The Retail Exchange

Wilkommen to this special EuroShop 2020 event review podcast from The Retail Exchange recorded at this year’s EuroShop in Dusseldorf, Germany. In case EuroShop is not on your regular shopping list of trade fairs, it’s the world’s biggest retail expo. Across the four-day event, more than 100,000 visitors passed through its doors. It’s an incredible spectacle. Huge halls. Extraordinary spaces. With over 2000 exhibitors, 600 speakers and 500 sessions, across 8 stages, there was plenty of inspiring creative visions to capture visitor’s imaginations. With pressure of bricks and mortar stores around the world like never before, we look back on this year’s event to find out what the creative minds at EuroShop 2020 had instore for visitors, to help retailers and brands measure up to the challenges that lie ahead. Guest host Karl McKeever is on the ground at EuroShop 2020 as he talks to a few of those exhibiting and attending who know more than most what it will take for physical retail to stay ahead of competition from online and meet the ever-evolving needs of today’s shoppers.    

In this latest episode of The Interview Series retail podcast HEMA CEO, Tjeerd Jegen, joins us for an exclusive chat ahead of his talk at Retail Week Live 2020. He joins Ben Bland to explain how a ‘return on value and values’ is helping drive new growth, and discuss his own storied retail career. There are many ways for a retailer to make a name for itself. From original product design to low pricing. And, increasingly, having a focus on sustainability. Dutch variety store-chain HEMA ticks all three boxes. Operating over 750 stores across nine countries, it has retained a style all of its own. And now its robust sustainable practices are taking HEMA to the next level of retailing. Discover more, only on this retail podcast HEMA special. Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed podcast interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

Sponsored by Laybuy In this special episode of The Interview from The Retail Exchange podcast, our host Ben Bland looks ahead to Retail Week Live 2020 with Sarah Clark – Retail Week Live Advisory Board Member and Chief Commercial Officer of luxury homewares retailer OKA.  Widely considered to be the UK’s flagship retail event for those who want to stay informed, Retail Week Live 2020 takes place in London 25-26 March, featuring a line-up of over 200 top industry speakers across the two-day event. We sit down with Sarah to learn more about Retail Week Live 2020 and the role of the Advisory Board in shaping the content that will await attendees at this year’s event. We also explore the brand journey of OKA, get Sarah’s views on the current challenges facing the industry, and shine a spotlight on her own retail career.

In this special roundtable episode from The Retail Exchange podcast, we’re in New York for NRF Big Show 2020 as guest host Karl McKeever talks retail performance with our panel of retail experts.  With many retailers, on both sides of the Atlantic, releasing their ‘Golden Quarter’ results. Our guests reflect on the latest trading updates and discuss some of the surprising (and not so surprising) highs and lows. They also ponder some of the big questions about what some retailers can do to positively influence their fortunes in the year ahead.

In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with World Retail Congress to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In our final episode, we discuss why all retailers will have a responsibility to be sustainable as the planet faces up to the growing climate crisis. Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, is joined by senior retail thought leaders from Fairtrade Foundation, Bulk Market and Google.

In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with World Retail Congress to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In this second episode, we discuss the evolution of consumer behaviour and societal trends. Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, is joined by senior retail thought leaders from Hammerson plc, WGSN Insight, Style Psychology, Household, RPA: Group and ASF Development.

In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with World Retail Congress to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In this first episode, we talk technology. Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, is joined by Heal’s Customer & eCommerce Director, David Kohn and Ian Pattison, Head of Customer Engineering for Google, along with thought leaders from retail agencies Visual Thinking, FutureBrand, FITCH and Jack Morton.

Rituals believes that happiness can be found in the smallest of things. Inspired by the wisdom and ancient traditions of Asian cultures, the Dutch-based retailer is passionate about transforming everyday routines into meaningful Rituals. It’s a philosophy that extends to the shopping experience within the physical retail environment. In an exclusive interview, recorded at Future Stores 2019, host Martin Popplewell meets Rituals Director of Format and Design, Richard Lems, who extols the virtues of ’slow retail’, the importance of rituals and explains why the future of physical retail is a bright one.  Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

All eyes in the US will be on Manhattan today for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019. Now in its 93-year, it’s the world-famous annual festive pageant. And global icon Barbie is in town – one of the star of Macy’s Christmas windows for 2019. In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to New York for an exclusive interview with Macy’s national director of window presentation, Roya Sullivan. She shares the behind-the-scenes story of preparations for its highly anticipated Christmas windows, and talks about the challenge of managing windows for the one of the world’s most iconic department stores. Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

Launched back in 2015, Allbirds is a booming shoe brand with sustainability at its heart. The San Francisco-based startup may only be four years old but it is already focused on building the brand worldwide. Makers of “the world’s most comfortable shoe”, it designs environmentally friendly footwear, has a burgeoning reputation for quality and is enjoying fast-paced retail growth. In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to San Francisco for an exclusive interview with Allbirds head of global retail operations Travis Boyce. He shares the story of the footwear brand’s rapid growth, discusses the transition from its online birth to physical retail expansion, and reflects on the challenges that still lie ahead. Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

There may be strong regulatory forces at play within retail banking, and rightly so. But it’s still a sector that’s open to embrace new innovation and digital technologies, providing greater opportunities to improve the customer experience. Open banking, digital assistance and AI personalisation are just some of the technologies driving disruption in retail banking. In an exclusive interview, recorded at Tech Festival 2019, host Jason Bradbury sits down with Josh Bottomley, global head of digital, data and development at HSBC, to discuss the tech challenges of becoming a successful retail bank in the digital world. Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

India has a population of 1.3billion people, and a growing consumer society. Launched in 2013, V-Mart is quickly expanding to become the country’s most profitable department store – promising “price less” fashion for the entire family. Host Ben Bland caught up with V-Mart chief operating officer founder, Samir Misra, to discover more about the country’s economic boom, the retailer’s high velocity growth, and its blueprint for delivering sustained retail success. Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019. Featuring in-depth conversations with senior figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from leading minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering retail success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

The Samsung KX concept in London’s Coal Drops Yard is taking brand experience in the physical space to another level. This is not a shop. It’s a place to explore the latest in tech innovation, in a new way – to see things, play, learn, push your limits and open your mind. In an exclusive interview, recorded at Tech Festival 2019, host Jason Bradbury sits down with Tanya Weller, director of Samsung Showcase to discuss the story behind the new Samsung KX concept and explore her many career highlights. Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

There are some big tech debates in the retail industry right now. From AI to consumer ownership of data rights. And what about retailers using our DNA? In an exclusive interview, recorded at Tech Festival 2019, host Jason Bradbury talks tech with Cheil UK Head of Strategic Services David Coombs to try and sort the myths from the reality.  Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.

As the line between new and used apparel blurs for consumers, a powerful transformation in retail is unfolding. Growing 21 times faster than the retail market in the past three years, the fashion resale sector is predicted to be worth nearly $52 billion by 2023. One company that is leading the way is San Francisco-based thredUP. Launched in 2008, it is now the world’s largest online thrift store. In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to San Francisco for an exclusive interview with thredUP president Anthony Marino. We also catch up with the brand’s co-founder and CTO Chris Homer, during his visit to Tech. Festival 2019, to learn about the technology fuelling its phenomenal growth. Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.