I’m kicking off with a little shameless self-promotion. If that’s not your thing, skip it, unsubscribe, whatever you like. But there’s a reason I’m bringing it up, so hear me…
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The Chief Merchant Journal
Raj launched his “power ranking” style newsletter last week to highlight the moments that made him ask, “What’s up with that?” Half-joking, he said this week would flip the script…
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If every style rides the same track, your calendar jams and margins get squeezed. In our new Sourcing Journal piece, we argue that product creation needs Acceptable Inequality: replenishment gets…
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As seen over at Retail Dive... Saks Global is betting big on its Top Seller Program. Saks wants to bring in talented stylists with a roster of clients / Rolodex.…
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This week’s newsletter is based on one question… “What’s up with that?” Because there is a bunch of stuff that I have been reading and my response to it is:…
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I am honored to share that I have been selected as one of the top 50 NRF Retail Voices for 2026! This is my 2nd time as an NRF Retail…
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As seen over at Future Commerce.... Time. There’s never enough of it. Teams are constantly sprinting to hit deadlines, leaving little room to test, adapt, or react. Launching a new…
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The hot news today is that Lululemon will be cranking out fan apparel for all 32 teams of the NFL. I'll look at this from the point of view of…
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Yes, size still matters. (hee hee, cue the teenage giggles) It’s no shocker that sizing and fit drive a huge share of apparel returns. Coresight Research puts it at over…
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As seen over at Retail Dive: The company is now acknowledging its predicament in stark terms, though it said the situation continues to improve. “Trends within our business demonstrate that…
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Where is the “hidden damage” in your business? If that sounds like an odd question to you, well, it is. If it’s hidden, how would you know where it is?…
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Special Announcement: Our next book, The Material Life: Process Innovation for Retailers and Brands, is coming in December 2025. We're excited for the release of this book and it could…
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Consider the following: A beauty brand selling a single lipstick vs. a beauty routine. A furniture brand selling a single chair vs. a styled room. Buying a single stock vs.…
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According to Harvard Business Review, there are five key "commandments" that can be derived from Costco's Code of Ethics. Here is one of them... The shop floor is where the…
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I’m experiencing a kind of material déjà vu. Here’s what I mean. Natural Fiber Welding (NFW), a next-gen material company is winding down operations. This after restructurings, leadership churn, and…
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A trio of companies, The Organoid Company (NL), Lab-Grown Leather Ltd. (UK) and US marketing agency VML issued a press release saying they will produce “the world’s first T. rex…
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Former J. C. Penney CEO, Ron Johnson, once said “I thought people were just tired of coupons. Our core customer was much more dependent on and enjoyed coupons more than…
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In the case of Lululemon, the first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one. Calvin McDonald has clearly stated during the most recent earnings announcement that the…
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C-stores and gas stations are very unique. They sit in the intersection of grocery stores, quick serve restaurants and general merchandise. And, this intersection exists with the additional challenge of…
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If we go back to some old-school Peter Drucker, we find that he has identified 10 areas of innovation. Four examples include: 1 - New Knowledge. This is the domain…
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