The Retail Podcast

Hosted by Alex Rezvan

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Episodes

267

Latest episode

Sep 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

Real conversations with the people running global retail. AI in retail, ecommerce strategy, store operations, retail media, and the future of commerce — without the jargon. Hosted by Alex Rezvan (NRF Retail Voices 2026, founder of RetailNews.ai). Guests include retail CEOs, CDOs, founders, and operators from the world's leading grocery, fashion, luxury, and technology brands. Three formats: World Retail Signals (global retail intelligence), Five Things Friday UK, and in-depth expert interviews. Official partner of NRF Europe and World Retail Congress. 210+ episodes.

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60 recent

September 11, 202610 min

Inditex & Zara, H&M & COS, JD.com, Google + Australian Retail | Five Things Friday

JD’s robotics plan raises a practical question: can automation handle the exceptions that make fulfilment difficult? Alex Rezvan and Jill Dvorak examine the costs, the people, and the operational test behind the ambition. This Five Things Friday International Edition also covers Inditex’s first-half results, H&M’s Barcelona production office, Google’s changing European search results, and the value pressures shaping Australian loyalty. The discussion follows the commercial consequences: keeping the offer relevant, organising product teams, funding automation, protecting customer acquisition margins, and giving people a reason to return. Chapters 00:00 Five Things Friday International 00:44 Inditex: first-half growth 02:46 H&M’s Barcelona production office 04:01 JD’s robotics procurement plan 06:35 Google’s European search changes 08:31 Australia: value and loyalty 10:21 Value as a business strategy Editorial clarifications JD: the reported five-year ambition is procurement, not a claim that JD will manufacture all the units. Targets are plans, not completed deployment. Inditex: first-half 2026 sales were €19.755bn, up 7.6% year on year; “€20bn” in the discussion is rounded. These are half-year results, rather than Q2 alone. Australia: Retail Doctor Group’s 2026 survey of 1,000 Australian consumers found 48% would switch to a similar brand for better loyalty-programme value or benefits. It does not say 48% switched that week. Sources Inditex · 1H2026 results · 9 September 2026 https://www.cnmv.es/webservices/verdocumento/ver?t=%7Bfd6314ae-a7a5-44fe-9edb-5cafcb617c95%7D H&M statement, reported by RetailDetail · 8 September 2026 https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/fashion/hm-is-focusing-on-spain-inditexs-home-market-with-a-new-production-office-in-barcelona/ JD Logistics, reported by SCMP · 9 September 2026 https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3366884/jdcom-deploy-3-million-robots-fully-automate-logistics Google · DMA compliance update https://blog.google/company-news/inside-google/around-the-globe/google-europe/dma-compliance-update/ Retail Doctor Group · 2026 research · n=1,000 Australian consumers https://www.retaildoctor.com.au/rdg-white-paper/paradox-of-consumer-loyalty/ Follow The Retail Podcast for retail intelligence every Friday. https://www.theretailpodcast.com

September 11, 202613 min

Primark Plans Home Delivery: Too Late? Plus 4 Retail Stories

FULL SHOW NOTES Primark plans home delivery in Great Britain. Alex Rezvan and Simone Oloman discuss the implications for value fashion and how retailers can earn the next purchase. Plus John Lewis, Boots, Lucy & Yak, Damson Madder, and Tu at Sainsbury’s. In this UK edition of Five Things Friday, the discussion connects digital convenience with the reasons customers still choose a store or a brand. From shop-floor expertise on screen to pre-loved clothing with its own destination, the question is where retailers can give customers something worth coming back for. What you will learn • What Primark’s home-delivery plans could mean for its competitive position. • How John Lewis’s content studio brings product expertise into video. • Why the hosts see customer needs at the centre of Boots’ new campaign. • How Lucy & Yak’s approach to pre-loved retail can support a continuing customer relationship. • What Damson Madder’s entertainment-led marketing and Tu’s premium womenswear offer reveal about winning attention and purchase consideration. Chapters 00:00 This week in UK retail 01:01 Damson Madder: Press Play 02:59 John Lewis: The Box Studio 04:52 Boots: Give it Some Boots 07:19 Lucy & Yak: pre-loved retail 09:17 Primark: home delivery plans 11:21 Tu: premium supermarket fashion Hosts Alex Rezvan and Simone Oloman. The Retail Podcast | Five Things Friday, UK edition. Recording date: 11 September 2026. Resources mentioned Associated British Foods: Primark trading update and home-delivery plans https://www.abf.co.uk/media/news/2026/trading-update-september-2026 John Lewis: The Box Studio https://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/media-centre/latest-news/2026/23937 Boots: Give it Some Boots https://www.boots-uk.com/newsroom/news-item/boots-launches-new-brand-platform-give-it-some-boots-with-high-impact-campaign/ Lucy & Yak: Manchester https://lucyandyak.com/pages/manchester-store Damson Madder https://damsonmadder.com/en-eu Tu: Autumn–Winter 2026 womenswear https://corporate.sainsburys.co.uk/news/press-releases/tu-launches-its-most-elevated-autumnwinter-2026-womenswear-collection-yet/ Editorial clarifications Primark’s announcement is a future plan for Great Britain, with no launch date specified. Boots’ campaign is called Give it Some Boots. Tu’s four-times comparison refers to premium knitwear options, rather than its entire knitwear range. Lucy & Yak’s Manchester reopening event was advertised for 12 September; the discussion’s approximate opening reference should not be used as an event date. Get the retail intelligence newsletter: https://www.theretailpodcast.com/newsletter

September 4, 202611 min

Target Beauty Studio: Prestige Beauty Comes to 600+ Stores

Target is bringing 90 prestige, emerging and global beauty brands to more than 600 stores. Alex Rezvan and Jill Dvorak examine what Target Beauty Studio means for Target, Sephora and Ulta Beauty—and where the customer’s beauty spend could move next. This week’s US retail briefing also covers Nordstrom Rack’s expansion, Williams-Sonoma’s 6.2% comparable brand revenue growth, Lowe’s attempt to address America’s skilled-trades shortage and the beauty industry’s early interest in Generation Beta. What you will learn: - Why Target is moving further into prestige beauty - What Williams-Sonoma’s Q2 growth says about market share and the housing consumer - Why retailers should treat the skilled-trades gap as a capacity risk - How beauty companies are approaching Generation Beta through their parents Chapters: 00:00 This week in US retail 00:44 Nordstrom Rack’s expansion 01:54 Target enters prestige beauty 03:23 Williams-Sonoma grows 6.2% 05:23 Lowe’s tackles the trades gap 09:16 Beauty starts watching Gen Beta 11:39 Closing thoughts Sources: Nordstrom: https://press.nordstrom.com/news-releases/news-release-details/nordstrom-rack-open-new-location-cypress-texas Target: https://corporate.target.com/press/release/2026/08/target-launches-target-beauty-studio,-its-destination-for-what-s-new,-now-and-next-in-beauty Williams-Sonoma: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/719955/000071995526000203/exhibit991fy2026q2earnings.htm Lowe’s Foundation: https://corporate.lowes.com/newsroom/press-releases/lowes-foundation-launches-nations-largest-skilled-trades-coalition-nvidia-att-bank-america-carrier-general-motors-dewalt-and-duke-energy-help-train WWD: https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/generation-beta-beautys-next-big-demographic-opportunity-1239083468/ Follow The Retail Podcast: https://www.theretailpodcast.com Supported by Sygnls.AI human intelligence for retail. AI-assisted, human-led. https://sygnls.ai #Retail #RetailNews #Target

September 2, 202613 min

Pinduoduo Malaysia, Singapore–Johor Bahru RTS and AI Search

Pinduoduo's expansion in Malaysia is testing how local retailers compete with ultra-low-price cross-border commerce, while the Singapore–Johor Bahru RTS Link could redraw the retail catchment between the two markets. Ngai Yuen Low, Ryf Quail and Alex Rezvan examine the projected S$1.05 billion increase in annual Singapore-resident spending in Johor Bahru, the overlooked plant and wellness category, and how AI search is changing e-commerce discovery. The question running through the episode: if price, geography and search traffic are all being rewritten at once, where does defensible retail advantage move next? 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:52 Pinduoduo Malaysia 00:03:30 Plants and wellness retail 00:06:05 Singapore–Johor RTS 00:08:52 AI search and e-commerce traffic

September 1, 202611 min

Retail Cybersecurity Is a Sector Problem — Scott Price, CEO DFI Retail Group

Scott Price, Group Chief Executive of DFI Retail Group, argues that retail cybersecurity is now a sector-wide risk—not a problem any company can solve alone. Recorded at NRF APAC 2026 in Singapore, the conversation examines why retailers need to share threat intelligence, how digital commerce has redefined customer trust and why hierarchical cultures can create new exposure in the age of deepfakes. What you will learn - Why silence after an attack can leave the whole retail sector more exposed. - How customer trust has shifted from price accuracy to responsible data stewardship. - What shared intelligence through RH-ISAC can add to a retailer's cyber defences. - The question every chief executive should ask their CISO. - Why employees must be empowered to challenge unusual instructions from senior leaders. Chapters 00:00 Cybersecurity becomes a sector risk 01:37 Customer trust is redefined 02:04 How RH-ISAC works 03:01 DFI's retail attack surface 04:18 Cyber moves up the risk register 05:01 Third-generation retail 06:32 Why customer trust can collapse 07:31 Cybercrime becomes an industry 08:53 The CISO test for CEOs 09:51 The insider threat 10:28 Hierarchy, deepfakes and compliance About the guest Scott Price is Group Chief Executive of DFI Retail Group. He joined DFI in August 2023 after senior international roles at UPS, Walmart, DHL Express and The Coca-Cola Company. DFI operates more than 7,500 outlets across 12 Asian markets. Resources mentioned - DFI Retail Group leadership: https://www.dfiretailgroup.com/en/about-us/our-leadership/ - NRF APAC 2026 agenda: https://nrfbigshowapac.nrf.com/agenda - RH-ISAC: https://rhisac.org/ PeVFpR85KPPaIisKRhVh Follow The Retail Podcast for executive conversations and retail intelligence from global markets.

August 28, 202610 min

M&S Moves European Ecommerce Fulfilment to Zalando

Marks & Spencer is using Zalando's ZEOS platform for European ecommerce fulfilment across 22 continental European markets. Alex Rezvan and Simone Oloman, Co-founder and CEO of NIFT, cover six UK retail stories: M&S and Zalando's European fulfilment partnership; John Lewis Sports & Wellness; ASOS and Barbour's Re-loved collaboration with Jimmy Turrell; George at Asda's If You Know, You Know campaign with Lucky Generals; Vans x BAPE Knu Skool; and Aaron Levine x Zara. This Five Things Friday UK episode covers UK retail news, ecommerce fulfilment, retail strategy, store concepts, fashion collaborations and international retail expansion. Sponsored by Sygnls.AI. Newsletter: https://www.theretailpodcast.com/newsletter

August 28, 202611 min

Walmart Adds Apple Pay, Ross Outpaces TJX on Q2 Comps

Walmart has started rolling out Apple Pay at select US Walmart and Sam's Club locations, with rollout to all US stores and clubs planned by the end of 2026. Alex Rezvan and Jill Dvorak, Senior Vice President, Content at NRF, break down five US retail stories: Home Depot's nationwide three-hour Express Delivery, Lamine Yamal in American Eagle's back-to-school push, Best Buy certifying all 29 supply chain facilities as zero waste, and Ross posting 10% comparable sales versus 4% at TJX overall. The Apple Pay share figure stated in the episode was not independently verified. Sponsored by Sygnls.AI. Newsletter: https://www.theretailpodcast.com/newsletter 00:00 Intro 00:54 Walmart adds Apple Pay 02:03 Home Depot Express Delivery 03:36 American Eagle + Lamine Yamal 05:23 Best Buy zero waste 06:57 Ross outpaces TJX

August 24, 202614 min

Target’s AI Move, Coach Growth & the Future of US Retail

Why is Coach growing while Kate Spade declines under the same parent company? And what does Target appointing a Chief AI Officer tell us about the next phase of retail technology? In this USA edition of Five Things Friday , Alex and Jill unpack five developments shaping US retail. Target brings Chandu Nair across from Lowe’s as Chief AI Officer, prompting a bigger discussion about whether AI should sit under one executive or be embedded throughout the organisation. Foot Locker and Nike experiment with community-led retail through the Crenshaw Rec concept in Los Angeles. Tapestry delivers a striking brand comparison: Coach grows 15% while Kate Spade declines 7%, while the group recruits more than 2.5 million new customers during the quarter — around 35% of them Gen Z. Michaels looks for growth opportunities created by changes at Joann and Party City. And research based on almost 19 million North American in-store interactions reports customer satisfaction of 93.4%, with Tuesday and Wednesday producing the strongest results. A 14-minute briefing on AI, brand execution, physical retail, customer acquisition and the changing US retail market. The Retail Podcast — retail intelligence without the noise.

August 21, 202612 min

The International Briefing: 5 Global Retail Stories to Know SHEIN, JD.com, India, Shipping & Fabletics

What should global retail leaders be paying attention to right now? In this edition of The International Briefing , Jill Dvorak, Senior Vice President, Content at NRF, joins Alex Rezvan to unpack five developments from across the international retail industry. Europe: What could the €3 charge on low-value imported parcels mean for SHEIN, Temu and cross-border ecommerce? China: JD.com’s latest results raise questions about how we measure the strength of major marketplaces—and the growing importance of the ecosystem around the transaction. India: Retail demand is strong, but quick-commerce platforms are putting pressure on established grocery models. Global shipping: Higher costs, changing routes and supply-chain uncertainty remain major issues for retailers moving goods around the world. Fabletics: With more than $1 billion in net revenue, the digital-first brand is continuing to invest in physical stores and international expansion. Five stories with one purpose: understanding what the headlines actually mean for retail. Featuring Jill Dvorak, Senior Vice President, Content at NRF, and Alex Rezvan of The Retail Podcast.

August 21, 202611 min

Five Things Friday UK: Harvey Nichols, Poundland, IKEA & Rapid Delivery

Five Things Friday UK Edition is your fast briefing on the retail stories worth paying attention to this week. Alex Rezvan and Simone Oloman break down the developments affecting retailers, brands and the wider industry. This week: Frasers buys Harvey Nichols — what could happen to the luxury retailer, its regional stores and its relationship with Flannels? Poundland and value retail — why competing on price alone may not be enough, and why customer experience and merchandising still matter. 90-minute retail delivery — Simone explains how Need It For Tonight works, its 90-minute and same-day delivery model and its new 12,000 sq ft operation at Westfield White City. Stores as fulfilment centres — could retailers use local inventory and physical stores to get products to customers faster? IKEA enters the resale opportunity — why IKEA bringing second-hand furniture into its own marketplace could be a smart move, and where delivery and collection may create friction. Hosted by Alex Rezvan of The Retail Podcast and Simone Oloman, co-founder of Need It For Tonight . Follow The Retail Podcast for more conversations about the people, businesses and ideas changing retail