The CPG Guys

The CPG Guys, Sri & PVSB, are joined in this episode by Jeff Clapper, CEO of Arkansas-based 8th & Walton, a consulting & training group which supports Walmart Suppliers in three ways:Walmart Training ClassesAdvisory and Custom TrainingFull Service SupportLearn more about 8th & Walton at http://www.8thandwalton.com Follow 8th & Walton's own podcast at https://www.8thandwalton.com/podcasts/Jeff answers these questions:You came to 8th & Walton a decade ago. What drew you to this opportunity that had been operating for 5 or so years?What is the origins of 8th & Walton and what needs did this business seek to address in supporting the Walmart ecosystem?What are the range of training areas that you address in your portfolio?What other types of services do you offer to Walmart vendors and how are you different from a sales agency?Are you training services more in demand from vendors or a certain size? In other words, are smaller vendors with less of a support team on Walmart more likely to leverage your training to get new associates up to speed or do even large vendors with 100+ associates still look to 8th & Walton to prepare new team members?8th & Walton is not officially endorsed or affiliated with Walmart, correct? Yet there seems to be a tacit acknowledgement of the value you bring to their ecosystem. How do you strike such a balance?Are there specific areas you are looking to expand your training coverage to address like Walmart Connect?What are the 3-5 areas of focus that you identify as critical for Walmart vendors to master in order to work more successfully with Walmart?Please provide the CPG Guys feedback at http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguysCPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

In this episode of The CPG Guys podcast, Sri & PVSB speak with Carolina Flores, Associate Digital Marketing Manager at GSK. Carolina speaks about how several brands within the GSK portfolio have adopted Shoppable, a distributed commerce technology company with a suite of e-commerce products surrounding Shoppable's patented, universal checkout API. Shoppable's solutions enable advertisers, retailers, and publishers to create shoppable sites, content, ads, videos, mobile apps, recipes and other innovative commerce. The CPG Guys have partnered with Shoppable to report on this solution that provides brands all of the benefits of a 1P customer relationship without being the merchant of record.GSK Sites using Shoppable:NicoretteVoltarenBe Well Stay WellPlease provide feedback to the CPG Guys here: http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguysIn this episode, Carolina answers the following questions:Tell us a little bit about yourself, Carolina? What is your role at GSK and what are some of the priorities you are addressing?Tell us a little bit about GSK’s journey with ShoppableHolly & the CPG guys did an episode about CPGs and their initiatives around DTC, can you speak a little bit about GSK & their DTC initiatives?How does Shoppable help compliment those initiatives?What would you say is the biggest advantage to working with ShoppableWhat are some unique experiences GSK has put into place that are powered by Shoppable?Outside of DTC, is there anything that Shoppable is doing that is benefiting GSK ?What are you most excited about for the GSK & Shoppable partnership?To learn more about Shoppable, visit http://www.shoppable.comShoppable YouTube channel.CPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaim CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The CPG Guys, Sri & PVSB, are joined in this episode by Megan Kinmonth Bowman, founder & CEO of Stonehenge Tech Labs, the company behind Stopwatch, a cloud-based, omni-channel commerce software delivering unified commerce metrics across multiple retail platforms.Meagan answers these questions posed to her:Did we hear that right? Several years ago, Several years ago, you and your partner predicted the next digital buzz would be all around walmart.com and packed bags and relocated to Bentonville? True? If so, what was the calling?We often say its all about the data, insights and analytics - with the consumer at the center. True, false, or maybe? Why? Why is data the most valuable asset in a brand’s journey?What is Stopwatch all about?  And why the name? What retailers do you cover?  Are you covering eCommerce only?How does your platform bring all this data together?  Tell us about the BI dashboards… are they customizable?What are the most important KPIs you see in these dashboards for a brand? For a retailer?How are you measuring / monitoring retail media? How are you developing the tool - additional reporting, analytics, etc?What about DTC? Can one report total ecommerce sales across all channels? What if there's B2B?What are the new capabilities that your clients are looking for you to develop and how do you go about innovating to keep Stopwatch ahead of the competitive solutions?Please provide the CPG Guys feedback at http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguysCPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.  CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The CPG Guys, Sri & PVSB, are joined in this episode Spencer Price & Henry Michaelson, 2 of the 3 founders of Halla, a real-time personalization AI engine designed for grocers generating  increases in basket size & customer retentionSpencer & Henry answers these questions posed to them:What were the consumer needs that you as founders identified as the fundamental value proposition that Halla’s solution is trying to address?Most grocers (and brands for that matter) were caught off guard by the rise in eCommerce stemming from the pandemic. Suddenly, they are investing against the digital shelf. How does personalization play a role in satisfying consumer needs?Bad substitutions is something most of us have experienced particularly in the last year with our increased use of online grocery shopping, what role does Halla play with helping grocers prevent substitution fails? How does your solution address the area of meal planning, particularly as it relates to specific food lifestyles like gluten-free, Non-GMO, Fair Trade, etc.?What is the role of food shopping in preventative healthcare and how does your solution seek to enable this?The physical store checkout lane has long been a margin-rich impulse sales opportunity for grocers. How can personalization play a role in this area and how does this translate to the digital shelf?What are the essential value & complexity elements of a decision algorithm that will drive meaningful personalization?Your company authored a recent blog post on what grocers can learn from Spotify. Would you please share with our audience your thoughts on this?Please provide the CPG Guys feedback at http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguysCPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.  CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The CPG Guys, Sri & PVSB, are joined in this episode by Darnley Merzier-Bryan, founder & President of Merzier Process Group, a CVE certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB) and Women-Owned Small Business information technology (IT) consulting firm founded in 2008 and headquartered in the Washington D.C. Metro area. Merzier's entire client focus is on the U.S. federal Government.Darnley answers these questions posed to her:Take us through the journey of how you started up a process improvement company and began working as a US Federal Government contractor?Working with the US government must mean process and a lot of patience I guess in securing contracts? If true, how do you navigate it and work with it since this is your business?What prompted you in the first place to move from Haiti to the United States? Has the journey been anything like you anticipated? What’s the DNA of a startup? What ticks, what results in growth? Are there hacks?What are the different services your offer the US Federal government? How do you find contracts?How is it to resource, staff and manage a team? How do you balance delegating vs owning it yourself? You are a female entrepreneur and so is your partner in this business. Is this harder to compete as a woman-owned contractor?If someone wants to focus on the Federal Government as a client for their product or service, are there specific places online they can go to identify these opportunities and learn how to structure a proposal as part of the procurement process? And how can they promote their services for opportunities that may not have yet been conceived by the US Government?Please provide the CPG Guys feedback at http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguysCPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.  CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The CPG Guys, Sri & PVSB, are joined in this episode by Paco Underhill, legendary author of the seminal book on shopping behavior, "Why We Buy" which has been in continuous print for 20+ years.Paco answers these questions posed to him:Your book “Why We Buy” was published over 2 decades ago yet remains, to this day, in publication in 28 languages to the tune of 100,000 copies per year? What, in your opinion, is the timeless constants of its content that keeps people wanting to buy it and learn from it?Is North America still the epicenter of retail innovation in this world? If not, where do you think this is really happening? How has consumer access to information changed the retail shopping experience?What has been the disruptive factor of private label products in North America that has consumers gravitating to Kirkland, Simple Truth, O Organics, President’s Choice and the like?If 80% of weekly purchases over age of 40 are the basically the same items, what is the impact on CPG companies & packaging?What is the impact of the smart home with a smart kitchen and voice OS on purchasing behavior and efficiency?How are technology and big data enabling better customization across the consumer journey?In your consulting practice Envirosell, You have spent an enormous amount of time observing consumer behavior to draw meaningful insights. Why, in this digital age, is this still an important skill?Please provide the CPG Guys feedback at http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguysCPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.  CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

In this episode of The CPG Guys podcast, Sri & PVSB speak with Heather Marie Udo. the founder & CEO of Shoppable, a distributed commerce technology company with a suite of e-commerce products surrounding Shoppable's patented, universal checkout API. Shoppable's solutions enable advertisers, retailers, and publishers to create shoppable sites, content, ads, videos, mobile apps, recipes and other innovative commerce. The CPG Guys have partnered with Shoppable to report on this solution that provides brands all of the benefits of a 1P customer relationship without being the merchant of record.Please provide feedback to the CPG Guys here: http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguysIn this episode, Heather answers the following questions:Take us through the founder's journey of how shoppable was founded a decade ago?  What gap in the industry does shoppable fulfill? How has the journey been? No one wins without failures and learning from them? Was this easy, has everything changed during covid? What are lessons learned you would share with other aspiring entrepreneurs?Tell us about how retail partnerships were formed? Who are your retail partners?  How do retailers benefit from this?It sounds like you started working with publishers when you first launched. When did you start working with CPGs and is shoppable a full DTC solution?How did you scale the platform over time? What are the specific features of shoppable?Which categories or types of brands is shoppable suitable for? Let’s talk about the all important topic of data & insights. DTC is usually anchored for data and consumer/shopper relationships. Does shoppable work towards collecting data and harnessing it?To learn more about Shoppable, visit http://www.shoppable.comShoppable YouTube channel.Part 3 of the series (released next week) will feature Shoppable's client GSK.CPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, c CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The CPG Guys, Sri & PVSB, are joined in this episode by Erica Fortune, SVP of eCommerce at Big Lots!, the neighborhood discount retailer with over 1,400 locations. Erica's team is responsible for  e-Commerce, Mobile, Product Management, User Experience (UX), Site Merchandising, Front End Development (FED), Web Analytics, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Online Operations and Customer Care.Erica answers these questions posed to her:Would you share a bit about your professional journey and ultimately what excited you about joining BIG LOTS? Also, what has it been like leading eCommerce in the midst of this pandemic?BIG LOTS! Just released its Q4 results, reporting e-commerce and omnichannel platforms delivered sales growth over 130%. Clearly, the last 12 months have been a big change for your group’s contribution to performance. Are you focused on more “big” things in eCommerce for 2021?What are some of the major priorities for user experience that your team is focused on delivering for the enterprise? How do you consider “build” vs. “buy” in the process?How do you collaborate with brands to contribute content for your site and what are the key content drivers of search? Are they able to access PDPs through 3rd party PIMs? How customer feedback like product ratings & reviews contribute to customer engagement?Can you walk us through some of the thinking behind these various commerce options you have established?In order to work with Instacart, what are the actual deliverables you need to feed them for your assortment to appear on their marketplace? How do you ensure your private brands in particular can succeed on their marketplace?In November, BIG LOTS! Was named the top omnichannel retailer, recognized for your omnichannel capabilities, including a number of recent customer service innovations in both brick-and-mortar stores and online. What are some of the key factors that your team delivered against that you think won you this recognition?Please provide the CPG Guys feedback at http://ratethispodcast.com/cpgguys CPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liabili CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The CPG Guys, Sri & PVSB, are joined in this episode by Kiri Masters & Stefan Jordev, co-authors of the new book "Instacart for CMOs"Kiri is the founder & CEO of Bobsled Marketing where Stefan works as Director of Marketplace Strategy & Insights.Kiri & Stefan answer these questions posed to him:What prompted you to pick Instacart and focus on them vs other retailers?What is an ideal surround sound brand focus on Instacart look like?Retail media - what are the key pieces of this for Instacart. SEM, display, promo based display etc?Who controls the content on Instacart - Retailer or Brand? Will Instacart sustain its dominance and growth in grocery eCommerce post-pandemic?Brands are reporting phenomenal ROAS on Instacart compared to other platforms. To your knowledge, is the calculation of ROAS different from other platforms?Instacart for CMOs on AmazonCPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. The views expressed by the CPGGUYS, LLC do not represent the views of their employers or the entity they represent.CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.  CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast. 

The CPG Guys Sri & PVSB welcome to this episode Aaron Rubin the founder and CEO of ShipHero, a SaaS solution to help eCommerce DTC sellers with fulfillment & shipping. Aaron got tired of eCommerce shipping software that sucked. So in 2013, he and his co-founder decided to do something about it and ShipHero was born. We know what it’s like to run a warehouse or outsource fulfillment. They’re building the tools to make it easier to ship eCommerce.Aaron talks with Sri & PVSB about these topics:You launched a martial arts web based jiu jitsu ecosystem, then Shiphero in 2013. How does one go from martial arts and leadership there to a software logistics company for eCommerce? What’s the real story here?With the rise of eCommerce in covid, digital sales are surround sound. You run and advertise a logistics optimization platform across the board - true? What unmet industry need does it fulfill? What are the client verticals you service and what are the specific solutions you’ve developed?How does the shipping component work given it focuses on cost reduction for shipping? Do you have a network of suppliers you work and constantly optimize? You are also backed up with a network of 7 + warehouses growing I’m sure. How do you balance software and fulfillment?Since you are also a WMS - who is your competition, and how are you differentiated from others - let’s say enterprise providers like SAP? Do you have the ability to bolt on and work with EMS software? Is there a minimum commitment a brand has to make?Success is dependent on a client’s ability to measure the performance of your solutions. Would you tell us about the analytics included in your platform? Brand have huge issues on fulfillment costs in DTC since they don’t have the experience. Why is your fulfillment attractive to them?Let’s say a DTC brand has outsourced fulfillment services to a 3PL provider. What role do you then play? If they partner with you directly, do you co-pack, do multipacks, inserts, ad collateral? Does each one have a cost on its own? How about boxing or packing? With the meteoric rise of business for brands at WMT, TGT, grocery.com - especially click & collect : what role will ShipHero have there? Have you considered being an agent for retailers for home delivery?What advice would you give brands wanting to get into DTC? Can large brands explore this space without breaking the bank? What is your learning and coaching in this space? How long does it take to get setup with ShipHero?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGGuys.comInstagram: http://instagram.com/pvsbondTwitter: http://twitter.com/cpgguysLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cpgpodcastMedia Kit: http://tinyurl.com/cpgguysmedia DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or en CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual’s use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.