Walking NRF with Melissa Gonzalez and Nicole Leinbach Reyhle

For three short days this week the entire retail world congregated in one place, New York City’s Javits Center, for NRF 2019. With tens-of-thousands of visitors and a maze of exhibits to check out, this conference had much more to take in than could be achieved in such a short period of time.

MarketScale called upon two of the industry’s most prominent thought leaders to give us a tour of the floor so we could walk away with the most important insight from Retail’s Big Show.

Melissa Gonzalez, CEO and Founder of The Lionesque Group, and Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, Founder of Retail Minded gave us an all-access look at this year’s event. The two told us what their favorite exhibits were, what trends became evident and what their favorite emerging technologies were.

“Everything is an experience, and experience is everything,” Nicole said in summation of what NRF 2019 attendees and retail professionals should take away from this year’s expo.

Experience can mean a number of different things to retailers and Melissa was particularly enthusiastic about digital signage. Where most people associate LED boards with large displays one might see in nearby Times Square, what she noticed at the show was the use of smaller, more personal screens.

“It’s actually the smaller format that’s seeing a lot of growth,” she said.

Frictionless payment was another area where the pair noticed innovation and pointed to it specifically in a sector not known for pushing the boundaries of technological implementation.

“Frictionless payment is such a big conversation in retail right now and it’s happening across a lot of channels, but definitely in the grocery channel, there’s a lot going on in this space,” Nicole noted.

With three floors full of products and displays, there was plenty to talk about, so come explore NRF 2019 through the eyes of Melissa and Nicole!

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Retail Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @RetailMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

How Branded Moving Trucks Help Storage Facilities Attract More Customers
August 1, 2025

You know that feeling when you see the same truck three times in a week? First at the grocery store, then outside your friend’s place, then stuck in traffic next to you. By the third sighting, that company name is burned into your brain. Smart storage facility owners figured this out years ago. They’re…

Read More
Winter is Coming: 9 Battle-Tested Strategies to Shield Your Commercial Property from Skyrocketing Insurance Costs
August 1, 2025

The numbers are brutal. Insurance deductibles that used to be a manageable $2,000 flat fee have morphed into percentage-based nightmares tied to property values. What was once a minor business expense can now hit six figures with a single burst pipe or ice dam incident. Meanwhile, insurance premiums have surged 20.4% on average, leaving property…

Read More
From Zero to 460% Engagement: 6 UGC Campaigns That Broke All the Rules
August 1, 2025

Picture this: You spend months crafting the perfect marketing campaign. Professional photographers, expensive equipment, polished copy. You launch it and… crickets. Meanwhile, your competitor posts a simple challenge asking customers to share their stories, and suddenly they’re swimming in engagement, leads, and brand loyalty. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. The biggest mistake brands make with…

Read More
Purpose Factory Event 2025
Lights, Camera, Action
August 1, 2025

The Purpose Factory Event 2025 emerges at a moment when organizations are being challenged to redefine what success really means. Beyond profits and projections, the gathering champions a model of growth that intertwines cultural impact with strategic vision. It’s a forum where companies explore how values can be engineered into operations, not just marketed in…

Read More