Retail Remix

Hosted by Retail TouchPoints

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304

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The rules of retail are constantly changing. Today, we're in an exciting new era where brands can differentiate through experience and use technology to connect with customers in new and exciting ways. Retail Remix is a new podcast series brought to you by Retail TouchPoints, the industry's leading source for news, insights and research for all things customer experience. Every week, we sit down with someone who is helping put a new spin on the retail experience. Hear from the top practitioners, analysts and innovators in retail, and see what new engagement opportunities await.

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August 10, 2026Episode 29123 min

Why the Best Subscription Brands Make It Easy to Leave

Subscription acquisition may be slowing, but that doesn’t mean consumers are falling out of love with subscriptions. Instead, they’re becoming far more selective about which services earn a permanent place in their monthly budgets.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Rachel Sheriff, Chief Customer Officer at Recurly, to unpack the findings from the company’s 2026 State of Subscriptions report. Rachel explains why retention has become the industry’s biggest challenge, how flexible features like subscription pauses are helping brands reduce churn and why fashion rental services like Nuuly are thriving by delivering affordability, convenience and personalization. The conversation also explores what traditional retailers can learn from subscription-first businesses as they look to deepen customer loyalty and create more predictable revenue streams.Key TakeawaysWhy subscription businesses are shifting their focus from acquisition to retention as consumers become more intentional about recurring purchases How flexible features like subscription pauses help brands reduce churn while keeping customers engaged over the long term Why fashion rental platforms like Nuuly are succeeding through affordability, flexibility and sustainable wardrobe options How traditional retailers are experimenting with subscription models that combine physical products, digital services and exclusive member experiences Why delivering ongoing value, transparency and a strong customer experience has become the key to earning lasting subscriber loyalty Related LinksExplore Recurly’s subscription management platform and the latest subscription commerce insightsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

August 3, 2026Episode 29022 min

How AI Could Level the Playing Field for Independent Grocers

This episode is brought to you by KWI.As AI reshapes the grocery industry, independent retailers face a critical question: will the technology help them compete, or widen the gap between them and national chains?In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Tal Zlotnitsky, Founder and CEO of Breez AI, to discuss why he believes AI represents both the biggest threat and the greatest opportunity for regional and independent grocers. Tal explains why owning the AI that interacts with shoppers will become increasingly important, how Breez AI is helping grocers create more personalized shopping experiences and why the future of grocery shopping will revolve less around shopping lists and more around planning meals, occasions and everyday life.This episode is brought to you by KWI. KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP. Key TakeawaysWhy independent grocers need to “own” the AI relationship with shoppers to preserve customer loyalty and valuable first-party data How Breez AI is shifting grocery shopping from product-based searches to AI-powered meal and occasion planning Why personalized AI experiences — not generic loyalty programs — will define the next generation of grocery customer engagement How AI can help shoppers save time, reduce food waste and stay within budget without sacrificing control over their shopping decisions Why Tal believes AI should strengthen independent grocers — not replace the community relationships that make them uniqueRelated LinksLearn more about Breez AI and its AI platform for independent grocersGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix ----KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP.

July 27, 2026Episode 28922 min

Inside Instacart’s Billion-Dollar Growth Flywheel with CCO Ryan Hamburger

This episode is brought to you by KWI.Instacart recently crossed $1 billion in quarterly revenue, and alongside its impressive marketplace growth, it’s also evolving into a powerful technology partner for retailers while continuing to redefine the digital grocery experience.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Ryan Hamburger, Chief Commercial Officer at Instacart, about the company’s expanding role across marketplace services, enterprise technology, retail media and AI. Ryan explains why trust has become the foundation of digital grocery, how Instacart is helping retailers modernize their digital infrastructure and why the future of grocery depends on connecting online and in-store experiences—not choosing between them. Key TakeawaysHow Instacart’s marketplace, enterprise technology, retail media and AI businesses work together to fuel long-term growth Why trust—from accurate substitutions to reliable fulfillment—is the biggest driver of customer loyalty in digital grocery How AI is improving both the customer experience through shopping assistants and store operations through computer vision and shelf monitoring Why retailers should focus on building connected omnichannel experiences instead of treating digital and physical stores as separate businesses Why Instacart believes enterprise technology represents one of grocery retail’s biggest opportunities over the next several years Related LinksLearn more about Instacart’s platform and enterprise technology solutions for retailersDon’t miss RTP’s latest reports on Instacart: CEO Chris Rogers Shares AI and Ad Strategy as Instacart Revenues Reach $1 Billion in Q1; Instacart Acquires Arpalus Shelf-Scanning TechnologyGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail RemixKWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP. ----KWI is the best-kept secret in retail. Find out what the secret is at kwi.com/RTP.

June 25, 202624 min

Deep Dive: How to Maximize Summer Sales with Lightspeed

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.Summer can be one of the trickiest seasons for retailers. Inventory needs to move before fall arrives, demand can shift with changing weather patterns and teams are already looking ahead to the next major buying cycle.In this special bonus episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Marie Baldauf-Lenschen, Director of Supplier Network Partnerships at Lightspeed, to discuss how retailers can make smarter inventory, merchandising and purchasing decisions during the critical mid-summer period. From identifying the metrics that matter most to leveraging AI, storytelling and wholesale data more effectively, Marie shares practical strategies retailers can use to improve sell-through, protect margins and prepare for the busy seasons ahead. Key TakeawaysWhy retailers should focus on a handful of key metrics (including inventory levels, sales trends and supplier lead times) to make faster, smarter decisions How AI can help reduce manual work and surface actionable insights without replacing human decision-making Why merchandising, storytelling and knowledgeable store associates can improve sell-through without relying on markdowns How tighter connections between wholesale purchasing, inventory management and POS systems can help retailers react faster to demand shifts Why bundling, urgency-based messaging and personalized service often outperform aggressive discounting when inventory starts to slow Related LinksLearn more about Lightspeed’s commerce platform for retailersGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix ----Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail

June 22, 2026Episode 28820 min

From Loyalty Data to Retail Media: Molly Hjelm’s Playbook for RedVest

Retail media has quickly become one of retail’s most important growth engines, but Ace Hardware is taking a different approach. One that’s built around local ownership, community relevance and real-world customer needs.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Molly Hjelm, CVP of RedVest Media, Ace Hardware’s retail media network, about launching a full-funnel RMN in just six months and what makes the co-op retailer uniquely positioned in the space. Molly shares how Ace is leveraging its network of 5,200 independently owned stores, 70 million loyalty members and deep first-party data to create measurable advertising solutions. She also explains how weather-triggered media, retailer-focused advertising tools and localized customer insights are helping brands connect with shoppers at exactly the right moment.Key TakeawaysHow Ace Hardware launched RedVest Media in just six months by focusing on measurable, full-funnel advertising solutions Why Ace’s co-op structure creates unique opportunities (and challenges) for retail media innovation How weather-triggered advertising helps brands align messaging with real-time customer needs, from snowstorms to hurricane season What makes Retailer Reach, Ace’s retailer-focused advertising platform, different from traditional retail media offerings Why first-party data, in-store relationships and local relevance remain critical as retail media evolves alongside AI and changing consumer behavior Related LinksLearn how RedVest Media helps brands reach Ace Hardware customers through localized, data-driven retail media.Learn more about Ace Hardware and its community-focused retail modelGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

June 15, 2026Episode 28719 min

Winning on Reddit: How Walmart, Home Depot and MAC Tap into the High-Value Community

As AI-generated content floods the internet, shoppers are increasingly looking for something harder to fake: real human opinions.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Anna Haffner, Senior Director of Large Customer Sales at Reddit, about how the platform is becoming a powerful force in retail discovery and commerce. Anna explains why shoppers are turning to Reddit for trusted recommendations; how brands and retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot, Dove and MAC Cosmetics are showing up authentically in community conversations; and why Reddit’s advertising products are evolving to complement the user experience.Key TakeawaysWhy Reddit has become a trusted discovery channel for shoppers researching products and brands How retailers can participate in Reddit communities without relying on overly polished or disruptive advertising What campaigns from brands like Walmart, MAC, Home Depot and Dove reveal about Reddit’s retail marketing potential How Reddit’s Shopify integration and dynamic product ads are reducing friction for retail advertisers Why human conversation may become even more valuable as AI reshapes product discovery and searchRelated LinksExplore Reddit’s advertising tools for retail brandsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

June 8, 2026Episode 28622 min

Beyond the Dress: Inside David’s Bridal’s Transformative Platform Strategy

David’s Bridal may be best known for wedding dresses, but the brand’s next chapter is about something much bigger: becoming a digital platform for the entire wedding journey.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Elina Vilk, President and Chief Business Officer of David’s Bridal, about how the 75-year-old brand is transforming from a dress retailer into an AI-powered wedding ecosystem. Elina shares how David’s Bridal is expanding from “aisle to algorithm,” using tools like the AI-powered Pearl Planner to help brides manage the hundreds of decisions behind every wedding and stay within budget, while also growing wholesale, marketplace and commerce partnerships to serve more of the bridal ecosystem.Key TakeawaysWhy David’s Bridal is expanding beyond dresses to support the full wedding planning journey How expectations toward the modern wedding experience have shifted with added pressures such as social media How the Pearl Planner uses insights from in-store “dream makers” to guide brides through planning tasks Why David’s Bridal now views boutiques, marketplaces and other retailers as partners rather than competitors How wholesale, AI commerce and smaller-format store concepts are shaping the brand’s 2026 growth strategy Related LinksExplore David’s Bridal’s wedding dresses, planning tools and Pearl platformGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

June 1, 2026Episode 28517 min

How Frances Valentine Built a Viral Fashion Brand Around Women 50+

For years, fashion brands chased younger consumers online, but Frances Valentine has found its edge by doing the opposite. Building a vibrant, social-first brand experience around women 50 and up.In this episode of Retail Remix (and the first hosted by new Retail TouchPoints Editor-in-Chief Kate Robertson), Kate sits down with Katherine Brodie, CMO of Frances Valentine, to discuss how the brand is scaling through video-first storytelling, creator-style content and a deeply engaged community built around color, joy and personal connection. Katherine shares how Elyce Arons — who co-founded the brand with her best friend, the late Kate Spade — has become both the face and personality of the brand across social media, why Frances Valentine treats content creation like its own production studio and how the company is balancing digital growth with expanding retail and wholesale partnerships.Key TakeawaysWhy Frances Valentine has found major success by focusing on the underserved and highly affluent 50+ female consumer How Elyce Arons’ authentic social presence has become a powerful customer acquisition and engagement engine Why the brand treats social content and video production as a separate, always-on marketing track How Frances Valentine balances owned digital channels with retail stores and wholesale partnerships to deepen loyalty Why Katherine believes today’s marketers need to understand the full business picture — not just impressions and traffic Related LinksExplore Frances Valentine’s colorful fashion and lifestyle collectionsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

May 18, 2026Episode 28419 min

The New Rules of DTC: How AquaSonic Became a Multi-Channel Powerhouse

DTC success used to hinge on cutting out the middleman. Today, the real growth opportunity is knowing how to show up everywhere customers shop.In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Arsalan Rahbarpoor, Founder and CEO of AquaSonic, about how he built an Amazon-native oral care brand that now sells across Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Best Buy and TikTok Shop. Arsalan shares how AquaSonic disrupted a legacy-dominated category with premium design, accessible pricing and a sharper read on consumer demand — and why consistency, packaging and operational planning became critical as the brand expanded into national retail.Key TakeawaysHow AquaSonic identified white space in oral care by combining premium design with accessible pricing; Why launching on Amazon was foundational to AquaSonic’s future multi-channel success; What changed when the digital-native brand expanded into brick-and-mortar;How TikTok Shop creates a different kind of discovery-driven opportunity than Amazon or brick-and-mortar retail; What the success of AquaSonic says about consumers’ increased interest in wellness and their new expectations for the category; and Why AquaSonic is expanding beyond oral care into broader health, wellness and everyday essentials. Related LinksExplore AquaSonic’s oral care products and wellness essentialsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix

May 11, 2026Episode 28329 min

AI-Powered Pricing: The Future of Retail — or a Friction Point?

In an era of tariff swings, rising costs and AI-powered deal hunting, pricing has become one of the most complex (and consequential) levers in retail.In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Revionics’ Matt Pavich about how retailers are using AI-driven pricing to stay competitive without eroding consumer trust. Matt breaks down the difference between dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing, explains why the best retailers use AI to listen more closely to customer behavior rather than exploit it, and shares what guardrails are essential if brands want to move faster on price while still keeping shoppers on their side.Key TakeawaysWhy ongoing disruption, from COVID to inflation to tariffs, has made AI pricing tools a competitive necessity for retailers; Why the healthiest pricing strategies combine proactive planning with the ability to react quickly when the market shifts; The critical distinction between dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing, and why consumers view them very differently; How retailers can use aggregated customer behavior, not personal data, to set smarter prices and promotions; and Why pricing agility, strong guardrails and a healthy dose of curiosity will define the most successful retail organizations in the years ahead.Related LinksLearn more about Revionics and AI-powered retail pricing solutionsRelated reading: Exclusive Q&A: Why Retailers Should Leverage the Power of Dynamic PricingGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix