Retail Remix

This episode is brought to you by National Retail Federation.True Religion may be synonymous with the premium denim boom of the early 2000s, but its growth story today looks very different. The brand has expanded well beyond jeans, embraced more accessible price points and built an omnichannel business designed to reach a much broader consumer. Now, with revenue climbing and an ambitious store expansion underway, True Religion is setting its sights on becoming a billion-dollar lifestyle brand.True Religion CEO Michael Buckley, who returned to lead the company in 2019, joins host Kate Robertson to unpack the business strategy behind the brand’s evolution. He shares how a deeper understanding of True Religion’s customer reshaped its product, pricing and distribution strategies, why physical stores are critical to its next phase of growth and how the company balances its unmistakable brand heritage with the need to stay culturally relevant.Key TakeawaysHow True Religion expanded beyond premium denim to reach a broader audience with more accessible pricing and a diverse lifestyle assortmentWhy understanding where and how its customers want to shop has shaped the brand’s omnichannel distribution strategyHow True Religion uses its iconic branding, celebrity partnerships and deep connection to music and culture to stay relevant with consumersWhy the brand plans to grow its physical footprint to approximately 150 stores while continuing to scale ecommerce and wholesaleWhat it takes to maintain product relevance and operational discipline as True Religion works toward becoming a billion-dollar brandRelated LinksLearn more about True ReligionGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -----Your customers won't wait, and neither should you. Head to nrfbigshow.com to lock in your spot at NRF's Big Show, Jan. 10-12 at the Javits Center, and move your business fast forward.

This episode is brought to you by National Retail Federation.Consumers are under a lot of pressure. Higher prices and stretched household budgets are changing where people shop, how often they visit and what they’re willing to splurge on. But the shift toward value isn’t simply a story of shoppers trading down. Consumers are spreading their spending across more retailers while still making room for small indulgences and seeking experiences that make getting a deal feel exciting.R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research at Placer.ai, has a unique view into these behavioral shifts through the company’s foot traffic data. In this episode of Retail Remix, R.J. joins host Kate Robertson to unpack why warehouse clubs and off-price retailers are thriving and how the “treasure hunt” is driving loyalty across categories and what changing demographics and shopping patterns reveal about the state of the consumer. He also shares what these trends could mean for retailers heading into the holiday season.Key TakeawaysWhy value-conscious consumers are shopping across more retailers rather than simply trading down to cheaper alternativesHow warehouse clubs, off-price retailers and value grocers are combining competitive prices with discovery and experience to drive trafficWhy the “treasure hunt” is becoming a powerful way for retailers to create excitement without competing solely on priceWhat shifting migration patterns and demographics mean for retailers evaluating store performance and expansion opportunitiesHow smaller baskets, shorter store visits and an earlier promotional calendar could shape consumer behavior this holiday seasonRelated LinksLearn more about Placer.aiRead the latest research from Placer.aiGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -----Your customers won't wait, and neither should you. Head to nrfbigshow.com to lock in your spot at NRF's Big Show, Jan. 10-12 at the Javits Center, and move your business fast forward.

This episode is brought to you by National Retail Federation.AI is quickly becoming a new front door to commerce. Instead of beginning their shopping journeys on Google or a brand’s website, more consumers are turning to tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to research products, compare options and decide what to buy. For brands, that shift raises a bigger question: how do you maintain a direct customer relationship when AI increasingly sits between you and the shopper?Few people have spent more time thinking about the intersection of technology and customer relationships than Elias Torres. After building companies including Performable, Drift and AI-native customer success platform Agency, Elias is joining Klaviyo as Chief Product Officer following its acquisition of Agency. In this episode of Retail Remix, Elias joins host Kate Robertson to explore where AI agents can deliver real value today, why customer context matters more than the underlying model and what brands need to do to build stronger relationships in an increasingly autonomous commerce landscape. Elias also shares how his focus on relationships, from growing professional connections to recruiting the best team members, have given him an edge in his career.Key TakeawaysHow brands can maintain direct customer relationships as AI platforms become a new starting point for product discovery and shoppingWhy unified customer data and context are critical to delivering more relevant, personalized experiences with AIHow AI agents can help brands scale customer relationships without losing the human connection that builds trust and loyaltyWhy reactive customer service is ready for AI automation, while proactive agent experiences still require greater intelligence, restraint and personalizationWhat Elias has learned about entrepreneurship, relationships and recognizing the opportunities worth saying “yes” to throughout his careerRelated LinksLearn more about KlaviyoConnect with Elias Torres on LinkedInRead more about Klaviyo’s acquisition of AgencyGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -----Your customers won't wait, and neither should you. Head to nrfbigshow.com to lock in your spot at NRF's Big Show, Jan. 10-12 at the Javits Center, and move your business fast forward.

The product catalog is one of commerce’s oldest tools, but in wholesale, it remains surprisingly central to how business gets done. Buyers still use catalogs to evaluate assortments, compare pricing and decide what to stock. The problem is that traditional catalogs were built for a much slower world, leaving sales teams working with static PDFs, outdated product information and little visibility into what happens after a catalog reaches the buyer.In this special Retail Remix Deep Dive, host Kate Robertson sits down with Bogdan Mile, Chief Product Officer at Flipsnack and creator of Catology, to explore how the wholesale catalog is evolving into a dynamic, data-driven sales channel. They discuss why connecting catalogs directly to product data can transform how they’re created and managed, how live catalogs can give sales teams greater visibility into buyer behavior and what happens when catalogs become personalized, interactive parts of the B2B buying relationship.Key TakeawaysWhy the catalog remains central to wholesale buying even as the rest of commerce becomes increasingly digitalHow static PDFs and disconnected product data create outdated information, manual work and friction for buyers and sales teamsWhy connecting catalogs directly to product data can turn months of production into a faster, more flexible processHow live catalogs can give sales teams visibility into buyer behavior while allowing customers to act directly within the experienceWhat the next generation of catalogs could look like as personalization, AI and buyer behavior increasingly shape assortments in real timeRelated LinksLearn more about Flipsnack and CatalogyExplore Flipsnack’s catalog makerGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix --Turn catalog operations into business growth with Catalogy.

This episode is brought to you by KWI.Shoppers are walking into stores armed with more than a shopping list. AI is helping them research products, compare prices and evaluate brands before they ever arrive, creating a new challenge for associates who need to answer increasingly specific questions while keeping the in-store experience moving. The opportunity for retailers isn’t simply adding more AI. It’s giving associates accurate information at exactly the moment they need it.In this special Retail Remix Deep Dive, sponsored by KWI, host Kate Robertson sits down with Josh Goodelman, Chief Revenue Officer at KWI, to explore how retailers can equip store teams for this new generation of informed shoppers. They discuss where AI is delivering tangible value in stores, why strong product, inventory and customer data must come first, and how practical tools like image search can help associates work faster and deliver better experiences during the critical holiday season.Key TakeawaysWhy AI-powered shoppers are entering stores with greater confidence in the product, pricing and availability information they’ve already gatheredHow retailers can give associates fast access to the information they need without adding more complexity to the customer interactionWhy practical AI applications like image search, product discovery and task automation can create more value than forcing conversational AI into storesHow focusing on specific workflows and measurable business outcomes can help retailers move AI initiatives beyond the pilot stageWhy accurate product, inventory and customer data must come before AI when building a more connected store experienceRelated LinksExplore KWI’s unified commerce platformGet 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.

This episode is brought to you by National Retail Federation.AI, creators and commerce media are transforming how retailers reach consumers, but figuring out where to invest is getting more complicated. As discovery shifts beyond traditional search and shoppers become increasingly value-conscious, marketers need to understand not only where consumers are spending their time, but what actually earns their attention.Ruth Mortimer, Global President of Advertising Week, has a front-row seat to the trends shaping the industry. Ahead of Advertising Week New York, she joins host Kate Robertson to explore how creators are becoming a critical part of commerce strategies, where AI can make marketing more personal without making it generic, and how economic pressure is changing the way consumers search for value. She also offers a preview of the conversations and trends that will take center stage at Advertising Week New York this October.Key TakeawaysHow creators and commerce media are converging to help retailers reach targeted audiences and influence purchasing decisionsWhy marketers need to understand where AI can enhance creativity and personalization, and where it risks making brands less distinctiveHow AI is helping retailers move beyond traditional customer segments to understand individual needs and shopping intentWhy agentic shopping and automated price tracking could transform how value-conscious consumers search for deals and promotionsWhat retail marketers can expect from Advertising Week New York as creators, commerce media, AI and cross-industry collaboration take center stageRelated Links⁠Learn more about Advertising Week⁠Explore Advertising Week New York 2026⁠View the Advertising Week New York 2026 agenda⁠Learn more about Ruth MortimerGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -----Your customers won't wait, and neither should you. Head to nrfbigshow.com to lock in your spot at NRF's Big Show, Jan. 10-12 at the Javits Center, and move your business fast forward.

This episode is brought to you by National Retail Federation.Sizing may not get the same attention as assortment planning, allocation or inventory optimization, but getting it wrong can have a significant impact on retail margins. When core sizes sell out while others linger on clearance racks, retailers face lost sales, excess inventory and frustrated customers. In this special Retail Remix Deep Dive, host Kate Robertson sits down with James Theuerkauf, VP of Product at Anaplan and Co-founder of Syrup Tech, which Anaplan acquired in 2025. They explore whether sizing has become more challenging — and not because of the high uptake of GLP-1 weight loss drugs — as well as how advances in data and AI are helping retailers make more granular decisions and why better sizing can improve everything from full-price sell-through and customer loyalty to sustainability.Key TakeawaysWhy apparel sizing remains an overlooked source of margin erosion despite its impact on stockouts, overstocks and customer loyaltyHow rapidly changing trends, increasingly complex assortments and shifting consumer preferences are making historical size curves less reliableWhy retailers should be cautious about blaming GLP-1 adoption for broad shifts in sizing demand and instead focus on their own customer and product dataHow advances in AI and granular data are helping planners build smarter size curves while keeping human expertise at the center of decision makingWhy more accurate size planning can reduce overproduction, markdowns and excess inventory while creating a more sustainable apparel supply chainRelated Links⁠Learn more about AnaplanGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail RemixRead: Torrid, Circana and PwC Executives Discuss How GLP-1s Are Impacting Retail -----Your customers won't wait, and neither should you. Head to nrfbigshow.com to lock in your spot at NRF's Big Show, Jan. 10-12 at the Javits Center, and move your business fast forward.

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.The baking aisle has been dominated by the same legacy brands for decades. But Lindsay Hancock, Founder of My Better Batch, saw an opportunity hiding between value-focused mixes and highly specialized products: a premium shortcut that could deliver the taste and experience of homemade without the work of baking from scratch.After helping to build Creative Snacks and eventually selling the company to KIND, Lindsay took what she learned about retail-first strategy and applied it to a new venture. In just a year, My Better Batch has grown from roughly 75 stores to more than 3,500 retail locations and 6,000+ points of distribution. In this episode of Retail Remix, Lindsay joins host and Retail TouchPoints Editor-in-Chief Kate Robertson to share what it takes to break into a crowded category, earn retailer support and, most importantly, turn shelf space into sustainable growth.Key TakeawaysHow Lindsay Hancock identified untapped white space in the baking aisle and built My Better Batch around a new definition of premiumWhy Lindsay chose a retail-first growth strategy and scaled from roughly 75 stores to more than 3,500 locations in just one yearHow distinctive packaging and shelf presence can help emerging brands compete for attention alongside dominant legacy playersWhy relationships, persistence and creative outreach have been critical to My Better Batch’s rapid retail expansionHow My Better Batch is turning distribution into long-term growth by investing in brand awareness, trial and sustained shelf velocityRelated LinksLearn more about My Better BatchConnect with Lindsay HancockGet 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 

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.Parents are paying closer attention than ever to what goes into their children’s food, but making healthier options accessible at scale remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Katie Marston, Chief Marketing Officer of Once Upon a Farm, to discuss the company’s recent IPO, its mission to transform children’s nutrition and how it’s balancing purpose with growth. Katie shares how the brand is making fresh, organic kids’ food more accessible through retail innovation, why refrigerated merchandising has become a competitive advantage and what she’s learned about storytelling, leadership and purpose from co-founder and actor Jennifer Garner. Key TakeawaysHow Once Upon a Farm is using its recent IPO to scale its mission of making nutritious children’s food more accessible Why the brand’s refrigerated merchandising strategy is helping transform the baby food aisle and drive new customer acquisition How Once Upon a Farm is navigating inflation through broader retail distribution, value-focused packaging and programs like WIC Why creating systemic change in children’s nutrition requires long-term investment in accessibility, clean ingredients and trusted partnerships What Jennifer Garner’s leadership has taught Katie about authentic storytelling, mission-driven marketing and building a values-first brandRelated LinksExplore Once Upon a Farm’s fresh, organic snacks and meals for kidsGet 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 

This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.From fiber maxxing and liver health to GLP-1 support and protein-packed everything, wellness trends are evolving faster than ever. For retailers, the challenge isn’t just keeping up, it’s helping customers separate hype from lasting habits.In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Sharon Leite, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, to discuss the findings from the company’s 2026 Health & Wellness Trend Report. Sharon shares how The Vitamin Shoppe is identifying emerging trends through social media, supporting customers with trusted education and curated product assortments and using AI to empower associates with science-backed insights. The conversation also explores how wellness priorities differ across generations and why credibility has become one of retail’s most valuable assets. Key TakeawaysHow trends like fiber maxxing, liver health and GLP-1 support are reshaping the health and wellness category Why trust, product quality and science-backed education have become critical differentiators in wellness retail How The Vitamin Shoppe is using AI to equip store associates with better research and customer guidance Why Gen Z and Boomers approach wellness differently — from health FOMO to healthy aging How curated assortments, knowledgeable associates and nearly 50 years of credibility set The Vitamin Shoppe apart in an increasingly crowded market Related LinksLearn more about Lightspeed’s commerce platform for retailersExplore The Vitamin Shoppe’s wellness products, health resources and trend insightsCheck out The Vitamin Shoppe Health & Wellness Trend Report 2026Read: Torrid, Circana and PwC Executives Discuss How GLP-1s Are Impacting RetailGet 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