The Retail Focus Podcast

Our interview guest is Rick Watson, founder and CEO of RMW Commerce Consulting. He joins the show to discuss 2022 holiday expectations, particularly through the lens of e-commerce, and talk about which retailers might be in great position and which might be fighting an uphill battle for market share. In news, we discuss CBRE’s Q3 retail report and why available retail space continues to fall in the U.S. Additionally, we look at potential issues for Shipt as it pertains to lawsuits by the District of Columbia and Minnesota.

Our interview guest is Rod Sides, Deloitte Insights Leader and Retail Partner at Deloitte LLP; he discusses specific consumer data from their 37th annual holiday survey and how retailers can capitalize on what is expected to be a big year for gift cards and resale products. In news, Tractor Supply Co. sets a new sales record and closes on a deal with Orscheln that may also benefit a fellow farm and home chain. Additionally, we look ahead to another investment by Simon.

Our interview guest is Ward Kampf, President of Northwood Retail. He joins the show to discuss how shopping centers (and consumer demand surrounding the centers) have changed over the last ten years, the dynamics of open-air shopping centers, and the importance of attracting local, small, and unique retailers and restaurants to properties. In news, Kroger enters into a deal to purchase Albertsons…we look at why, the deal details, and reasons regulators may potentially balk at the agreement.

Our podcast is presented by NordPass. Visit nordpass.com/retailfocus and use the promo code RETAILFOCUS for a three-month free trial.

Our interview guest is Rod Sides, Deloitte Insights Leader and Retail Partner at Deloitte. He joins the show to discuss Deloitte’s holiday sales projections and what we can expect as far as overall (and digital) sales during this upcoming shopping season. In news, Placer.ai data gives us an early peek at back-to-school traffic numbers and may give us a preview of what traffic cadence may look like in winter, and Amazon endures another lawsuit, this time by the California attorney general.

Our interview guest is Rosemary Coates, the President of Blue Silk Consulting and the Executive Director of the Reshoring Institute. She joins the show to discuss counterfeits in the marketplace, anti-counterfeiting measures put in place by retailers, and what the counterfeit landscape could look like in the near future. In news, Kroger beats on earnings but the big story is their plans for consolidation of private label brands for customer convenience; we also discuss Tuesday Morning’s latest rescue plan—one that involves Pier 1 Imports.

Our interview guest is Matt Pavich, the senior director of retail innovation at Revionics, an Aptos company. He joins us to discuss retail pricing strategies, how retailers are using analytics (especially in the dollar segment) to continue to provide value to customers, and why traditional pricing models may no longer be as effective to drive bottom-line results. Speaking of bottom lines, in news, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet takes a hit on theirs but hopes to see margins increase in the second half of 2022. We also look ahead to yet another new store format for Michigan-based Meijer.

Our interview guest is Steven Wagner, Chief Commercial Officer with Smarte Carte. He discusses various solutions designed to keep customers in shopping centers longer—from strollers to mobility solutions—and the process behind keeping them clean and functional. In news, Grocery Outlet reveals strong Q2 earnings but also gives a peek inside building their management pipeline to support future expansion plans, and retailers face a loss of baskets via theft, potentially resulting from plastic bag restrictions.

Our interview guest is Jim Paine, mayor of Superior, Wisconsin, who joins our show to discuss retail from the perspective of a city leader—particularly as it pertains to small- and mid-sized markets. He touches on his changing views towards big box retail, making an area attractive to national retailers, and how Superior has endeavored to diversify their retail landscape. In news, National Retail Properties continues to see positive numbers in retail occupancy, and Wayfair takes it on the chin during a difficult Q2.

Our interview guest is Rod Sides, Deloitte Insights Leader and Retail Partner at Deloitte LLP; he re-joins the show to discuss Deloitte’s 2022 Back-to-School survey, interesting findings, and how consumer behavior may be shifting going into the future holiday season. In news, Placer.ai data suggests traffic increases at dollar stores during Q2 but a rough end to the quarter for grocers and superstores, and Walmart revises their profit outlook downward.

Our interview guests are Annie Malo and Julie Connelly of Seyfarth Shaw LLP; they join us as part of our ongoing ICSC interview series to discuss the legal aspect of retail leases and negotiations between landlord and retailer—and why real estate attorneys are vital to the lease process. In news, retail sales tick up in June according to NRF numbers, The Fresh Market won’t be going public after all, and Todd Vasos steps aside at Dollar General.