S2:E2 Retail Loyalty Unveiled: Epic Insights from Gareth Johns and TruRating
 
Retail loyalty is no longer about points and discounts. It’s about experience, personalization, and values. In this episode of The Retail Razor: Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden welcome back Gareth Johns, Chief Data Officer at TruRating, to explore the new retail loyalty playbook for retailers.
 
Key Topics Covered:

• Why retail has one of the lowest customer retention rates across industries
• The myth of “owning” customers vs. being part of their shopping repertoire
• How 59% of customers return simply because of friendly service
• The hidden impact of staff interactions on repeat visits and long-term loyalty
• Why retail loyalty programs must evolve beyond discounts and focus on data-driven personalization
• The growing role of sustainability, ethics, and community values in retail loyalty strategies
• Real-world case studies of retailers using TruRating’s real-time feedback tools to uncover friction points and boost retention
• Why focusing on lifetime value (LTV) beats chasing lower customer acquisition costs (CAC)

 
Gareth shares actionable insights from nearly a billion points of retail data analysis, showing how brands can shift from transactional thinking to building authentic, long-term customer relationships.

Whether you’re in grocery, fashion, or specialty retail, this episode delivers sharp, actionable insights to help you future proof your retail loyalty strategy.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Guest Info:
Gareth Johns, Chief Strategy Officer, TruRating - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-johns-7166524/
Gareth Johns is an internationally experienced product and data development leader with 20+ years of expertise in using big data and technology to drive business growth for major retailers. He played a key role in scaling dunnhumby, a global leader in customer data science, from a 30-person startup to an international powerhouse in marketing analytics and customer insights for Tier 1 retailers. After leading strategic initiatives across the US and Europe, he went on to Starcount before joining the TruRating team. Gareth is passionate about transforming the way retailers collect and use customer feedback. At TruRating, he’s helping businesses access real-time, transaction-tied consumer data at an unprecedented scale; revolutionizing how retailers measure and improve business performance.

More from TruRating about building loyalty:
https://trurating.com/events/customer-retention-in-retail/

Chapters:

(00:00) Preview

(01:10) Show Intro

(04:10) Welcome Gareth Johns

(04:24) Challenges in Retail Loyalty

(07:14) Importance of Store Staff

(10:24) Evolving Loyalty Programs

(13:12) Ethics and Sustainability in Loyalty

(16:26) Real-Time Feedback and Loyalty

(22:21) Final Thoughts and Recommendations

(26:11) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail data insights:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S2:E1 Revolutionize Your Retail Strategy with Data-Driven Conversion Insights
 
Season Two of The Retail Razor: Data Blades opens with a sharp focus on the retail metric that makes or breaks growth: conversion rates.

Hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sit down with Gareth Johns, Chief Data Officer at TruRating, to reveal how real-time shopper feedback and data-driven insights are helping retailers unlock millions in revenue.
 
In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why conversion is the biggest untapped retail growth opportunity.
• The flaws in exit surveys, QR codes, and focus groups.
• How staff availability and customer expectations directly impact sales.
• A footwear case study that drove an 8% lift in conversion and unlocked $16.7M in revenue.
• Practical steps to increase in-store conversion rates and improve customer experience.

 
If you’re a CMO, COO, or CEO looking to optimize retail performance, this episode delivers conversion strategies you can act on today.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Guest Info:
Gareth Johns, Chief Strategy Officer, TruRating - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-johns-7166524/
Gareth Johns is an internationally experienced product and data development leader with 20+ years of expertise in using big data and technology to drive business growth for major retailers. He played a key role in scaling dunnhumby, a global leader in customer data science, from a 30-person startup to an international powerhouse in marketing analytics and customer insights for Tier 1 retailers. After leading strategic initiatives across the US and Europe, he went on to Starcount before joining the TruRating team. Gareth is passionate about transforming the way retailers collect and use customer feedback. At TruRating, he’s helping businesses access real-time, transaction-tied consumer data at an unprecedented scale; revolutionizing how retailers measure and improve business performance.

More from TruRating about optimizing conversion:
https://trurating.com/blog/5-takeaways-from-our-conversion-analysis-masterclass

Chapters:

(00:00) Preview

(00:41) Show Intro

(03:17) Welcome Gareth Johns, Chief Data Officer, TruRating

(03:57) Challenges in Measuring Conversion

(08:36) Effective Shopper Feedback Mechanisms

(13:54) Case Study: Footwear Brand Conversion Success

(18:22) Key Takeaways and Actionable Insights

(20:11) How to Learn More

(20:53) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail data insights:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

Season 2 Trailer - Data Blades Returns: AI, CX, and Retail Media for Executive Leaders
 
Welcome to Season 2 of The Retail Razor: Data Blades—the podcast that slices through complex retail research to deliver sharp, actionable insights and retail strategies for executive leaders in the AI era. 
 
In Season 1, we cut through the clutter with data-backed insights to identify strategies for:

• Inflation’s uneven impact across age groups—where seniors felt the pinch more than younger shoppers.
• Shifting shopping habits—like 74% of consumers using lists to control spending.
• The power of values in loyalty—with 77% of consumers saying brand values matter more than discounts.
• Self-checkout and employee experience—where well-informed store teams drove a 27% increase in average spend.

 
Now in Season 2, we’re going deeper. Hosts Ricardo Belmar, RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert & NRF 2025 Retail Voice, and Casey Golden, RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert, preview what’s ahead:

• Exclusive insights from TruRating and top retail analysts to hone your data-driven retail strategies.
• A focus on three pillars: Customer Experience, Retail Media, and Employee Experience.
• How AI is reshaping retail strategy—from predictive personalization to AI-powered workforce tools.
• Revisiting themes of trust, transparency, and loyalty with fresh data and new perspectives.

 
If you're a VP, CMO, COO, or CEO in retail looking to make smarter, data-driven decisions for AI-first retail strategies, this is your podcast. Subscribe now and stay ahead of the curve with insights that drive conversion, loyalty, and operational excellence.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail data insights:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E6 The Power of Knowledgeable Store Teams
 
In the final episode to Season 1 of the Retail Razor: Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden welcome Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating. Georgina discusses the significant impact well-informed store teams have on retail performance. Highlighting a global sporting goods retailer's success, Georgina reveals that 90% of shoppers acknowledged receiving multiple product options from staff, leading to a 27% increase in average shopper spend. The conversation emphasizes the importance of personalized customer interactions, cross-selling, upselling, and the tangible benefits of sales and product training. Insights are derived from TruRating’s innovative approach to gathering customer feedback directly at the point of sale, showing how it supports retailers in enhancing store performance and creating holistic shopping experiences.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Chapters:

(00:00) Show Intro

(01:12) Georgina Nelson - The Strategic Advantage of Well-Informed Store Teams

(09:40) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E5 Revolutionizing the Checkout: How Choice Impacts Purchase Behavior
 
In this episode of the Retail Razor Show: Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden are joined by Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, to explore the essential role of consumer choice during the checkout experience. Georgina shares insights gathered from over 14,000 customers across the US, UK, and Australia about their preferences for self-checkout versus manned cashiers. The discussion reveals that while convenience stores see a higher preference for self-checkout, segments like apparel still lean towards manned cashiers due to the nature of the shopping experience. Additionally, data indicates that perception of limited checkout options can lead consumers to spend significantly less. We highlight the importance of retailers investing in offering choices to avoid dips in transaction values and improve customer satisfaction. We also look at practical approaches for retailers to balance between technology and human assistance at checkout, ensuring an optimized customer journey!

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Chapters:

(00:00) Show Intro

(01:12) Georgina Nelson - Perception of Choice is Essential During the Checkout Experience

(09:13) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E4 Speed, Convenience, and Choices: Self-Checkout Perspectives
 
In this episode of Retail Razor: Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden are joined by Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, to explore consumer sentiments on self-checkout systems. TruRating, known for gathering real-time shopper feedback, reveals that speed and convenience are top priorities for 65% of shoppers using self-checkout. Together, the team examines how retailers can enhance this final stage of the shopping experience and the potential for in-store experimentation to improve customer satisfaction. The team also touches on the future of self-checkout, including the possibility of ads with retail media and the importance of customer feedback.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Chapters:

(00:00) Show Intro

(01:12) Georgina Nelson - Consumer Sentiment Towards Self-Checkout

(08:01) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E3 Beyond Price: How Consumer Values Drive Retail Loyalty
 
In this episode of Retail Razor Data Blades, hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden chat with Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, about critical consumer insights and the importance of aligning retail strategies with customer values. Georgina shares findings from TruRating's research at the point-of-sale, revealing that 77% of consumers are driven by retailer values over loyalty cards or discounts. The discussion highlights the importance of eco-friendly initiatives and tailored communication strategies to foster customer loyalty and convey values effectively. The discussion underscores the necessity for retailers to maintain their commitment to these values even in tough economic times.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Chapters:

(00:00) Show Intro

(01:11) Georgina Nelson - How Aligning with Consumer Values Still Plays a Critical Role

(05:01) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E2 Economic Waves: How Price Hikes Transform Shopping Trends
 
Welcome to another Retail Razor: Data Blades episode, where we discuss how rising prices are affecting shopper behavior with Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating. Georgina shares data showing significant consumer insights: 63% of U.S. consumers are driving less due to high gas prices, 60% are cooking more at home, and 74% are using shopping lists—reflecting increased spending discipline. We also explore how retailers can turn these challenges into opportunities by enhancing customer experience and building loyalty. Hosted by Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden, tune in for valuable insights and strategies to navigate the current economic landscape.

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Chapters:

(00:00) Show Intro

(01:12) Georgina Nelson - How Rising Prices Are Impacting Shopping Habits

(05:43) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E1 Retail Intelligence: Understanding Inflation's Differing Impact
 
Welcome to the Retail Razor Podcast Network's latest show, Data Blades! In this debut episode, we explore how inflation impacts different consumer demographics. Featuring Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating, we uncover insights derived from over 170,000 survey responses from the UK, North America, and Australia. Learn how rising costs affect seniors versus under-30s shoppers differently, and why a nuanced approach in retail strategies is essential. Join hosts Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden as they discuss how retailers can tailor their messaging and strategies to stay competitive in these challenging economic times. Don't miss out on these valuable insights!

Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.com
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utube

Chapters:

(00:00) Show Intro

(01:11) Georgina Nelson - How Inflation Impacts Everyone

(05:11) Show Close

Meet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:

Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voices for 2025 & a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2025. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Retail & AGI Thought Leader, a Top 50 Management, Transformation, & Careers Thought Leader, a Top 100 Digital Transformation & Agentic AI Thought Leader, and named him one of the Top Voices for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformation, and the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the director partner marketing for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.

Casey Golden, is CEO of Luxlock, a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2025, and a Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. Obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, now slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Currently, Casey is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T.

Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.