On this special episode of the Retail Gets Real podcast recorded live at the NRF Foundation Student Program, Katherine Cullen, senior director of industry and consumer insights at NRF, talks about the latest consumer insights, including the recent holiday shopping season and what to expect from consumers in 2023. She also takes audience questions from students participating in the event. 

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Recorded from NRF 2023: Retail's Big Show in New York City: Andrea Bell, vice president of Consumer Insights at WGSN, dives into the latest consumer research on what the future of retail looks like, trends that retailers need to be aware of and how to plan for the unknown. From the rise of the “polycrisis” era to synthetic creativity, retailers are looking for ways to future-proof their businesses and navigate global risks. 

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From small concept stores to the metaverse and Web3, retail is all about change and adaptation. On today’s show, Susan Reda, NRF’s VP of education strategy digs into the insights and retail trends for 2023 and explains why drones, robotics and Generation Alpha are shaping the future of retail.

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After weathering the effects of a global pandemic, supply chain disruptions and inflation, retailers and consumers are ready for a brighter 2023. National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay joins Retail Gets Real to discuss the industry and how it fared this holiday season, what to expect from retail and NRF in 2023, and what he’s looking forward to at the upcoming NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show in New York City.

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Evan Gold, executive vice president of global partnerships and alliances at Planalytics. Gold discusses his career path from Macy’s to weather data analytics, how weather and geography impacts consumers and how they shop, especially during the holiday season, and what retailers can do to be prepared for Mother Nature heading into 2023.

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On this week’s episode, Barbara Connors, vice president of strategy and acceleration at The Kroger Company’s retail data science, insights and media company 84.51⁰, discusses how shoppers are preparing for the holiday season, looking to spend time together with family and reconnect through family traditions. Listen to learn how inflation is impacting consumers, why even habitual online shoppers visit stores during the holidays, and what to expect into the new year.

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Kelly Cook, chief marketing and IT officer for David’s Bridal, talks us through her background in retail before landing at David’s and how the forward-thinking brand is staying fresh and relevant with an expanded TikTok strategy. We also learn how Cook’s team leverages live shopping events with social media influencers and stays on-trend with the latest in bridal fashions and weddings – like colored gowns, grandparent ring bearers and gender-fluid bridal parties.

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Shawn Nelson was just out of high school when he designed and produced the first LoveSac. Nearly 25 years later, it’s the fastest-growing furniture brand of the last decade and has reinvented the couch, the living room and even all of retail – forever. He takes us through the company’s journey into physical retail (and right back out) and how it weathered the pandemic with sustained momentum. We also get his take on the modern showroom, once a dirty word, and how LoveSac presents its physical spaces, not as transaction hubs, but as vibe centers that demonstrate the brand’s culture and forward-thinking mentality. 

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Babies need a lot of stuff, which is why expectant parents spend 40 hours on average building out their baby registry. On today’s show, Lee Anne Grant, Chief Growth Officer at Babylist, discusses her career path from babysitter to Babylist, how the company uses TikTok and the metaverse to meet their consumers where they are, and the evolution of Babylist into the leading vertical marketplace and commerce destination for baby.

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Halloween is one of Party City’s biggest seasons and is a huge undertaking that includes hiring and training 20,000 new seasonal employees and sourcing costumes and décor more than a year in advance. On today’s show, Odette Welling, vice president of merchandising — and the self-confessed “Halloween queen” at Party City — talks all things Halloween, including the retailer’s most popular costumes for kids, adults, teens and pets. 

Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.