, face existential challenges. And small businesses have the toughest road without the deep financial pockets of the megabrands. Shelley and Maytee discuss the stark differences in readiness across sectors; apparel companies with years of experience navigating duties demonstrate remarkable adaptability, while other consumer goods retailers are encountering significant tariff impacts for the first time without tested response playbooks. Listen in and learn how forward-thinking organizations are implementing sophisticated approaches to mitigate tariff impacts.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Marie Driscoll, a retail analyst, consultant and TRR contributor

The luxury market finds itself at a critical inflection point with industry titan LVMH serving as a perfect case study of resilience buffeted by volatility. As aspirational consumers pull back spending and economic uncertainty prevails, LVMH is making strategic pivots to redefine luxury's trajectory. The recent luxury boom is resetting to sobering realities: price increases, impending tariffs, and the weaking dollar. Join Shelley and Marie Driscoll, a retail analyst, consultant and TRR contributor, as they dive into LVMH’s strategies to keep their brands relevant and top of mind for the consumer during a time of major market disruptions. The challenges are steep: LVMH and other luxury powerhouses must reimagine their value propositions by building authentic community through experiential retail. The luxury tool of the future? Digital storytelling that introduces brand essence and value that transcends superficial, fleeting TikTok impressions.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest:  Mita Malhotra, President of Chewy Health

Pets are big business; 66% of U.S. households are pet parents. Chewy has been a pioneer in online pet care and is now transforming in-person veterinary care by seamlessly integrating ecommerce convenience with personalized clinical experiences. In fact, Chewy was named a 2024 Crave Retail Radical by The Robin Report. Their digital-first healthcare model has earned high customer reviews by delivering instant access, technological convenience, and exceptional service. Join Shelley and Mita Malhotra, President of Chewy Health, as they explore how Chewy continues to innovate with a revolutionary in-person veterinary clinic practice. With a stress-free, spa-like clinical environment that calms both pets and humans, Chewy is one step ahead of the market that is hungry for modern, predictable, trusted healthcare that connects physical care with digital convenience. Learn how Chewy consistently exceeds expectations with award-winning customer service and reimagining veterinary care with its deep understanding of how to serve pet parents and their pets.  

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests:

Michelle Bellanca, CEO and co-founder of Claros Technologies 

Arick Wierson, Emmy Award-winning producer and TRR contributor

The retail industry faces a transformative reckoning beyond tariffs and supply chain disruptions: PFAS chemicals. These "forever chemicals" are ubiquitous in everything from textiles and cosmetics to food packaging and electronics. What’s more, PFAS compounds have infiltrated 99 percent of all humans’ bloodstreams. Regulatory frameworks are tightening worldwide, with Europe leading aggressive restrictions while the U.S. market remains primarily litigation driven. Guests Michelle Bellanca, CEO and co-founder of Claros Technologies and Arick Wierson, Emmy Award winning producer and TRR contributor join Shelley with a call to action about this $13 trillion threat to the retail industry. The technology exists to detect and destroy these compounds, and innovative companies can lead rather than react to eradicate PFAS. Consumers will also put pressure on manufacturers to provide PFAS-free products. We are at a critical juncture to reverse the PFAS tide.  Listen and learn! 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests: 

Ann Cantrell, small business owner and FIT associate professor

Liz Alessi, retail supply chain expert

We’re celebrating Earth Day Week early! The fashion industry has an environmental crisis on its hands. It uses an astronomical number of resources (a single T-shirt requires 700 gallons of water to manufacture) contributing 10 percent of global carbon emissions. Fast fashion brands are accelerating production cycles while regulatory rollbacks are threatening progress: understanding sustainable alternatives has never been more urgent for both consumers and brands. In this episode of Retail Unwrapped, Shelley and sustainability experts Ann Cantrell and Liz Alessi discuss innovative solutions in the face of global supply chain challenges and economic headwinds ensuring both economic and environmental sustainability.  Consumers hold significant power through their purchasing decisions while brands can drive change through innovative approaches like "flow fashion,” which is combining the best business practices of fast fashion with the core values of slow fashion, maintaining sustainability principles.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Dominick Miserandino, CEO of Retail Tech Media Nexus

Consumer attention is the ultimate currency in today’s disruptive marketplace. Retailers are becoming publishers as a strategy to forge deeper connections with customers through authentic storytelling. Savvy retailers are leveraging first-party data with insights to create experiences that resonate on a personal level, upending the traditional advertising model. Join Shelley and Dominick Miserandino, a retail media mastermind to learn how the retail media network revolution isn't merely about selling ad space; it's about understanding customer journeys and facilitating meaningful interactions that transform browsing into belonging. As press releases and traditional marketing become less relevant, personalized narratives are emerging as the connective tissue between brands and consumers in an increasingly fragmented marketplace.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Stephanie Cegielski, VP of Research at ICSC 

The retail marketplace is in the throes of transformation. Despite the popular narrative of a retail apocalypse, commercial spaces are undergoing a renaissance. If developers and retailers are inventive and bold, store closures offer an opportunity for innovative reinvention. Today, vacancy rates hovering around just 4 percent; there's intense competition for those empty spaces. Scarcity, coupled with high construction costs, has created a competitive marketplace where the retailers that are reimagining traditional can thrive. Join Shelley and Stephanie Cegielski, VP of Research at ICSC as they discuss how successful malls have become vibrant ecosystems as technology hubs, dining spots, entertainment venues, and educational facilities. Listen and learn how retailers can successfully transform by taking advantage of new lease structures that have evolved dramatically, with flexible  terms replacing rigid, decade-long commitments. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Sandy Stein, founder of Retail Speak, and TRR contributor

What makes a retail brand resilient? It starts with visionary leadership that sees the business holistically balancing merchandising expertise and creativity with financial discipline. Urban Outfitter CEO and founder Richard Hayne has a merchant-first mentality and leads the organization with strategic pivots to align with changing consumer preferences while maintaining brand integrity. 

Join Shelley and strategic visionary Sandy Stein as they discuss how Urban Outfitters has maintained a customer-centric culture, showing patience in stark contrast to aggressive scaling models that have led many other retailers to overexpansion and subsequent painful contraction. Surviving a series of market disruptions, like Amazon's and Walmart’s fashion plays into the contemporary market, Urban Outfitters has remarkable agility in navigating both headwinds and tailwinds. It stands as a compelling case study in adaptive strategy and vertical integration. 

Listen and learn how Hayne’s holistic approach to brand management, built on merchandising expertise rather than pure financial orientation, delivers a sustainable future for Urban Outfitters.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: 

Mark A. Cohen Former Director of Retail Studies at the Columbia Business School, and Former CEO Sears Canada.

Hudson’s Bay, once Canada's proud retail institution, has descended into Chapter 11 restructuring. And the blunt truth is it’s not because of recent trade tensions as the company proclaimed, but rather from years of financial neglect, unpredictable customer experiences, and questionable strategic moves. The department store's inconsistent merchandise assortments across different locations undermined The Bay’s identity, leaving customers confused about what the retailer actually stood for. Join Shelley and retail veteran Mark Cohen as they discuss how CEO Richard Baker's real estate-focused leadership and lack of retail expertise have led to catastrophic outcomes, reflecting the danger of prioritizing deal-making over operational excellence. His ineptitude doesn’t stop at Hudson’s Bay. Saks Global is at risk of long-term survival. It’s the perfect storm for Saks: The large luxe brands are not going to be bullied by Saks 90-day payment terms and Baker's financial engineering will give market share to Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Lindsey Scheftic, CMO, Owner and Founder, The CMO Sidekick  

Fractional CMOs with blue-chip experience are sources of enterprise-level talent accessible even to mid-market companies. Couple that resource with AI tools that are moving at the speed of light, these strategic co-pilots are separating marketing winners from losers. With the explosion of video channel fragmentation creating a measurement nightmare and threatening attribution accuracy, and retail media networks evolving from a "necessary evil" into precision targeting powerhouses – both demand a new level of marketing expertise. Join Shelley and Lindsey Scheftic, CMO, owner and founder of The CMO Sidekick as they explore how marketing expertise is being fundamentally redefined. The traditional career path is dead, yesterday's marketing education is obsolete, and 65 percent of future marketing roles don't even exist today. Listen in to this provocative conversation to get up to speed on the future of marketing.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Warren Shoulberg, Retail Journalist and TRR Writer

Consumer spending is increasingly reflecting personal values. In a disruptive, unpredictable marketplace, the rise of grassroots activism presents unprecedented strategic challenges for retail executives. These orchestrated economic blackouts can transform individual purchasing decisions into collective action, triggering a compromised retail brand reputation with financial implications.  While any immediate sales impact is difficult to quantify, brands are still vulnerable. Join Shelley and Warren Shoulberg, retail expert and TRR contributor, as they discuss whether these movements are successful and how the true power of these boycotts may lie in the symbolic expression of shifting the public discourse, particularly fueled by social media. The growing tension between consumer activists and retail brands sits at the heart of the strategic calculus of how the C-suite serves its customers and makes decisions. Now more than ever, retailers need to work harder to earn customer loyalty.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Phil Lempert, consumer behavior analyst

The bird flu outbreak has transcended egg producers in the farming industry to become a critical economic disruptor and potential public health threat. With consumers spending 53 percent more on eggs in January 2025 compared to the previous year, this potential pandemic illustrates the fragility of our food systems despite technological advances. Join Shelley and Phil Lempert, expert analyst on consumer behavior, marketing trends and the changing retail landscape, as they discuss how the bird flu crisis is creating complex challenges for retailers, restaurateurs, supply chain executives, and public health officials alike. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Jonathan Gold, Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy, National Retail Federation

In a year of unprecedented economic uncertainty, the possible implementation of widespread tariffs has far-reaching implications for retail markets and consumer behavior. Beyond the immediate impact on pricing, these trade policies could fundamentally alter supply chain strategies, product availability, and market competition. Join Shelley and Jonathan Gold from NRF as they discuss all-things tariffs and how challenging it is for retailers to plan for sudden, unexpected policy changes. While some retailers advocate bringing manufacturing back to the U.S, the infrastructure, skilled labor, and economic conditions required for domestic production cannot be established quickly enough to counteract imminent, imposed tariffs. From a macro perspective, the current trade environment demands a strategic reassessment of supply chain diversity and risk management to thrive in an increasingly volatile global market.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guests: 

Mickey Alam Khan, CEO of Luxury Roundtable

Pam Danziger, TRR contributor and founder Unity Marketing

The shift in luxury retail's competitive landscape through the Saks-Neiman Marcus merger could have a domino effect on the operational synergies of both companies, unlocking fundamental questions about the sustainability of the luxury department store model. At stake is the state of personalized luxury retail when longstanding customer relationships and local market expertise are at odds with the impersonal efficiencies of large-scale consolidated operations. As the evolving dynamics of signature, singular brand stores and large multi-brand retailers unfold, it is evident that luxury brand houses are increasingly gaining control their own destiny through direct-to-consumer channels. Join Shelley, Mickey Alam Khan, CEO of Luxury Roundtable, and Pam Danziger, TRR contributor and founder Unity Marketing, as they dive into Richard Baker's acquisition track record and question whether Saks Global can gain strides against global luxury brands which have become its largest competitors. Or is the Saks model the demise of luxury department store retail? 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guests: 

Evan Gold, EVP of Global Partnerships & Alliances at Planalytics

Matt Flentge, Director of Category Marketing at Ace Hardware Inc. 

Let’s move beyond Punxsutawney Phil's shadow and his Spring 2025 prediction into the sophisticated world of weather-driven retail strategy. The ritual is a convergence of folklore and cutting-edge analytics that has implications for the $7 trillion U.S. retail market. Join Shelley, Evan Gold, EVP of Global Partnerships & Alliances at Planalytics and Matt Flentge, Director of Category Marketing at Ace Hardware as they discuss the weather; last year marked the fifth warmest spring in 130 years, setting a challenging benchmark for 2025 performance comparisons. While Phil's prediction of a late spring captured the headlines, the real story lies in how modern retailers are transforming weather forecasting into actionable business intelligence. Weather influences over $1 trillion in annual retail sales, with spring weather sensitivity affecting retail traffic by up to 5 percent annually. Learn how retailers like Ace Hardware are leveraging hyperlocal weather data to optimize everything from inventory management to digital transformation. Successful retailers are using advanced analytics to transform climate challenges into strategic advantages that optimize forecast accuracy, drive top-line sales, and enhance service levels for physical and digital retail.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Robin Report Experts 

· Mark A. Cohen, Former Director of Retail Studies at Columbia Business School and Former CEO Sears Canada.

· Phil Lempert, SupermarketGuru® expert analyst on consumer behavior, marketing trends, new products and the changing retail landscape.

· Jasmine Glasheen, a go-to retail and SaaS content strategist, also well-known for insights on generational purchasing behavior

The convergence of geopolitical tensions, technological revolution, and changing consumer behaviors are creating strategic challenges and reshaping retail, all which demand immediate C-suite attention. Join Shelley and her roundtable of TRR contributors (Jasmine Glasheen, Mark A. Cohen, and Phil Lempert) as they discuss how to navigate unprecedented disruption and anticipate the short-term future. Listen in to learn how emerging trends suggest a fundamental restructuring of retail economics that will require agile leadership and innovative approaches to maintain competitive advantage.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests:
Dominick Miserandino, CEO Retailwire
Beverley Kobe, Chief Executive Officer at Goodwill Industries Ontario Great Lakes
Sulabh Jain, Chief Analytics Officer Impact Analytics

The future of retail is undergoing a transformation and artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful partner for humans in the process. Join Shelley with three industry leaders: Dominick Miserandino, CEO of Retailwire; Sulabh Jain Chief Analytics Officer of Impact Analytics; and Beverley Kobe Chief Executive Officer at Goodwill Industries Ontario Great Lakes, as they tackle some of the most complex aspects of the AI evolution that are reshaping traditional retail value propositions. Dominick explores the mindset around how AI is leveraging retail-tech not as a job eliminator, but as an extension of human capabilities -- AI with a humanistic approach. He also discusses the dramatic shifts in consumer behavior defined by immediate gratification and convenience. Bev shares how sustainability initiatives are empowered by insightful analytics that optimize processing 6 billion pounds of goods flowing through innovative reuse and recycling channels annually. Sulabh reveals how forward-thinking retailers are leveraging AI-powered decision systems to remodel traditional pricing and inventory strategies into sophisticated, data-driven operations. And the experts weigh in on the impact of potential global trade policies and tariffs in 2025. The convergence of AI, sustainability, and adaptive pricing strategies represent a fundamental shift in retail operations, amplifying the power of resilience in an increasingly interconnected marketplace. Listen and learn from our experienced experts.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests:
Suni Shamapande, PwC's Consumer Markets Lead
Kimberly Lee Minor, CEO, WOC Retail Alliance
Liza Amlani, Founder and Principal of Retail Strategy Group
Nikki Baird, VP of Aptos Strategy and Products

NRF’s 2025 show was a panoramic view of the retail industry and a preview of its near-term future. Retail Unwrapped took the podcast on the road to gain insights from forward thinking experts about key industry takeaways from the NRF 2025. They weighed in on how the convergence of artificial intelligence, human talent and market insight is fundamentally reshaping the retail landscape. Effective AI implementation is focused on processes to augment systems and human decision-making in all retail operations. Join Shelley for a cross-disciplinary perspective on retail from AI operational integration and implementation (Suni), the need for diversity in retail leadership (Kimberly), merchandising strategy (Liza) and retail tech and the in-store experience (Nikki). These experts reveal how successful retailers are embracing a future where technology enhances human connection, market insight challenges conventional wisdom, and enlightened leadership drives innovation supported by diverse perspectives.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Bayard Winthrop, CEO and founder of American Giant 

Bayard Winthrop, CEO of American Giant, is dedicated to American made and has a transformative partnership with Walmart that could redefine the power of American manufacturing. Winthrop launched his collaboration with Walmart with a $12.98 American-made T-shirt in 2023, expanding to sweatshirts in 2025. The partnership is a compelling story about how premium brands can maintain integrity through mass-market collaboration. Walmart's unprecedented $350 billion, 10-year commitment to American-made products scales up onshoring, supports American jobs, meets customers’ expectations and lowers costs. Join Shelley and Bayard as they discuss global trade tensions, looming tariffs, and provide insights into the broader implications of reshoring for national security, community vitality, and workforce development. He challenges prevailing assumptions about manufacturing costs, believing strategic retail partnerships can democratize access to American-made quality without compromising standards. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

As we enter 2025, what’s the imperative for retail going forward? We’ve identified three key shifts that are shaping the future of retail. Join Shelley in a review of Retail Unwrapped podcast highlights that preview retail things to come. 

In hot topics of the moment, tariffs are top of mind for CEOs and CFOs and retail leadership is anticipating uncertain changes with the new administration. The industry faces a pivotal moment as tariff policies create a complex economic balancing act between manufacturing costs at home and consumer price surging for global sourcing. Discover more with Bayard Winthrop, Founder and CEO American Giant and Arick Wierson, award-winning journalist and TRR contributor in a Post-Election Recap for Retail.  

AI is raising its head, a sleeping giant with integration emerging as the defining factor separating market leaders from laggards. Its impact on the retail industry will be broad and deep and brands that stay ahead of the technology and implement AI strategies that resonate with their target markets are better positioned to win.  Learn more with The Next Frontier: Agentic AI Smart Shopping; The AI-Powered Merchant: Creativity Meets Retail Technology; and the Future of Retail Returns: Automation Meets Human Intelligence.

Effective retail leadership will shift as it adopts modern skillsets and strategies to manage a disruptive marketplace. Find out what right stuff is required to win with customers and an evolving workforce: Behind the CEO Curtain: What Modern Leadership Really Looks Like; Succession Planning in Retail…Pepsi Has It Right Four Female CEOs with Unique Retail Strategies; and John Venhuizen, President and CEO of Ace Hardware: A 2024 Crave Retail Radical.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Sharon Price John, CEO Build-A-Bear Workshop

Build-A-Bear Workshop is the evolution of a metamorphosis of a beloved brand. What began as a mall-centric experiential retailer transformed into a global powerhouse by understanding the shifting dynamics of consumer behavior, digital commerce, and destination retail. Join Shelley and Sharon as they reveal how questioning traditional retail assumptions led to breakthrough insights about tourist locations, hospitality partnerships, and multi-generational appeal. This strategic pivot wasn't about changing direction but rather reinterpreting the mission of founder Maxine Clark who created memorable family experiences. Listen in to learn how experiential excellence has made Build-a-Bear a retail renaissance.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests: Bridget Johns, co-founder and CEO at To&From, John Andrews co-founder and CEO of Cimulate.

The future of retail is being fundamentally transformed by artificial intelligence, moving far beyond basic search functionality to create intuitive, personalized shopping experiences. Learn how AI is evolving from simple keyword matching to sophisticated understanding of consumer context and intent. The key to success lies in striking the perfect balance between AI automation and human expertise. Join Shelley, Bridget and John as they discuss how the emergence of Agentic AI -- autonomous shopping assistants that can understand complex requirements and preferences -- represents the next frontier in retail technology. The human element will remain crucial, particularly when deep product knowledge and curation are required. The most successful implementations will combine AI's processing power with retail domain expertise to enhance rather than replace the human touch in shopping experiences.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In a bold reimagining of mass-market fashion, Walmart is spearheading a transformation that challenges traditional retail paradigms. A 2024 Crave Retail Radical, Denise Incandela, EVP of Walmart Fashion U.S. declares, "Disruption enables breakthrough ideas and redefines standards." This strategic evolution isn't about changing perception – it's revolutionizing how America can access and experience fashion. Join Shelley and Denise in our Retail Radical podcast as they explore how Walmart has transformed its role as a fashion destination. Denise underscores Walmart’s commitment to democratizing fashion without compromising style. The transformation extends beyond product to encompass a reimagined store experience, with over 600 modernized locations featuring branded shops and discovery zones that position fashion as a halo for the brand. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

John Venhuizen’s leadership and radical innovation over the past decade have fueled Ace Hardware’s growth. His strategy is a masterclass in scaling up while maintaining brand integrity and strong community ties. His success in attracting experienced retailers to its cooperative model demonstrates the enduring value of combining local expertise with global resources. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Ken Pilot of Ken Pilot Ventures, a retail advisory and technology investment firm. 

The convergence of traditional retail expertise with technological innovation is at a critical juncture for industry leaders. The retail-tech landscape is rapidly advancing beyond basic digitization into practical applications that directly impact the bottom line. Join Shelley and Ken as they dive into the next-gen technologies that are changing the retail landscape. They discuss how conversational commerce is revolutionizing the way customers discover products and how new technologies are transforming in-store operations by empowering associates with AI-driven styling tools and inventory insights. What will define the next level of retail success? The ability to harness retail-tech tools while maintaining brand authenticity and merchant creativity. Listen in to a tech-infused, stimulating conversation.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Tim Fehr, COO of Happy Returns

The complexities of modern returns management include processing hundreds of thousands of SKUs and demand both technological precision and human insight. As retail continues to evolve, the ability to efficiently manage returns while preventing fraud has become a critical factor in maintaining profitability and customer loyalty. As a pioneering force in returns management, Happy Returns has revolutionized the industry through its innovative approach to combining human verification with robotics automation. Join Shelley and Tim as they discuss how the Happy Returns system achieves a remarkable 35 percent improvement in processing speed while maintaining rigorous fraud prevention standards and how their automated processing centers ensure rapid inventory recovery for retailers. Their returns process is also netting a lifetime 93 Net Promoter Score. Their acquisition by UPS has further enhanced their capability to provide enterprise-level returns management solutions and the ability to scale innovation efforts. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Rebekah L. Matheny, NCIDQ, IIDA, Associate Professor | Interior Design | Department of Design, The Ohio State University; Founder & Director | REBEL Sustainable Futures Lab

The retail industry stands at a pivotal crossroads where sustainability, inclusivity, and profitability are converging to create a new model for growth. As consumer preferences evolve and environmental consciousness continues to rise, traditional retail operations are being challenged by a more circular, purpose-driven approach that promises both economic and environmental advantages. Circularity also includes store design with compelling supporting data: Circular retail models can generate up to four times higher profits per item while reducing environmental impact by 80 percent. Join Shelley and Rebekah as they unpack why circular design is not just about sustainability, it’s about creating a resilient business model. The imperative for change is clear: As Gen Zers and Alphas gain more purchasing power, their expectations for sustainable and inclusive retail experiences will reshape the industry. Retailers who pivot now will be better positioned to capture this growing market while contributing to a more resilient retail future.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Arick Wierson, Emmy award-winning television producer, political analyst and Robin Report Contributor

There is much speculation about how the recent election will impact the economy, shape the future of America and direct its influence throughout the world. Join Shelley and Arick in a wide-ranging conversation about the potential after-effects of the national election on the American consumer, retail and the business world. They also discuss how retailers can learn lessons from the campaigns about how to use strategic marketing and media to best resonate with consumers, and how research and polling can be misleading. Arick cautions the need for businesses to adapt to a new socio-political landscape, suggesting hiring geopolitical analysts and better understanding how to manage broader geopolitical dynamics as a result of a breakdown of separation between business and politics. There is a lot to unpack in the first days of a President-Elect Trump administration.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Jay Hakami, CEO and Founder, Skypad, CEO, SkyIT Group 

What’s a retailer’s worst nightmare? Not having the right retail insights and analytics to manage inventory. In an era where retail success hinges on speed to insight, the industry faces a critical intelligence gap stemming from outdated data sharing practices between retailers and brands. Operational efficiency can be crippled by inventory misalignment, yet so many businesses still struggle with the lack of accurate, granular and timely visibility into inventory levels that leads to stock discrepancies. What’s more, inefficient communication and lack of transparency between brands and retailers causes delays in inventory replenishment and excess stock in some locations while others face shortages. Join Shelley and Jay as they take a deep dive into the critical role of data transparency and communication between brands and retailers, examining how top performers are bridging the information divide. Speed to insight is the new currency in retail performance.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest 

Tom McGee, President and CEO of ICSC, the International Council of Shopping Centers 

Physical stores still function as strategic assets in today’s era of retail store transformation. New research from ICSC shows 92 percent of consumers plan in-store purchases this holiday season, reflecting the resilience and attraction of physical retail. Join Shelley and Tom as they explore what’s up for Holiday 2024 and how the in-store experience can create a powerful connection with shoppers. Despite the popularity of digital commerce, what may surprise you is there's an acute shortage of physical retail space, particularly in suburban markets. Listen and learn about the future of physical store planning and retail’s ongoing transformation. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests:
Kim Kitchings - Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Cotton Incorporated
Anna Copilevitz – Lead Program Manager, Zappos for Good

In a global consumer marketplace where sustainability is no longer optional, two unexpected partners are redefining sustainable fashion initiatives. Join Shelley, Kim, and Anna as they unveil how Cotton Incorporated and Zappos are turning sustainability rhetoric into tangible action, challenging the status quo and setting new benchmarks for industry collaboration. Discover how these industry giants are transforming post-consumer denim into valuable resources, leveraging ecommerce infrastructure to make sustainability accessible to all consumers, and educating the next generation about circularity and its impact on their future. This isn't just another conversation about sustainability—it's a masterclass in innovative partnerships, consumer engagement, and future-focused business strategies. For retail executives looking to stay ahead of the curve, listen in and learn how to harness collective industry power, align in sustainable fashion initiatives and turn potential competitors into powerful allies for global impact. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests:
Jonathan Gold, Vice President, Supply Chain and Customs Policy, National Retail Federation.
Sonja Chapman, Associate Professor International Trade and Marketing at Fashion Institute of Technology.

What’s the aborted port strike impact on the retail industry? Although the strike may be over, the real battle could be beginning. Beyond the longshoremen’s passalong salary hikes, a sticking point with the union is protection against automation. They are threatened by technology that can help build a more productive and profitable business model at the expense of union jobs. Join Shelley, Jonathan and Sonja as they look at the post-port strike landscape and discuss how CEOs can stay afloat for the all-important holiday selling period and beyond. Retail businesses and brands should be prepared for the next round of challenges with forward-thinking strategies for supply chain solutions to anticipate port closures, cargo piracy, labor disputes, and weather disruptions like hurricanes. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guests: 
Warren Shoulberg, TRR contributor, award-winning journalist, consultant for the retailing and home furnishings industries.
Brian Delp, President of Sales and Licensing, Himatsingka America.

The pandemic reshaped the home industry, with a shift towards home upgrades over new purchases. Join Shelley, Warren, and Brian as they discuss shifting consumer and market trends, supply chain disruptions and their impact on the current state of the home furnishings and retail sectors. Driven by high interest rates and a tightening housing market, revenge travel is out, home decor is in, and traceability is more important than ever. Consumers are now more focused on smaller, more affordable home décor updates. The conversation also addresses looming port strikes, which could significantly disrupt the already strained supply chain and disrupt Holiday 2024.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Rebekah L. Matheny, NCIDQ, IIDA
Associate Professor | Interior Design | Department of Design and Founder & Director | REBEL Sustainable Futures Lab

Savvy retailers and brands already have a strategy to respond to the ongoing climate crisis. Join Shelley and Rebekah Matheny, an expert in sustainable design at The Ohio State University, as they discuss the implications of consumers’ impact on the planet. They cover sustainable solutions by making incremental changes despite the popularity of fast fashion and excessive consumerism. With circularity in mind, retailers should rethink store design and product life cycles, from raw materials sourcing to post-consumer reuse and recycling. While some brands, like Zara, are starting small by launching second-hand services, a more systemic change is needed. Gen Z and the Alphas can spot greenwashing a mile away and their priority for authentic sustainability may be just the catalyst for a viable circular economy in retail.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Kimberly Minor, CEO of Women of Color Retail Alliance

The growing significance of the multicultural population, which will become the majority in the U.S. by 2050, will drive brands to integrate DEI authentically into their practices. Millennials, Gen Z and Alphas expect companies to reflect their values and are increasingly directing their spending toward those that do so. Join Shelley and Kimberly Minor, CEO of WOC Retail Alliance, as they discuss how to rethink DEI by understanding why embracing diversity isn't just a social cause but a business imperative. Listen in as they debunk myths around DEI initiatives and urge brands to reclaim a DEI culture for both customers and employees.  

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The C-suite is undergoing a transformation with modern leadership becoming digitally savvy and keyed into the importance of customer behavior and mindsets. Join special guest Brenda Malloy, CEO of Herbert Mines Associates, and Shelley as they sit down to discuss leadership in the retail industry, focusing on stakeholders’ evolving expectations of CEOs and the critical attributes CEOs need for success in today's dynamic market. There is pressure to increase diversity and representation in the C-suite, particularly for women and BIPOC leaders. Brenda also provides insights into why some executives, including Mary Dillon and Brian Connell, are crossing over to retail from other sectors. And not to mention, but Gen Alpha is entering the workforce: Are retail leaders ready? 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guests: Jennifer Peterson Community Engagement Chief at Edwards Companies and Brian Bernstein, Principal of REALM Collaborative 

Mixed-use spaces have been reshaping urban development, and retail plays an essential role in the vibrancy of these public spaces. Jennifer Peterson and Brian Bernstein join Shelley to talk about trends in commercial real estate and urban development, and how collaborative partnerships can transform the success of these projects.  Learn about the vital role community engagement plays in these projects, the benefits to cities, and what brands and retailers can do to tap into this trend. Hear real-world examples of the challenges and opportunities for retail in urban development and how public spaces can shape customer experiences and bring value to owners. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 Ace Hardware is on a roll.

It just debuted its new store concept Elevate Ace, designed on input from its suppliers, store owners, and shareholders. Reflecting shifts in consumer shopping behavior, the new store focuses on enhanced customer service with branded in-store experiences. 

Join special guest John Venhuizen, CEO of Ace Hardware, and Shelley as they discuss how the company has transformed from a family-owned business to a global cooperative. Celebrating 100 years with a community focus, Ace’s unique business model allows entrepreneurs to become local store owners and shareholders of Ace Hardware Corporation.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Are you ready to revolutionize your approach to employee engagement and customer loyalty? A new wave is growing of the critical importance of focusing on employee experience (EX) as the foundation for creating exceptional customer experiences (CX). Join special guest Matt Mueller, a retail renegade devoted to creating retail experiences that electrify, and Shelley as they shake up everything you thought you knew about today’s retail workforce. Learn how to flip the script on how stores innovate and operate.

Special Guest
Matt Mueller, globally recognized retail innovation strategist and author of best-seller “The Mindful Innovator.” 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Guest: Mark A. Cohen, former Director of Retail Studies at Columbia Business School and former CEO of Sears Canada. 

What’s the back story on the Saks-Neiman Marcus merger? Will it survive? Could it be retail’s next colossal failure?

Mergers and acquisitions in the retail industry have a high failure rate, which begs the obvious question if this deal is a viable strategy for the two luxury brands. Join Mark and Shelley as they debate the leadership decisions at Hudson Bay and Saks Global and if this is another desperate example of the last-man-standing rationale rather than a visionary move. 

The absence of strong merchant leadership in both companies may be its ultimate downfall.  While the FTC shouldn’t have a problem with the merger, there are growing concerns about the financial integrity of Saks, most notably since the company isn’t paying its vendors, the lifeblood of a luxury designer brand. Listen in and get the full story about the turmoil behind the merger.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The results of the national election will impact retail in a multitude of ways: immigration policies, economic stability, labor markets, new regulations, and trade and economic policies. 

Join TRR reporter Arick Wierson and Shelley as they explore consumerism, the struggles of the middle class, and the unique perspectives of Gen Z that frame the bigger picture about the state of our nation, now and post-election. 

Their conversation also touches on the different needs and challenges faced by small local retailers compared to large corporations in an uneven retail landscape. Listen and learn from our provocative predictions! 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: George Shaw, CEO and Founder, Pathr.ai

Spatial intelligence is supercharging merchandise and marketing teams.  How?  By transforming data into dollars. In-store teams are still at a disadvantage when it comes to knowing how their shoppers behave, compared to online retailers with unprecedented visibility into customer behavior. 

Join special guest George Shaw, CEO and Founder of Pathr.ai, and Shelley as they discuss how spatial Intelligence captures data to reveal a deeper understanding of how customers shop in-store. AI-powered technologies can drive store layout optimizations, product placement, and marketing promotion effectiveness. 

Find out how Pathr uses a retailer’s existing cameras to provide merch and marketing teams with real-time, actionable insights that help drive key business decisions. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Our Special Guests, MG2 Principals Melissa Gonzalez and Matthew Goelzer, AIA, LEED AP

Consumers now expect seamless, unified commerce experiences where they can access products and information anytime, anywhere. 

This fluidity is reshaping how brands build loyalty and manage supply chains, with a focus on responsiveness to meet these high expectations. 

Join Shelley and guests Melissa Gonzalez and Matthew Goelzer, Principals of MG2, as they discuss the pivotal role of supply chain management in modern retail. Their conversation highlights the importance of agility, the rise of unified commerce approaches, the potential of AI, and innovative strategies that are reshaping the industry.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 Special Guest:  Michelle Crossan-Matos, Chief Marketing Officer, Ulta Beauty

We’re experiencing a deficit in joyfulness; 85 percent of people wish they felt a high level of joy in their lives, but only 58 percent report feeling that way. 

Ulta Beauty’s mission is to bring joy to millions of people, so they developed The Joy Project and enlisted the help of motivational speaker and podcast host Mel Robbins to empower customers and their workforce of 53,000 to embrace and experience joy. 

Join Shelley and Michelle Crossan-Matos, Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty as they discuss how Ulta Beauty has prompted a national conversation about the barriers to joy and how to overcome them. Their discussion reveals how the program can transform a negative, self-criticism conversation into a supportive, connected community.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

As the world’s number-one PC manufacturer, Lenovo’s mission is to deliver smarter technology for everyone. The company journey has transformed from a wholesale business to a DTC model supported by rich data and analytics delivering world-class experiences for its users. How did they do it? Join Shelley and Jennifer Downes, Lenovo’s CMO of Global eCommerce, as they discuss how attracting repeat customers for a business based on infrequent purchases requires innovative thinking.

The new Lenovo customer-centric approach has resulted in a 28 percent increase in digital orders. Listen and learn!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special guest Bayard Winthrop, Founder and CEO of AmericanGiant has spent the last 13 years on a mission to change the world with American made high-quality sportswear and strengthening small-town manufacturing communities. 

Bayard inspired Steven Kurutz’s book American Flannel as a passionate entrepreneur facing the challenges of American-made production. Join Shelley and Bayard as they talk about his epic start-up journey and the new partnership between American giant and Walmart with the just-released line of American Made T-shirts. 

How do you change the conversation about the future of domestic apparel production?  Listen and find out.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Data rules in the ecommerce digital world but is more challenging to collect in the physical world. But tracking millions of pieces of merchandise across your store floors so your customers and staff can find any product in real-time is now a reality. Unified commerce is here. 

Join Shelley E. Kohan and special guest Ronit Eliav, Chief Marketing Officer of Nexite as they discuss how virtual apparel tracking maps with real-time data lets your merchandise seamlessly tell you their entire life story -- from the factory floor to their final destination in the customers’ closet. 

The win/win? A deeper emotional connection with the customer through trusted, transparent intelligence.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What does it take to turn around an iconic brand that started with humble beginnings? Creating a new vision may not be the best road to take and reinvigorating a brand may not be enough. 

The traditional checklist is outdated: cutting costs to profitability and relying solely on operational efficiency to drive performance. While new leadership can create a new vision, who’s the right fit? 

Join Robin and Shelley as they deconstruct three iconic brands operating with bold new strategies. Competition is fierce, product is king, and consumer affinity is key. Who will be the winners and losers in the retail game?

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

There was a time in retail when the route to the C-suite was from the sales floor, and future leadership was carefully groomed at companies like Lord & Taylor, Abraham & Strauss, and Macy’s. 

With many companies downsizing and eliminating training programs, plus integrating more technology, future retail CEOs may come from unexpected places. 

Pepsi has become the poster child for launching retail CEOs:  Brian Cornell of Target, Lauran Hobart of Dick’s Sporting Goods, Vivek Sankaran of Albertsons, and Mary Dillon of Foot Locker. Can retailers steal a page from Pepsi’s playbook?  

Liza Amlani, Principal and Founder of Retail Strategy Group joins Robin and Shelley to talk about how leadership needs to be able to connect products to customers, which typically happens when talent is groomed from within. They also discuss how retailers can retain talent by giving frontline jobs a quicker route to the top. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Nordstrom’s core mission is to make customers feel good and look their best. And the retailer is legendary for listening to the customer and delivering customer service that “is not defined by us based on our legacy practices. It’s defined by customers. The customer is still the best filter we have for every business decision we make," according to Pete Nordstrom.

Two industry giants, Bob Spector, and Paco Underhill, join Robin and Shelley as they discuss how Nordstrom’s culture that is focused on the customer experience has been maintained over the course of 123 years … and counting. They discuss the role of technology in enhancing the customer experience and how to combine high touch with high tech. Don’t miss this fascinating look at the inside story and backstory on one of America’s most beloved retail brands.

Special Guests
Robert Spector, Author, The Century Old Startup: The Nordstrom Way of Embracing Change, Challenges, and a Culture of Customer Service

Paco Underhill, Author, Why We Buy, Call of the Mall, What Women Want, and How We Eat 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Top headlines in retail reinforce the seismic shifts in the industry, including vertical integration, aligned brand platforms, private branding, new department store models, and updated workplace policies. It has all turned retail operations on its side as leaders grapple with how to master so many changes happening all at once. 

Join Robin and Shelley as they discuss the hot topics in today’s retail environment, including what Walmart’s recent earning report means, what’s up with CEO Kevin Plank rejoining the brand he created (think how entrepreneurs need professional and disciplined leadership to stabilize growth), and the not-so-hot furniture and home furnishings business. Layer on top of the challenges of remote and hybrid work, and you’ve got a provocative look at how the retail industry is under rapid fire from all fronts.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special guests Susan Vison, VP and executive director of REI’s Path Ahead Ventures, and Ed Chang, co-founder of Varlo, join Robin and Shelley to discuss how big companies can help elevate and support underrepresented BIPOC brand owners.

An estimated one percent of founders in the outdoor industry identifies as a person of color, despite over 30 percent of outdoor participants identifying as such. REI is addressing that gap with its Path Ahead Ventures launched in 2021 to focus on providing support and solidarity to outdoor businesses that are BIPOC owned and led.

REI is making a difference as a leader in supporting outdoor businesses that are owned by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special Guest: Charlie Youakim, Chairman and CEO, Sezzle

The BNPL market has exploded over the past two years as consumers have ramped up this fintech alternative to credit cards. Competition is heating up; will only the strong survive?

Special guest Charlie Youakim, Chairman and CEO of Sezzle, joins Robin and Shelley to talk about how this online payment platform increases purchasing power for consumers with interest-free installment plans.

Listen in to learn why BNPL is in such a growth mode (Sezzle reports a 33 percent increase in Q1) and what’s happening in the payment solution market. They will also debunk the popular myths surrounding BNPL.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

If Walmart, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan Chase can’t figure out how to make healthcare work, then there is something seriously wrong with today’s U.S. retail healthcare model. 

In 2018 Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase announced a joint venture into healthcare called Haven. Three years into the venture, they walked away. Now Walmart is closing its clinics and telehealth services because it’s just not a sustainable business model. Join Robin and Shelley as they reveal why retail healthcare isn’t panning out for the big brands. The complex system of reimbursements among providers, insurance companies, and the government makes healthcare difficult to scale and unprofitable for nontraditional players. This is a big story.  Listen and learn!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The evolution of frictionless shopping in self-checkout continues to meet customer expectations and enhance the in-store experience. What’s behind the technology?  

Join Robin and Shelley to reveal the expanding role of RFID across retail industries and its broader use cases in supply chain, customer engagement areas, and combating theft and counterfeiting. 

This is a critical conversation you won’t want to miss. 

Special Guests: 
Bill Toney, Vice President Global, Food Solutions, Avery Dennison
Michael Butensky, Managing Director, Retail Strategy, North America Store Operations Lead, Accenture

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Weather analytics and retail are connected. The most basic connection is seasonal changes prompt seasonal sales. But there’s more to it. 

Special guest Evan Gold, EVP of Global Partnerships & Alliances at Planalytics joins Robin and Shelley to talk weather’s impact on retail. Learn how climate change has added complexities into understanding and managing one of retail’s biggest disruptive forces… the weather.  Using analytics to better manage how today’s volatile weather patterns impact marketing, merchandise assortment and planning, supply chain, and operations can help retailers drive top-line growth and bottom-line profits.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The state of AI in retail today can be as confusing as it is exciting. But it is a board mandate for retail, without question. The opportunity to drive higher productivity and profitability is massive, yet it’s still a technology that needs to be driven by a purpose. The first and most critical question:  What are you trying to solve for? 

Join Purva Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of Lily, with Robin and Shelley as they deconstruct the common pitfalls of “tech vendor math” and reveal a new path forward for retailers and brands that focuses on the outcomes they want to achieve and how to measure progress and success. The bottom line? The pressure on executives and CFOs to be able to quantify and believe in the impact of AI enablement tools is greater than ever. 

They know they need to substantiate the results of those investments with legitimate, tangible sales and performance gains. In a world of technology proliferation and vendor claims that too often overpromises and underdelivers, executives now expect partners who can actually show the proof and deliver on those promises. Listen and learn.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Recent failures of Matches, FarFetch, and Net-a-Porter has left Mythersea as the last luxe multi-brand standing. High spenders prefer to buy directly from brand companies like LVMH, Christian Dior, Gucci, and Hermès. And these luxe majors would rather sell directly to consumers than wholesale to a multi-branded ecommerce website. 

Join Robin and Shelley as they roll back the curtain on what’s going on with luxury ecomm.  What’s more, live streaming will be another nail in the coffin for these multi-brand ecomm sites along with the growing luxury resale market. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Consumers are speaking out. A class action lawsuit has been filed by two Hermès shoppers in Northern California who are fed up with sales tactics used by this luxury powerhouse. 

They allege that the French luxury brand violates federal and California antitrust laws when selling its iconic status-symbol Birkin and Kelly handbags. They claim Hermès has illegally forced customers to spend thousands of dollars on other products to gain access to buying a Birkin bag. 

Join Robin and Shelley with guests Michelle Mandelstein, an attorney and an adjunct instructor at Fashion Institute of Technology and Jeff Fisher, VP of retail for Blenders eyewear, as they hash out if the lawsuit has any merit and what impact this may have on the future of the luxury sector. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Don’t dismiss the power play of the growing community of content creators, recognized as the cultural leaders of the 21st century.  Proof? The creator economy market is expected to double to $480 billion by 2027. 

Join Julian Greene, Head of Creator Partnerships at Flagship along with Robin and Shelley in a candid conversation about how social media has unlocked a flood of content creators and the monetization of creator commerce. They also dispel common myths surrounding the burgeoning creator community as an industry. Any brand that has not dived head-first into this new content commerce opportunity will be at a severe disadvantage. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Here is a tale of four female CEOs with contrasting and compelling leadership styles. 

Take Mary Dillon, who led 288% revenue growth at Ulta but is now grappling with the past two years of slower growth at Footlocker. Contrast that with Fran Horowitz, CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, who has overseen 16% growth in 2023 and a remarkable 10% CAGR since 2019 since 2017.  

Join Robin and Shelley as they delve into two leadership styles and strategic approaches to reveal how these two leaders envision success. Looking forward, Michelle Gass, CEO at Levi’s, and Artemis Patrick, CEO of Sephora North America, are poised for accelerated growth. Listen to the stories about these four remarkable women and how they are reinvigorating retail.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Fashion ecomm has evolved from customers finding and visiting websites to seek out what they want, to search-enabled discovery, to today’s modern model of bringing fashion directly to you and replicating the excitement of impulse purchasing …online.  The art and science of the shopping experience have also been perfected with the help of influencers who are real and authentic.  

Join special guest Tarek Müller, star entrepreneurial founder of ABOUTYOU along with Robin and Shelley in a lively conversation about how to propel the online fashion experience into a business building success story. 

They will discuss how ABOUT YOU reached €5 billion in GTV* through influencer marketing and international expansion – and how the technology and expertise developed along the way now powers over 140 shops with the SCAYLE Commerce Engine.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Tony Spring is creating a bold new chapter at Macy’s and he will inevitably face off with activist vultures. His strength as a strategic marketer should pave the way to a reimagined Macy’s. 

Join Robin and Shelley as they dive into Spring’s strategic shift to close underperforming stores and open local, smaller format stores. They deconstruct how Macy’s will grow with a strategic emphasis on technology, data transparency, and AI-driven marketing to support a consumer-focused transformation.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

There’s a store across the street and thousands more just a key tap away. Consumers are addicted to the explosion of websites, marketplaces, and direct-to-consumer brands flooding cyberspace. The upside for consumers is lower prices and anything they want; the downside for brands is the impact on the environment and a race to the bottom.

 Join Robin and Shelley as they pull the curtain back on the U.S. retail marketplace. Quick preview: U.S. marketplace retail sales grew by an estimated 10.2% YoY in 2023 to nearly $385 billion and represent one-third of all ecommerce sales. Globally, ecomm sales are 19.5% of total retail sales and will grow to 23% by 2027. Amazon, Walmart and Temu lead the pack!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

One of the hottest tickets this year is the much-anticipated annual edition of Shoptalk in Las Vegas. 

This year’s key topics will not disappoint, with a focus on how AI can transform your business, create unified retail experiences, harness brand power, and build loyalty via seamless customer journeys. 

Join Robin, Shelley, and special guest Krystina Gustafson, SVP of Content for Shoptalk, as they share a sneak peek into one of the most talked about events of the year.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Here’s a provocative thought: The sum of retail is greater than its parts. Historically, retailers benchmark individual store profit for physical retail as a mainstay of performance measurement. But in a digital marketplace, brick-and-mortar profitability goes beyond the scope of the four walls.

Join Robin, Shelley, and special guest Steve Morris, founder of ASG and a well-known real estate strategist, as they redefine profitability in an omnichannel world. Listen to this insightful conversation on how to measure real success.

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For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Returns have become a huge headache for retailers and a hassle for customers --  and the growth of online sales has exacerbated the problem. The cost of returns continues to skyrocket, impacting the bottom line, and at the same time, the negative environmental impact of returned goods is growing. 

Join Robin, Shelley, and special guest David Sobie, Co-founder and CEO of Happy Returns, a software and reverse logistics company that enables frictionless, no-box, no-label returns for merchants and consumers. Discover why new rules and restrictions around returns may alienate customers and whether technology can help reduce returns in the first place. 

We learn how UPS’s acquisition of Happy Returns is making returns a lot easier for customers and retailers –- not to mention making tremendous strides in positively impacting sustainability efforts.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The retail environment is moving at lightning speed, making C-suite succession planning more difficult. Case in point? Gap has had a revolving door of CEOs ever since trying to replace Mickey Drexler. 

Leading the retail industry in a digital marketplace and finding the right talent has become an exercise in art and science. Join Robin, Shelley, and Kevin Finnegan from Global Recruiters of Lowcountry as they discuss why understanding frontline workers and moving fast on the tech side are highly sought-after skills for today's leadership. 

Leading brands Under Armour, Footlocker, and Uniqlo top the list of delivering the right balance of high touch and high tech. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

With the sheer number of retail startups at NRF, you’d think you were at the Big AI Show at the Javits Center in New York last week. 

Clearly, retail tech offers the partnerships, innovations, and solutions required to operate in a digital marketplace. And AI, in its many forms, dominated the conversations at the expo, in the hallways, and on stage. 

Join Robin and Shelley as they debrief on the big ideas and themes that will re-engineer retail. Startups, including JumpMind, Nexite, Amperity, FluentCommerce, and Parcellab are providing AI solutions for retailers, while major companies such as IBM are leaning into massive data analytics and generative AI to help retailers move forward. All told, the big get bigger, and the small keep getting more agile.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Gen Z and the Alphas right behind them are deeply influencing brands and
workplace cultures. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are table stakes for the next gens who have a new set of values and are hyper-socially aware. Retailers and brands that don’t see the importance of today’s cultural movement will be left whistling in the wind. 

Join Robin and Shelley as they face the issues head-on. A&F and Lululemon have recovered from former leadership tone-deaf statements about customers and employees, but Victoria’s Secret may be headed down the wrong path. Listen and learn about why next gens canmake or break a business with its values-based consumer power.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Robin Report Retail Radicals celebrate the icons and iconoclasts that are reinventing legacy retail. Each of these remarkable brands has a deep brand ethos, appeals to a multigenerational customer, and stays true to their brand strategy. They survive and thrive in disruptive marketplaces with enlightened leadership. Join Robin and Shelley as they share the back stories of what makes the 2023 Radicals so great with details on impressive innovations and unique customer experiences while outpacing their competitive peers in delivering high-performance financial results.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Preemptive distribution is pushing retailers to go local with assortments, services,
and indigenous products. Advances in retail technologies will enable localization with
precise customer preferences and more relevant product assortments, while marketplaces and strategic partnerships will continue to grow.

Marketing becomes hyper-personalized through robust AI analytics, and retail media network and ad spending will soar. As a top priority, retailers will need to up their efforts in becoming the employer of choice. Join Robin and Shelley as they dive into these game-changing structural changes that will require outlook and foresight from retail executives. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Retail accounting provides a snapshot of real-time profit margins, but it may lead to an overstatement of profits since the practice is based on retail pricing. 

With fluctuations in selling prices, is cost-based accounting really a better measure of performance for the retail industry? 

Join Robin, Shelley and Paula Rosenblum, co-founder and managing partner of RSR Research, as they discuss why many companies are looking toward moving to cost-based accounting away from a practice that is centuries old. They debate how retail-based accounting, the industry standard, can be a dangerous practice and why should retailers be thinking differently.  

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What’s the story behind organized retail crime? 

It has commanded national headlines and resulted in many stores being transformed into locked vaults. Join Robin and Shelley as they deconstruct the situation, discussing that the narrative about organized retail crime has been exaggerated. 

The backstory is the advocacy to build greater support for national law enforcement and more coordinated efforts across agencies alongside more stringent legislation. Companies may be using ORC as a cover for poor performance and store closings. 

Tune in to learn more about the growth of retail theft and why the numbers are murky.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What it means to be a brand today goes beyond the single dimension of yesterday’s mono-brand definition.

Now, savvy brands use past successes and morph them into an evolved, multifaceted branding experience.

Join trends expert Leslie J. Ghize, EVP of DONEGER TOBE, with Robin and Shelley in a riveting conversation about the new branding imperative and what is top of mind for consumers heading into 2024. Stay tuned as Leslie shares her insights about the lingering emotional and psychological impacts of COVID-19 on kids and young adults. To be clear, the kids are not allright.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

How is Holiday 2023 going to end up? Even when customers are facing turbulent,
 unpredictable market trends and world events, they continue to spend. 
It could be just “Doom Spending” to cope with stress about the economy and external global factors. 

The bigger question is: Will consumer spending keep growing into 2024?  

Join special guest Nick Mangiapane, Chief Marketing Officer at Commerce Signals, Robin, and Shelley as they discuss retail consumer spending patterns and predictions for this holiday.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Black Friday Creep has moved over $5 billion out of November and December into October. 

Join Robin and Shelley with guest Angela Thompson, Principal of Thompson Marketing Consulting, as they look at the broader impact of Pre-Black Friday sales. Pressure on retailers to perform and comp year-over-year sales have a flip side. 

While daily deals might be exciting for some passionate shoppers, they may be overwhelming for others -- especially if it becomes a race to the bottom. Angela will reveal what happened with pre-holiday sales this year, the results of Black Friday and what to expect in 2024.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The U.S. has one of the highest per capita consumption of plastics in the world, driven principally by packaging.

Enter a Swedish inventor Åke Rosén with Biodolomer, an alternative that looks and acts like plastic, but is renewable, biodegradable, compostable, convertible to renewable energy, gives off virtually no CO2 emissions, and does not generate microplastics. 

Too good to be true? 

Join Robin and Shelley with brand strategist Kristoffer Reiter, Principal of Cohesive Whole and Nils Andersson from Gaia Biomaterials (home for Biodolomer) as they reveal breakthrough advances in bioengineering and the potential end of plastics as we know them. 

This wide-ranging conversation is inspiring about how ingenuity and imagination of applied science can change the world for the better.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Prepare to have your perspective on multicultural marketing forever changed, as we unravel the vast potential and rapid evolution of diverse audiences in the retail marketplace. We're joined by none other than Imani Laners, the VP of Multicultural Partnerships at Zeta Global, who lends her expertise to our discussion, urging marketers to re-evaluate their strategies and seize the growth opportunities presented by the shifting demographics. 

We pull back the curtain on how luminaries like Sephora and Ulta Beauty are forging a path for others by aligning their employee demographics with their customer base, and making a conscious effort to feature minority-owned brands. Let's not forget the captivating case study shared by Imani, highlighting how Zeta Global helped a non-profit identify its multicultural donor base, thereby revolutionizing their future marketing campaigns. Join us for this enlightening conversation and gain a clearer understanding of the future of marketing!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Join Robin and Shelley and guest expert Dr. Read Hayes, leading criminologist and law enforcement pro, as they go behind the scenes of retail crime. Learn from Read how he has been using AI to help organizations worldwide, including Target, Home Depot, Bloomingdales, Coles Meyer, Disney, Proctor & Gamble and Walmart on loss prevention strategies.

Artificial Intelligence combined with IoT-enabled science can take a bite out of retail crime. Retail shrink hit $94.5 billion in 2021 and is currently on an upward spiral. Not to mention, ORC was up 27% in 2021. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Here’s a conundrum: Should bad behavior be tolerated when profits are soaring? The Ye and Adidas relationship is a cautionary tale about the temptation to trade erratic behavior for crazy revenues. During a near decade-long partnership between Kanye West and Adidas, the Yeezy brand brought in Adidas a billion dollars a year and made Ye a billionaire. But at what cost? 

Join Robin and Shelley as they dissect the business risk of doing business with controversial celebrities. 

Why did Adidas put up with inappropriate, off-the-rails behavior? 

And why was Adidas hostage to Ye’s downward spiral of hate speech?  Motivated by pure profit? 

And then there’s the anti-Ye, everyone’s role model: Michael Jordan and Nike. Listen to this fascinating conversation about complex business decision-making that pits profits against ethics.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The iconic Vans brand is seeing its profits racing down fast as competition heats up in the sneaker category. 

What’s going on here? 

Vans innovation has stalled, and consumer demand is veering to more traditional sneakers. Join Robin and Shelley as they debate whether new VF Corp leadership can turn the business around for Vans and the rest of the VF brands. Or will it be another tough year for the company? 

If Q1 results are any predictor, it’s going to be a rough ride with Vans revenue dropping 22% and wholesale down a whopping 40%.  Who can save the iconic Vans brand? And how?

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In the second half of our conversation, we learn from Lindsey the importance of the bigger brand work and how it could significantly reduce customer acquisition costs. She urges CMOs to challenge businesses around issues that matter to customers, like sustainability and privacy. Wrapping up, we delve into the power of social media, emphasizing the value of customer engagement and audience involvement in framing your content. Don't miss out on this riveting discussion that offers a deeper understanding of the AI-driven marketing world.

Get ready to unravel the mysteries of marketing with AI as we chat with Lindsey Scheftic, the visionary founder of CMO Sidekick. Lindsey brings her expertise to our table, shedding light on innovative AI companies shaking up the landscape, why authenticity in messaging matters, and the evolving role of the Chief Marketing Officer in the age of AI disruption. She cautions about the pitfalls of releasing too much content too fast - a valuable lesson in the current fast-paced tech environment.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Join Robin and Shelley with AI expert Lindsey Scheftic, Founder of The CMO Sidekick, for a candid conversation about AI in Part 1 on this topic.

With in-depth marketing expertise at Amazon/Ring, Red Bull and Vans, Lindsey gets real about the future of the CMO and how marketing will be transformed by AI. 

Our dynamic discussion hits on the velocity of change in the marketing world, what executives should be thinking about, and a cautionary tale of getting too much content out to the market too fast.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Traditional succession planning may be a thing of the past for retailers. The new trend is identifying the next CEO by looking outside the four walls and mining executives from different industries. And technology IQ is becoming a key skill required in the C-suite.  Join Robin and Shelley as they debate what it takes to stay at the top. How did major brands Starbucks, Ulta, Gap, and Under Armour break the CEO mold? 

Find out if bringing in outside leaders is brilliant ...or crazy.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Spoiler alert: Costco has become dinner table conversation. It’s the hottest-selling wholesale haute couture brand in the U.S. market catering to its 120 million members, representing $227 billion in revenues. 

With a location strategy that hits higher-income markets and its social media frenzy #costcofinds trending on TikTok, it’s no wonder that it’s an American beloved brand. Join Shelley and Robin as they unpack Costco’s phenomenal success as the brand levels up its appeal to affluent shoppers. 

What’s more, their highly engaged and well-paid workforce helps drive Costcoholics’ loyalty, the backbone of this world-class business.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Has the retail world gone mad? Acquisitions, partnerships, collaborations, buy-outs,
and buy-ins. Some make perfect sense, and others make us say, "What were you thinking?" Just to get started: Gap and Macy's; Tapestry and Capri; Shein and SPARC. These don’t make sense. But there’s: Target and Ulta; Nike and Footlocker; LVMH and Tiffany; Macy's and ToysRUs. They all make perfect sense. Robin and Shelley take a no holds barred look at the collabs they think were good ... maybe not so good ... and potential disasters. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The data-oriented power of direct-to-consumer (DTC) models has a leading edge over traditional retail. The collection of all user data and interactions, along with their preferences, wants and needs becomes critical for increasing engagement with existing customers and acquiring new ones.

While the retail industry is learning how to use AI-based models to drive better experiences, DTC is leading the way. Join Robin, Shelley, and special guest Michael Challinger, CEO of DTC kitchen sinks and fixtures brand Houzer, as they dig into why CEOs who come from the tech side of the business have a decisive competitive edge.

It’s the art + science of ecommerce. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Retailers are facing a potential economic event, and the wildcard is predicting what consumers will do. Most Americans are in credit card debt, prices are higher than last year, pandemic savings are dwindling; and student loan repayments hit in October, just in time for holidays. 

Join Robin, Shelley, and TRR’s own reporter Pam Danziger who is an internationally recognized researcher, speaker, and author. Check out her article on TRR’s site, Get Ready for the Weather to Turn. They discuss why the current economic landscape is worrisome for retailers. Listen in and learn how to prepare for a rocky fall/winter selling season.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Tapestry is no LVMH or Kering in its acquisition of Capri. The aspiration to play in the luxe space is nearly impossible; for starters, Jimmy Choo and Versace are too niche and too small. 

Add to that Tapestry’s mainstream brands are outlet mall darlings, at one point, driving about 70% of revenues. Join Robin and Shelley as they deconstruct the deal as potential culture clash and overburdening debt load in Tapestry’s vision to become a luxury powerhouse.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Is Amazon on a downward retail slide? It’s backing off physical stores (except grocery) and its Amazon Go technology hasn’t gained traction. And then there’s Walmart down every American’s street that continues to up its game. 

So, Andrew Jassy is focusing on Amazon’s emerging technologies including Amazon ONE biometric payment tech and heavy investments in generative AI.  Amazon also has big plans to increase its B2B business from $35 billion to over $100 billion and process improvements to reduce costs. 

Join Robin and Shelley as they dig into Amazon’s continuing success (Q2 overall revenue up 11%)  and possible downfall. Listen and learn.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Join Robin Lewis and Shelley Kohan as they dig into Supreme’s recent history, armed with Robin’s invaluable insights. They dissect the crucial role of company culture and its direct impact on brand acquisitions. 

Be prepared to get a grip on the inner dynamics of the investment community and how it pressures a corporation’s image and performance. And then, what impact does company culture have on its acquisition, and how is that received by its target customers? 

Brace yourselves to dive into the challenges large public companies face under Wall Street’s scrutiny and its positive and negative trickle-down effects on its customers.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Imagine a world where legacy retailers, once terrified by the concept of ecommerce, are now leading the charge, leveraging multiple distribution channels to connect with their customers. 

Join us, Robin Lewis and Shelley Kohan, as we dissect this seismic shift from the wholesale to the retail model. We'll delve into the hard truth of skyrocketing customer acquisition costs and why the data collected from selling directly to consumers has become an invaluable resource.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Ever wondered how to tackle the billion-dollar problem of organized retail crime?

Join us for an engaging chat with George Shaw, founder and CEO of Pathr.ai, as he sheds light on the magnitude of this issue, with the prediction of $100 billion in losses looming over the retail industry in 2023. In the face of these challenges, we dive into the transformative power of AI and open-source technology.

We also explore data privacy and the potential bias in asset protection, highlighting Pathr.ai’s data collection strategy as a beacon of consumer data protection. As George elaborates, the future lies in the innovative collaboration between tech and retail experts. 

So, don’t miss out as we navigate the complex landscape of AI and its groundbreaking impact on the retail industry.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Tom McGee believes there is a bright side for retail in the suburbs; it has benefited from shifting consumer behaviors. 

Join us as Robin, Shelley, and Tom discuss suburban retail, Gen Z, and the return to physical spaces including outdoor malls. They also discuss how higher interest rates and remote work have put a damper on the urban retail landscape, leaving a plethora of office spaces empty with no expectation of commercial real estate values to recover until 2040.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Brian Field, Global Leader of Retail Consulting for Sensormatic Solutions, joins us to provide a breakdown of their 2023 Annual Consumer Survey. 

Join us as Robin, Shelley, and Brian talk through some of this year’s key findings and what they mean across the industry segment.

Brian also offers his insights on the impact of Amazon Prime Day on brick and mortar and his thoughts on why consumers are returning to these locations with increasing regularity.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

This week’s podcast addresses the impact of AI in retail, delving into how AI is currently reshaping and will continue to shape the retail industry, from personalized shopping experiences to supply chain and inventory management, real-time pricing optimization, and beyond. 

What are companies like Levi Strauss, American Eagle, and Puma doing with AI today? 

Whether you’re a seasoned retailer, a tech enthusiast, or just a curious listener, join us as we journey into the future of retail transformed by AI.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In October, an estimated $10 billion a month is being taken away from 2023 holiday purchasing when the student loan forgiveness program ends.

Combine that with ongoing rumors of the “R” word, along with Amazon Prime Days, and you see why we believe retailers may be up for a wild second half with millennials and Gen Zs having less money to spend on fashion goods.

Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan as they debate how retailers anticipate ending 2023 with some workarounds to overcome a Black Friday in October and shrinking wallets for next gens. Are we really looking at holiday selling starting in September this year?

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

For mid-tier fashion specialty retail, it’s gone, baby gone. This sector is really struggling. With the proliferation of the internet and so many fashion startup companies, the democratization of fashion has become ubiquitous. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they dig into the potential demise of mid-tier fashion specialty stores. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Even with the addition of Sephora and Amazon return centers, will it be enough to turn the struggling retailer around?

Heavy inventory coming out of 2022 and a loss of $19 million to the bottom line make 2023 a challenging year. Meanwhile, CEO Kingsbury wants to pull back on couponing, which is a key driver for its loyal, high-frequency customer. Will this land them on the same road as Bed, Bath, and Beyond?

Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they dissect what is happening at Kohl’s 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What drives loyalty, provides new revenue streams – and most importantly, responds to customer needs and wants? Ancillary services are more than meets the eye: they are a portal into building an ecosystem that supports customer wellbeing. Costco is the poster child, offering 25 different services delivering the practical (gas and hearing aids) and the aspirational (travel services). What’s next?  Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist, as they discuss the next wave in services focused on healthcare.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Organized Retail Crime is growing and a $95 billion problem, not to mention its impact on putting employees and shoppers at risk. These crime syndicates resell stolen goods and use the money to fund other illegal activities. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist, as they discuss how ORC is keeping retail CEOs up at night, is eating away at already-stressed margins, and is becoming a safety issue for the workforce and customers.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We’re living in strange times. None of the best and the brightest economists, finance experts, academics, futurists – no one has been able to predict the recessions we’ve had. And no one has been able to stop them. What’s a retailer to do? First and foremost, learn to manage and thrive in an era of uncertainty. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist as they pull back the curtain to reveal how consumer spending and unprecedented debt are bellwethers for the health of the retail industry and an oxymoron in today’s recessionary environment. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Today there is a fine line between doing the right thing and breaking a law. The role of a retail CEO is playing in a public landmine as political policies may dictate private practices. Take recent moves to limit support of an inclusive workforce. Retailers face backlash from all sides when customers and employees are singled out for their beliefs and lifestyles. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist as they dig into the risks retailers take if they don’t do the right thing for their workforce, customers, and community. The pressure to conform to local bureaucracies at the expense of their stakeholders has created a line in the sand. How do leaders navigate through this pressure cooker? Listen and learn.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Catalogs are back! And that’s not all. Dynamic pricing is a red-hot topic today…is personalized pricing a real deal? A unified commerce business model opens new channels along with the renaissance of print catalogs. It’s a cost-effective model because it focuses on a customer-centric mindset in a consumer-driven marketplace. Join special guest Laura Barrett, Retail Consultant at Columbus Consulting, Robin Lewis, and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist as they touch on how to build the infrastructure to support a multi-touch point unified model with the right KPIs.

https://www.columbusconsulting.com/who-we-are/our-expertise/

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

How does a brand stay relevant after 53 years? What does it take to keep it vital and iconic? Cotton Incorporated is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Seal of Cotton this month, with the Seal recognized as a global icon by retailers and brands throughout the textile industry and beyond. To follow Cotton Incorporated’s history is to chart the mandate for sustainability. Join Robin Lewis, Shelley Kohan, TRR’s strategist and special guest Kim Kitchings, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing at Cotton Incorporated, as she reveals how to maintain trust and reliability for half a century, supported by science and data from deep research on consumer behavior and how to make cotton more sustainable by reducing environmental impacts during the growth, production, and processing of cotton and by minimizing the environmental impacts at the end of a cotton product’s life cycle. If you care about the planet and are curious about brand integrity, don’t miss this in-depth discussion.

CottonToday – sustainability website

https://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/

Lifestyle Monitor™ - consumer & retail trends, economic data

https://lifestylemonitor.cottoninc.com/

50th Anniversary – Seal of Cotton

https://lifestylemonitor.cottoninc.com/50-year-anniversary/

Blue Jeans Go Green™ - denim recycling program

https://bluejeansgogreen.org/

Cotton Lives On™ recycling program (U.K.)

https://cottonliveson.org/

“Memories are Made in Cotton” advertising campaign

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hP2euIDvZQLaMmD0oJrcC1M0l3yy7cI

https://thefabricofourlives.com/cotton-news/memories-are-made-in-cotton

Water Sustainability Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL7J24FrOnU

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Don’t count your customers out, even when they’re facing turbulent, unpredictable market trends. Last July the growth rate of consumer discretionary purchases was slowing down. This downward trend combined with inflation at near 40-year highs begs the question: How long can consumer spending growth continue? Join special guest Andy Mantis, President of Commerce Signals, Robin Lewis, and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist, as they discuss the finer points of the spending economy. With consumer spending accounting for about 68 percent of U.S. GDP, a spending decline could push the U.S. into a recession. Will it happen? Listen in to find out. And to get a copy of the full report, follow the link.

Q1 2023 Inflation Report

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

AI is not delivering the customer service customers want or retailers thought it would. For all its promise, the lack of human touch, not to mention intuitive empathy, has made AI customer service a nightmare. Added to this, with a worker shortage, there aren’t enough human beings to come to the rescue. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist, as they uncover why stressed-out customers (think financially strapped) are becoming increasingly uncivil to human customer service reps and unhinged with the AI experts (have you yelled at a chatbot recently?). The key question: Who owns service recovery?  Retailers need to get this one right.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Traditional retail has become unhinged, and we operate in a marketplace where the more things change, the more they change. Forces for change are redefining the new rules of retail in real time. Just look at how Gen Z, a hybrid workforce, loyalty programs, and emerging technologies are resetting the retail playing field. And then there’s generative AI which could turn retail upside down.  Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist, as they dive into the new retail realities with special guest, ChatGP, which identifies the seven most important issues facing retailers.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Much of the world is calling for a pause on AI to reflect and reconsider the immediate impact of emerging tech and the runaway train that is Chat GPT and all its AI iterative language siblings.  And then there’s the looming issue of privacy and consumers’ worries about how to own and protect their own data. A key question is does anyone, regardless of age and generation, want to be targeted by invasive, highly personalized marketing.  Is it flattering or creepy? Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they debate the ethical and security concerns that the new wave of AI presents to retailers and their customers.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Managing a global business with a portfolio of brands over the past three years has been a challenge for even the most experienced leaders. How do you strategically plan for transformation when the world marketplace is so disruptive, sustainability concerns are mounting, and each workforce in different international markets has specific needs. Marcella Wartenbergh, CEO of AWWG (including brands Pepe Jeans London, Hackett and Façonnable, and is the licensed distributor for Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein in Spain and Portugal) joins Robin Lewis and Shelley E, Kohan, TRR’s strategist, as they discuss how to make an international brand the “employer of choice” for future retail leaders.

For more information on the World Retail Congress in Barcelona please visit their website.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Gen Z is setting the pace for rethinking fashion. The trend today is gender-fluid fashion and 56 percent of Gen Z shops outside their assigned gender area. Influenced by high-profile celebrities (think Billy Porter and Harry Styles), there is a business case to be made for gender-fluid fashion.  Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s strategist, discuss the challenges and opportunities of gender-fluid fashion...from fewer SKUs, reorganization of merchandising into fluid non-gender-based departments, sizing and educating frontline workers.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

EV charging stations represent the most electrifying new opportunity for retailers, restaurants, and service providers in generations. Over 1.3 million charging stations are coming online within the next decade, and they bring with them a consumer who will have some time to kill – or make their charging needs into retail destinations. Join TRR reporter Warren Shoulberg with Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they discuss why EV charging stations could be the next big opportunity to make some additional revenue and why those that jump on it first will reap the benefits.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What’s up about leading U.S. retailers as serial failures in other countries? Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, with special guest Mark Cohen, Director of Retail Studies at Columbia Business School and former chairman and CEO of Sears Canada, for some straight talk about why so many retailers fail to succeed internationally. After investing billions of dollars to plant roots across borders, most retail brands experience disastrous results … unless you are Costco. Listen in to this provocative, opinionated three-way conversation about why retail brands don’t translate across borders.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

A&F is making a dramatic comeback after its misstep in marketing exclusively to their definition of young, cool kids …which then plagued the brand with a slew of bad news and lawsuits. In one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the industry, the company is positioned to take market share away from competitors. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they reveal how new CEO Fran Horowitz is the real deal in transforming A&F into a welcoming, inclusive brand. Since she’s been at the helm, she’s been revamping both the Abercrombie and Hollister brands and driving real growth.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What do you do when you’re an innovator that has reached its prime and is no longer disrupting the marketplace?  If you’re Andrew Jassy, you redefine your company from the inside out. Amazonians are in for a rocky ride recasting their company, forced to come back to the office, and challenged to meet their boss’s mandate to succeed (at all costs) going forward. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they take a deep dive in the current state of Amazon and deconstruct why it’s not business as usual in Seattle.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

There are many companies out there that can eat up and acquire struggling brands just to push them into oblivion -- while taking a quick profit. However, it is a rare talent to know when to acquire a brand and build it into a powerhouse. Join guest star Yehuda Shmidman, Chairman & CEO of WHP Global in a conversation with Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they discuss the challenge of growing global consumer brands in a disruptive marketplace. Listen and learn from a visionary who approaches the business by developing partnerships, not transactions.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

All the world’s a stage, and this year’s World Retail Congress in Barcelona, April 25-27 gathers some of the top international retail executives who are leading with resilience, purpose, customer-focus, and with the goal of transformation.  Join Robin Lewis, Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist and special guest Ian McGarrigle, Chairman of WRC as he previews how this year’s global conference will cut to the core of key issues facing retail leadership, bringing together the brightest minds inside retail and out. WRC is the trusted place to learn from best practices of well-respected retailer executives, thought leaders, and solution providers.  Register today for WRC! 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Inventory overload is clogging retail systems and straining profits. A new paradigm requires retailers to react quickly in real-time to constantly changing shifts in customer demands. It’s becoming a game of beat the clock when product requests need to be matched with ready to purchase product in near real time. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they explore solutions including concession, pop-up store and online marketplace models, which require a more complex system for distribution, fulfillment, marketing, and assortment planning. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What lies ahead? Post-pandemic, current economic disruption, an ongoing war, and a pervasive sense of global anxiety: what will be the new normal for retail? Three key factors will shape the future – the economy, shifting consumer behavior, and a renewed focus on the customer. Above all, it will require agility to thrive and prosper. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they discuss 2023 mandates to better manage inventory, improve the shopping journey, and level up store design. And the good news: Physical retail is alive and well!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

OpenAI started the cascade of generative AI innovations with ChatGPT and DALL-E2 and the public’s overnight fascination with these technologies. Now everyone wants in on the action. Yes, these AI technologies can benefit society as a whole. But there are also big questions about how they can be used in nefarious ways. They are programmed by humans and humans can work for good as well as evil. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they explore the many use cases of generative AI for retail, including the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Returns. And it’s not just during the holidays. Recent reports estimate returns at about 16-20% of total retail sales with online returns climbing as high as 30%!  What’s going on here? We know most of these returns account for five to six billion pounds of waste annually, dumped into landfills and causing environmental damage. Why aren't more retailers using AI and enabling technologies to reduce returns at the point of purchase? Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they discuss the messy state of returns, and how retailers should view returns as an opportunity to improve processes, products, and the customer service experience.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Robin Report celebrates its 100 podcasts! Listen in as Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, review the best (and a few misfires) of their predictions, opinions, and conversations about the state of retail. Hot topics include leadership, retail strategies, and the darker side of the business. Audience favorites? Icon and iconoclast Mike Gould; the future of malls with Bill Taubman; Amazon’s wild ride; Kohl’s under attack; and a dive into shareholders versus stakeholders. Listen and learn.  

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

It’s that time of year again: predictions and prognostications about what’s on the horizon. What are the key trends that will shape up retailers’ new year? From consumer behaviors and physical retail innovations to tech-enhanced data and analytics and emerging digital transformations, 2023 is bound to be a year of surprises.  Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they open a Pandora’s Box of what retailers can expect over the next 12 months.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

When you consider holiday spending and economic forecasts (in general), we would argue they are both a fool’s game. At the heart of the problem is partly the survey process; consumers don’t always tell the truth. And then there’s computer modeling. But just look at all the holiday forecasts; they are widely divergent.  Sales flat to an 8% lift this year; what’s going on? Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they sort through the numbers and provide a better understanding of what's really going on, including actual sales numbers from the start of holiday and what to expect with the future of ecommerce. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

It may be the single most important strategic and structural shift in retail’s recent history: the return of the small neighborhood store. Whether a traditional department store, big box behemoth or digital native going physical, the small store format delivers on consumer demand for better experience, personalization, and convenience. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan as they discuss this emerging trend, aided and abetted by technology and data analytics that make the small store relevant to local customers on a personal basis.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

There is a major transformation underway in retail advertising. Maybe it’s not an echo of Mad Men, but instead, really Smart People changing up the ad models. Advertisers are on track to spend more than $41 billion on retail media networks this year. That’s a hefty increase of 31 percent and the outlook is rosy: $52 billion by 2023. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan as they investigate the demise of third-party data collection, the ineffectiveness of network TV advertising, and why Amazon is losing market share – all of which opens the floodgates for retail media networks. Listen and learn!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Kanye West’s plummet as an influential force has become legend. And he is not alone. Celebrities can flameout as quickly as they amass hundreds of thousands of fans and followers.  So, how do brands safeguard their reputations, and what do they do when influencers go off the rails? Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they tackle the difficult and controversial trend of influencers guilty of hate speech and inappropriate behavior…and what brands should do about it.  

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Where are malls headed? And how are they surviving today in a disruptive marketplace? Legendary mall developer Bill Taubman joins Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan to go behind the curtain to reveal how malls can be more relevant, discuss the trend of creative lifestyle centers and mixed-use spaces...and the fate of the enclosed mall. This candid conversation may surprise you! Listen and learn how the evolution of the mall reflects the changes in consumer attitudes and values.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Consumers vote with their wallets and this holiday is no exception.  Commerce Signals just released its Holiday Spending Predictions report and its president, Andy Mantis, joins Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, to deconstruct the predicted winners and losers this holiday spending season. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The journey to digital transformation is an adventure on a steep learning curve.  What does it take to prepare your team and implement the strategies and tools to move forward?  Janice Wang, CEO of Alvanon joins Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they discuss the challenges, risks and rewards of digitizing the fashion industry and what that means for retailers.

To find out more about Alvanon please visit them on Alvanon.com

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

True that pre-loved can be re-loved in the circularity market. And true that resale addresses environmental concerns. And amazing that the resale market will nearly double in size by 2030.  Yes, but: Resale pioneers thredUP and the RealReal have never made a profit. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they discuss how resale can do good and do well at the same time. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Call it crafted with pride in the U.S. or right sourcing production back to America, brands are looking for faster, more responsive, agile, and sustainable supply chains. Moving manufacturing back from foreign shores could control over-production and reduce the environmental impact of the current global supply chain, but the economics need to work. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they weigh the risks and rewards of domestic manufactured products. With inflation up to 8.2%, the big question is: Will consumers pay more for Made in America?

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

A surplus of inventory plus rising inflation make for a grim outlook as we head into the holidays. Metrics tools of the past are not relevant to forecast and benchmark in today’s disruptive marketplace. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they deconstruct the challenges facing retailers through the end of the year. AI and predictive analytics help deliver insights in real-time, just in time for the holidays. But the gamble of getting it right is enormous. Some retailers have figured it out, but others are left behind stuck in the past. Listen now.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other industry experts.

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For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

McKinsey recently released research that reveals 63% of U.S. retail store managers plan to leave in the next 3-6 months. Why? They don’t feel in control of their day. Information overload, micromanagement, demotivation – they are overwhelmed. Join guest Julian Mills, CEO of Quorso, with Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they dig into why retail is facing a crisis in delivering a seamless, high-quality customer experience when the link between omnichannel frontend and a unified employee backend is broken. Store ops technology can help, but at the moment it’s out of date and a hindrance. Listen now and find out why.

Connect with Julian Mills on LinkedIn

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Holiday sales are starting in October with Black Friday culminating the frenzy as the top shopping day. This year is different now that the post-pandemic haze has lifted. The Fed raised interest rates and that is sure to impact holiday shopping starting with early price cuts.  Add to that inflationary price tags on food and packaged goods along with higher home energy costs, and you have perfect storm fronts in all directions.  Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan as they predict what holiday 2022 may look like. It’s the first back-to-normal holiday post-pandemic; people are geared up to celebrate, but likely to spend less.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Personalization is table stakes. Data and predictive analytics and are the tools for customization and staying ahead of the competition. And if customers have less disposable income, knowing what they want and delivering an inspirational, personalized journey that is completely relevant to them is key to avoiding expensive and unnecessary inventories. Join special guest Sarah McVittie, co-founder of Dressipi with Robin Lewis, and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they discuss how to manage customers’ expectations with breakthrough digital solutions while increasing retailers’ revenues and reducing returns.

Find out how Dressipi can help you at Dressipi.com!

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What has 400,000-800,000 square feet of space and nine lives? The American mall. The future of worn-out, irrelevant enclosed malls is to transform into vibrant community hubs that offer services and products housed in villages, town centers and entertainment meccas. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they predict how the confluence of economic challenges and consumer behavior changes will influence how malls can reclaim their influence in the retail pantheon.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

that no one over the age of 33 has ever heard of. Shein has grown 100 percent over the last eight years, making it the fastest growing ecommerce brand in the world and putting it in a position to be the number-one online global fashion retailer. How did they do it? Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist as they deconstruct Shein’s agile supply ecosystem. But there may be trouble in paradise: If Shein wants to play in the U.S. market, they’ll need to up their sustainability strategy game.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other industry experts.

Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for the latest from Robin Lewis and The Robin Report.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The final frontier encompasses the science of retailing combined with the art of human connection. How retailers are delivering on this is heavily dependent on their frontline brand ambassadors.  Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they redefine retailing’s final frontier at the point of sale and the possible barriers that could prevent success.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Understanding the movement inside a physical store in real-time can give any retailer an edge. Consider that, in a down market, or even a looming recession, Spatial Intelligence can help retailers cut costs by optimizing operations expenses through a data-driven approach. Join Robin Lewis, Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, and George Shaw, CEO of Pathr.ai as they explore the finer points of Spatial Intelligence and how it delivers privacy-preserving insights that drive positive, unbiased business outcomes.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other industry experts.

Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for the latest from Robin Lewis and The Robin Report.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Emerging challenges to back-to-school are led by inflation that is impacting discretionary spending and making shoppers anxious. How do retailers plan inventory and give customers a reason to buy? Join Robin Lewis, Shelley Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, and special guest Sarah Galvez, Corporate Communications Manager for Cotton Incorporated as they discuss parents’ shopping intentions for their children. What can retailers expect and what should they be prepared for?

Check out this great video from Cotton Inc,
https://we.tl/t-ghsF1ADzqt

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other industry experts.

Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for the latest from Robin Lewis and The Robin Report.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Retail has a new face. Traditionally envisioned as a central brick-and-mortar store that sells products, retail has morphed into commerce everywhere, anytime. Now the consumer is the center and commerce comes directly to them. Join Robin Lewis and Shelley E. Kohan, TRR’s chief strategist, as they predict the future of retail deconstructing how new formats, different models, diversified commerce, and reengineering supply chains will reshape the industry.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.