In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park, Maya explores Dubai’s department store landscape with Selvanne following I.A.D.S.’s research visit to Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. They examine how international brands like Debenhams, Harvey Nichols, and Galeries Lafayette thrive through franchise partnerships with local operators. 🏬The conversation reveals striking contrasts in execution, from overcrowded experiences to luxury excellence, and discusses the phenomenon of brand over-representation across multiple locations. ✨How do franchise models balance global identity with local needs? What’s driving innovation in Dubai’s retail scene? Tune in for insights into franchise success and why Dubai has become a crucial testing ground for department store evolution. 🌍

👉Click here to read the exclusive on the Dubai Retail Tour.

For more insights and updates from the world of retail innovation, follow I.A.D.S. on LinkedIn, explore our Substack, and visit iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here!

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Anchita dive deep into the premiere edition of the IADS Global Retail Risk Index 2025—a groundbreaking tool that’s reshaping how retailers approach global expansion. Join them as they explore why North America still reigns supreme despite political upheaval, how East Asia is bouncing back stronger than ever, and why Sub-Saharan Africa might be the sleeper hit for bold retailers 🌍. From Macy’s tariff struggles to Galeries Lafayette’s Indian adventure, discover how data-driven intelligence is becoming the ultimate competitive advantage in retail’s most uncertain era. Whether you’re planning your next market entry or rethinking your supply chain strategy, this episode delivers the insights you need to turn global chaos into strategic opportunity ✨.👉Click here to read the exclusive on the IADS Global Retail Risk Index 2025.👉Click here to access the full IADS Global Retail Risk Index.

For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here!

How does a 109-year-old French lingerie brand transform every customer interaction into a sales opportunity? In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya explores Etam's groundbreaking approach to omnichannel retail with Christine Montard, author of our latest IADS Exclusive. Discover how Etam's internally developed clienteling app 📱liberated sales associates from cash registers, turning them into mobile customer advisors. From processing 80% of online returns in-store to connected fitting rooms that solve intimate apparel's unique challenges, learn why this €880 million 💰transformation offers a blueprint for heritage brands everywhere.

➡️Click here to read the full IADS Exclusive on Etam and check out the store photos! For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here!

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🎧, we explore how the word "sustainability" rings differently across India, China, and the West. Join Maya and Anchita as they unpack why fast-growth markets like India and China care more about sustainability than mature markets, yet approach it through completely different lenses. Discover how L'Oréal masterfully adapts its global sustainability initiatives to local contexts, why repair culture thrives in emerging markets for cost reasons rather than environmental ones, and how the collectivist versus individualist mindset shapes everything from consumer expectations to corporate responsibility. From greenwashing scepticism to the sustainability say-do gap, we examine the complex reality behind global retail's green transformation. 🌍

👉 Click here to access this week’s IADS Exclusive on why "Sustainability" means different things in India, China and the West. 👉Also, click here to check out the IADS White Paper on sustainability!

Stay connected—follow us on LinkedIn, read our stories on Substack, and visit our website for more details.

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine explore how Fortnum & Mason defies department store orthodoxy through food-centric specialisation, generating 63% of revenue from categories others treat as secondary. From royal warrant heritage to AI-powered innovation, discover why strategic restraint creates more sustainable competitive advantage than scale expansion 🏪. Uncover how this 317-year-old retailer transforms limitations into luxury positioning, balances heritage with modernisation, and navigates the climate threats that could reshape their three-century success story. From subscription services to supply chain vulnerabilities, we examine the strategic decisions behind retail's most compelling paradox ⭐.

To read the full Exclusive, click here ➡️ Fortnum & Mason: the art of staying small to matter more

For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here!

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park🎙️ , Maya sits down with Selvane to explore the innovations showcased at EuroShop 2023, the first post-pandemic edition of Europe's premier retail trade fair. With 1,830 exhibitors from 55 countries demonstrating the future of retail technology, this massive German event revealed four critical trends. From Amazon's "Just Walk Out" checkout-free technology to computer vision analytics, practical AI applications 🤖, and innovative sustainability solutions🌱, discover which technologies offer real value for department stores. Selvanne, who collaborated with Retail Hub's CEO Massimo Volpe to analyse the fair, shares insights on why fully autonomous stores may not suit department stores, how companies like Shopreme are creating hybrid checkout experiences, and which AI tools like Miros's wordless search and Velou's automated co-pilot are moving from hype to practical implementation. To learn more about sustainability applications from Checkpoint Systems and Tomra, and understand why retail media was surprisingly absent despite industry buzz. Or what technologies should department store leaders prioritise, and which ones should they approach with caution? Or maybe you are interested in how retailers can balance innovation with the personal service that defines their business model? Click here to read the full Exclusive!

Also, click here to access the mentioned 2022 White Paper on sustainability!🌱Stay in the loop—follow us on LinkedIn, read our stories on Substack, and visit our website for more details.

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park, Maya teams up with Anchita to explore the ChatGPT phenomenon that captivated retail leaders in early 2023. When OpenAI's groundbreaking chatbot first launched, it promised human-like customer interactions and automated content creation - but our team's hands-on testing revealed both exciting possibilities and serious limitations. 🤖

They dive into why ChatGPT couldn't provide sources, how it confidently delivered wrong answers, and what this meant for customer-facing retail applications. From inventory management to personalized recommendations, AI wasn't new to department stores - but this technology offered something different.

How should retail leaders balance innovation with brand safety? What can we learn from Microsoft's partnership strategy versus Google's R&D approach? And why was human oversight absolutely critical for early adopters?

Tune in for candid insights about AI's retail potential, the job displacement debate, and why proceeding with caution was the smartest strategy for forward-thinking department stores. 🏪✨

👉Click here for the full IADS Exclusive!

For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here!

In our hyper-connected retail landscape, a single supplier slip can put an entire department store’s operations and reputation at risk ⚠️. This episode, Maya and Anchita break down why your own cyber defences may not be enough, recount the cascading hacks that hit iconic UK retailers, and discuss how industry leaders are closing the value chain gaps. From supporting smaller vendors to treating cybersecurity as a boardroom issue, get up-to-date on what department stores are doing to ensure resilience and where risk still hides.

For the full deep-dive, 👉click here for the full IADS Exclusive!

Stay in the loop—follow us on LinkedIn, read our stories on Substack, and visit our website for more details.

Join Maya and Selvane as they explore Boyner's remarkable transformation journey from traditional Turkish retailer to innovative lifestyle company. Discover how they used customer research, AI integration🤖, and community-building to capture younger demographics and achieve a 162% growth in their target segments over just three years.

👉Click here to read the full exclusive.

For more insights and updates, follow IADS on LinkedIn, read our stories on Substack, and visit our website for more details!

In this episode, Maya and Christine embark on an eye-opening journey into the world of shared capitalism in retail. They break down how industry giants like John Lewis, REI, Système U, and Walmart are reimagining what it means to own a piece of the retail action. From time-tested partnership models to innovative consumer cooperatives, discover the real impact these models are having on companies, employees, and customers alike. We explore:

* How John Lewis’s employee partnership model creates a unique workplace culture, empowering staff to co-own and influence the business.

* Why REI’s customer co-op bets big on community engagement and member voice, but still faces real economic tests.

* How Walmart’s employee stock purchase plan opens doors to ownership, while highlighting the challenges of meaningful participation at scale.

* What happens when idealism and business discipline collide, and why the answer isn’t always simple.

Are these alternative ownership models shaping the future of retail for better or worse? Join us for a candid discussion that goes beyond theory, digging into the practical lessons and challenges from global case studies.

Want the Full Story? 👉 Click here to read the full exclusive on shared capitalism in retail—packed with in-depth analysis, key data, and real-world examples!

And don’t miss out! For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at the International Association of Department Stores , check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here!