The blend of marketing and technology otherwise known as Martech has continued to grow and become more complex. There were approximately 7,000 Martech companies in 2018 – a 27% increase over the previous year. Solution providers and vendors in this space are trying to influence…
Online retail behemoth Amazon is at it yet again. Announced today, Amazon is said to be pursuing their own stand-along grocery stores with aggressive growth plans over the next coming years. The first location is slated to open in Los Angeles potentially before the end…
Gap Inc.’s announcement to separate Old Navy from its portfolio of brands into two independent and publicly traded entities is a tale of two companies. On one hand, you have Old Navy, Gap Inc.’s darling child that continued to deliver growth and profitability; and then…
First 365 store in Silver Lake, CA MCMILLANDOOLITTLE A lot has happened to Whole Foods since I wrote about the opening of the first 365 by Whole Foods that opened in Silver Lake, a suburb of Los Angeles back in May of 2016. Is it possible…
The evolution of the direct-to-consumer brand is a fascinating story of one that is simultaneously causing and grappling with disruption. The brands have brought a wellspring of experimentation to retail and have caused retailers to re-evaluate everything from KPI’s (customer acquisition costs) to store strategy…
Spyce is the one of the first restaurants to feature a completely robotic kitchen cooking complex, nutritious, tasty meals. Located in Boston, the restaurant is the brainchild of four M.I.T. graduates based on a vision of cooking affordable, healthy food, robotically, delivering at the intersection of…
According to the research firm eMarketer, Retail sales in China will reach more than $5.6 trillion this year, about $100 billion more than in the United States. This will happen despite the trade war and slowing Chinese economy that is starting to dampen retail growth….
Muji is an amazing retail concept and a fabulous example of a retailer who succeeds with a strong point of view. Roughly translated as “without adornment” from Japanese, Muji was founded in 1980 with a goal to create simple, low-cost, good quality products by viewing…
In today’s retail environment, engaging with the customer is key to a memorable customer experience. Although more and more customers are shopping online, bricks and mortar is more relevant than ever and retailers must differentiate themselves with a best in class experience that is driven…
First, let me state that I’m a big fan to date of Amazon’s forays into physical retail stores. Amazon Books is surprisingly well done, managing to be both curated and intimate. And, I love a good bookstore, which are fewer to find nowadays, largely in…
