What Just Happened?

With the successes of businesses and companies like Facebook, Apple, and Uber, startups are more common than ever, as many niche markets with a startup business model have proven to be lucrative. But starting a new business idea and finding success within it doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, failure is more likely because getting…

Digital fashion is the latest rage in the fashion industry at the moment. According to The Digital Speaker, in recent years fashion houses have been working with gaming developers to produce fashion in 3D. This trend has been around for a while, but it really picked up steam during pandemic lockdowns, says Forbes. As…

The rise in online ordering during the pandemic created an inevitable side effect: returns. Retail returns rose an average of 16.6% in 2021 versus 10.6% in 2020, according to the National Retail Federation and Appraise Retail. That equals $761 billion in returned merchandise, creating a dilemma for retailers and logistical concerns for shippers. Christine…

Web 3.0 is the talk of the digital world. Yet, as the metaverse, NFT trading, and Web3 grows, so too, does confusion on its purpose and uses. So much so, in fact, that a Harvard Business Review poll found nearly 70% of respondents did not know what “Web3” meant. So, how do brands build…

Impacting the behavior of different shoppers requires different tactics based on individual preferences. Understanding how to harness the data you have about your consumers is key to customizing messages. In 2021, online shopping accounted for 14% of all sales, according to Smart Brief. Securing those sales requires multiple touchpoints that speak to shoppers. On this…

Retail has always been a gamble. What if it didn’t have to be a risk? Retailers are eager to understand consumer behavior and desires before committing to inventory. As expectations for environmentally conscious business practices, retailers are steering away from waste. First Insight helps businesses reach sustainability goals and accurately forecast consumer behavior. How exactly?…

Every one of us has, at some point or another, experienced the dreaded “let me put you on hold” when attempting to speak to customer service. Well, that may no longer be an issue in the future, as video and voice AI shopping and service assistance for brands and enterprises are rolling out. With…

Almost any good or service can be provided online in today’s day and age. You can do just about anything, from browsing and ordering clothing online to ordering groceries on an app and having them delivered to your home. But when it comes to retail shopping for clothing items, how will you know if…

Different shoppers search for products in unique ways. It’s estimated that 87% of shoppers start their purchase journey with online searches. Personalization is an incredibly effective tool. But how can online retailers implement the language of the user throughout their product descriptions, search results, and website?   On this episode of What Just Happened?…

The current landscape of the retail supply chain has been in turmoil in recent years, with unexpected and disruptive challenges like the Suez and Panama Canal incidents, alongside the ongoing digitization struggles. Now, this volatile environment turns up critical questions about the resilience and adaptability of supply chains given unanticipated disruptions. With the retail…

In an era where digitalization and sustainability are reshaping the retail landscape, Giovanni Zaccariello, SVP of Global Visual Experience at Coach, offers a fresh perspective on retail innovation. With the post-pandemic world demanding more engaging and responsible brand experiences, Coach’s strategy stands out. A recent study by McKinsey highlights the increasing importance of digital…

In an era where retail is rapidly transforming, understanding the nuances of technology, strategy, and innovation has never been more critical. The retail industry is at a crossroads, grappling with the integration of digital and physical experiences, and the stakes are high. This backdrop sets the stage for a compelling discussion on the future of…

Retail theft, an age-old issue for brick-and-mortar establishments, has hit a particularly troubling peak recently. With the uptick in both organized retail crime and opportunistic shoplifting, traditional methods of prevention like security cameras, RFID tags, and in-person surveillance are proving to be less effective. As such, the transition towards innovative AI-driven solutions like Veesion‘s…

The fashion industry, often criticized for lacking sustainable practices, finds its common defense in the notion of retail therapy. However, a paradigm shift for sustainability in fashion is on the horizon as professionals within the industry retrain in sustainable fields like agroecology and biofabrication. By 2025, consumers might be empowered with the knowledge of…

What Just Happened host Christine Russo and her guest, Andy Ruben, Executive Chairman and Founder of Trove, discuss the future of retail, the impact of brands entering the secondary market, and the growing importance of sustainability in retail. Ruben believes the secondary market presents significant sustainability and brand loyalty opportunities, particularly for high-quality brands…

Consumers have multiple choices in spending their dollars, and today’s consumers invest in companies and brands that align with their values and needs. Buying into Better™ is more than a concept or a trend; it’s the way of the present in how consumers channel their purchasing behavior. Brands don’t get judged on their quality alone….

On this episode of the What Just Happened? podcast, host Christine Russo speaks with Warren Tomlin, Managing Partner at EY, on the new alliance his company just made with Shopify. It might seem strange for a company like EY to team with Shopify, but Warren makes a case for it. “It’s not about how it…

The growth of cryptocurrency is a sign of how digitalization is the norm, even as it sees its own transformation. But the popularity of cryptocurrency is why its growth rate is slated to jump with a CAGR of 12.5 percent between now and 2030. However, market watchers can expect to see some shifts as changes…