The Retail Podcast (Video Feed)
The Retail Podcast explores the future of retail through conversations with leaders, innovators, and brands shaping the industry. Hosted by Alex Rezvan, a former Microsoft and Verizon Retail lead, the show offers global conference insights, executive interviews, and sharp analysis on technology, stores, AI, customer experience, and the forces redefining retail.
Episodes
The International Briefing: SHEIN, JD.com, India, Shipping & Fabletics
The International Briefing examines five developments shaping retail around the world—and what they mean for industry leaders.
Jill Dvorak, Senior Vice President, Content at NRF, joins Alex Rezvan for this edition.
Europe’s €3 parcel charge
A new charge on low-value parcels entering the EU could change the economics of cross-border retail, particularly for lower-value orders.
The discussion looks
Five Things Friday UK: Harvey Nichols, Poundland, IKEA & Rapid Delivery
Five Things Friday UK Edition brings together the retail stories worth knowing this week.
Alex Rezvan of The Retail Podcast and Simone Oloman, co-founder of Need It For Tonight, discuss the developments shaping the UK retail industry and what they could mean for retailers, brands and consumers.
In this episode:
Frasers and Harvey Nichols
Frasers has acquired Harvey Nichols out of administration. A
A Retail Executive Goes Shopping for AI | NRF APAC 2026
What does buying AI look like when a retailer has a real problem to solve? At NRF APAC 2026 in Singapore, Alex Rezvan joins Low Ngai Yuen, Managing Director of AEON360, on a live buying mission across the show floor. Ngai Yuen is not browsing demonstrations. She has a specific requirement: improve the quality, structure, localisation and usefulness of AEON’s product data before expecting AI to cre
What Retailers Can Expect at NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe
Why are some retail markets able to adopt AI faster than Europe?
30% off an All Access Pass: ALEX30
NRF Registration page here: https://bit.ly/4vh5Iz5.
Annabelle Serres, Director of Events for NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe, discusses the barriers created by legacy infrastructure, the lessons Europe can take from APAC and why retailers now need to accelerate implementation.
The conversation also c
What's Really Happening in Global Retail Right Now? Hugo Boss, Uber Eats, Nike, Fair Price & LA 2028
Five retail stories. Less than ten minutes. And several signals about where global retail could be heading next.
In this international edition of Five Things Friday, we examine five developments across retail, commerce, technology and consumer engagement.
First, Fraser’s Group and its position in Hugo Boss — and why the premium market could be ripe for further change. The conversation then moves t
What You Don't See About Culture Shapes Everything
How can a global retailer maintain consistency across markets without losing local relevance?
In this episode of The Retail Podcast, Katherine Melchior Ray examines why international brand strategies often break down not because executives reject localisation, but because organisations underestimate how differently trust, value, service and quality are interpreted across cultures.
The conversation
APAC Retail: Crime, Costco China, Vietnam E-commerce and K-Food
Retail crime is becoming serious enough to affect whether stores can continue operating in parts of Australia. At the same time, Costco is expanding its reach in China through JD.com, Vietnam’s e-commerce market is being shaped by Shopee and TikTok Shop, and functional foods are moving into the mainstream across Southeast Asia.
In this Five Things Friday APAC edition, Alex Rezvan, Ryf Quail and
Is UK Retail Changing Again? Argos, Charlotte Tilbury, ONS, Primark & Skims
The UK retail industry never stands still. This week Alex and Simone unpack five of the biggest retail stories shaping customer experience, ecommerce, retail technology and consumer behaviour across the UK.
In this episode:
• Charlotte Tilbury transforms Covent Garden into an immersive Unreal Glow Club pop-up experience
• Online Home Shop posts impressive growth as UK ecommerce continues to evolv
US Retail Sales Surge, Walmart’s World Cup Moment and Wonder’s $9B Bet
US retail sales rose more than 11% year over year in June across the core categories tracked by Retail Dive. But the headline number is only one part of this week’s retail story.
Alex Rezvan and Jill Dvorak examine five developments affecting consumer behaviour, store experience, fulfilment and food technology.
First, they consider the possible influence of the FIFA World Cup on retail activity an
5 Things Friday: WAIC 2026, JD.com's EU Bid & Decathlon's Uber Eats Move
AI is moving beyond individual productivity tools. The more important question is whether companies will redesign their operating models around it.
In this edition of Five Things Friday: APAC Edition, Ryf Quail and the panel examine five developments connecting technology, market expansion, regulation, cultural identity and on-demand retail.
The lead discussion comes from the World Artificial Inte
Primark Faces New Pressure as M&S Bets on the Weekly Shop
M&S is building a bigger proposition around the family weekly shop. Primark is lowering prices as competition for value-conscious fashion customers intensifies. Meanwhile, beauty and luxury brands are moving beyond products and free samples towards experiences, consultations and personalisation.
In this UK edition of Five Things Friday, Alex Rezvan and Simone examine five retail developments:
Starbucks Korea, AI Beauty Mirrors and Lefties’ UK Launch
Starbucks Korea’s Tank Day promotion led to public backlash and an unusual company-wide response. What should international brands learn from the mistake?
Alex Rezvan and Jill from the National Retail Federation examine five stories influencing global retail:
Starbucks Korea and culturally sensitive marketing
New Canadian and US measures targeting organized retail crime
shu uemura’s AI-powered be
Milan's Retail Shift: Community, Culture & Curated Luxury Video
Milan has long been recognised as one of the world's luxury capitals, but what makes its retail experience so distinctive?
In this episode of The Retail Podcast, we explore how Milan moves beyond experiential retail to focus on something even more valuable—curation.
Walking the city's streets reveals how leading luxury brands create communities through culture, design and carefully curated custome
M&S Pantheon, the World Cup Spending Effect and Aldi Goes Baldi
What does M&S’s investment in its renewed Oxford Street flagship tell us about the future of physical retail?
Simone Oloman and Alex Rezvan examine the new M&S Pantheon format and the growing need for stores to become places customers actively choose to spend time in.
They also discuss:
• The effect of the FIFA World Cup on UK consumer spending
• Why online and physical non-food retail mov
Uniqlo’s Global Surge, Shein’s IPO Test and FamilyMart’s Reinvention
Uniqlo is reporting strong international momentum. Shein is moving closer to a possible Hong Kong listing while facing a leadership transition and continuing legal scrutiny. FamilyMart, meanwhile, is attempting to transform the convenience store into a destination for food, fashion, design and culture.
Alex and Jill examine what these developments reveal about global retail strategy.
They discuss
Inside London's Most Innovative Retail Experiences Before NRF Paris
Retail is changing faster than ever—and London is showing what the future looks like.
Ahead of NRF Europe, we take you on a retail roadshow through one of the world's most influential shopping destinations to explore how leading brands are transforming the in-store experience. From Coach's immersive pop-up inside Selfridges to H&M's flagship on King's Road, this episode showcases how retailers
RH London, Harvey Nichols & the Future of Luxury
Luxury retail is evolving beyond products and this week's World Retail Signals explores exactly why.
Alex is joined by Ian and Niamh from the World Retail Congress to discuss the biggest retail developments shaping the industry today.
In this episode:
RH London's new flagship "Gallery" and how experiential retail is redefining luxury.
Why brands including Dior, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Alo
How SM Supermalls Serves 5 Million Shoppers Every Day | Steven S. Tan President
Can physical retail still outperform e-commerce?
In this exclusive interview recorded live at NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific, Steven S. Tan, President of SM Supermalls, explains why physical shopping centres continue to thrive by putting customers at the centre of every decision.
SM Supermalls operates nearly 100 shopping centres across the Philippines and China, welcoming approximatel
Wimbledon's Real Winners, Osaka's 350% Spike & Google's World Cup Ads | Five Things Friday UK
The retail marketing stories that matter this week: why the brands winning Wimbledon aren't the official sponsors, Naomi Osaka's 350% search spike, Charlotte Tilbury lands in Boots, and Google's Head of Agencies UK reveals the World Cup ads topping YouTube's leaderboard.
Google's Carl Read joins Alex and Simone Oloman (NIFT) to discuss the week's biggest marketing stories, including Wimbledon, Nik
From Hamleys to Armani: Scaling Brands in India
What does it take to build global brands in one of the world’s most dynamic retail markets?
Sumeet Yadav, Head of Reliance Brands Limited, joins The Retail Podcast just before his keynote at NRF APAC 2026 in Singapore.
Reliance Brands Limited is one of India’s most important platforms for global luxury and lifestyle partnerships, spanning fashion, lifestyle, eyewear, toys, home, and food and bever
AI Search, Shopee, Action & Target: Retail’s Big Week
Retailers are facing a new discovery challenge: what happens when AI search becomes the layer between brands and customers?
In this episode of World Retail, Alex is joined by Niamh and Ian from World Retail Congress to discuss what is top of mind across global retail. The conversation starts with one of the biggest concerns raised in a CEO survey: whether AI-driven search could reduce brand visibi
Lacoste, Nadine Merabi, Wimbledon Pop-Ups, JD Sports & Disney Collectibles: This week in UK Retail
This week on Five Things Friday UK Edition, Alex is joined by Simone Oloman, co-founder and CEO of For Tonight / Neft, a rapid delivery business for retailers, to unpack five retail stories from a quieter but still revealing week in UK fashion, lifestyle and consumer culture.
From Lacoste transforming Selfridges into a tennis clubhouse to Ralph Lauren’s Wimbledon activity on Sloane Square, this ep
Meta Glasses, Walmart Drones & Retail's Biggest Shifts This Week
Retail innovation continues to accelerate.
In this episode of Five Things Friday USA, Joe and Jill explore five major stories shaping the future of commerce:
• Meta's expanding partnership with Best Buy and the rise of AI-powered smart glasses
• Walmart's aggressive drone delivery rollout targeting millions of Americans
• Amazon Prime Day's expansion into a four-day retail event
• Quince's transit
How Brands Reach Gen Z Without TikTok + Coach's Retail Masterclass
What happens when brands can no longer rely on social media to reach younger consumers?
In this week's Five Things Friday UK, retail expert Simone Oloman, Co-Founder and CEO of NIFT, joins us to discuss one of the biggest questions facing retail marketers today: how brands stay connected to youth culture as social media regulations evolve.
We explore:
✅ The potential impact of proposed social medi
The Retail Trends Reshaping APAC: Pomelo, Temu, Miniso & More
This episode of Five Things Friday explores major retail developments across APAC and global markets. Ruth Kewell and Alex discuss Pomelo's mobile-first retail model in Southeast Asia, the worsening retail conditions in Australia, and the international expansion of Chinese retail brands including Miniso, Urban Revivo, Temu and Shein.
The conversation highlights how mobile commerce, changing consum
The Global Retail Briefing: UK, GCC, Dubai & Luxury Expansion
Global retail is moving fast and this first international briefing looks beyond the US to track where the biggest growth stories are happening.
In this episode, we cover Frasers Group’s reported $2 billion takeover bid for Hugo Boss, JD.com’s UK expansion through Joybuy and its summer Black Friday positioning, Lulu Retail’s ambitious store growth across the GCC, Dubai’s two-month summer shopping p
Madrid’s Retail Shift: Lessons From the Street, Not the Boardroom
Madrid is famous for tourism, culture, tapas and beautiful architecture.
But walk through Gran Vía and another story starts to appear.
In this episode of The Retail Podcast, we explore how Madrid is evolving from a tourist hotspot into a serious retail destination. From Sephora’s flower-led Mother’s Day activation to Calvin Klein’s floral fragrance launch, the streets of Madrid reveal how physical
How AI, Data and Hospitality Are Rewiring Retail in Japan
Recorded live at NRF APAC 2026, this episode features Toru Koyama, Executive Officer & Head of IT and Digital Promotion Group at H2O Retailing Corp., and Executive Officer & GM of Digital Innovation Division at Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores, Inc.
In this conversation, Toru shares H2O Retailing’s transformation journey — from backend IT and ERP foundations to CRM, unified commerce, retai
I Was Ranked #1 in Retail — But This Matters More
This episode reflects on being ranked number one on the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Retail 2026 list, but shifts the focus to a bigger industry question: what should retail actually recognise as thought leadership? The episode argues that true influence should be measured by useful, visible, consistent contribution — not status, nostalgia, or network size.
Being ranked number
WooCommerce at Shoptalk Europe: Scaling Open-Source Ecommerce
WooCommerce is live at Shoptalk Europe in Barcelona, and the team is bringing open-source ecommerce conversations, enterprise growth strategy, and a local Barcelona touch to the show floor.
In this episode, we cover WooCommerce’s presence at Booth B30, where attendees can meet the Woo team, speak with developers and specialists, and explore how open-source ecommerce can support online store growth
Retail AI, Currys & Hasbro: What’s Changing in Retail
Retail AI is moving quickly — and this episode looks at what that means for retailers, ecommerce platforms, brands, and technology leaders.
In this discussion, the hosts cover a range of retail and commerce stories, including Currys in the UK, European retail activity, Hasbro, TikTok influencers, Rep AI, Claude, Debenhams, and the wider shift toward AI-powered retail platforms. The episode also to
Unauthorized Sellers Are Killing Retail Margins
Unauthorized sellers can quietly destroy retail margins.
In this episode of The Retail Podcast, Alex speaks with Megan Harman, founder of Thorn Crest, about how unauthorized sellers, counterfeits, dupes, broken case packs, copycat products, and weak reseller agreements can erode brand profitability.
Megan explains why online pricing problems do not stay online. A small marketplace undercut can aff
The Future of Retail in Asia: AI, GLP-1 & Consumer Trends with Isabelle Allen (KPMG)
Why is Asia becoming the world's most influential retail innovation hub?
In this NRF APAC 2026 Day 1 keynote conversation, Jill Dvorak, Senior Vice President at the National Retail Federation, speaks with Isabelle Allen, Global Head of Consumer, Retail & Leisure at KPMG.
They explore the major forces reshaping retail globally, including:
• AI adoption in retail
• Consumer behavior shifts
• The
NRF 2026 APAC Agenda: The Retail Sessions to Watch
Ryf Quail joins Alex to walk through the NRF 2026 APAC agenda just before the show opens in Singapore.
This episode is a practical guide to the sessions, speakers and themes shaping this year’s event, from AI-powered supply chains and retail media to omnichannel, luxury, malls, content commerce, Japan-style transformation and the rise of APAC as a global retail growth engine.
Ryf explains why this
UK Retail Shake-Up: Ocado, Lidl, M&S Safety & Brand Collabs and a big thank you to COACH UK
In this episode of Five Things Friday UK, Alex and Simone discuss major shifts across UK and European retail. Topics include Ocado’s growing role as a grocery technology platform, Lidl overtaking Morrisons, M&S’s staff safety initiative with WalkSafe, and the role of store experience in building modern retail communities.
The episode also explores Coach’s Selfridges pop-up, Rituals’ House of R
Retail vs Netflix: Why Stores Are Fighting for Attention
Retail is no longer just competing for customer spend. It is competing for attention.
In this episode of Podcast Sessions, Richard Fisher, Head of Store Design at Holland & Barrett, joins us live from the EuroShop floor to explore how physical retail is changing in the attention economy.
Richard explains why retailers now compete with Netflix, Disney, sport, and other entertainment platforms f
Why Retailers Are Already Falling Behind on AI
AI is forcing a complete rethink of ecommerce, retail operations, and digital commerce architecture.
In this episode, Kelly Goetsch — President at Pipe17 and one of the most influential voices in modern commerce technology — explains why the “status quo is no longer acceptable” in the age of AI.
Drawing on experience across Oracle, ATG, commercetools, and modern AI-driven commerce systems, Kelly b
Amazon vs Perplexity: The AI Retail Battle That Could Change Commerce
This week on World Retail Signals, the team explores one of the most important emerging battles in AI commerce: Amazon vs Perplexity and the future of autonomous AI shopping agents.
The episode also covers:
The changing expectations of the future retail workforce
WHP Global’s acquisition of Marc Jacobs
Why brand licensing is becoming central to retail strategy
Greggs’ evolving retail formats
The
Why M&S, Topshop, H&M & Vogue Are Winning Fashion Culture Again
Why are heritage fashion brands suddenly winning again?
This episode explores how M&S, Topshop, H&M, Vogue and Laura Ashley are using experiential retail, collaborations and nostalgia marketing to reconnect with younger audiences.
Topics include:
M&S’s Ibiza runway activation
Topshop x Vogue
H&M x Laura Ashley
Slow fashion retail trends
Carnaby Street expansion brands
Gen Z retail
Retail Crime, AI Commerce & Why Stores Are Expanding Again
AI is reshaping commerce. Retailers are investing in stores again. And organized retail crime has become one of the industry’s biggest policy priorities.
This week, Jill Dvorak from the National Retail Federation joins Five Things Friday - USA Edition to discuss:
The latest organized retail crime legislation
Amazon vs Perplexity and the implications for retail AI
Why physical retail expansion is
AI, Private Label Retail & Consumer Trends in APAC
Private label retail in APAC is entering a major growth phase — and AI may accelerate the shift dramatically.
This episode explores:
Retailer-owned brands and consumer adoption
AI-powered product recommendations
Beauty retail competition in Australia
Mecca vs Sephora
The growing importance of customer data and personalization
Why algorithms are replacing traditional retail gatekeepers
The conver
Jason Cottrell: AI Agents, Composable Commerce & The Future of Enterprise Retail
Jason Cottrell, CEO of Orium and President of the MACH Alliance, explains how AI agents and composable commerce are reshaping enterprise retail and digital infrastructure.
In this episode, we explore:
AI agent ecosystems
Human-in-the-loop AI governance
Enterprise AI architecture
Composable commerce
AI-driven workflows
QA automation
Retail transformation
The future of enterprise operations
Jason
How AI Is Reshaping Retail: Zalando, Primark & Fressnapf Insights
“90% of Zalando’s marketing content is now AI generated.”
Fresh from World Retail Congress, Alex sits down with Ian and Niamh to unpack the retail leadership signals shaping the industry’s future.
Featuring insights from Zalando, Primark, Fressnapf, Action and Unhidden, this episode explores how AI is changing organisational structures, marketing execution, customer engagement and long-term growth
Why Retail Is Splitting in Two | Ted Baker, AI Commerce, Anthropologie & Coal Drops Yard
Retail isn’t dying — it’s polarising.
In this week’s episode of Five Things Friday, we unpack the biggest shifts shaping retail right now, from shrinking UK retail square footage to the rise of AI-powered shopping agents.
We discuss:
Why mid-market retail is under pressure
Ted Baker’s return through Selfridges
Anthropologie opening in Coal Drops Yard
Amazon joining the Universal Commerce Protocol
Retail’s Experience Era: Longchamp, Claire’s Comeback & AI’s Reddit Problem | 5 Things Friday UK
This week on 5 Things Friday UK edition, we break down the retail stories shaping the high street, physical stores, discovery, customer experience, AI, and the future of retail.
The episode starts with a spotlight on Positive Retail, described in the conversation as a more curated, “posh TK Maxx” approach to giving unsold fashion stock a second life without leaning into chaotic discount culture.
From LVMH to Walmart: The Retail Shifts Leaders Need to Watch World Retail Signals
Retail is changing fast and this episode of World Retail Signals captures the key shifts leaders need to watch right now.
In this Berlin edition, Ian McGarrigle, Chairman of World Retail Congress, and Niamh Stone, Programme Director at World Retail Congress, join the conversation to unpack the signals shaping the global retail landscape.
The episode opens with the pressure facing the luxury sector
Louis Vuitton’s “Hotel”, London Marathon Brand Activations & Clarks’ Marketplace Move | Five Things Friday
Retail is moving fast, and this week’s Five Things Friday breaks down the brand moves that matter.
Alex is joined by Simone, co-founder and CEO of NIFT — Need It For Tonight, a rapid delivery infrastructure business powering retail through a fashion marketplace app and B2B plugin.
This episode covers Louis Vuitton’s immersive Mayfair “hotel” pop-up, why luxury brands are leaning into experience-le
Coachella Commerce, Walmart’s GLP-1 Play & Gap’s Victoria Beckham Bet
This week on Five Things Friday, Deal is back for a fast-moving conversation on the retail stories shaping the week.
The episode starts with Revolve and Coachella, unpacking how event-based e-commerce is turning festivals into shoppable brand ecosystems. From Revolve Festival to Gap’s Hoodie House and Rhode World, the discussion explores why the strongest brand activations are no longer just about
Retail Media in 2026: What Shoppers Actually Want | Michael Schuh, dunnhumby
This episode is a paid partnership with dunnhumby.
What do shoppers actually want from retail media?
Read the full research here:
https://resources.dunnhumby.com/retail-media-report-2026/
That’s the question at the centre of this week’s episode of The Retail Podcast, where I sit down with Michael Schuh, Global Head of Media at dunnhumby.
There’s a lot of noise in retail media right now. A lot of t
Retail Crime, JD.com, Carrefour Africa & Macy’s Closures | World Retail Signals
In this episode of World Retail Signals, co-hosts Ian McGarrigle, Chairman at World Retail Congress, and Niamh Stone, Programme Director at World Retail Congress, join Alex to unpack the retail developments shaping leadership thinking across the UK, Europe, Africa and the US.
The conversation opens with the rise in shop crime across the UK and Europe, and why retailers are increasingly framing it
The Future of Retail: Gymshark Gyms, Selfridges VIP Strategy & Loyalty Reinvented
Retail is undergoing a fundamental shift—from product-driven transactions to experience-led ecosystems.
In this episode of 5 Things Friday, we break down the most important retail trends shaping 2026:
Gymshark is launching its first physical gym, signalling a move from apparel brand to community-driven experience platform.
Selfridges is doubling down on ultra-premium retail with its exclusive VSP
AI Is Rewriting Retail: AEO, Zero-Click Commerce & China’s Expansion Strategy
AI is fundamentally changing how consumers search, discover, and buy.
In this Asia-Pacific edition of 5 Things Friday, we explore the next wave of retail transformation:
* The rise of Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and how AI search is replacing traditional SEO
* Why zero-click commerce is reshaping customer journeys and reducing friction
* China’s rapid retail and technology expansion into Sout
World Retail Signals: The New Rules of Retail (AI, Stores, Profit)
World Retail Signals breaks down the retail shifts that matter most right now.
In this episode, Alex is joined by Ian McGarrigle, Chairman at World Retail Congress, and Niamh Stone, Programme Director at World Retail Congress, to explore the trends reshaping global retail — from AI-driven discovery and stronger store leadership to sustainability, profitability, and the return of physical retail.
T
Adidas x ASOS, Experiential Retail & Uber Eats Loyalty Shift | Five Things Friday
Physical retail isn’t dead, boring retail is.
This episode breaks down the smart retail moves winning right now: collabs, pop-ups, experiences, and loyalty that works across ecosystems.
In this episode of Five Things Friday, the conversation covers the retail stories shaping the week — from Adidas and ASOS taking their collaboration into physical retail, to the continued rise of experience-led st
Amazon’s New Surcharge, Re-Commerce Growth & The Retail Energy Shock | Five Things Friday APAC
In this episode of Five Things Friday APAC Edition, Ryf Quail, Managing Director of NRF APAC, is joined by Ngai Yuen Low, Managing Director of AEON360, for a sharp discussion on the retail issues shaping the region right now.
They unpack Amazon’s planned 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge, why that move could redefine platform economics, and how shipping is shifting from a hidden backend cost to a
Part 2 Top 10 Most Innovative Retail Stores in the World | From Pop Mart to Louis Vuitton
In Part 2 of this conversation, Matthew Brown — Retail Trend Futurist & Keynote Speaker — joins Alex to break down some of the most innovative retail concepts in the world right now.
From Pop Mart in Bangkok and Nespresso’s Flatiron flagship to Restoration Hardware, Gentle Monster, and Louis Vuitton’s immersive Shanghai concept, this episode explores how leading brands are transforming physica
World Retail Signals: AI, Store Reinvention, Loyalty & Retail Trends Across Europe, Asia and the US
Welcome to World Retail Signals, the podcast from World Retail Congress, hosted by Ian McGarrigle, Chairman at World Retail Congress, and Niamh Stone, Programme Director at World Retail Congress.
In this episode, the conversation spans Europe, Asia and the US, exploring the retail signals shaping decision-making right now. The discussion covers the reinvention of physical stores, the rise of data
Retail Trends UK: Selfridges Pop-Ups, Dyson’s Bold Move, New Look & Peachy Den
Retail is evolving fast and this week’s UK retail breakdown covers the strategies brands are using to stay relevant, drive footfall, and win customers.
We unpack five key retail stories shaping the industry right now:
Selfridges’ Golden Goose pop-up turning retail into theatre
Prada activating experiential retail in London
Peachy Den expanding with a strong community-led strategy
New Look investin
5 Things Friday APAC: Oil Shock, Supply Chains & Why Big Brands Are Suddenly at Risk
This week’s Five Things Friday breaks down a growing global retail crisis—and why it’s much bigger than consumer confidence.
We unpack how geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are triggering a ripple effect across Asia Pacific retail, impacting everything from energy costs to supply chains, packaging, and investment markets.
Key topics include:
Why 60% of Asia’s energy dependence on the Middle
US Retail Hit $1 Trillion in One Holiday Season — What's Next? | ITAB Group Podcast Ep.1
US retail just crossed $1 trillion in a single holiday season.
First time in history.
In Episode 1 of the ITAB Group Podcast, recorded LIVE at EuroShop 2026
from the ITAB Group stand, Alex Rezvan sits down with Jill Dvorak —
SVP Content at the National Retail Federation (NRF) — fresh off the
ITAB Speaker's Corner keynote.
This is the first in an exclusive series of conversations recorded with
The Future of Retail Stores: Global Flagships, Store Formats & Retail Innovation
Retail is changing fast, and store formats are evolving even through crisis. In this episode of the Retail podcast, Alex sits down with Matthew from Echo Chamber to unpack what the best physical stores in the world are doing differently right now.
Drawing on nearly three decades of studying retail, Matthew explains why the top end of physical retail keeps getting more immersive, more inspiring, an
What's Keeping Retail CEOs Awake at Night in 2026? | World Retail Signals
World Retail Signals is a new global retail intelligence show co-produced by
The Retail Podcast and World Retail Congress — a monthly look at the top retail
narratives shaping executive thinking around the world.
This prelude episode goes behind the scenes of World Retail Congress 2026,
happening in Berlin, April 2026. Host Alex Rezvan is joined by Ian McGarrigle,
founder and chair of World Re
UK Retail in 5 Minutes: Amazon Rival, Alexa Upgrade, Tesco Pay Rise, Greggs & The Perfume Shop
is week’s 5 Things Friday is a fast, solo rundown of the biggest stories shaping UK retail right now.
With a lot happening across the market, this episode covers five standout updates: JD.com launching Joybuy in the UK, Amazon facing fresh competition, Alexa+ and Amazon’s next AI push, Tesco increasing pay for frontline store colleagues, The Perfume Shop expanding its beauty recycling and refill p
Target Bets on AI, Amazon Gets Faster, OpenAI Checkout, Clinique & Nuuds Five Things Friday US
In this episode of Five Things Friday US Edition, we break down five retail and commerce stories shaping the week.
We cover Target’s $6 billion turnaround push, including store refits, price cuts, and a bigger AI focus; Amazon’s expanded one- to three-hour delivery rollout across more cities and suburbs; and OpenAI’s pivot away from direct in-app checkout toward partner-led commerce rails.
We also
5 Retail Shifts Reshaping Asia | Baby Bunting, India, Eid & AI
Edition of Five Things Friday, Ryf Quail and Yuen Low, Managing Director, AEON360, break down five retail developments shaping Asia right now.
This episode covers:
Baby Bunting’s store-of-the-future turnaround
Why frontline retail roles are being redesigned
India’s accelerating retail growth story
How Ramadan and Eid are being shaped by food and hospitality
Why AI literacy is becoming essential in
How Be Athletica Built a Sustainable Sportswear
In this episode of The Retail Podcast, we sit down with Gauri Sarma, Founder of Be Athletica, to unpack how she’s building a sportswear brand
ABOUT THIS CHANNEL Welcome to the official channel of The Retail Podcast, your hub for global retail intelligence.
Whether you are an executive refining your strategy, a vendor connecting with major players, or an innovator tracking the latest tech, this cha
5 Things Friday USA: ChatGPT Commerce Pause, Off-Price Retail Boom, Primark Expansion & Uniqlo Strategy
Welcome to Five Things Friday – USA Edition.
Each week we break down the most important signals shaping retail in the United States in under 15 minutes.
This week Jill Dvorak joins the conversation to unpack major shifts across AI commerce, value retail expansion, festival marketing, celebrity entrepreneurship, and global brand strategy.
In this episode we discuss:
• ChatGPT pausing “agentic comme
5 Things Friday UK: SHEIN Xcelerator, John Lewis AI, Whole Foods Expansion & Retail Store Trends
It’s Friday 13 March, and this week’s Five Things Friday UK Edition breaks down the retail stories worth watching right now.
In this episode, we cover:
SHEIN opening up its infrastructure to other brands through SHEIN Xcelerator
John Lewis pushing into AI-powered shopping and TikTok commerce
Why digital-first brands still want physical retail, with Otiumberg
Big-format retail moves from Footasylum
Retail Anywhere: AI Smart Kiosk Selling Products 24/7
Recorded live from the show floor at EuroShop, this episode features Vahan Vardanian, Founder and CEO of Kerpak, demonstrating an AI-powered autonomous retail platform that can transform almost any cabinet, fridge, freezer, or kiosk into a 24/7 unattended store.
The idea behind autonomous retail is simple:
take the store to where the customer already is.
For years retailers focused on getting cust
How to Modernize Retail: Combining Planning & Execution (1 Minute Innovation Series) 1 Minute Innovation Series
Discover how to bridge the gap between retail planning and execution in this interview with Costas Malamas, CEO of Dataviva. We discuss the "Retail Nervous System" and how a single unified system can handle everything from long-term analytics to real-time purchase orders and price changes.
Say goodbye to "firefighting" and duplication of effort. Costas explains how Dataviva acts as a 24/7 plannin
Retail Strategy Is Changing Fast: What Footfall, Sales Data & Experience Reveal
How is data reshaping retail strategy?
In this episode of The Retail Podcast, Alex sits down with Mark Bruce, a data and insights leader with experience spanning the shop floor, landlord-side retail operations, and portfolio analytics, to unpack what the data is really saying about retail right now.
They discuss why experience-led retail continues to grow, why value-led operators are winning, why
Molly-Mae, M&S, Greggs & EE: 5 Retail Moves Reshaping the High Street | Five Things Friday
Retail is moving fast, and this episode breaks down five of the clearest signals shaping the high street right now.
Alex and Simone Oloman, Co-Founder of Need It For Tonight, unpack Molly-Mae’s International Women’s Day activation, Marks & Spencer’s new Putney store format, Greggs’ vending machine move, the Dove x Bridgerton activation at Battersea Power Station, and EE’s new Oxford Street ex
How Accessibility Impacts Bounce Rate, Basket Value, and Brand Trust
Retailers talk about UX. They talk about conversion. But too many still ship digital experiences that a huge part of the population simply can’t use.
In this episode of the Wonderful Retail Podcast, Marion Ranvier (Executive Director, @Contentsquare Foundation) explains why digital accessibility is not a marginal issue—and why it directly affects conversion, retention, brand trust, and revenue.
Ma
Lidl’s Trolley Handbag, Greggs’ Wellness Pivot & eBay Buying Depop | 5 Things Friday
Live from EuroShop in Germany on the ITAB stand, Alex is joined by co-host Simone for 5 Things Friday — unpacking the week’s most culturally relevant retail + brand moves.In this episode:Lidl’s London Fashion Week moment: a mini shopping-trolley handbag collab that stops people in their tracksGreggs enters wellness: a Pilates pop-up for the “sausage roll generation” to launch its new “matches”eBay
How AI Is Doubling Fashion Conversions & Cutting Returns by 30% | Antonia Dumitriu, Irisphera
AI is no longer optional in fashion, it’s infrastructure.
In this episode of The Retail Podcast, we sit down with Antonia Dumitriu, Co-Founder & CEO of @Irisphera, to explore how AI-powered virtual styling is transforming online fashion retail.
Irisphera offers online brands a plug-in virtual personal shopper that:
• Detects correct sizing based on brand size charts
• Identifies body shape and
Liberty x Bridgerton, Quiz Retail Goes Bust & Beauty Pop-Ups | Five Things Friday
Liberty London meets Bridgerton, Quiz enters administration, and pop-ups are taking over the UK high street — this week's Five Things Friday covers the retail stories that matter.
In this episode, Alex and Simone break down five major retail and fashion stories shaping the UK high street right now — from heritage brand activations and immersive beauty experiences to the harsh realities facing mid-
Luckin Hits 30,000 Stores | Sephora’s K-Beauty Pivot | Why Seoul is the New Retail Capital | Five Things Friday
Retail is shifting fast across Asia-Pacific and this week’s Five Things Friday unpacks the signals every operator, brand and investor needs to watch.
Low Ngai Yuen MD AEON360 & Ryf Quail (Managing Director, NRF Retail’s Big Show APAC & Middle East) joins the conversation with major personal news, and major market insight.
In this episode:
• Sephora partners with Olive Young to launch dedic
How Marine Layer Wins Conscious Consumers: Retail Experience, Sustainability & Women in Leadership | NRF
At NRF, we sat down with Alyssa Hampton and Corinne Suarez, senior retail leaders at Marine Layer, to break down what’s actually driving success in modern retail.
Marine Layer has built a fast-growing retail business by focusing on conscious consumers, low-pressure in-store experiences, and a people-first culture—all while scaling to nearly 60 stores and maintaining B Corp values.
In this conversa
Contextual Commerce Explained: How Retail “Runs on iOS”
Unified commerce is everywhere — but Pim Vijftigschild (Chief Commercial & Partner Officer at New Black) argues the next wave is bigger: contextual commerce.
In this episode, we break down what “contextual” actually means in retail: capturing the interaction that leads to the transaction, rebuilding the “black book” level of customer understanding, and why most enterprise retail architectures
Super Bowl Ads, Retail Momentum & Brand Storytelling | Five Things Friday (US Edition)
This week on Five Things Friday (US Edition), we unpack the momentum shaping US retail and brand marketing right now—starting with strong sentiment coming out of NRF and rolling straight into the biggest advertising moment of the year: the Super Bowl.
After a positive “Big Show,” retailers and exhibitors are carrying unexpected optimism into 2025. AI is no longer theoretical—brands are showing how
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