Future Commerce

Brian wants to go "woke" hunting, Phillip identifies socially conscious brands, Digiday launches Modern Retail. PLUS: MailChimp creates a content division because, quote, "why not?" Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian wants to tell all of us about "woke commerce," and he's taken to Twitter to talk about it Will outdoor brands start to cater to hunters and fishers in the counterculture? June is Pride Month (Happy Pride!!), and brands are using their platforms to amplify allyship with the LGBTQAI+ community. Is Target the more socially conscious version of Walmart? Phillip really wants Brian to get hate mail. Brian (And Only Brian) Wants to Talk About "Woke Commerce.": Brian wants to talk about woke commerce, which is effectively brands that are aware of and make it clear that they are aware of (and support) modern takes on many issues, for example, Patagonia's multiple campaigns to protect the environment and promote fair labor practices. Also, Patagonia's campaign to rebuke the Trump administration for reducing the size of two national monuments: Bear's Eve and Grand Staircase-Escalante. Phillip says that the term "woke" started well and has since been co-opted to mean things outside its original intent. Brian lives in Seattle: he knows several people who aren't all in on the current hunting culture (they may well support hunting regulations and increased gun control, but they do like to hunt and find themselves unable to purchase from places in-line with their values. The only brands that may be socially conscious, are generally more outdoors brand and not for hunting and fishing: except perhaps Filson's. Hunting aside: some brands are very obviously more socially conscious and value driven: like Third Love (Phillip takes a moment to hate on VS) and Everlane. Creating Content Around Community: The New/Old Way of Commerce: For as long as commerce has existed, there has been a sense of community around it. Open air markets where farmers and fisherman etc. came to sell their wares, to church, to sports and all sorts of events. Now brands are dually creating products and communities at the same time, like Lively's founder Michelle Cordeiro Grant (or as Lianne refers to her, MCG), who in building Lively has built up a community that has actually resulted in the forming of several female-founded companies, Michelle explains the magic that happens when community meets commerce in her interview with Future Commerce, which is fantastic and inspiring. And now Mailchimp is getting in on the action of community-driven commerce, and they've decided to create original content, including a podcast. Phillip says Mailchimp has always been more than an email marketing platform, and he could see them acquiring a media company at some point. Also: It seems like every media is creating a retail vertical: special shoutout to Hilary Milnes (and Anna Hensel) from Digiday for establishing Modern Retail, which is killing the content game. Amazon Creates a Credit Card For The Underbanked: When we talk about commerce, we tend to forget that there are populations that may be underserved by a lot of the innovations in commerce, and those store closings (like dress barn) may affect significantly, people in rural areas, and those with considerably less disposable income. Amazon has created a credit card for those with subpar credit, which is in direct contrast to Apple's card partnership with Goldman's Sachs. According to Lauren Thomas of CNBC: "The e-commerce giant partnered with publicly traded bank Synchrony Financial to launch "Amazon Credit Builder" --- a program that lends to shoppers with no credit history or bad credit, who would otherwise be exempt from Amazon's loyalty cards." Phillip and Brian seem to disagree on if this is a good idea. Brian thinks e-commerce is the answer to store closings. The exciting thing about this is that unlike other secured cards Amazon's card comes with some perks, like 5% cashback. Amazon also has special programs who are on EBT or Medicaid, and also have student discounts for Prime. Phillip wonders if this kind of program for vulnerable populations may be a slippery slope to unethical control of people's entire lives. We love to hear from our listeners: Do you think brands are doing a good enough job of being socially conscious? Do you think Amazon's new program is a good idea? And what's the best example of a brand creating an inclusive community for their customers? Let us know in the content section on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Linkedin. Any questions, comments or inquiries, can be emailed to , and if you really want to send Brian hatemail, you can do so at . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Instagram is powering impulse luxury purchases, Snapchat launches commerce (for influencers), IKEA rolls out robot furniture, PLUS: Stitch Fix earnings are in, and the outcome might surprise you. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Snapchat seems to either be making a comeback, or they're just really good at getting people to buy things. Is social commerce the future of shopping? Could social shopping be a new form of clientelling? Don't Call it a Comeback: Snapchat Snaps Back: In the first story of the week, Snapchat seems to be making some real power moves, including opening a pilot of in-app shopping of influencer brands, which is super exciting, and kind of on-trend for commerce right now. Brian questions whether Snapchat is making a comeback or if they're just really good at getting people to buy things. Phillip lays out some Snapchat facts: Snapchat has increased its global user base by 4 million in Q4, upping their daily user base to 190M. According to Business Insider: "The Android app produced a 6% increase in the number of users sending Snaps within the first week of upgrading, per Snap's earnings report". Could it be that Snapchat is growing in overseas use? Social Commerce is Cool: A New Avenue to Reach Customers: So it's not just Snapchat that is doing in-app commerce: both Instagram and Pinterest have introduced similar programs. Pinterest introduced social-shopping in their application in March, making it easier for brands to showcase their products on Pinterest boards. And Instagram got significant headlines when they introduced a pilot program for in-app shopping, for select brands. And here's the thing about Pinterest, they just brought on Jeremy King former CTO of Walmart, which means they're probably going to be stepping up their game big time. Phillip's prediction for 2020: Amazon and its big-tech cohorts are going to have to form partnerships to take part in social commerce. The reasoning behind this is that many of these companies are browse-and-buy first, audience second. Could Social Media Status Determine Credit Worthiness in The Future? So, with social commerce being the huge trend there is, Phillip points out that Facebook marketplace is a massive example of this. And the Facebook marketplace is essential, social shopping, and with local retailers putting up inventory on the platform, it can bring local-commerce global. Brian says that the Facebook marketplace can make clientelling easier because it's easier to service your clients one-on-one. So in another story for this week: Cheddar has a video out in which Allison Chiaramonte, an agent at Warburg Realty explains how real-estate agents are turning into influencers and using Instagram to get their listings in front of more people. Could this kind of trend turn real estate into a luxury impulse purchase? Phillip references back to episode 105 ("Deliciously Sinful" - Brand Sustainability in the Age of Impulse Luxury), where Ingrid Millman talked about how luxury impulse purchases have become much more comfortable in the age of online. Phillip and Brian forecast a horrifying black mirror-esque future in which creditworthiness is determined by social media status. Space-Constrained-Commerce: How to Make The Best of a Small Living Situation: Ikea is rolling out a new line of robot furniture, which will make it easier for people living in small apartments to use their space effectively. This would probably appeal to many people who are living in limited space in big cities with rising costs in both rents and purchasing price. Brian says that this kind of product release brings to mind the tiny home kits being sold on Amazon. Speaking of real-estate: Blackstone seems to have gone on a pretty expensive shopping spree, they picked up $18 billion in warehouse space, betting big on e-commerce. Could the Ikea robot furniture be helpful in constrained retail spaces as well, transforming space, making it easier for temporary retail spaces to exist? Brian's Takeaways from Future Stores Seattle: Brian was at Future Stores Seattle last week: and there was plenty of exciting content to be experienced. The most significant trend at the show focused on the retail associate; there was even an entire track dedicated to the topic. Several of the main stage talks were also dedicated to discussing the role of the retail associate, which is positive. Almost half of the booths in the innovation lab were focused on training, enablement, clientelling, and efficiency for store associates. Brian says that the future of retail is empowering retail store associates to be able to do more, have better relationships with customers, and be true ambassadors or the brands they work for. Quoting Brian's opening remarks from NRF Tech: "Technology should be all about the client relationship, that's what it's for, and when you're doing technology for technology sake, you're not doing what retailers should be doing." So, do you utilize in-app shopping features on Instagram or Snapchat for your brand, or as a consumer? Let us know in the content section on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Linkedin. Retail Tech is moving fast, and Future Commerce is moving faster. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bonobos is the newest to try-before-you-buy brands, Walmart is killing it, Phillip loves on ULTA (again) but not for the reason you think - PLUS a new approach to designing e-commerce experiences for Gen Z. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: A pilot program that would have had facial recognition technology being used in a public school is put on hold, for all of the reasons. Are stripped down, discovery heavy e-commerce sites the future of user experience? Phillip's pretty much obsessed with Ulta, and for some pretty good reasons. Walmart is basically just a tech company that happens to sell products. The try-before-you-buy model is changing the way consumers shop online, and in-store. Facial Recognition Being Used in Schools: Yay or Nay? Facial recognition has become a hot topic lately, especially as the discussion around privacy continues to evolve. A public school in New York's Lockport City School District was supposed to be the first school to adopt a pilot program that would've used facial recognition software on students, which sounds totally ethical. The program which raised some serious privacy concerns has since been put on hold temporarily by the New York State Department of Education. This prospective surveillance state story comes a week after JetBlue customers complained about cameras taking pictures of them as they were boarding their flights. And no one should, or could forget about how easy it was for the experiment that spurred The Privacy Project allowed for cheap facial recognition to identify where (and who) professionals were as they traveled near Bryant Park. Will The Entire World Get on Board With Entireworld? What does the future of e-commerce look like, could it be that it looks like the category-less kind of zany The Entireworld brand?   Phillip definitely seems to think so, and apparently so does Nike. "The future of e-commerce is a model that goes beyond the traditional checkout model" Nike has set up a website that is very much in line with the layout of Entireworld and acts as a brand-bible that is basically a guide to materials and ethos and brand position for Nike. This Show is All About Ulta: They're Killing The Merchandising Game: Ulta: The Sephora alternative with pretty much everything, and seemingly immune from the broader "retail apocalypse". So what is different about Ulta, why is Yahoo Finance calling them a "Diamond in the Rough?" Here are some important data points: Ulta has grown exponentially: The stock has grown 3,845% over the last ten years, and now has over 25,000 products across 500 brands. And according to Phillip where Ulta really excels is in their merchandising, and the experience of the store itself. Brian says that Ulta's surge probably has to do with how many hair products Phillip purchases there. Ulta has its products laid out by brand and offers in-house salon services where customers can actually experience those products. Walmart Hires a New CTO With Some Extra Responsibilities: Future Commerce is a big fan of former Walmart CTO (and current SVP of Technology at Pinterest) Jeremy King, and we were really interested to see who would replace him at Walmart. And Jeremy King's replacement (who also will have the title of CDO) Suresh Kumar, has an incredibly impressive resume at top tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM. Three years ago Future Commerce was talking about Walmart as an acquisition apparel company, and now they're basically a tech company that happens to sell things Brian says that Walmart has become more than just a thorn in Amazon's side. Try-Before-You-Buy: Giving Customers The Option to Return Nets Bonobos Gains: Bonobos try-before-you-buy model, similar to the ones utilized by companies like Stitch Fix, seems to be working really well for them. Here's the way Bonobos brick-and-mortar presence works: the brand uses a showroom model, called guide stores, in which customers can try on clothes before they are shipped to their homes. And it seems to be working: according to Retail Dive 35% percent of the service users of Bonobos using this service are new customers, which means that brick-and-mortar is certainly helping this formerly online-only brand. And as Brian says, the best thing about Bonobos is how much they've grown under Walmart's wing, they're up 74% from August 2017, and up 34% from the year prior. Phillip says this is all great, but none of these brands is using out of the box software, and e-commerce platforms are incredibly behind current expectations of customers. So we love to hear from our listeners: What does the e-commerce experience look like for your brand? Let us know in the content section on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Linkedin. Any questions, comments or inquiries, can be emailed to . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What does Star Trek teach us about ambient computing? How is voice evolving? Is voice dead? And if not is it a potential $112B market opportunity? Special bonus episode COMIN ATCHA. Listen now! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of these things is not like the other: Arby's x Birchbox, $88 rental products from Urban Outfitters and a prediction of Kohl's having a potential suitor. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Urban Outfitters has a new rental-subscription service, but will GenZ even care? 23andMe teams up with Airbnb to help consumers with their travel plans: is this super creepy, or genius? Amazon wants to create wearables that can sense emotions, just in case they don't have enough consumer data. Dress Barn closes 650 stores because shuttering stores is what all the cool kids are doing according to Coresight. Urban Outfitters: Will Their Rental-Subscription Appeal to GenZ? Some background: Urban Outfitters was originally a retail store called Free People and was renamed Urban Outfitters in 1976, and it used to be the coolest kid on the block for hippy-esque fashion. And now, Urban Outfitters, probably to get it's mojo back, has launched a rental-subscription service (Nuuly) for $88 for up to six items per month. According to Kaleigh Moore writing for Forbes, Nuuly (which Phillip challenges Brian to spell) will function as it's own brand spearheaded by Urban Outfitters current Cheif Digital officer David Hayne. Here's a question though, will Urban Outfitters target market for this service be able to resist ruining the clothes? Airbnb Teams Up With 23andMe For a Heritage Based Travel Collab: Phillip asks Brian what his preferred travel booking method would look like? Airbnb and 23andMe, are teaming up to recommend their customer heritage destinations based on countries of origin, which is not at all going to end in a PR disaster. Phillip says that the idea of 23andMe and AirBnB sharing the data they've collected with a third party is the creepy aspect, but ads that we've all probably signed those rights away in the fine print anyway. Brian says that collaboration commerce is going to be an increasing trend in retail. Amazon Wants to Know All Your Feelings All The Time: So Amazon, being Amazon wants to create wearable products that can sense users emotions: because they don't have enough consumer data. For right now, this is just a patent filing, not an official product (which doesn't make it any less creepy) Is the future of retail mood-ring reminiscent clothing? There already is a dress that claims to change colors with the wearer's mood, and it's kind of awesome. Store Closings Aren't Stopping Soon: Boring Retail is Dying: Coresight is predicting 12K store closings in 2019, which is double that of this time last year. It's what Steve Dennis might call "the boring middle." Dress Barn is closing all 650 of its stores, to which Brian says, "who cares?" Phillip makes a point that low-end stores closing like Payless may actually limit options in rural communities. 24 Month Prediction: Could Amazon Aquire Kohl's? So in the final story for the week, we discover that somehow earnings beats are pointing to Kohl's doing rather poorly. Phillip points out that these reports came out only a few weeks after Kohl's and Amazon formed their partnership. Kohls's is going to start accepting Amazon returns, which may drive much-needed traffic into their stores. Phillip makes a Future Commerce prediction that Amazon will acquire Kohl's within 24 months. Brian says it's either Kohl's, Best Buy or both. So now we want to hear from you: What are your favorite collaborations in commerce right now? Let us know in the content section on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Linkedin. Any questions, comments or inquiries, can be emailed to . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As Brian heads to NRF Tech Phillip pontificates on a foreseeable future where permits and certificates of occupancy are required to build shopping experiences on the web. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Brian is on his way to MC NRF Tech because retail tech may be moving fast, but Future Commerce is moving faster. Accessibility is near and dear to Phillip's heart, and so are brands that have good faith practices. The entire Future Commerce team are pretty big fans of our sponsors: Vertex and Braintree. What does accessibility really mean to retailers? Future Commerce Is Moving Pretty Freaking Fast: Why is Phillip alone on this episode? Because Brian is on his way to NRF Tech to MC it up. And speaking of MC fabulousness, for the second year in a row, Phillip was the MC at Magento Imagine, where he got to hang with (one of the coolest people on the planet) Gary Vaynerchuck. Speaking of super cool: Our sponsors are pretty amazing as well. Vertex is a leader in sales tax solutions, they provide on-premise tax solutions and are trusted by over half of the fortune five hundred companies to provide service, check them out here. Braintree, a Paypal company is leading the way in mobile payment optimization and has even led an initiative (along with HiConversion and Magento) to share the best and worst practices in conversion to sales in the mobile-commerce space. Future Commerce dedicated an entire episode to this mobile commerce initiative, it's a great listen for retailers, or anyone interested in the mobile-checkout experience. Managing Compliance: How Retailers Can Check Their Progress: So, as Phillip says in this episode, accessibility is more than just making things easier for only people with disabilities, it makes services easier to use for everyone, and that's good for retailers. Web content accessibility guidelines are laid out in the American's with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990. Accessibility is incredibly important to everyone at Future Commerce, especially Phillip, who has written several Ebooks with Something Digital: check them out here. 'And speaking of compliance, Site Improve is a great tool that can help retailers manage their site accessibility compliance. Accessibility is Important: Some Brands Do it Better: So which brands are doing accessibility really well, putting in the effort make their services more available to everyone? Everyone's favorite trendy technology company Apple is a massive proponent of accessibility; they're even a sponsor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Watch this incredible video that they featured on their home page during GAAD → Apple is also trying to promote accessibility through apps like Audible. Another company that is working to make its services more accessible is Shopify, who has renewed its commitment to making its platform more accessible for customers and is taking all of its marketing up to a much more accessible level. So, now we want to hear from all of our listeners: Which brands do you think are working to make their sites and services more accessible to all? Let us know in the content section on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Linkedin. Any questions, comments, or inquiries, can be emailed to . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"Help, an AI fired me!" Phillip and Brian dig into the exchange of privacy as a currency for convenience. PLUS: full-body AI model generation, Walmart's store innovation concept, and more. Listen now! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former Ambassador and Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Sepulveda joins us to talk about Privacy, CCPA, GDPR, and the fundamental right to control our own data. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: With all the talk about digital privacy, how that data being used is a question many are asking, and former Ambassador and Assistant Secretary Danny Sepulveda is here to talk data and everything that comes along with it. In 2018 California passage passed a data privacy law, will other states follow suit in 2019? There are three big service providers when it comes to Big Data, do we even have to name them anymore? The genie is out of the bottle on data itself, but there needs to be context around how that data is being used, especially by massive companies with unparalleled power. California Set a Standard For Data Privacy Laws: Will Other States Follow Suit? Future Commerce is beyond excited to haveformer Ambassador and Assistant Secretary Danny Sepulveda on the show, Danny is currently the VP of Government Relations at Media Math. Brian wonders if someone will someone show up to the Senate in high-end denim at some point? Brian says that how corporations use and utilize data is one of the most critical issues of our micro-generation. So CCPA: or the California Consumer Privacy Act, has set a standard for states to set limits on what big corporations can do with their users' data. Brian asks Danny if other states will follow California's example, and what is being done on a federal level? New Jersey and Illinois both have begun to discuss digital privacy laws similar to the CCPA. No One Won in Washington State: Is Data Privacy Partisan? In New Jersey, AB 4902, would give users actual control over their personal data privacy. A 2008 law passed in Illinois bans companies from using a person's scans of people's faces, irises, and fingerprints without consent, and that formerly hypothetical situation has become very real now. Brian and Danny agree that the genie is pretty much out of the bottle when it comes to this new data-driven society. In Washington state, the Washington Privacy Act failed to pass the house of representatives, for a multi-layered partisan reason. Will companies step up to the plate to help retailers comply with CCPA and emerging regulations surrounding digital privacy? 2020 is Heating up: Why Everyone Cares About Silicon Valey: So are any campaigns jumping on the digital-privacy bandwagon for 2020? Both Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar have spoken about the need to modify and reform current anti-trust laws. It's pretty troubling that there is an incredible amount of power being concentrated in Silicon Valley. One of Danny's wishes for consumers in this data-driven market is that they can be seen the way they as the consumer wish to be seen. Danny Sepulveda's Perscription to Merchants: Now And Later: One of the ways Brian recommends that retailers can get ahead of this data overload is to collect their own data for customers so that they don't have to get it from someplace else down the road. Brian asks Danny what his recommendations are for retailers and merchants, long-term and short-term. Danny says in the short term, retailers need to be focused on building relationships and maintaining relationships with clients and continue providing value. In the long term, Danny says it is imperative for companies to have in-house team members that know as much about the technology being utilized as the tech companies they partner with. Go over to Futurecommerce.fm and give us your feedback! We love to hear from our listeners! Retail Tech is moving fast, and Future Commerce is moving faster. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ingrid Milman (Ann Taylor, LOFT) sits in this week in our Earth Week deep-dive to discuss sustainability, transparency in supply chain, and "deliciously sinful" luxury impulse buys. Who has the true influence on the eco-conscious purchase decision - the brand or the consumer? How can fashion lead the conversation in transparent supply chain and manufacturing processes? Featured brands this week: Outdoor Voices, Rent the Runway, Reformation, H&M, Allbirds and more. Listen now! Show Notes: Main Takeaways: Director of Digital at Ann Inc, Ingrid Millman, is co-hosting this week. Earth Day has turned into Earth Week and, there are lots of sustainability stories to share. Can rental Services like Rent the Runway find a way to make dry-cleaning more eco-friendly? Instagram ads somehow turned Phillip into a sneakerhead. Earth Day Becomes Earth Week: Capitalizing on Saving The Planet: Before we get into Earth Day, Ann Inc has a new rewards program, and for the first time, customers receive rewards for spending across the entire portfolio. Also, Ingrid's professional views expressed on FC do not reflect those of her employer. Anyways, Rent the Runway used Earth Day 2019 to publish its sustainability report on Twitter, showing how RTR as a service is helping to reduce waste. Ingrid loves Rent the Runway, and has been a long time subscriber, even pre-unlimited, but feels that if RTR wants to be genuinely sustainable, the company will need to look into more eco-friendly dry cleaning options. Phillip says that RTR is the Uber of dry cleaning, they partner with local dry cleaners to get all of the clothes dry cleaned consistently. Phillip points out that three years ago, Rent the Runway would have gone to IPO. Everything is Re-sellable in 2019: People Are DIYing Marie Condo: Ingrid is obsessed with the Marie Condo effect and the results from its popularity. There's been a surge in the number of people utilizing both physical thrift stores, and online platforms like Poshmark, thredUP, and luxury re-sell platforms like The RealReal. Ingrid points out that there needs to be a change to the way these resell platforms operate: namely that there needs to be more of a focus on creating solutions for their customers. As of now, there's not a lot of value proposition outside of general resell. Phillip doesn't know if he trusts the resale market, and questions if perhaps if companies are posing as third-party sellers. Phillip also blames Instagram for turning him into a sneakerhead, because Instagram forces him to buy an insane amount of sneakers through their targeted advertising. Has retail followed more of a meme culture than an influencer culture? Ingrid makes a fascinating point: Many people develop their actual sense of style in High School and/or college, but they cannot usually afford to outfit that style entirely, but people in their 30's are targeted by luxury brands more because they have a wholly different purchasing power, and now can make "deliciously sinful" luxury purchases. Sustainability as a Search Term: Will Legacy Brands Adapt? Ingrid has noticed a trend with Google search terms, including sustainability, cotton fiber, dress garments, and for some reason the brand Free People. Phillip poses a question regarding sustainability: Do consumers care about sustainability because of the PR push that the brands they trust are putting out? Or are brands increasing their PR around sustainability because they know their customer care about it? Ingrid makes a great point that GenX and anyone near that age group cares less about sustainability because it's not on their radar, as opposed to millennials (and anyone under 35), who may make sustainability a key focus of their purchasing choices. If legacy brands want to pick up a younger customer, then they are going to have to put a much larger focus on sustainability efforts. This is especially true considering how many younger brands are beginning their brands with eco-friendly products like Allbirds. Earthday 2019: Brands Are Stepping up Sustainable Efforts: So in honor of Earth Week, Ingrid and Phillip are sharing some brands that are truly pushing sustainability. One such brand is The Reformation, who has a seriously sustainable slogan: "Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We're #2", which is pretty freaking awesome. Another thing to love about this brand is their transparency: They list all of their sustainability practices on their website including energy efficiency, recycling, and more, and they also list the sustainability sequence on each project page. H&M has also announced transparency in supply chain initiative, which promises full transparency in supplier names, location, etc. Another brand that has stood out in their efforts is Outdoor Voices, an apparel tech company that Phillip says makes "everyone feel like they're invited to the party. Outdoor Voices uses sustainable fabrics in their products, like merino wool, and rec poly made from upcycled post-consumer water bottles. Also: In our bonus episode for Earthday, Phillip talked about Allbirds instituting a carbon tax on themselves to offset emissions and make the already eco-friendly brand 100% carbon neutral. Ingrid poses one final food for thought question: A movement that runs parallel to the transparency in clothing push is the organic food movement. So why is the transparency in clothing movement moving into the mainstream at a much faster pace? Go over to Futurecommerce.fm and give us your feedback, or you can reach out on Instagram, Twitter, or any of our social channels. We love hearing from our listeners and hearing your thoughts on current trends in retail. And you can reach out to Ingrid on Instagram at → ing_stagram Retail Tech is moving fast and Future Commerce is moving faster. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What do Amazon, Everlane, Allbirds and New York City have in common? They have all announced Carbon Offset initiatives. Brian's out so this is our first mini-episode covering some of the stories that landed on Earth Day, April 22, 2019. Listen now! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.