5 Retail Trends With Chris Walton

July 9, 2021

 

Summary

Our special guest, Chris Walton, joins us to discuss the five major trends poised to disrupt the retail industry. What is necessary to make micro fulfillment work? How is computer vision set to shake up the retail industry? Are the big retailers going to completely monopolize the market in the years to come? How can retailers win at social commerce?

  • We ask these questions and more of our special guest, Chris Walton, founder and co-CEO of Omni Talk, one of the fastest-growing blogs in retail. 
  • Chris is carefully watching as the retail industry evolves, and he sees the trends we discussed converging over the next decade to change the way customers shop and the way retailers sell. Technology is undoubtedly key to all of the trends discussed, and it’s an area where retailers simply can’t afford to fall behind.

Conversation Rundown

[ 8:37-11:26 ] How can small specialty retailers deploy ship from store?
Ship from store is a wonderful tool for retailers. It's a great way to leverage inventory and improve the bottom line. But can smaller retailers take advantage of it? Chris believes that you don't need to do it all yourself. It's all about having the right partnerships and software in place to enable this omnichannel experience.

[ 13:00-15:29 ] Is delivery a part of the product?
Delivery is part of the product and always has been. Retailers need to understand this. No matter how good your product is, if your delivery method is terrible, that means your product quality is low. Chris Walton agrees and talks about how retailers can enhance last-mile delivery.

[ 16:58-18:08 ] What does a modern store actually mean?
What is a store for? A store used to be just that - a location to store inventory. But stores increasingly do a lot more than just that. A lot of retailers are experimenting with showrooms, for example, or use locations to create brand experiences. It's time to experiment and discover what design satisfies your customers' needs.

[ 26:38-29:21 ] Social media is 21st century shopping mall
Social media is 21st century shopping mall. People go to their phones to discover new products. The point of inspiration happens on Instagram now more so than it happens in a mall. That's why it's so important for retailers to master social commerce. If you're not making use of these channels, you're missing out on valuable eyeballs.

[ 32:36-34:38 ] How to promote success within an organization
Omnichannel success has to come from the top. If the C-suite isn't bought in, how do you expect the store associate to buy in? And being bought in requires a lot more than a financial investment. It means a commitment to re-organizing around the consumer. And it comes with some growing pains, as any good change does.

Meet the Experts

Chris Walton is an accomplished Senior Executive and one of the leading omnichannel experts in the world, with nearly 20 years of success within the retail and retail technology industries. He has high-level executive experience and is well-versed across nearly every discipline within retail, including merchandising, store operations, inventory management, product design, forecasting, e-commerce, pricing and promotions, product development, and store design and architecture.

Currently, he is the CEO and Founder of Third Haus, the retail lab joint venture with Xenia Retail, and Omni Talk, one of the fastest-growing blogs in retail.

Retail Tips & Tweetables

Delivery is a part of the product.

Social media is the 21st century shopping mall.

The CEO must have an agile mindset to adopt the change and innovative practices.

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