Brands have focused on reaching their digital destiny, yet traditional two-dimensional experiences haven’t evolved to meet the opportunity. The landscape is set to change with a wave of innovation that will be unleashed in 2022 and beyond. What do you see as the next evolution in the merging of physical and virtual shopping spaces?
Services and solutions have quickly become retailers’ growth engine of choice. Major retailers like Walmart, Kroger, Target and Amazon.com have branched out into health services, ad marketing, financial services and more. Which aspects of retailer-as-service will have the greatest impact on retailer profitability and viability?
The wholesale model has been driving retail for decades. Today, a mini-movement is underway, as brands like Nike and Under Armour announce pullbacks on wholesale relationships. Is the wholesale model in soft goods retailing at odds with direct-to-consumer initiatives?
The entrepreneurial concept of gigging obscures the fact that a growing number of people and companies are cobbling together multiple opportunities just to pay the bills. Are retailers confusing gigging with cobbling in their pursuit of partnerships with digital platforms?
Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, Walmart’s portfolio-building plays, J.C. Penney’s appliance ramp-up and a host of other forays — retailers are opting for diversification. The looming question becomes “buy, build or bridge?” What advice would you have for retailers balancing internal system builds, partnerships and acquisitions?
Research has proven that consumers don’t always associate private brands with their retail owners, but Amazon stands alone by combining a deliberate stealth attack with unprecedented scale. Is the scale or stealth-approach of Amazon’s private label strategy a bigger threat to competitors?
Business is booming for companies that provide data, merchandising, tech and other support. Yet some retailers say that some are at risk of blowing it by reinforcing a few bad habits. What mistakes do solution providers make when pitching and partnering with retailers?
The ongoing shuttering of brick-and-mortar locations will challenge brand marketers, not only because online won’t make up for the reductions in store count in the short term, but because stores act as brand billboards. Does the flexibility inherent in brand licensing offer a hedge against retail downsizing?
High-end retailers have long enjoyed dedicated brand affinity with consumers, but now merchants across every tier of retail, from mass to class, identify as brands — not just as places that sell others’ brands. What do you see as the primary obstacles to delivering consistent brand messages for retailers?
Walmart’s “Save money. Live better” slogan has served as a multi-purpose mantra for the company, but delivering on the “save money” part is becoming more difficult. Should convenience become a larger part of Walmart’s marketing message?
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