Retail

Speakers at our recent Impact conference share advice on getting new tech across the gap from demo to deployment.

We talk to the music retailer’s CEO and CIO about innovation and AI — and maintaining a strong connection to customers.

We talk with Jason Gowans, Chief Digital & Technology Officer, about digital strategy and AI case studies at $6 billion Levi Strauss & Co.

“AI may be the most powerful technology that our company has ever seen,” and other quotes from CEOs about the impact of AI.

Can “awesomeness” be part of a business case? Ziad Sultan of Spotify makes the case in this session from Impact 2024.

CarMax’s CIO on moving from a project mindset to a product mindset, engaging the C-suite, and empowering teams with clear goals. Video from our 2024 Impact conference.

You may have heard of omnichannel retail, or experiential retail. But one of the world’s biggest retailers, Arkansas-based Walmart, is now working to popularize the concept of “adaptive retail.” Tech Strategy VP Anupriya Sharma explains….

As Albertsons’ GVP of Technology and Engineering, Maria Latushkin is reshaping how one of America’s largest retailers merges in-store and online shopping. We talk with Latushkin about cultivating startup partnerships that thrive at enterprise scale, the pragmatic realities of deploying GenAI across vast workforces, and her vision for smarter, frictionless retail experiences powered by IoT and computer vision.

On November 18th, startup Perplexity released a shopping tool for its Pro-level subscribers called “Buy With Pro.” And a week later, they released their mobile app to make the shopping experience integrated with the camera, a feature they call “Snap to Shop.” Similar to Google’s Lens, you take a picture of a subject and then see a list of products. We try it out…

Janet Sherlock recently wrapped up seven years as Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Ralph Lauren. We spoke with her as part of our research report, Creating New Value in Large Organizations, discussing her approach to digital transformation, the role of AI in retail, and strategies for strengthening customer experience in a competitive market.

We talk to Bob Czechowicz, Senior Director of Innovation at GS1 US, about the future of AI and how his team uses cutting-edge technologies to enhance global supply chain processes, all while maintaining the high standards and reliability that their stakeholders depend on.

We talk to the Senior Vice President of Product & Technology at retail giant Lowe’s about AI and their 2024 innovation agenda. Generative AI can create new types of experiences for customers looking for home improvement inspiration, he says.

Walmart’s CFO argues that innovation is now “fully embedded” in the organization. Do you buy that argument? Food and retail innovation veteran Matt Mueller doesn’t…

On January 23rd, we brought together a group of four retail industry veterans — and one retail-focused venture capitalist — to unpack the news that the world’s biggest retailer, Walmart, had decided to shut down its primary innovation group, Store No. 8. What are the important take-aways for innovators and tech leaders in retail and other industries? Includes video…

Wayfair, the online furniture retailer, has long used artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize its online marketing and the way it presents products to site visitors. CTO Fiona Tan explains how they’re researching how generative AI technologies like GPT can assist with customer service, crafting code, and more.

Senior leaders from REI Co-op, Square, Clif Bar & Co., and Save the Children share the initiatives, products, and practices that have come from using purpose as a guiding principle inside their organizations.

Jay Topper, Chief Digital Officer of women’s clothing brand Chico’s, gives his insights on developing a digital-first mindset inside a large organization. He discusses failure, communicating with leadership, and trends for consumers and retailers to look for in 2023.

Seven big trends emerged at the 2023 National Retail Federation conference in New York, from AI to expanded worker benefits to same-day delivery. Here’s our run-down…

Anish Melwani, CEO of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) North America, discusses the company’s experiments with blockchain, NFTs, diamonds, luxury trains, and cultivating the artisan talent that the company relies on. 

Highlights from a session on culture and guest experience — even in stressful situations — featuring Target CEO Brian Cornell and four of the company’s top female executives.

Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette was at the National Retail Federation’s conference to deliver an update to his peers in the retail industry. In a mainstage session, Gennette touched on the consumer mood at the start of 2023; how Macy’s has begun converting some traditional stores to a smaller Market by Macy’s model; and attracting and retaining workers.

At the National Retail Federation’s annual conference in Manhattan, Saks Off 5th CEO Paige Thomas discussed pricing strategy; its approach to trends in fashion; and new partnerships with companies like Rent the Runway.

REI Co-Op ran its first two cohorts in its new Path Ahead Ventures program in 2022. The cohorts, which include early-stage and late-stage startups, focus on helping founders of color advance in the outdoor industry. Kihanya shares the structure of the program, lessons learned, and what’s next in 2023.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has set the goal of 75 percent of their products aligning with one or more social or environmental initiatives by the year 2030. In mid-2022, they’re halfway to that goal. We talk to Jennifer Gootman, Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, about how innovation and sustainability go hand-in-hand – and where sustainability leaders can find support.

How do you move from thinking to doing? IKEA Co-Creation and Matrix Manager Cindy Soo shares best practices.

“There will always be new, cool, shiny things that we could bring to life in our stores,” says Heather Paquette of Retail Business Services, a subsidiary of the grocery giant Ahold Delhaize. “But we’re really here to help our brands achieve their goals by implementing new solutions that create measurable value.” Here’s how Paquette scores emerging technologies…

We spoke to Brian Tilzer, Best Buy’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, a few weeks ahead of Black Friday 2021. The starting point for our discussion was how Tilzer and his team evaluate emerging technologies that could impact Best Buy’s business. “Ninety percent of what we do is about what’s the business outcome, the customer outcome, or the employee outcome we’re trying to accomplish,” he says. More about the retailer’s strategy, and what’s changing in 2022, inside…

Melody Jia, General Manager of Chinese retailer Suning International, shares shifts she’s seen with pandemic-era shoppers and how her team meets their needs. 

With 17,000 stores across Russia, X5 is the largest retailer of food and groceries in the country. Find out how the company is addressing sustainability. 

Diapers, baby wipes, and toilet paper are essential household products that millions of families can’t live without. But how can these products be reimagined after spending decades on store shelves? Justin Sparks, Global Design Director, Kimberly-Clark Design — both of packaging and the products themselves — plays a key role in keeping these decades-old staples fresh, […]

REI’s Chief Experience Officer discusses the balance between pleasing customers and internal stakeholders, and the impacts of COVID-19 on the company. 

Fiona Tan, Wayfair’s Global Head of Customer and Supplier Technology, shared insights on balancing organic innovation with M&A, using data to stay agile, and more.

David’s Bridal CEO Jim Marcum discusses how he’s navigating the future of the wedding business. That includes building an omnichannel experience to help brides shop from anywhere. 

How does Herman Miller’s Chief Strategy Officer look for opportunities outside of the core? Megan Lyon shares best practices and tips for other innovators in charge of strategy. 

Lululemon’s Chief Science Officer, Tom Waller shares why 2020 created lines out of their store doors and how the retailer keeps customers close when building new products.

Bill Carr, who spent 15 years at Amazon, shares how the company has maintained an innovative culture as it grew to a trillion-dollar operation. 

Christian Gianni, the former CTO of Whirlpool Corp., shares insights into how the Michigan-based appliance giant overcame those barriers during the COVID crisis…

Within six months of starting her new position, Best Buy CEO Corie Barry had to lead her team through the disruptions of COVID-19. Find out how… 

Richard Dickson, President and COO of toy company Mattel, offers insights on speeding new products to market, sourcing ideas from employees, presenting ideas to leadership, and more.

What makes Amazon’s culture unique? Here’s a list of 10 articles and books if you want to better understand what makes Amazon tick.

Lots of leaders talk like Jeff Bezos. But few organizations know how to create a culture with the right enablers to behave like Amazon.  Here’s some background to get you started…

Chad Manuell, Director of Engineering at Trek Bicycle, discusses the surge in demand for bikes and how his team approaches early innovation.

Leaders with experience at Fitbit, Lyft, and the Alliance for Smiles discuss hiring diversely and support talent in an equitable environment. 

Three startups pitch their products including home robotics kits for students, a lightweight AR headset, and digital twins for brick-and-mortar stores…

As part of our recent Impact conference, Scott Uzzell, CEO of Converse, discussed the brand’s relationship with popular culture, its collaborations, and more.

There is no silver bullet or a quick solution for measuring the impact of innovation, but this model brings structure to the process of measuring the health of innovation programs and their impact.

Paul Gaffney, the Chief Technology Officer of Kohl’s discussed the future of retail, curbside pickup, and working with Amazon.

One innovator from Stanley Black & Decker shares insights on how COVID-19 has impacted his innovation strategy in 2020 and how his team has managed to secure key wins during the pandemic.

How have teams pivoted to face the challenges of 2020? Rhett Alden of Elsevier discusses launching a COVID-19 Resource Center in four weeks. Innovators from Carhartt and CVS share insights.

The migration away from in-person selling actually predates COVID-19 for Pampered Chef, but they’re taking advantage of the moment to experiment with social media.