Insights archive

  • Relentless Momentum: What I Learned From the Retail Leaders

    Paid Partnership with PMC Last month, I had the opportunity to attend PMC’s annual customer event, Relentless Momentum. This was held at Silverstone Museum, an apt venue for a room full of retailers discussing the importance of speed and transformation in an ever-evolving landscape. We heard from senior leaders like Nick Beighton, former CEO of…

  • Decarbonising Deliveries

    Murvah Iqbal, co-CEO and co-founder of HIVED, is on a mission to revolutionise the delivery industry. Founded in 2021, the all-electric delivery start-up has already distributed millions of parcels across London for major brands including ASOS, Uniqlo, Nespresso and Zara, and is backed by investors like Maersk Growth, Pale Blue Dot and Planet A Ventures.…

  • Black Friday: The Consumer Has a Pulse

    There are so many hot takes on Black Friday. It’s always either a record-breaking bumper Black Friday or a “bit of a damp squib”. (Can you tell I’ve lived in the UK for half my life?) My point is that sometimes things are a little more nuanced than that, and Black Friday needs particularly careful…

  • Marketplaces are the New E-Commerce

    Marc Vicente, Group Digital Director at Kingfisher, joins Natalie for a comprehensive discussion around e-commerce, AI, marketplaces, retail media, and more. They explore: Why omnichannel retailers are now embracing the marketplace model The role of physical stores in e-commerce Innovative partnerships: Deliveroo and the importance of speed The significance of Black Friday for Kingfisher and…

  • Why Did Amazon Fresh Fail in Germany?

    Boris Planer, Founder and Managing Director of Future Consulting, joins Natalie to discuss the news that Amazon is terminating its online grocery service in Germany.  They discuss: What went wrong for Amazon Fresh in Germany, what does this tell us about Amazon’s global grocery strategy, and where next? (It’s all about the partnerships.) Inherent challenges…

  • Stop Making Customers Think in Channels

    Paid partnership with Manhattan Associates At the recent Manhattan Exchange in Barcelona, Natalie had the opportunity to sit down with Pieter Van den Broecke, EMEA Leader, Supply Chain Commerce Strategies, at Manhattan Associates. They discussed opportunities with AI, rethinking the post-purchase experience and achieving a truly unified commerce offering. AI isn’t exactly a recent development.…

  • Digital Transformation Lessons with Primark and Ann Summers

    Paul Edney, Technology Director Channels at Primark, and Jeanette Copeland, Technology Director at Ann Summers, join Natalie to discuss lessons from their digital transformation projects. They explore: The rationale behind Primark’s click & collect roll-out and how it’s enabling the retailer to engage with new customers. How Ann Summers completed a 12-month transformation project in…

  • Amazon Haul, What Makes Vinted Special, Advent Calendar Fever

    Natalie discusses the launch of Amazon Haul, the retailer’s new Temu-like storefront where most items are under $10 and delivery takes up to two weeks. She also unpacks the reasons behind Vinted’s success – what consumer needs is it tapping into and what are the implications for the wider retail sector? And, finally, Natalie shares…

  • Perfecting the Price: Tips for a Successful Black Friday

    The Black Friday deals started as early as Halloween here in the UK (yes, really – see Boots, John Lewis, Currys) and mainland Europe isn’t far behind. On today’s episode, Natalie speaks to Sander Roose, CEO and Founder of Omnia Retail, the Amsterdam-based company behind Europe’s first dynamic pricing software. Sander and Natalie explore Black…

  • From Cinnabon to Carvel: How GoTo Foods is Driving Global Growth

    Dave Mikita is the President of International and Retail Channels at GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands). He joins Natalie on the podcast to discuss how GoTo Foods has grown to become the world’s #2 food & beverage licensor and what the company has in store for the future. They explore: Beyond buying power, what are…

  • Gen AI’s Impact on Customer Service

    Paid partnership with Manhattan Associates Last week, I travelled to the beautiful city of Barcelona to attend Manhattan Exchange. This is Manhattan Associates’ annual European conference and always a great opportunity to hear directly from some of the region’s biggest retailers and brands. So what stood out for me this year? There were a few…

  • Gen AI Chatbots, Empowering Staff and Sustainability

    Live from Barcelona, Green Retail World’s Editor Ben Sillitoe joins Natalie on the podcast to share what they learned at Manhattan Exchange this week. They explore how generative AI chatbots are going to revolutionize customer service, why the days of frontline staff being told to “sell, not think” are over and what sustainability looks like…

  • Embrace Technology With Heart and Mind

    Live from Barcelona, Pieter Van den Broecke, EMEA Leader, Supply Chain Commerce Strategies at Manhattan Associates joins Natalie to discuss: Europe’s retail CIOs – what’s keeping them up at night? Generative AI – what are the opportunities and challenges? Customer experience – how to service your customers in real-time and learning to trust AI to…

  • Faire Game: How Indies Can Level the Playing Field

    Faire is the largest global b2b marketplace for independent retailers. In this episode, Faire’s UK General Manager Charlotte Broadbent joins Natalie to discuss: How Faire is disrupting the wholesale sector and benefits for SMEs Opportunities and challenges facing independent retailers today How indies can up their game with AI Values-based shopping and why ‘Not on…

  • Malls, Makeup and Meme Stocks with Gary Kusin

    GameStop and Laura Mercier Cosmetics co-founder Gary Kusin joins Natalie to discuss everything from malls and makeup to meme stocks. They explore the origins of GameStop – what inspired Gary and James McCurry to launch the world’s first video game store in the early 80s?

  • Amazon Must Disrupt Itself

    Miya Knights joins Natalie on Retail Disrupted to explore what comes next for the online retailing giant and whether it has what it takes to stay relevant in the future.

  • Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption

    Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor, keynote speaker, podcast host, and bestselling author of Remarkable Retail. He joins Natalie to discuss the findings of his new book, LEADERS LEAP: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption.

  • Pop-Up Retail and Keeping Dept Stores Relevant

    In this episode, Natalie sits down with David Blakeney, former Store Development Director at House of Fraser and Sook, to explore the future of physical retail. They dive into why retail spaces are on the verge of a new dawn, how to repurpose physical spaces in a digital-first world, and whether department stores are keeping…

  • Ikea Roblox, Walmart Drones & AI Update, Pretty Little Thing Charging for Returns

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  • Perpetual Innovation with ex-Pandora and The Body Shop Boss

    Jeremy Schwartz was the turnaround CEO of Pandora, the world’s largest jewellery company with 2,500 stores and e-commerce sites in 90 countries. Prior to that, Jeremy was Chairman and CEO of The Body Shop from 2013 to 2017. He also previously spent time at Sainsbury’s and, as Brand Director, he was the architect of the…