Future Commerce Podcast: eCommerce, DTC and Retail Strategy

Environmental Data: Optimizing Supply Chain (w/ Hugh Holman, Observa)

If you thought a deep-dive on supply chain couldn't be stimulating, think again. Hugh Holman, CEO at Observa, gives us a primer on what it takes to implement retail planning and forecasting. Observa is building retail compliance systems powered by AI, on-demand workforces, machine learning and machine vision - not just to enforce compliance, but to arm retailers with data to plan orders, manufacturing, demand planning. Main Takeaways: Brian is on location at Grocery Shop 2019 and is joine...

Monday Update: Klaviyo:BOS

Monday update is back! Today we OWN IT. The theme of this year's Klaviyo:BOS event was to own your channel. We chat about tools like Webflow that are shortening the path from concept to launch - giving designers , marketers, and creatives the ability to own their entire experience without a developer. Listen now!

Bringing Commerce Closer: Audience First (w/ Evan Moore, NBC/Universal)

"The intersection of content and commerce" asks the question - would you buy Cheesy Blasters while watching 30 Rock? Odds are, you would. And that's the bet that NBC/Universal is placing on investing in bringing DTC brands to their large audiences across their portfolio of original programming and content. From Goop to the Minions we go deep on the opportunity at hand with Evan Moore. Listen now! Main Takeaways: In today's episode, Brian and Phillip are joined by the Vice President of Cont...

"Citizen Commerce: Growing Big While Staying Small" (w/ Jules Pieri, The Grommet)

Product discovery and marketplaces are all the rage right now but when Jules Pieri launched a product discovery marketplace 11 years ago she pioneered a cross-section of entrepreneurship that launches products more than 300 times per year. The Grommet is a curated marketplace of small businesses producing unique products from inspirational founders. Listen now! -- Main Takeaways: Brian and Phillip are joined on today's episode by Jules Pieri, Co-founder and CEO of The Grommet. The Gromm...

Traditional Brands Must Be Less Afraid to Fail (w/ Bob Meixner, Oracle)

With retail customers like Dollar Tree and White House Black Market, Oracle knows a thing or two about commerce. Their recent report, published in conjunction with CommerceNext, dives into how brands of all sizes - from DTC to Enterprise and Luxury, are investing in 2019 and beyond. Main Takeaways: Bob Meixner, Director of Product Strategy - Commerce & Loyalty at Oracle, joins Phillip on today's episode. API-focused commerce gives brands the power and flexibility to create innovate commer...

NO SHOW TODAY. #strikewithus #climatestrike

No episode today. Climate change is the biggest threat to the future of our lives, country, and world. Youth across the U.S. will lead a #ClimateStrike on September 20 to demand legislative action to combat climate change #StrikeWithUs strikewithus.org

Amazon: Equal Opportunity Addiction - an Interview with Kiri Masters, Author "Amazon for CMOs"

Brands and consumers alike are addicted to Amazon. In this interview Kiri Masters, Author of "Amazon for CMOs", joins us to talk about her new book launch, how brands are battling addiction to the big-A, how consumers are being lured in with everything from advertising to QVC-style programming, and how everyone from Lady Gaga to Mitsubishi are competing for your attention on the world's biggest store. Main Takeaways: Today, Brian and Phillip are joined by Kiri Masters, the founder of Bobsl...

"We're Not Selling Products. We're Selling a Way to Use Your Time" an Interview with Pattern Brands

Nick Ling and Emmett Shine's new company, Pattern Brands, is on a mission - to create consumer brands which encourage you to enjoy everyday life and to create good habits. In this interview, we dive into why they formed Pattern, what the plan to do with it, and how they plan to change the world. Listen now! Main Takeaways: Nick Ling (Co-Founder and CEO) and Emmett Shine (Co-Founder and Executive Creative Director) of Pattern Brands join Brian and Phillip on today's episode. Pattern Brand...

Focused Brands Find Their Audience (w/ Emily Singer, Chips + Dips)

How do brands create retention strategies centered around content to keep their customers consistently purchasing? Emily Singer, the founder of consumer brand-focused newsletter Chips + Dip, joins the show to talk trends, brand analysis and how modern brands are using storytelling to create rich, immersive experiences for their customers. Listen now! Main Takeaways: Emily Singer, Marketing Manager at Alma and the Founder of the Chips + Dips newsletter, joins Brian and Philip on today's ep...

BONUS: "Green Commerce": An Interview with Chelsea Clements, Performance Marketing @ Green Growth Brands

The Uberification of pot, CBD and having a clear strategy in a world of microtrends. Interview with Chelsea Clements, head of performance marketing at Green Growth Brands.

Shopping as Yourself Online (w/ Sabrina Abney, Mizzen + Main and David Pastewka, Drapr)

What does the perfect fit really look like? Sabrina Abney, Ecommerce Director at Mizzen + Main, and David Pastewka , Co-Founder at Drapr, join the show to talk optimizing virtual try-on solutions, "comfortable AF" clothing, technology in digital-first marketplaces, and crafting the best-possible customer journey. Listen now! Main Takeaways: David Pastewka, co-founder of Drapr, and Sabrina Abney, Director of eCommerce at Mizzen+Main, join Brian and Phillip on today's episode. Mizzen+Main ...

Monday Update: The Future Commerce Sustainability Initiative

Few updates for your Monday morning: we launched the Future Commerce Sustainability Initiative, we're publishing bonus content on the next two Tuesdays, we're at Etail East in Boston and don't miss this next Friday's episode with Mizzen and Main! >> Click here to subscribe to FC Insiders today!

"Off-Platform": Building Tools to Discover the World (w/ Jeremy King, Pinterest)

Pinterest is giving their community tools to engage in commerce, not to interact more online but to get out and discover the world around them. In this episode, we interview Jeremy King, the SVP of Engineering at Pinterest and former CTO of Walmart.com, to discover how they're using advanced machine vision and context to power the catalogs and commerce experiences both on-and-off-platform. Listen now! Main Takeaways: Jeremy King, SVP of Technology at Pinterest, joins Brian and Phillip on ...

"Meatless Mania"

🎶"I love you, you love me, Barney's filing bank-rupt-cy!" PLUS: who is the vegan-curious Subway customer? Listen now! Main Takeaways: Vice President of Global E-Commerce and Customer Experience at e.l.f Cosmetics, Ingrid Millman, is co-hosting with Brian and Phillip this week. Barneys New York has filed for bankruptcy but does this spell the end for the high-end department store model? The perception of luxury is shifting with younger generations and brands that don't change with the tim...

The Attention Economy

When brands like Outdoor Voices launch a new content platform it gets us thinking about retail-brands-turned-content-creators and begs the question: who is the winner in the attention economy? Do brands have what it takes to create engaging and timely content? Listen now! ##Main Takeaways: In today's brand economy, everyone is expected to be a storyteller and have content play a large part in their retail strategy.  Brian and Phillip use their own experience as a guide and describe the qu...

August Bonus Episode - NRF Interview with Sheetz, Rituals

"Making a Lasting Impression in a Single Moment of Time" (w/ Charlie Cole, CDO @ Tumi and Joseph Ansanelli, CEO @ Gladly)

How do modern brands create joyful customer experiences that last a lifetime? Charlie Cole, Chief Digital Officer of luxury travel brand Tumi, Joseph Ansanelli, CEO of customer support platform Gladly join us to talk about how to know your customer, how to anticipate their needs, and how to stand out in a sea of startup DTC players. Listen now! Main Takeaways: Charlie Cole (Chief Digital Officer, TUMI) and Joseph Ansanelli (CEO and Co-Founder, Gladly) join Brian and Phillip as their specia...

Trustwashing

We ask the question - is social activism by brands virtue-signaling or tone-deaf marketing? Listen now! Main Takeaways: Woke-washing has become more and more prevalent in today's economy, where social awareness is a major selling point. Are there ways to be socially conscious without completely being dedicated to a cause or movement? Woke gatekeepers are the first to point out how brands are deviating from their message, even if those brands are putting in the extra work to remain social...

"Late-Stage Capitalism"

Phillip and Brian get into the implications of multi-generational branding, the ever-changing face of retail interactions, and discuss how empowering employees is key to boosting customer retention. Listen now! Main Takeaways: Retail experiences that go above and beyond the normal call of duty can lead to brand loyalty that spans several generations.  Retail used to be based upon in-person interactions with shopkeepers and store owners, but how do we bring these interactions into the digi...

Overcoming Choice Paralysis (feat. Claudine Bianchi, CMO at Zoovu)

Our 2019 theme of clienteling for digital commerce continues with an interview with Claudine Bianchi, CMO at Zoovu, a Guided Commerce service which connects customer needs to products and services from retail brands. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Future Commerce has declared 2019 the year of "clienteling" and personalized experiences for consumers. Zoovu is helping (mostly) B2C companies create curated product search selections for their customers. Amazon brands that work with...

Re-Commerce®

Our Monday Update is back: "Re-commerce" players like StockX and TheRealReal have huge news this week in our continued coverage of Secondhand Commerce. Listen now!

Store Closings in Reverse (w/ Ingrid Milman, e.l.f. Cosmetics)

Ingrid Milman is back, and she has some really exciting news to share with our audience! Some retailers are opening more stores, and somehow, Brian has never been to a Burlington. Plus- So many legacy brands are overusing terms like "data-driven," and both Glossier and Lively have figured out (in different ways) how to create communities around both their products and their customers! Listen Now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Ingrid Milman is guest hosting this week, and she's got some pre...

Cheap Fakes

Phillip and Brian are back to talking about deep fakes (and cheap fakes), Instagram may be having a massive influence on purchasing decisions, and is the term direct-to-consumer no longer relevant? Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: There's deep fakes, cheap fakes, and shallow fakes, and it's all getting a little ridiculous. Should Anna Delvin (aka Anna Sorokin) become the next CMO of Victoria Secret? Everyone should probably start sending Brian hate mail. The Instagram aesthetic ...

"Chipotle is Woke Subway"

Brian wants to go "woke" hunting, Phillip identifies socially conscious brands, Digiday launches Modern Retail. PLUS: MailChimp creates a content division because, quote, "why not?" Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian wants to tell all of us about "woke commerce," and he's taken to Twitter to talk about it Will outdoor brands start to cater to hunters and fishers in the counterculture? June is Pride Month (Happy Pride!!), and brands are using their platforms to amplify allysh...

"Real Estate as a Luxury Impulse Purchase"

Instagram is powering impulse luxury purchases, Snapchat launches commerce (for influencers), IKEA rolls out robot furniture, PLUS: Stitch Fix earnings are in, and the outcome might surprise you. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Snapchat seems to either be making a comeback, or they're just really good at getting people to buy things. Is social commerce the future of shopping? Could social shopping be a new form of clientelling? Don't Call it a Comeback: Snapchat Snaps Back: In...

"Challenging the Design Normative"

Bonobos is the newest to try-before-you-buy brands, Walmart is killing it, Phillip loves on ULTA (again) but not for the reason you think - PLUS a new approach to designing e-commerce experiences for Gen Z. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: A pilot program that would have had facial recognition technology being used in a public school is put on hold, for all of the reasons. Are stripped down, discovery heavy e-commerce sites the future of user experience? Phillip's pretty much obs...

"Challenging the Design Normative"

Bonobos is the newest to try-before-you-buy brands, Walmart is killing it, Phillip loves on ULTA (again) but not for the reason you think - PLUS a new approach to designing ecommerce experiences for Gen Z. Listen now!

Is Conversational Commerce a $112B Opportunity?

What does Star Trek teach us about ambient computing? How is voice evolving? Is voice dead? And if not is it a potential $112B market opportunity? Special bonus episode COMIN ATCHA. Listen now!

"Mood Ring Garter Belts by Subscription"

One of these things is not like the other: Arby's x Birchbox, $88 rental products from Urban Outfitters and a prediction of Kohl's having a potential suitor. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Urban Outfitters has a new rental-subscription service, but will GenZ even care? 23andMe teams up with Airbnb to help consumers with their travel plans: is this super creepy, or genius? Amazon wants to create wearables that can sense emotions, just in case they don't have enough consumer data...

Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2019

As Brian heads to NRF Tech Phillip pontificates on a foreseeable future where permits and certificates of occupancy are required to build shopping experiences on the web. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian is on his way to MC NRF Tech because retail tech may be moving fast, but Future Commerce is moving faster. Accessibility is near and dear to Phillip's heart, and so are brands that have good faith practices. The entire Future Commerce team are pretty big fans of our sponsor...

"Cameras Literally Freaking Everywhere": Privacy in Exchange for Convenience

"Help, an AI fired me!" Phillip and Brian dig into the exchange of privacy as a currency for convenience. PLUS: full-body AI model generation, Walmart's store innovation concept, and more. Listen now!

"Are We Being Fairly Compensated For Our Data?" (w/ Danny Sepulveda, VP for Global Government Relations @ Media Math)

Former Ambassador and Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Sepulveda joins us to talk about Privacy, CCPA, GDPR, and the fundamental right to control our own data. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: With all the talk about digital privacy, how that data being used is a question many are asking, and former Ambassador and Assistant Secretary Danny Sepulveda is here to talk data and everything that comes along with it. In 2018 California passage passed a data privacy law, will other stat...

"Deliciously Sinful" - Brand Sustainability in the Age of Impulse Luxury (w/ Ingrid Milman)

Ingrid Milman (Ann Taylor, LOFT) sits in this week in our Earth Week deep-dive to discuss sustainability, transparency in supply chain, and "deliciously sinful" luxury impulse buys. Who has the true influence on the eco-conscious purchase decision - the brand or the consumer? How can fashion lead the conversation in transparent supply chain and manufacturing processes? Featured brands this week: Outdoor Voices, Rent the Runway, Reformation, H&M, Allbirds and more. Listen now! Show Notes: M...

Bonus - Earth Day 2019

What do Amazon, Everlane, Allbirds and New York City have in common? They have all announced Carbon Offset initiatives. Brian's out so this is our first mini-episode covering some of the stories that landed on Earth Day, April 22, 2019. Listen now!

"Data-Driven Storytelling" - feat. Rachel Swanson, Method + Mode Research

In the age of brands having veritable lakes of data, how do you action and champion the story behind the data - how do you use it to bring real insight into who your customer is and what she wants? In this episode we sit down with Rachel Swanson, founder of Method + Mode, a market research firm, to take some of Future Commerce's own medicine - to listen to our audience and learn from the data that was generated from our first-ever audience survey. Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Future Commer...

"The Modern Consumer Has Trust Issues" feat. Scott Emmons, CTO at Current Global

Are digital experiences the gateway to a more accessible luxury experience for millennial consumers? Scott Emmons opens up to us about his successes at Neiman Marcus, the future of technology adoption at retail brands, and how he's bringing that culture of innovation and technology leadership to other brands in his new role at Current Global.

"Shallow Fakes", Models and Robots - an Interview with SuperPersonal founder Yannis Konstantinidis

Our analysis of "deep fakes" continues as we sit down with SuperPersonal, the technology which maps a customer's face into the stores that they shop online. Founder Yannis Konstantinidis talks about the evolution and eventuality of the use of the technology, customer expectation, the blurred lines of privacy and personalization, and much more. Show Notes: Main Takeaways: In one of Future Commerce's most anticipated interviews: SuperPersonal Founder Yannis Konstantinidis is here to talk te...

"I'm Lovin' It": Upselling french fries in the age of personalization

In this episode, we unpack Instagram and Pinterest: is social commerce the new "dot-com"? Can a fast food chain be a good steward of an AI-based startup? Plus: Glossier and Rent the Runway go Unicorn, Apple Credit, and Jeremy King leaves Walmart. Show Notes: Main Takeaways: It's our 100th episode, cue the confetti and champagne! McDonald's acquires personalization company Dynamic Yield, and it's an interesting choice to say the least. Levi's going public? Crapple? How much more can we t...

"Transforming Showrooms into Collaboration Spaces"

Live from Shoptalk 2019, there's a lot to say about brands, Levi's keynote, and puppies which seem to be everywhere! Future Commerce Director of Content Lianne Hikind joins the show, and clienteling is a major theme at Shoptalk sessions. Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Phillip and Brian podcast live for the third time from #Shoptalk2019! FC's Director of Content Lianne Hikind joins the show Why does anybody think giving free haircuts at a conference is a good idea? Shoptalk launches Retai...

Capture a Customer, Capture a Household - Interview with Michelle Cordeiro Grant, CEO of Lively (Live at Shoptalk 2019)

Lively CEO and Founder Michelle Cordeiro Grant sits down with us at Shoptalk 2019 to talk about how they're using community to drive commerce in an authentic way - and in so doing creating entire households of customers by partnering and empowering women who are "Wild at Heart, with Boss Brains". Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian and Phillip are interviewing Michelle Cordeiro Grant, CEO, and Founder of Lively live at #Shoptalk2019! Lively is more than just a lingerie brand, it's a commun...

Deep Fakes for Commerce: A New Era of Personalization for Retail

CVS launches "Beauty Mark," its truth-in-advertising campaign; while AI is generating plausibly "real faces." Meanwhile, companies like SuperPersonal are putting customers into model try-on videos. Have "deep fakes" - AI algorithms that map faces and micro-expressions onto stock footage - come to retail? How can they help? How can they hurt? Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian and Phillip are podcasting live from #Shoptalk2019! Deep fakes are getting a little too real to be comfortable. P...

"The Intersection of Preferences and Intent" (with Chris Homer, CTO @ thredUP)

Recorded live at eTail West 2019 - Brian sits down with Chris Homer of thredUP to talk about how data is assisting the "treasure hunt" in the secondhand retail market space. thredUP uses data, events, and preferences to help their customers find wardrobe pieces they'll love, and they use technology to assist them in having joyful experiences over and over. Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian interviews Chris Homer, CTO of thredUp, live from eTailWest! The second-hand market is growing expo...

"Bottle Up Kindness" (w/ Ingrid Milman, Ann Taylor)

Brian sits down at eTail West 2019 with Ingrid Milman, eCommerce Strategist for Ann Inc (Ann Taylor | LOFT | Lou & Grey). Ingrid talks about customer expectations in the digital age, clienteling as a culture, and how to lace kindness into a brand culture from top to bottom - from employee interaction to customer experience. Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian interviews Ingrid Milman the Director of E-Commerce and Digital Marketing at Ann Inc. at eTail West 2019. Ann Inc really does have a...

"The Future is Driven by Failure"

Shoptalk 2019 is mere weeks away, and so we take the opportunity to look through the brands, the speakers, and the agenda! ALSO: Is voice dead? Why don't we talk about failure? What were the key takeaways from the 2017 and 2018 editions of Shoptalk and what are we hoping to learn in 2019? Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Phillip and Brian preview Shoptalk 2019. Levi's takes a second shot at an IPO, and it's going to a pretty big deal. Brian is ridiculously excited to see Shaggy. Phillip wan...

"Controlling My Data Should Be a Fundamental Human Right"

"Controlling my data will be a fundamental human right in the 2050's" Phillip and Brian recap Future Stores Miami and get deep into futurism on what the future of humanity and commerce looks like as we evolve from Homo Erectus, to Homo Sapien and finally to Homo Deus. Main Takeaways: Future Commerce was at Future Stores Miami last week, and the content was crazy good. Stance is allowing customers all the benefits of shopping in-store, with all the convenience of checking out online. The ...

Annual Predictions Episode - 2019 Commerce Trends and Technology

Phillip and Brian deliver on their 2019 predictions - AR is here, where is it heading? Retail wages - are they rising? Brands can finally compete with Amazon - and what about Charitable Commerce? All that and more - PLUS what the "retail apocalypse" was REALLY all about. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: It's the prediction episode, so hold on to your hats, and suspend your disbelief. 2019 is going to be one big change my mind meme. It's the "year of the customer," and retailers a...

"Ingredient Brands are the Future" Live from NRF 2019

In this episode we bring a review of the best and brightest from the show floor at NRF 2019 - we talk Innovation Lab, "Ingredient Brands", Shoppable AR, and much more. Listen now! Main Takeaways: Phillip and Brian podcast twice live from NRF Body data is still in vogue in retail-tech company spaces, but has anyone learned to implement it properly? Want a 3D rendering of Brian's face? Take our survey. Will Walmart finally impress Gen Xers? Clothes that fit the customer, not the creator'...

"Instagrammable Moments" Live @ NRF 2019

Products that are sharable are all the rage - in part 1 of our recap of NRF we come to you live from the show floor and talk about how retailers are using customer engagement to shape how their product assortment and marketing are crafted. Listen now! Main Takeaways: Walmart is stepping up its technology game in a serious way. 2018 really was the year of open source, and sneakers, and content. Content continues to be king of community creation, and retailers are finally picking up the ma...

"New Commerce" with Brandon L. Singer, Cushman Wakefield

"Stores within stores" is a concept often spoken but seldom understood. With retail closures on the rise we look at how real estate is adapting to new digitally native brands, how flagships are shifting focus, and how companies like Cushman and Wakefield are helping brands get to market faster than ever. Listen now! Guest Brandon L. Singer, Managing Director @ Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. Show notes Main Takeaways: A perfect storm in physical retail vacancies has led to an emerging retail...

First Look: Mobile Optimization Study

Main Takeaways: "We are now at the beginning of the experience economy". Retailers are looking for a way to turn mobile browsers into mobile buyers. Millennials seem to be at the forefront of a data revolution. Mobile customers tend to commit to a purchase when they feel that their personal information is secure. Can mobile-commerce really beat out desktop conversions? How to Win Customers and Influence People to Purchase Mobily: Paypal (Braintree), Magento, and Hi Conversion are work...