Skip to content
‹ Back to IndustriesRetail

Retail Pivots as Buyers Shop from Home

No industry has been harder hit by the coronavirus pandemic than retail. So how has retail adapted, and does working-from-home fit into retail work? “Bricks and Clicks” host Jennifer Kaylo Ruscin explores how retail buyers are pivoting to online work and what that looks like for both the buyer and the product seller. She…

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Retail teams put it to work with Sales Enablement.

·
Share
Retail Pivots as Buyers Shop from Home

Free workspace

Turn your Retail expertise into content.

Record interviews, organize footage, and write with AI on a free trial of the MarketScale platform for qualifying companies. No demo required, no credit card.

Try it Free

No industry has been harder hit by the coronavirus pandemic than retail. So how has retail adapted, and does working-from-home fit into retail work? “Bricks and Clicks” host Jennifer Kaylo Ruscin explores how retail buyers are pivoting to online work and what that looks like for both the buyer and the product seller. She welcomes guest Alli Ball, a former buyer for Bi-Rite and founder of Retail Ready, an online course helping food companies grow their sales both in-store and online.

Ball is confident that buyers are actually benefiting from working from home in a focused, uninterrupted space. Sellers too have also had a leg up by receiving buyer’s undivided attention. In Ball’s program, she encourages students to practice pitches at length before pitching to their dream company.

“There’s something exciting about leveling the playing field here and giving all categories a chance to connect with buyers.” Said Ball. Sellers have shifted to sending their product directly to buyers’ homes. Buyers can relish in the unboxing process, and sellers can curate this as an enjoyable experience that elevates their product

Small businesses gain insight and benefit from the Retail Ready program, learning marketing and branding initiatives that appeal to the appreciation of unboxing something special.

Stay tuned for a new episode every other Thursday!

Your experts belong here

Every story in MarketScale Retail starts with a company putting its merchandising leads, store operations teams, and category managers on the record. Buyers are already reading this topic. The only question is whose experts they find.

Category buyers trust operators, so your merchandising leads shorten the distance between first search and first call.

Book DemoSee how it works15 minutes, straight to a calendar.
B2B Weekly

The week in Retail, and sixteen other industries, every Monday.

Ten stories, one-line takes, five minutes. Free.

Retail: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Retail buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. Explore how your experts, customers, and partners can become useful content for buyers and AI search.

Free Trial

You just read one Retail expert. Your company is full of them.

This article was produced through MarketScale. The same platform turns your merchandising leads, store operations teams, and category managers into the articles, video, and social content Retail buyers are searching for. Start a free trial and see it with your own people. For qualifying companies, no credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What your free trial includes

Hands-on access to the MarketScale platform
Media requests to your crowd, remote recording, AI writing tools
No demo required. No credit card.
For qualifying companies. Company confirmation required.

More Retail Insights

Retail tech installs go right the first time when technicians know the why

Retail tech installs go right the first time when technicians know the why

Telaid argues that retail technology installations succeed on the first attempt when technicians understand the purpose and end use of the systems they're deploying, not just the mechanical steps. The company standardizes this understanding through certification programs, pairing new technicians with experienced ones, quality audits with feedback loops, and lifecycle service that extends beyond the initial install.

  • 01Technicians who understand camera aim and sensor height are more likely to catch install errors on site, reducing repeat visits and added disruption.
  • 02Telaid standardizes knowledge transfer across locations by certifying technicians on specific technology and customer requirements, pairing newcomers with experienced installers for their first two or three sites, and maintaining ongoing quality audits with documented lessons learned.
  • 03First-time install success is supported by pre-site coordination like materials, permits, and pre-configuration, plus having the right team so trades don’t block each other.

Oct 8, 2026

Santé raises $15M for AI sales agents for liquor stores

Santé raises $15M for AI sales agents for liquor stores

Liquor store POS and payments platform Santé raised $15M to build AI agents aimed at boosting store sales.

  • 01Santé earns from payment processing built into its platform, so its income rises with store sales, and its next AI agents are aimed at moving slow inventory and re-engaging lapsed customers.
  • 02Santé says 25% of a liquor store's goods take more than 12 months to turn a profit. That is the stock its merchandising agent is built to price and promote.
  • 03The sharper question for any liquor POS demo: which agent actions post automatically, like invoice-driven cost updates, and which wait for an owner's approval, like price cuts on slow movers.

Oct 8, 2026

Grocery Vision AI takes blame for network failures underneath

Grocery Vision AI takes blame for network failures underneath

Network issues can hurt customer experience by causing self-checkout lag and dropped camera feeds, which can frustrate customers.

  • 01Network limits can make grocery Vision AI look broken
  • 02Perceived Vision AI failures are often misattributed when the network underneath is the more likely cause.
  • 03Customer frustration can increase when self-checkout lanes experience delays or disruptions.

Oct 6, 2026

Explore More Retail Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Retail.

Browse Retail Hub

For B2B teams

Your experts could be publishing here

Stories like this one run on content MarketScale captures from real practitioners. See how your team's expertise becomes coverage in Retail and beyond.

Book a Demo

Or call us. No forms required. We pick up. 214-945-2512