We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Traditional succession planning may be a thing of the past for retailers. The new trend is identifying the next CEO by looking outside the four walls and mining executives from different industries. And technology IQ is becoming a key skill required in the C-suite.  Join Robin and Shelley as they debate what it takes to stay at the top. How did major brands Starbucks, Ulta, Gap, and Under Armour break the CEO mold? 

Find out if bringing in outside leaders is brilliant ...or crazy.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Spoiler alert: Costco has become dinner table conversation. It’s the hottest-selling wholesale haute couture brand in the U.S. market catering to its 120 million members, representing $227 billion in revenues. 

With a location strategy that hits higher-income markets and its social media frenzy #costcofinds trending on TikTok, it’s no wonder that it’s an American beloved brand. Join Shelley and Robin as they unpack Costco’s phenomenal success as the brand levels up its appeal to affluent shoppers. 

What’s more, their highly engaged and well-paid workforce helps drive Costcoholics’ loyalty, the backbone of this world-class business.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Has the retail world gone mad? Acquisitions, partnerships, collaborations, buy-outs,
and buy-ins. Some make perfect sense, and others make us say, "What were you thinking?" Just to get started: Gap and Macy's; Tapestry and Capri; Shein and SPARC. These don’t make sense. But there’s: Target and Ulta; Nike and Footlocker; LVMH and Tiffany; Macy's and ToysRUs. They all make perfect sense. Robin and Shelley take a no holds barred look at the collabs they think were good ... maybe not so good ... and potential disasters. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

The data-oriented power of direct-to-consumer (DTC) models has a leading edge over traditional retail. The collection of all user data and interactions, along with their preferences, wants and needs becomes critical for increasing engagement with existing customers and acquiring new ones.

While the retail industry is learning how to use AI-based models to drive better experiences, DTC is leading the way. Join Robin, Shelley, and special guest Michael Challinger, CEO of DTC kitchen sinks and fixtures brand Houzer, as they dig into why CEOs who come from the tech side of the business have a decisive competitive edge.

It’s the art + science of ecommerce. 

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Retailers are facing a potential economic event, and the wildcard is predicting what consumers will do. Most Americans are in credit card debt, prices are higher than last year, pandemic savings are dwindling; and student loan repayments hit in October, just in time for holidays. 

Join Robin, Shelley, and TRR’s own reporter Pam Danziger who is an internationally recognized researcher, speaker, and author. Check out her article on TRR’s site, Get Ready for the Weather to Turn. They discuss why the current economic landscape is worrisome for retailers. Listen in and learn how to prepare for a rocky fall/winter selling season.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Tapestry is no LVMH or Kering in its acquisition of Capri. The aspiration to play in the luxe space is nearly impossible; for starters, Jimmy Choo and Versace are too niche and too small. 

Add to that Tapestry’s mainstream brands are outlet mall darlings, at one point, driving about 70% of revenues. Join Robin and Shelley as they deconstruct the deal as potential culture clash and overburdening debt load in Tapestry’s vision to become a luxury powerhouse.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Is Amazon on a downward retail slide? It’s backing off physical stores (except grocery) and its Amazon Go technology hasn’t gained traction. And then there’s Walmart down every American’s street that continues to up its game. 

So, Andrew Jassy is focusing on Amazon’s emerging technologies including Amazon ONE biometric payment tech and heavy investments in generative AI.  Amazon also has big plans to increase its B2B business from $35 billion to over $100 billion and process improvements to reduce costs. 

Join Robin and Shelley as they dig into Amazon’s continuing success (Q2 overall revenue up 11%)  and possible downfall. Listen and learn.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Join Robin Lewis and Shelley Kohan as they dig into Supreme’s recent history, armed with Robin’s invaluable insights. They dissect the crucial role of company culture and its direct impact on brand acquisitions. 

Be prepared to get a grip on the inner dynamics of the investment community and how it pressures a corporation’s image and performance. And then, what impact does company culture have on its acquisition, and how is that received by its target customers? 

Brace yourselves to dive into the challenges large public companies face under Wall Street’s scrutiny and its positive and negative trickle-down effects on its customers.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Imagine a world where legacy retailers, once terrified by the concept of ecommerce, are now leading the charge, leveraging multiple distribution channels to connect with their customers. 

Join us, Robin Lewis and Shelley Kohan, as we dissect this seismic shift from the wholesale to the retail model. We'll delve into the hard truth of skyrocketing customer acquisition costs and why the data collected from selling directly to consumers has become an invaluable resource.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!

Ever wondered how to tackle the billion-dollar problem of organized retail crime?

Join us for an engaging chat with George Shaw, founder and CEO of Pathr.ai, as he sheds light on the magnitude of this issue, with the prediction of $100 billion in losses looming over the retail industry in 2023. In the face of these challenges, we dive into the transformative power of AI and open-source technology.

We also explore data privacy and the potential bias in asset protection, highlighting Pathr.ai’s data collection strategy as a beacon of consumer data protection. As George elaborates, the future lies in the innovative collaboration between tech and retail experts. 

So, don’t miss out as we navigate the complex landscape of AI and its groundbreaking impact on the retail industry.

For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.