MCM CommerceChat

The digital landscape has experienced a seismic shift with the recent sunset of Google Universal Analytics (UA) in favor of Google Analytics 4 or GA4, introduced in 2020. As of July 1, Google stopped processing data through UA, creating a forced migration. Ben Hardt, VP of business intelligence and innovation at X Agency, walks us through the changes and the impact on marketers.

Tailored Brands, a menswear and formalwear retailer that includes Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank, needed to anticipate customers’ evolving preferences for various style, color and size choices in its tuxedo rental business. CTO Scott Vifquain and Gurhan Kok, founder of Invent Analytics, talk about how AI-based technology was applied, and the results so far in our MCM CommerceChat podcast.

It’s undeniable that artificial intelligence is having a major impact across industries. But what does that mean in dollars and cents? IHL Group has estimated the business impact of AI, GenAI and machine learning on the retail and restaurant sectors through 2029 at $1.5 trillion. IHL also ranks companies on AI readiness and projected business impact. IHL president Greg Busek breaks down their findings.

With ecommerce returns close to a $1 trillion problem for retailers, companies continue to wrestle with ways to reduce the number of orders getting sent back. In many ways it's a problem of their own making. Simone Theresa Peinkofer, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University, joins our podcast to share her insights on the problem and what's being done.

Can UPS and the Teamsters reach agreement in time? Should UPS meet the union's demand for higher part-time worker pay, or leave its last offer on the table? Is there a joint realization that too much is at stake? And if it happens, how will other carriers pick up the slack? We discuss all this with Gaston Curk, CEO of postal consolidator OSM Worldwide in this MCM CommerceChat podcast.

Managing the costs of returns and leveraging them as an opportunity is critical for retailers.  Returns might be a significant expense, and while managing those costs is critical to maintaining … Continue Reading →

The INFORM Act goes into effect June 27, to help stem the tide of counterfeit goods on ecommerce marketplaces. The FTC can impose fines and injunctions against marketplace operators that don't provide information on high-volume sellers. Alexandra Megaris of Venable LLP helps us gain a better understanding of its ramifications.

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Secondhand clothing has come a long way since the days of the community thrift store as quick-acting brands have positioned themselves to capture some of the $100B global recommerce market.  … Continue Reading →

A new global study by IBM found that 61% of CPGs and retailers are purposefully aligning sustainability and operational goals: 77% said sustainability investments will accelerate business growth. Luq Niazi, a global managing partner at IBM Consulting, talks about how companies are allocating resources for sustainability, and how to communicate your efforts to consumers without greenwashing.