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…
Read More
The Chief Merchant Journal
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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?…
Read More
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…
Read More
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.…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
"This past week, we had an amazing two days with Liza Amlani of Retail Strategy Group. I decided to bring Liza in because one of the things we noticed with…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
