Simplr® CXLife Today
147 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 31 ratingsA weekly briefing on CX today. This roundup includes top-tier updates on consumer trends and business news that directly impacts the consumer, retail and digital space. Hosted by Madison Huffman of Simplr.
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Episodes
Amazon Makes Climate Change Pledge - 9/25/19
September 25, 2019 16:12 - 3 minutes - 3.57 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Introduction With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Wednesday, September 25, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. Amazon’s CEO announced plans to reach the goals of the Paris climate agreement ten years early in what he referred to as the Climate Pledge. The pledge maps out the company’s plan to tackle climate change in the coming years. The company has already agreed to purchase 100,000 electric vans along ...
Clothing Rental Takes Aim At Traditional Apparel Sales - 9/24/19
September 24, 2019 14:16 - 3 minutes - 3.45 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Introduction With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Tuesday, September 24, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. The clothing rental industry has seen a lot of growth as consumers seek sustainable and affordable options. Traditional retail sales may take a hit as clothing rental services gain steam. First, here are some retail headlines. Sephora Tops Sailthru's Retail Personalization Index Sephora topped Sai...
WAVE Meditation - 9/21/19
September 21, 2019 07:00 - 17 minutes - 15.7 MBOn this Weekend Edition of the "E-Commerce Retail Briefing" from Simplr, host Vincent Phamvan sits down with Mason Levey and Brad Warsh, co-founders of Wave Meditation. Wave is a really innovative at-home meditation product and content subscription that offers a new approach to the practice. LINKS WAVE Mediation - https://WaveMeditation.com WAVE on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/wave-meditation
Gen Z May Be A Surprising Saving Grace For Brick-and-Mortar Stores - 9/20/19
September 20, 2019 07:00 - 4 minutes - 4 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Opening With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Friday, September 20, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. A new survey revealed that Gen Z’s worries about mental and emotional well being affects their shopping habits. An overwhelming amount of those surveyed said they preferred making purchases and discovering new products in stores. They also said turning to brick-and-mortar was a way they disconnected from...
TikTok Provides Promising Opportunity For Retailers - 9/19/19
September 19, 2019 08:07 - 4 minutes - 3.91 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Opening With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Thursday, September 19, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. TikTok’s rise to the scene has been a hot topic. The platform’s younger demographic and lack of ad clutter could be the perfect advertising solution for brands ahead of the holidays. First, here are some retail headlines. Shopify Allowing Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Products With the CBD market expected...
The Millennial Demographic Provides Major Opportunity to a Range of Industries - 9/18/2019
September 18, 2019 07:00 - 3 minutes - 3.61 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Introduction With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Monday Wednesday, September 18, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. Millennials have become infamous for the industries they’re putting out of business, but what about the industries that are thriving? With one of the largest generations in history entering their prime spending years, many industries are finding opportunities to appeal to the demographic. ...
Poshmark’s Strategies May Benefit Competitors ThredUp and TheRealReal - 9/17/2019
September 17, 2019 07:00 - 4 minutes - 4.56 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Introduction With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Monday Tuesday, September 17, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. With the resale industry exploding, some major players are rising to the top. Poshmark, ThredUp, TheRealReal have established themselves as some of the top companies in the market. Poshmark claims to be the number one fashion buying and selling platform, but is their heavy lifting benefittin...
Apple Joins The Growing Streaming War - 9/16/19
September 16, 2019 07:00 - 5 minutes - 5.31 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Introduction With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Monday, September 16, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. Apple’s new streaming service could pose a threat to rivals. A former Netflix and Hulu executive said he thinks Apple’s unique marketing advantages and low price point could make Apple TV+ a competitor right away. First, here are some retail headlines. Neighborhood Goods Raises $11 Million in Fund...
Amazon Faces Antitrust Scrutiny - 9/13/19
September 13, 2019 07:00 - 4 minutes - 3.73 MBFrom the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. Introduction With your E-Commerce Retail Briefing for today, Friday the 13th… September 13, 2019, I'm Vincent Phamvan. Retail giant, Amazon, has faced scrutiny over the years after experiencing accelerated growth. Now the FTC is reportedly investigating the company over antitrust concerns. A team is conducting interviews of marketplace sellers to discover any practices that violate the antitrust laws and id...
Away Won’t Sell on Amazon Any Time Soon - 9/11/19
September 11, 2019 19:26 - 4 minutes - 4.03 MBIntroduction From the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. With the latest retail and e-commerce trends, I’m Vincent Phamvan. Popular travel company, Away, will not be selling their products on Amazon any time soon. At the 2019 Code Commerce Conference in New York, co-founders Jen Rubio and Steph Corey revealed that Amazon has contacted them several times about selling on their marketplace. Current search results for Away luggage on Amazon pull up Amazon...
New Etsy Strategy Pushes Sellers to Compete with Amazon - 9/10/19
September 11, 2019 00:57 - 4 minutes - 3.84 MBIntroduction From the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. With the latest retail and e-commerce trends, I’m Vincent Phamvan. Etsy’s recent strategy changes have sellers feeling the pressure to compete with Amazon. Following an announcement that the platform would be encouraging sellers to introduce free shipping on orders over $35, users on Etsy are worried the company has lost sight of its original focus. More after these retail headlines. Shopify Ac...
E-Commerce Retail Briefing - 9/9/2019
September 10, 2019 00:33 - 3 minutes - 3.11 MBThe retail industry is predicted to be valued at over $6 trillion by 2023. According to a report from Business Insider, mobile purchases make up the majority of the industry growth. More after this. Starbucks to Open Mobile App Order Pick-up Only Store Starbucks now has plans to open a store in New York exclusively for mobile app order pick ups. The announcement comes after the company experienced success with their Starbucks Now concept store in China that allowed customers to pl...
38. FedEx, UPS Facing Amazon Challenges
September 08, 2019 07:00 - 5 minutes - 4.72 MBRetailers have felt the strain from Amazon for years, but that competition is finally stretching into the shipping industry. The retail giant is continuing to build out its own delivery service as the demand for faster shipping grows. FedEx and UPS are both making strategy changes in the face of growing competition from Amazon. First, here are some retail headlines. Mobile Shopping App Mavely Launches After operating in beta since April, mobile shopping app, Mavely, officially la...
Peloton Files For IPO
September 02, 2019 18:03 - 6 minutes - 5.89 MBPeloton, the popular fitness startup that has inspired waves of new fitness company launches, has filed publicly for IPO. Digitally native brands seek alternative ways to create physical, brick and mortar locations in the midst of online competition. Plus, headlines from WeWork, Boll & Branch, and more.
Kroger Utilizes TikTok’s Shoppable Ads
August 23, 2019 21:33 - 6 minutes - 6.18 MBTikTok is an emerging social platform with a lot of potential for retailers. Kroger is now experimenting with the app’s shoppable content for their back to school promotion. Mobile apps are also a rising trend for retailers as more consumers shop online. Plus, retail headlines from Brooks Running Company, Square, and more.
Amazon Quietly Considering New Grocery Chain
August 15, 2019 17:32 - 5 minutes - 10.6 MBAmazon is thinking about building out a new grocery chain from the ground up. The stores would be designed with pickup and delivery in mind, reinventing the grocery shopping experience. Sephora is rolling out the “Next Big Thing”, putting the spotlight on rising digitally native brands. Plus, new headlines from Lively, Outdoor Voices, and more.
HEKA Good Foods Founder Yemeni Mesa
August 05, 2019 15:06 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBEbay just announced a new fulfillment service they’ll be launching next year. The new service, Managed Delivery, will give high-volume sellers the opportunity to store, pack, and ship products through pre-approved third-party vendors. The company is now developing a pilot version with partners throughout the U.S.
Amazon Upskill 2025
July 19, 2019 21:04 - 5 minutes - 5.15 MBAmazon announced a new Upskill 2025 initiative aimed to reskill employees for high demand jobs. The retail giant’s press release said they would invest $700 million to give 100,000 Amazon employees access to new programs in IT, machine learning, and more
Apple expands Business Chat
July 08, 2019 21:00 - 5 minutes - 5.1 MBApple has now expanded its Business Chat service to work with online businesses who use Shopify.
Pinterest adds new shopping features, Hudson Grace acquired, Shopify launches fulfillment network
June 24, 2019 01:00 - 6 minutes - 5.72 MBPinterest steps up their shopping features with new capabilities to compete with Google and Facebook/Instagram. Hudson Grace is acquired by a larger brand. Shopify gives thousands of stores the ability to ship quickly with their new fulfillment network.
Target rolls out same-day delivery features
June 18, 2019 20:58 - 5 minutes - 4.98 MBFollowing announcements from Amazon and Walmart about rolling out quicker delivery options, Target is now revamping their same-day delivery features. Utilizing Shipt, the growing grocery delivery service, Target is making same-day delivery easier and more accessible to its customers.
Danny Taing of Bokksu
June 03, 2019 20:09 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBToday we’re talking to Danny Taing (“Tang”), Founder and CEO of Japanese snack subscription company Bokksu. Plus, we’ll take a closer look at how the recent tariffs on imports from China are putting a strain on retailers.
Kerrigan Berhens of Sagely Naturals
May 28, 2019 00:27 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBRetail giant, Nike, is shifting its focus from wholesale revenue to direct-to-consumer sales. Plus, Sagely Naturals co-founder and CMO Kerrigan Behrens talks scaling in the CBD industry.
Google's Revamped Shopping Features
May 20, 2019 01:28 - 6 minutes - 5.88 MBThis episode, we’ll take an in-depth look at Google’s revamped shopping features that launched this week. With new ways for shoppers to find and compare products and new ways for merchants to reach potential customers, the updates re-assert the giant’s search capabilities in the midst of growing competition with Amazon.
Artificial Intelligence in Retail
May 12, 2019 17:12 - 8 minutes - 8 MBThis episode, we’ll take a look at the role of Artificial Intelligence in today’s consumer economy. Though it’s long been predicted that AI will replace many human-held jobs, the reality is that human employment is holding steady, even in professions that have been deemed high risk for automation. Plus, headlines from Hims, ASOS, and Amazon.
Ryan Hogan of Hunt a Killer
May 07, 2019 15:33 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBThis episode, Ryan Hogan from “Hunt a Killer” joins us. The in-person and on-line murder mystery game is experiencing tremendous growth. See what’s in store for the company in 2019. Plus headlines from Smile Direct Club, CVS, TikTok, and Thinx.
Christina Stembel, CEO of Farmgirl Flowers
April 28, 2019 21:22 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBLearn how bootstrapped startup Farmgirl Flowers grew from a local outfit to national household name for flower delivery. Plus, headlines from PayPal, Mejuri, Lululemon, and more.
Polly Rodriguez, CEO of Unbound
April 21, 2019 20:53 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBIn this episode, we’re talking to Polly Rodriguez, co-founder of Unbound. The women’s wellness company is facing Facebook advertising challenges that are common among today’s sexual health brands. We’ll talk with Polly about how she and Unbound are combating the issue. Also, headlines from Amazon China, Allbirds, UnTuckit, Fair Weather, Lush Cosmetics, and KidBox.
Eunice Byun, Co-Founder of Material
March 31, 2019 18:30 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBEunice Byun, Co-Founder of Material, is helping people do more with less in the kitchen. Promising performance results are coming in for video ads on Reddit and the real estate firm behind Hudson Yards is making a big bet on upstarts. Plus, headlines from RH and eBay.
"Checkout with Instagram" launches in beta
March 24, 2019 23:57 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MB“Checkout with Instagram” launched in beta this week. Smile Direct Club builds momentum towards a summer IPO while a new study from Marketplace Plus shows that Amazon’s brands aren’t all that. Plus, big news from Glossier, Rent the Runway, Brandless, and Ring.
Amazon latest pop-up test
March 18, 2019 13:28 - 8 minutes - 7.73 MBThe strain between Amazon and its marketplace sellers intensified this week as the company tested pop-ups hawking AmazonBasics alternatives.The Wall Street Journal profile of the practice highlights how the company is getting more and more aggressive on its own turf. Also, L’Oreal and Lush’s presence proves that the beauty industry is a powerhouse in tech and innovation. Plus, updates from Instacart, Good American, Rothy’s, and Quip.
UPS eFulfillment takes on Fulfilled by Amazon
March 11, 2019 13:59 - 5 minutes - 6.43 MBThis week, UPS announced the launch of E-Fulfillment, which allows sellers to store products in UPS warehouses and ship them through 21 different platforms. How will this affect Fulfilled by Amazon? We’ll dig in at the end of the episode.
The week in funding, Venmo in e-commerce, and Glossier Play
March 04, 2019 02:27 - 3 minutes - 4.51 MBThe week in funding, Venmo in e-commerce, and Glossier Play
Rachel Cohen, Co-Founder of SNOWE
February 25, 2019 00:39 - 17 minutes - 16.6 MBGuest this week is Rachel Cohen, co-founder of Snowe, the home essential brand that offers luxury, quality products at an obtainable price. Plus the blessing and curse of visual search and why Canada is the foray of choice into the international market.
Stephen Kuhl of Burrow
February 18, 2019 03:29 - 15 minutes - 15.7 MBAn interview with Burrow CEO Stephen Kuhl. Plus, how direct-to-consumer brands are trading FB ads for TV ads, Barney's foray into CBD, and Eero's Amazon acquisition.
Ajay Kori of UrbanStems
February 10, 2019 19:52 - 12 minutes - 13.3 MBUrbanStems co-founder and chairman Ajay Kori talks Valentine's Day, subscriptions, and sustainability. Plus headlines from Prima and the "click-to-buy-to-make" model for e-commerce.
Ministry of Supply's Aman Advani
February 02, 2019 13:28 - 11 minutes - 12.2 MBHeadlines from J. Crew, Nudie Denim and Everlane and why robots are moving from warehouses to the aisles. Guest today is Aman Advani, co-founder and CEO of Ministry of Supply. The Boston-based apparel company creates sharp, classic styles in materials that synchronize with the human body. Aman, his co-founders, and the company have been heavily featured in Forbes, Inc, CNBC and Fast Company over the course of the company’s 5 year history. www.ministryofsupply.com Ministry of Suppl...
SnoweHome and Keeps at NRF, China's Growth, Jyve's New Funding
January 27, 2019 22:48 - 5 minutes - 10.5 MBChina is expected to top the U.S. as the world’s largest retail market this year. Labor marketplace Jyve just secured another round of funding. SnoweHome and Keeps founds talk about building direct-to-consumer brands that "break the mold."
Retail expert Chris Walton
January 21, 2019 02:07 - 12 minutes - 17.2 MB50% chance 2019 will be a recession year, Outdoorsy lands series C funding, strong second quarter results for MedMen and weed in California. Chris Walton talks NRF.
Sierra Tishgart and Maddy Moelis from Great Jones Cookware
January 14, 2019 02:00 - 11 minutes - 11.1 MBDeloitte shares the trends on why Direct to Consumer startups are rapidly growing, Big Box Retailers saw disappointing Q4 results, and Chris Walton's analysis of the Store of the Future are in this episode. We're joined by Maddy Moelis and Sierra Tishgart, co-founders of Great Jones after a huge holiday kick off season... as seen in the New York Times and Forbes. Forbes: Every Retailer Should Have a Store of the Future Plan of Attack
A look back at 2018 trends and what to expect in 2019
January 07, 2019 02:54 - 4 minutes - 3.39 MBA look at how the Amazon Effect will impact e-commerce in 2019.
DIFF Eyewear co-founder Chad Jernigan, Holiday sales heat up, retail chains’ footprint in NYC, furniture buying… Millennial style.
December 22, 2018 21:47 - 9 minutes - 14.5 MBDIFF Eyewear is a social enterprise success story. Vincent talks to co-founder Chad Jernigan about the company’s ambassador/influencer model and how the Kardashians have catapulted the brand to superstardom.
San Francisco’s empty storefront problem, Brexit’s impact on the UK high, street, P&G acquires Walker & Co.
December 17, 2018 03:05 - 5 minutes - 10.7 MBSF Mayor London Breed’s plan to reinvigorate the city’s deadened storefronts. Plus, Brexit’s toll on the holiday shopping season, Walker’s acquisition by P&G, and news from Drizly and Stitch Fix.
Trade Truce with China, Peloton v. SoulCyle, Cashierless Tech for Big Spaces
December 10, 2018 02:00 - 11 minutes - 15.7 MBThe latest news and interview with Alex Bird of Kiss My Keto on the impending January 1 tariff hike on $200 billion worth of Chinese exports. Also, Amazon’s cashierless checkouts, Peloton v. SoulCycle, Ikea shrinks square footage, and Cuba’s long-anticipated access to internet.
The State of Fashion for 2019, Beauty Industry’s Makeover, Quip Raises $40 Million
December 03, 2018 02:00 - 7 minutes - 6.86 MBMcKinsey just released it’s highly-anticipated “State of Fashion” for 2019. So what’s in store for next year? Lots of uncertainty and opportunity to upend the status quo. Also in this episode: What’s happening in the beauty industry right now, and headlines from Quip, ThirdLove, and Under Armor.
Black Friday edition: In-store pickup vs delivery, the rise of brands like Bonobos and fall of Victoria Secret, Best Buy Black Friday, and more
November 26, 2018 02:00 - 7 minutes - 5.03 MBThis week, we're broadcasting updates from Best Buy's Black Friday. More consumers are picking in-store pickup and curb-side pickup over 2-day shipping (and retailers are benefiting from additional sales opportunities). Male brands like Bonobos, Untuckit, and Chubbies are expected to see record sales. This happens while Victoria Secret struggles with competition from online startups. Also, one big retailer is going to be closed on Black Friday.
Consumer Spending this Holiday Season, Amazon HQ2, Juul E-Cigarettes, and CA Fires
November 19, 2018 02:00 - 7 minutes - 6.88 MBOctober was a rough period in the stock market with the S&P 500 logging its largest monthly decline in seven years. But what should retailers expect for consumer spending? Also, covering Amazon's announcement of HQ2, FDA changes regulations on e-cigarettes, and brands that give back for the CA wildfires. Pura Vida Bracelet's California Fire Relief Bracelet