Retail Refined
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Top 10 Retail Refined Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Retail Refined episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Retail Refined for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Retail Refined episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
07/28/20 • 28 min
Computer vision and advanced algorithmic sensors have changed the possibilities of consumer facing technologies. From augmented reality to virtual reality, kinect technology to motion capture, host Melissa Gonzalez speaks with Adaora Udoji, Director of Corporate Innovation of RLab about the latest trends that are evolving and how COVID is accelerating adoption and testing, as well as some of the exciting start-ups moving the needle. We are no longer in a world that can wait for long tail pilot testing and roll outs that take years, the consumer is changing rapidly.
Adaora Udoji Bio
Director of Corporate Innovation of RLab
ADAORA currently heads a corporate innovation and venture program team at RLab, a New York City initiative focused on emerging technology like spatial computing- virtual reality, augmented reality, gesture, voice, neural networks.
She is a media innovator; an award-winning storyteller with an expertise in emerging technology. She helps build new tech products, teams, and business model strategies. She’s also a media maker including creating new tech immersive formats like virtual reality and augmented reality, having written and directed experiences for the likes of Google Daydream VR, as well as the producer of documentaries and short films.
Questions:
1. Let's break down 3D scanning as a creative tool and storytelling medium.
2. How does 3D capture work?
3. How is VR changing the way we build environments?
4. How have you seen adoption and use cases evolve in retail for AR?
5. How is creation accelerated/opportunities widened via
6. What are you most excited for in terms of innovations coming to fruition in 2021?
RLAB:
A partnership between New York City and its universities, RLab is the nation’s first city-funded center for research, education and entrepreneurship in virtual and augmented reality and related technologies.
Retail Refined with Henry Stupp
Retail Refined
05/25/23 • 14 min
The retail industry is a dynamic landscape that demands constant adaptation to shifting consumer habits, market fluctuations, and technological advancements. With retail spending projected to reach a staggering $31.3 trillion by 2025, it is crucial for brand management companies to stay ahead of the curve. One such company making waves in the industry is Authentic Brands Group (ABG), renowned for its diverse portfolio of high-consumer awareness brands.
What is Authentic Brands Group doing differently from other brand management companies?
On this episode of Retail Refined with Melissa Gonzalez, host Melissa Gonzalez joins us from Barcelona with guest Henry Stupp, the President of EMEA & India, Authentic Brands Group. The two chat about the conference and the upcoming trends in the industry.
The Authentic Brands Group is a big name in the industry, having acquired brands like Eddie Bauer, Forever 21, Brooks Brothers, and Reebok - to name a few. Most recently, ABG acquired Ted Baker London and started a Joint Venture with David Beckham, a big move and exciting acquisition for the group.
Stupp noted, “We’re very pleased with the acquisition of Ted Baker and the JV with David because those were two brands specifically outside the United States which really speaks to the globalization of Authentic and our reach and the commitment we’re making to really build our offices all over the world.”
The two also cover...
- What the most exciting upcoming opportunities are for ABG
- Stupp’s take on physical versus online retail systems
- The Top Three criteria that ABG looks for in their partners
“We like stores and we think that the physical presence is really important. I’m often asked...what the future of retail is and I always say if you want to know about the future of retail, go back a hundred years. Cause it really, you know, the technology’s changed but the underpinnings haven’t. It’s about the social experience, it’s about customer service, yes we use new technologies to communicate...but really what worked then is what works today...” said Stupp.
Stupp holds over 30 years of leadership experience in the licensing and brand marketing industries. Before joining ABG, he most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Apex Global Brands, during which he provided M&A oversight and introduced new licenses and brands to a global retail audience. He has also served as Co-Founder of NTD Apparel, a leading licensee of entertainment, character, and sports branded apparel to major North American retailers. Stupp is a qualified NYSE and NASDAQ financial expert and is a graduate of Concordia University in Economics.
Loyalty in Retail: Mastercard is Shaping the Future of Retail by Creating Meaningful Connections with Customers
Retail Refined
04/01/24 • 26 min
The retail space is heating up with innovation. Consumers are increasingly seeking personalized experiences and brands are harnessing the powers of new technologies and data to fulfill these demands like never before. In today’s episode of Retail Refined, host Melissa Gonzalez has partnered with Mastercard, a global leader in the solutions at the forefront of this transformation.
In this episode, Melissa and Mastercard are addressing hot topics like the role personalization plays in building customer loyalty, how brands can leverage technology to create more meaningful connections with their customers, and more. Right off the heels of retail’s big event Shoptalk, Retail Refined host Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, Executive Vice President of Global Loyalty at Mastercard, for her insights on the evolving landscape of personalization and loyalty in retail.
Key points of discussion include:
The importance of a strategic approach to personalization and loyalty.
How Mastercard’s solutions are helping brands worldwide enhance customer experiences.
The impact of generational differences on loyalty program expectations and the rise of Gen AI in personalizing shopping experiences.
With a background in leading digital and loyalty initiatives for prominent brands, Stephanie Meltzer-Paul brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Her expertise in data-driven strategies and creative solutions has been instrumental in driving significant digital revenue growth and enhancing customer engagement.
The Evolution of Reserved Shopping
Retail Refined
06/30/20 • 19 min
Originally launched to support their brand-owned locations, 3Den is now expanding their offerings to become an operator of spaces. With a simple check-in process, hear how their technology is creating operational efficiency and reducing costs for companies while also enhancing consumer experiences. Living in a time of COVID and beyond, 3Den is opening up real time visibility into space capacity, traffic flows and democratizing appointment based retail experiences.
About the Company:
3Den (pronounced Eden) is tech-powered aggregation of an airport lounge meets a work space meets sanctuary. Their first flagship gives you everything you need to zone in or out. Plenty of outlets to recharge your phone. Quiet zones, nap pods and generously stocked showers with towels and slippers to recharge yourself. Now they are taking their technology to the next level.
About the Guest:
Ben Silver is founder and CEO at 3DEN. A serial entrepreneur from the UK, Ben was previously a co-founder at ivee, a venture backed consumer electronics company creating the first wave of voice assistants.
What Melissa Asked:
1) What was your vision when you created 3Den?
2) How has your long term vision evolved, how do you see 3Den has a hybrid of branded spaces, and a 3rd party operator?
3) What is approach to curating brands showcased in your spaces?
4) What incentives should a brand provide to entice app downloads?
5) Where do you see contactless tech and voice converging?
The Future of Data Driven Store Design
Retail Refined
05/26/20 • 22 min
In this podcast, Melissa Gonzalez discusses the evolution of store design through data collection and statistical analytics with George Shaw, founder of Pathr. Via computer vision and AI, George discusses how Pathr is able to capture actionable insights to inform operations teams, LP and marketing teams alike to illuminate shopper groups, customers and staff interactions and throughput opportunities at check-out. Social distancing will guide new store layouts, but science will help inform optimization and ways to increase flow without sacrificing safety.
Bio:
George Shaw is the Pathr Founder and CEO. A consummate industry veteran working at the intersection of data and engineering, Shaw is a true innovator in the fields of spatial analytics, Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technology solutions. Prior to founding Pathr, a disruptive new pioneer in the Spatial Intelligence space, Shaw held senior positions at RetailNext, Intel, Second Spectrum, Target, and many other leading edge brands—working in the capacities of Principal Engineer, Principal Data Strategist, Vice President of Research and Development, Technical Fellow and Scientific Advisor. He serves as an advisor to multiple start-up and emerging technology entities, and has worked as a senior lecturer and educator. He additionally holds multiple U.S. patents for his inventive work in the areas of retail analytics methodology, customer movement and path analysis. Shaw graduated from Boston University, and holds a Master of Science degree from MIT.
1) Tell us a bit about your customers and your data collection process
2) How do you set up a brand/retailer, what are the necessary steps?
3) How do you analyze data and what were some key learnings of recent? Proof points, maybe a recent case study.
4) How do you see the store layout evolving post COVID19 and how will your data help retailers achieve needed changes?
5) How do you see the role of the store associate evolving?
6) How do you see the adoption of technology in-store evolving? What will help adoption? (Ie pricing, IT infrascture, etc)
7) Fun question I ask everyone, we can’t travel right now but soon we will be able to . What are the 3 must things to do/visit in your home city when we are all able travel again.
The Modernization of Clienteling: Retail Refined
Retail Refined
07/14/20 • 27 min
With the evolution of the store, it has now become table stakes to invest in a modernized POS system- one that can be in service of contactless payments, omni-channel retail and clienteling. Having seen demand by brands and retailers to take the step to modernize skyrocket, CEO and Founder Nitin Mangtani speaks to Melissa about how to create a modular system that truly empowers store associates and allows them to flex across channels to better serve customers. Hear why he alludes to the Nordstrom meets Apple experience as he paints the picture of his long term vision of the shopping experience.
About Predict Spring
PredictSpring is a leading Modern POS platform connecting the online and in-store customer experience and enables sales associates to engage with customers by offering highly personalized interactions and fast and efficient transactions. PredictSpring Content Management System (CMS), is a no-coding mobile commerce platform enables retailers to create a full on brand customized experiences. Designed exclusively for brands and retailers, its innovative technology powers Modern POS, native consumer mobile apps and store associate apps including Clienteling, Endless Aisle, and mPOS.
More About the Guest
Nitin Mangtani, CEO & Founder, PredictSpring
A visionary and pioneer in the mobile commerce sector, Nitin Mangtani is the Founder & CEO of PredictSpring, an innovative mobile commerce platform. Prior to founding PredictSpring, Nitin led the Google Shopping merchant and search infrastructure team, scaling Google Shopping product to hundreds of thousands of retailers. Most recently, Nitin founded Google Retail Promotions to optimize mobile conversions. Prior to joining Google, Nitin was a founding member of data infrastructure group at BEA from 2001-2006. BEA was leader in application platform market and was acquired by Oracle for $8.5 billion.
What Melissa Asked
- Why stores need to invest in their technology in replacing legacy POS’s.
- The main value of the sales associate in the ‘new retail normal’, the role of the consumer-sales associate and how the relationship is changing.
- Many shopper-associate relationships are purely digital now. Why associates need to adapt their behavior to create those strong relationships, especially if they lose the in-person element.
- Why clienteling is important and what will comprise a strong clienteling strategy, post-pandemic?
- What will retail experience will look like in a post-COVID-19 world.
- How can retailers maintain the high quality shopping experience their consumers have come to expect while following social distancing protocols?
- How can retailers and brands safely create a personalized experience for their consumers from afar?
Why 5G Is the New Backbone of Retail
Retail Refined
05/11/21 • 29 min
The retail industry’s reliance on technology is more apparent than ever. The way people shop, buy, and experience brands have changed dramatically in the next year. What comes next will be powered by 5G. Talking about 5G’s mark on retail, Retail Refined host Melissa Gonzalez spoke with Michael Colaneri, VP of Retail, Restaurants, Hospitality for AT&T. Colaneri has decades of experience in retail technology and has over 27 years with AT&T.
Colaneri described his role as supporting the consumer journey in verticals with the right technology solutions. “Delivering a consistent digital experience for brands is top of mind.”
So, what’s the role of 5G in the future of retail? Colaneri answered, “It’s expected to be a communications platform on top of which technology will rise. As consumer digital proficiency grows, demand will expand, and 5G is the infrastructure.”
Much of the new consumer life cycle is about speed and clarity, which 5G delivers. Colaneri noted that the pandemic accelerated consumer proficiency. With proficiency came higher expectations and the desire for real-time responses.
Colaneri shared many examples of 5G becoming the backbone for retailers. “Sanitation and cleanliness won’t fade, so cashless and touchless transactions are permanent, and 5G makes this more seamless.”
Another use case is around “magic mirrors” for apparel where consumers don’t have to try on clothing physically. Experiential in stores is another opportunity. “To deploy experiential content, the bandwidth will need to be massive,” Colaneri said.
5G is also supporting the supply chain, something that had many disruptions in the last year. “There’s a need for diversity, and the supply chain was a bottleneck. Now it has to be flexible with alternate channels for fulfillment and flexing in a dynamic world. It’s another case for speed and latency. Constant signal strength for tracking isn’t there yet.”
04/27/21 • 27 min
The world of retail is shifting, influenced by the desire for more value and sustainability. Brands are answering this change with re-commerce and circular shopping. To discuss this new avenue of commerce, Retail Refined host Melissa Gonzalez spoke with Andy Ruben, Founder and CEO of Trove. Trove is the backend engine for circular shopping, working with brands allowing them to own this channel. Ruben has over two decades of retail leadership experience, holding various senior roles at Walmart.
“Getting more use out of products isn’t rock science; it just makes sense. The doing of it is complex, and that’s why I founded Trove,” Ruben said.
This entry into the market comes at a time when resale is growing 25 times faster than the rest of the industry. Ruben noted the reason why is three-fold—value, sustainability, and a more enjoyable shopping experience.
The re-commerce market is good business for brands in many ways. “It enables new customer acquisition and provides revenue that would otherwise go to third parties. It also builds greater loyalty,” Ruben added.
Ruben explained that brands should own these channels and partner with technology experts, which means they can be in the space in a few months and avoid millions in capital expenditures. With a robust infrastructure, brands can also analyze data and continue to optimize this new slice of business.
“Brands that engage in this macro shift are making equal or better margins on used business, and it’s an important sustainability move,” Ruben said.
Circular shopping is also good for in-store business. Customers can bring back items for resale and receive a gift card. It can be a draw to get consumers in stores so they can ensure someone else benefits from their goods and get what they need right now in the same shopping experience.
The Importance of an Omnichannel Experience
Retail Refined
01/26/21 • 25 min
The ecosystem of eCommerce is always evolving, and the last year has seen a rapid pivot for retailers. So, what can an eCommerce expert share? Host Melissa Gonzalez sat down with Hatch CEO and Founder Joris Kroese to learn more about what Hatch does and the changing online shopping environment.
Kroese has an extensive history in eCommerce, once owning a brand that sold technology products. He noticed that the manufacturers weren’t usually sellers, and consumers weren’t able to find where they could buy a TV or appliance. This “hatched” the idea of Hatch, an eCommerce platform that connects brands and retailers.
In looking at the last year, Kroese said, “I was surprised at the agility of retailers and the pace at which they adapted. It happened in months, not years.”
The acceleration of online sales in the pandemic was astronomical, and Kroese said, “We are driving consumers to online retailers, and some clients are seeing 20 times for business than the year prior.”
He does acknowledge there were and are hurdles to retail in the pandemic. “Coping with the supply for online demand, the supply chain, delivery logics, brick and mortar stores shifting to digital, which requires different skillsets and comes with new competition,” he noted.
While eCommerce is climbing, Kroese doesn’t believe in-store experiences are over. In fact, having a local store is a good complement to digital channels. “Omnichannel solutions provide a competitive advantage. With local stores, you have proximity and the ability to see the product and get advice from a salesperson. That’s not going away,” he commented.
Overall, the new retail experience should be seamless from online to offline. Physical stores are also filling the needs of eCommerce, offering BOPIS (buy online pick up in-store), curbside, and last-mile delivery. Kroese believes these trends will continue. “Those retailers that embrace these changes will do well,” he added.
Merging the Physical and Digital Worlds: Retail Refined
Retail Refined
08/04/20 • 25 min
In a (bring your own device) retail world, the lines between the physical and digital worlds continue to merge thanks to the possibilities of computer vision. In this episode with guest Christian Floerkemeier, CTO and co-founder of Scandit, learn how Scandit is helping retailers automate end-to-end retail operations by moving routine processes and tasks onto mobile devices powered by high-performance barcode scanning software. From consumer self-scanning apps for self-checkout and Scan-and-Go shopping to augmented reality for access to real-time information, they are redefining retail one scan at a time via intelligent text and object recognition capturing customer imagination and reducing operational costs.
Christian Floerkemeier: CTO, VP Product, and co-founder of Scandit
As CTO and VP Product, Scandit co-founder Christian Floerkemeier is responsible for Scandit’s product strategy and roadmap and is the technical lead behind Scandit’s patented Barcode Scanner technology.
Before founding Scandit, Christian was the Associate Director of the Auto-ID Lab at MIT and a member of the MIT research team that developed the RFID technology which is today in use in major supply chains. Christian also co-founded Fosstrak, the leading open-source RFID software platform that implements the EPC Network specification. He was the technical program chair of the Internet of Things Conference in 2008 and IEEE RFID 2009 and general chair of IEEE RFID 2011.
Christian received a PhD in Computer Science from ETH Zurich and a Bachelor and MEng degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cambridge.
About Scandit
Scandit enables businesses and consumers to interact with everyday objects by blending the physical and digital worlds using computer vision. Scandit technology is a unique machine learning platform combining leading-edge barcode scanning, text recognition (OCR), object recognition and augmented reality (AR) for use on any camera-equipped smart device, from smartphones to drones, wearables and robots.
Many of the world’s most successful companies use Scandit as part of their digital transformation, including 7-Eleven, Alaska Airlines, Carrefour, Hermes, La Poste, Levi Strauss & Co, Sephora and Toyota.
What Melissa Asked
- How does Scandit blend the physical and digital worlds using computer vision?
- Why did you start the company and how has your vision evolved since then?
- How do you see changing behaviors due to COVID accelerating adoption for in-store technology integration?
- How does Scandit take costs out of operational costs?
- How long does it take you to get a store up and running, and optimized?
- Are there a couple of retail use cases/success story examples you can share?
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FAQ
How many episodes does Retail Refined have?
Retail Refined currently has 97 episodes available.
What topics does Retail Refined cover?
The podcast is about Marketing, Fashion & Beauty, Podcasts, Arts and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Retail Refined?
The episode title 'Why Virtual Dressing Rooms Will Be Key for Differentiating in Retail' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Retail Refined?
The average episode length on Retail Refined is 27 minutes.
How often are episodes of Retail Refined released?
Episodes of Retail Refined are typically released every 7 days, 2 hours.
When was the first episode of Retail Refined?
The first episode of Retail Refined was released on Apr 7, 2020.
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