Digital Front Door
The Digital Front Door explores how technology is reshaping the retail industry and redefining the in-store customer experience. Each episode features conversations with industry leaders, innovators, and solution providers who are driving change at the intersection of digital tools and brick-and-mortar retail. From AI-powered shopping carts to retail media, personalization, and operational efficiency, the show dives into the strategies and solutions that help retailers improve shopper engagement, increase loyalty, and grow revenue. Listeners can expect practical insights, forward-looking ideas, and real-world examples of how the “digital front door” is opening new opportunities in retail.
Episodes
34 episodes
AI Training for All: Walmart’s Bold Workforce Move
Walmart has just made a game-changing announcement that signals a fundamental shift in retail strategy. Rather than simply investing in the latest technology, they're making an unprecedented commitment to their people by bringing AI training th...
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4:30
Walmart's Bold Move into Live Commerce: Redefining the Collector Experience
Ready for a glimpse into the future of retail? Walmart just might be showing us the way with their bold new venture into live commerce. Their weekly show "Collector's Night" isn't just another shopping channel—it's a fascinating reinvention of ...
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4:56
How Texas A&M's Core Values Transform Modern Retail Excellence
What happens when you apply university values to the retail world? Drawing from my experience teaching at Texas A&M University's Center for Retailing Studies, I've discovered that the six core Aggie values—respect, excellence, leadership, l...
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6:46
RFID Revolution
Remember when RFID was always just around the corner? That future has quietly arrived, transforming retail in ways both subtle and profound. Radio frequency identification technology has completed its journey from expensive supply ...
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6:20
Earnings Reveal the Power of Bargain Hunting
The retail landscape is telling us a fascinating story about American consumers and the economy right now. Discount retailers are absolutely crushing it as value-hungry shoppers flock to bargains. Five Below posted a jaw-dropping 50% jump in ea...
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6:33
Sustainability at Retail 2.0: Commerce with Purpose
Sustainability has undergone a remarkable transformation in the retail landscape, evolving from a peripheral concern to what I'm calling "Sustainability at Retail 2.0" – a fundamental business imperative that drives both purpose and profit. The...
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6:33
Personalization in Retail: How AI Shapes Your Shopping Experience
The retail experience is undergoing a quiet revolution. Remember when personalization simply meant seeing your name in an email? Those days are long gone. Today, artificial intelligence shapes virtually every aspect of how you shop—what product...
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5:30
Experience is the New Anchor for Physical Retail
What happens when a department store transforms into a destination featuring champagne bars, spas, and digital concierges? The retail revolution is here, and Printemps' Manhattan flagship exemplifies how smart retailers are reinventing physical...
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2:42
Retail's Great Reckoning: Why Stores are Closing Faster than Ever
The retail landscape is undergoing a seismic shift that demands our attention. With a projected 15,000 store closures across the United States in 2025, double last year's figure, we're witnessing what can only be described as a retail reckoning...
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3:07
Six Critical Challenges Facing Today's Retail Executives
The retail landscape is experiencing unprecedented turbulence, and I'll take you deep into the six critical challenges reshaping the industry. Rising inflation and tariff-driven cost pressures top the list, creating a complex balancing act as r...
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4:23
Why Your Brand's Digital Experience Matters More Than You Think
The digital shelf has officially become the front door to retail, and brands ignoring this reality are missing the bigger picture. Profitero's "US Digitally Influenced Shopper Report for 2025" delivers a wake-up call that demands attention: dig...
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5:00
From Cannes to Commerce: Retail Media's Growing Influence
Ever wondered how the retail media landscape is evolving beyond traditional advertising? In this eye-opening exploration of insights from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I share fascinating developments that are reshaping...
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3:42
Walmart vs Amazon: Battle for Your Smart TV Shopping Experience
The retail media landscape is transforming dramatically as major players make strategic moves to control the space where viewing meets buying. Walmart's recent $2.3 billion acquisition of Vizio has created a powerful new ecosystem that combines...
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3:40
Wholesale Clubs: Business vs. Consumer Focus
Retail's wholesale club landscape is changing dramatically, but are you aware of how these shifts might affect your shopping strategy or business approach? Drawing from my extensive career in wholesale club retail, I share fascinating insights ...
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4:30
Walmart International: More Than Just Revenue Streams
The untapped potential of international retail operations lies far beyond simple revenue generation. When Walmart International CEO Kathryn McLay spoke about the company's global businesses at their recent shareholder meeting, one p...
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3:16
Billionaires Behaving Badly
Ever feel disheartened by endless headlines about billionaires exploiting their wealth at society's expense? Scott Benedict offers a refreshing counternarrative straight from Northwest Arkansas, where wealthy families have transformed prosperit...
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2:46
Balancing Technology and Trust: The Future of Responsible Retail Innovation
Responsible technology use in retail isn't getting enough attention. While everyone's talking about AI and personalization, we need to focus on how these powerful tools align with customer-centric strategies and ethical governance frameworks.
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5:34
When Tariffs Hit the Shelf: A Retailer's Survival Guide
The shifting landscape of tariff and trade policies has dramatically transformed the retail sector, pushing companies to rethink their fundamental strategies. This episode dives deep into how major retailers are responding to these ...
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4:41
Loyalty in the Digital Grocery Cart
Loyalty programs are revolutionizing how consumers interact with online grocery platforms, creating deeper engagement and significantly higher spending. Drawing from my extensive experience as a retail consultant, I examine how digi...
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4:12
Email vs. SMS: Surprising Effectiveness Data for Retailers
What's really working in digital marketing for retailers today? In this eye-opening discussion, we dive into surprising findings from Listrack's annual cross-channel benchmarking report that challenges conventional wisdom about effective market...
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4:06
Retail's Incomplete Sustainability Journey
Twenty years have passed since Walmart's landmark sustainability commitment under CEO Lee Scott, yet the retail industry still faces significant challenges in fully embracing sustainable practices. The disconnect is particularly evi...
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4:28
Digital Revolution in the Grocery Landscape: How Economic Pressures are Reshaping Consumer Behavior
Ibotta's annual State of Spend report reveals significant shifts in grocery shopping behaviors due to economic pressures, with 72% of consumers prioritizing essentials and showing increased price sensitivity at the expense of brand loyalty....
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4:20
Specialty Retail's Journey Toward Seamless Omnichannel Experiences
Specialty retailers are rapidly adopting unified commerce strategies with increased technology investments in AI-driven personalization, real-time inventory management, and integrated CRM systems to meet consumer demands for consistent experien...
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4:06
The Hybrid Retail Revolution: Finding Balance in a Post-DTC World
Remember when direct-to-consumer brands were going to revolutionize retail forever? Those billion-dollar valuations for companies like Casper, Away, and Glossier seemed to validate a future where traditional retail partnerships would become obs...
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4:44
How Tariff Policies Are Reshaping Retail and Tech Industries
Trade tensions and government tariff policies are creating significant disruptions across retail and tech sectors, forcing companies to rapidly adapt their strategies and operations.The economic landscape is shifting beneath our feet as...
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5:05