Pay attention. I’m going to tell you about a $17 billion opportunity. In a recent newsletter published by XRC Ventures, menopause is an underrated area of investment in the women’s…
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The Chief Merchant Journal
Accessories and beauty are smart growth plays for Gap Inc. but execution is everything. Accessories are high-margin, outfit-completing items that extend the apparel experience and encourage customers to shop the…
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Canadian Tire Corporation and Tim Hortons have teamed up on a loyalty partnership...but is it really about customers, or just chasing incremental share? This is less about customer delight and…
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Although it seems counterintuitive, bestselling items need not occupy “prime” space in your store. Best sellers are the best for a good reason: because of the brand’s strength. Consider On…
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Department stores are struggling. Luxury is losing share to resale. Big brands are boring customers with uninspired assortments. That means specialty and small retailers have a chance to win. I…
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Beauty is a beautiful idea. Just ask Gap Inc. The company has announced plans for a phased beauty rollout, starting with “test and learn” in Old Navy. The upside sounds…
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The fashion manufacturing and product development space is evolving fast. Naturally, this brings new opportunities but growth can be limited by persistent constraints. In our work with market leading brands,…
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Broken communication leads to lost profit. You can find any number of examples of this across industries. Retail is no exception. I’ll give you an example from my own experience.…
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Second day in London and I need to grocery shop. I slam down the double espresso and march over to the Marks & Spencer on King’s Road. The first thing…
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Picture it… We’re cruising down a toll road in Spain towards Alicante. Toll paid, the barrier lifts, we accelerate. “Hey, what happened to the side mirror?” Liza says casually. I…
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I love donuts. I’m especially partial to mini cinnamon sugar. Oh, and donuts branded as “Floopy’s” that I can find at any Lidl location here in Spain. You know who…
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Here are three observations that I have made regarding brands and their efforts to outsource design, sourcing and product development. 1 - Global apparel brand: Hired an existing vendor to…
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Amazon announced they're doubling down on Prime Day. In July, Prime Day will span four days. "We're extending it to four days because our members have told us they just…
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“When you say partnership, I hear: You have no money.” I read that on LinkedIn sometime ago. I used to think that was funny. Then the “strategic partnership opportunity” emails…
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When Halston made a deal with J.C. Penney in 1983, the designer wanted to expand his “brand diffusion” experiment to a broader audience. Halston would launch “Halston III,” a diffusion…
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ESPN is going all in on DTC. Bob Iger is crowning it the network’s boldest play since grabbing the full NFL schedule in ’87. Chair Jimmy Pitaro calls it “the…
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Dysfunctional organizations do dysfunctional things. You don’t have to look too hard to find examples of such dysfunction. Let’s look at an NFL team like the Cleveland Browns. Some refer…
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The following is taken from a fresh new article from Retail Insider: "Enterprise Ireland is set to host its first-ever consumer retail showcase in Toronto on April 29, 2025, bringing…
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In 141 days, the new NFL season will kick off. I can’t wait to see the fan outrage about how the league is rigged whenever the Kansas City Chiefs take…
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“We shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us.” - Winston Churchill Yes, there is some coincidence that I quoted a wartime prime minister after the events of last week…
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