Retail Gets Real

Today’s luxury consumer market is growing with a vibrant continuum of shoppers who expect expertly curated fashions and highly personalized service. On today’s episode, Saks CEO Marc Metrick joins us during NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show to talk about Saks’ strategy to build lasting and meaningful customer relationships, and the company’s goal to evolve the luxury experience for today’s online luxury shopper. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

In her 14 years with Walmart, Anshu Bhardwaj, vice president and COO of Walmart Global Technology, has seen the global retailer go through three different transformations to become the technology leader that it is today. Live from NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show in New York City, Bhardwaj joins host Bill Thorne to talk about those transformations, explain why the retailer is actually 17 technology companies rolled into one, and share how Walmart is using emerging technologies to help every generation of shopper save money and live better. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Coming to you live from NRF 2024: Retail's Big Show in New York City, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay joins the podcast to talk about how the retail industry fared this holiday season, the current retail landscape and what to expect looking ahead into 2024. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

More than 200 million people shopped online and in stores over the holidays, but will that spirited spending carry over into 2024? On today’s show, Susan Reda, NRF’s vice president of education strategy, digs into insights and retail trends for 2024 and gives a preview of what's in store at Retail’s Big Show in New York City next week. Read Reda’s full 2024 retail trends forecast. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

More than 40,000 retailers of all kinds are getting ready to come together in New York City’s Javits Center for NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show on Jan. 14-16. On today’s special episode, we’re talking to NRF’s Susan Newman and Eric Olson about what attendees can expect to see, hear and do at the event. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

NRF expects spending to reach record highs this holiday season, hitting $957 billion. What are gift-givers buying, where are they shopping, and what is motivating them to buy? To get us in the holiday spirit, we're talking to Katherine Cullen, NRF’s vice president of industry and consumer insights, to learn more about what’s driving this year’s winter holiday spending trends. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

As recently as 2016, the No. 3 Google search trend for Crocs was ‘Crocs memes’ — memes to make fun of the not-yet-cool clog. Today, Crocs is an iconic, global footwear brand garnering partnerships with Balenciaga, Bad Bunny and Takashi Murakami. On today’s episode, we’re talking to Crocs SVP and CMO Heidi Cooley about how she got into retail, how Crocs connects with consumers everywhere, and the strategies she and her team used to make Crocs one of the most popular footwear brands on this planet, and maybe across the metaverse. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Today on Retail Gets Real, we have the pleasure of speaking with Jungmin Kang, teen entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Snoopslimes. She's also one of the dynamic leaders on NRF’s list of people shaping retail's future in 2024. We talk to Jungmin about starting her popular slime toy business at only 13 years of age, the massive role social media has played in her company's growth and the future of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

We talk to David Johnston, NRF’s VP of Asset Protection & Retail Operations, about an issue that’s impossible to ignore: organized retail crime. In recapping Fight Retail Crime Day, David explains how the issue continues to impact retailers and how brands are advocating for meaningful action. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.

Retail Gets Real episode 324: Tony Sciarrotta, executive director of the Reverse Logistics Association, talks about where our returns go, how reverse logistics fits into the circular economy, and what retailers need to know about this increasingly important area of retail. Learn more at retailgetsreal.com.