In this episode of Five Things Friday UK, Alex and Simon break down what the rescue of Russell & Bromley by Next really signals for the British high street, why consolidation is accelerating, and what it means for heritage brands.They also explore:Why the UK may be heading toward a three-giant retail landscapeA standout Valentine’s campaign from Thortful and how physical products stay relevant in a digital ageThe return of fashion founder Nina Hopkins with her new ready-to-wear label Sam DateWhy fashion careers aren’t linear — and why that matters for the next generation of retail talentA first look at www.Keynotely.ai , a new “Spotify for keynotes” built to preserve human intelligence in a world dominated by AIThis conversation blends retail strategy, brand storytelling, fashion innovation, and the future of knowledge sharing — with practical insights for anyone building, selling, or advising retail brands in the UK and beyond.📍 Recorded as part of Five Things Friday UK📢 Subscribe for more Retail Insights! #RetailTrends #Macy #GapInc #NRF2025 #FiveThingsFriday💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Which trend discussed today do you think will impact the industry most? Let us know in the comments below!🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO STAY AHEAD Don't miss the next update. Click here to subscribe: / @theretailpodcast ABOUT THIS CHANNEL Welcome to the official YouTube channel of The Retail Podcast, your hub for global retail intelligence.Whether you are an executive refining your strategy, a vendor connecting with major players, or an innovator tracking the latest tech, this channel connects you to the pulse of the industry.What to expect:Expert Analysis: Breaking down insights from major global conferences like NRF, Shoptalk, Web Summit, MAPIC; Euroshop and EuroCIS.Diverse Perspectives: Hosted by a rotation of industry veterans and regional experts (APAC, US, EU).Actionable Strategy: We move beyond the headlines to discuss real ROI, digital transformation, and the future of commerce from AI agents to luxury fashion and grocery trends.As part of the RetailNews.AI ecosystem, we help you cut through the noise to find what actually works in modern retail.🌐 GET MORE INSIGHTS Visit our knowledge hub: https://retailnews.ai/📲 CONNECT WITH USLinkedIn: / the-retail-podcast Contact: Sofia@theretailpodcast.com#RetailTrends #APACRetail #AIinRetail #FiveThingsFriday #TheRetailPodcast #thefutureofretailguy

Host Alex is joined by Simone Oloman, Co-Founder & CEO of Need It For Tonight (NIFT) — often described as Deliveroo for quality fashion — for an honest discussion on what retailers are really prioritising right now.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Middle East retail (Abu Dhabi & Saudi Arabia) is being built for a new generation

Simone’s role speaking at ShopTalk Abu Dhabi

Why influencer collaborations work best when they feel obvious, using Molly-Mae Hague x Adidas as an example

The shift from AI promises to AI proof and real-world impact

Why retailers want to know what AI is doing today, not what it could do tomorrow

Workforce efficiency without layoffs and what “human + AI” actually means

Career progression from shop floor to leadership, including female leadership paths

Why Tommy Hilfiger x Liverpool Football Club is about cultural relevance, not football

A rapid-fire breakdown of Pinterest 2026 trends

Why Gen Z, raised digital, is craving physical experiences again

This episode is grounded, practical, and culture-led — cutting through hype to focus on what retailers should pay attention to now.

📢 Subscribe for more Retail Insights! #RetailTrends #Macy #GapInc #NRF2025 #FiveThingsFriday

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Which trend discussed today do you think will impact the industry most? Let us know in the comments below!

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO STAY AHEAD Don't miss the next update. Click here to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@theretailpodcast?sub_confirmation=1

ABOUT THIS CHANNEL Welcome to the official channel of The Retail Podcast, your hub for global retail intelligence.

Whether you are an executive refining your strategy, a vendor connecting with major players, or an innovator tracking the latest tech, this channel connects you to the pulse of the industry.

What to expect:

Expert Analysis: Breaking down insights from major global conferences like NRF, Shoptalk, Web Summit, MAPIC; Euroshop and EuroCIS.

Diverse Perspectives: Hosted by a rotation of industry veterans and regional experts (APAC, US, EU).

Actionable Strategy: We move beyond the headlines to discuss real ROI, digital transformation, and the future of commerce—from AI agents to luxury fashion and grocery trends.

As part of the RetailNews.AI ecosystem, we help you cut through the noise to find what actually works in modern retail.

🌐 GET MORE INSIGHTS Visit our knowledge hub: https://retailnews.ai/

📲 CONNECT WITH US

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-retail-podcast/

Contact: Sofia@theretailpodcast.com

#RetailTrends #APACRetail #AIinRetail #FiveThingsFriday #TheRetailPodcast #thefutureofretailguy

In this Five Things Friday – USA Edition, we sit down with Jill, SVP of Content at National Retail Federation (NRF), live from the largest NRF show ever.

With 41,000 attendees, 1,000+ exhibitors, 550+ sessions, and 100 countries represented, Jill breaks down what actually mattered at NRF this year — and what retailers must take forward.

Key topics covered:

Why customer relevance now outweighs platform strategy

AI’s shift from buzzword to embedded business infrastructure

How agents and automation are driving margin improvement, not layoffs

Why retail is moving at the speed of culture, not just technology

The rise of contextual commerce and attention-based discovery

How search behaviour is changing with ChatGPT-style queries

What retailers should leave behind — and take forward — into 2026

NRF’s global expansion: Singapore, Paris, and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) 2027

Jill also reflects on standout voices including Gary Vaynerchuk, major announcements from Google, and future-focused thinking from Jason Goldberg of Publicis.

This episode is a field guide for retail leaders navigating AI, culture, loyalty, and what comes next-now.

📢 Subscribe for more Retail Insights! #RetailTrends #Macy #GapInc #NRF2025 #FiveThingsFriday

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Which trend discussed today do you think will impact the industry most? Let us know in the comments below!

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO STAY AHEAD Don't miss the next update. Click here to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@theretailpodcast?sub_confirmation=1

ABOUT THIS CHANNEL Welcome to the official channel of The Retail Podcast, your hub for global retail intelligence.

Whether you are an executive refining your strategy, a vendor connecting with major players, or an innovator tracking the latest tech, this channel connects you to the pulse of the industry.

What to expect:

Expert Analysis: Breaking down insights from major global conferences like NRF, Shoptalk, Web Summit, MAPIC; Euroshop and EuroCIS.

Diverse Perspectives: Hosted by a rotation of industry veterans and regional experts (APAC, US, EU).

Actionable Strategy: We move beyond the headlines to discuss real ROI, digital transformation, and the future of commerce—from AI agents to luxury fashion and grocery trends.

As part of the RetailNews.AI ecosystem, we help you cut through the noise to find what actually works in modern retail.

🌐 GET MORE INSIGHTS Visit our knowledge hub: https://retailnews.ai/

📲 CONNECT WITH US

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-retail-podcast/

Contact: Sofia@theretailpodcast.com

#RetailTrends #APACRetail #AIinRetail #FiveThingsFriday #TheRetailPodcast #thefutureofretailguy

How will the $32 Billion AI Agent market change APAC Retail?

In this episode, Ngai Yuen Low (AEON360) and Ryf Quail (Comexposium) reveal why your product pages need to be "machine-readable" by 2028 and how TikTok Shop is evolving beyond fashion.

🔥 Topics & Timestamps:(00:41) The "Wrapped" Strategy: Creating shareable retail moments(03:30) AI Shopping Agents: The $32B forecast for APAC(08:15) TikTok Shop: Moving beyond beauty into serious commerce(11:17) Subscription Retail: Lessons from Coupang & L'Oreal

👤 Connect with the Guests:

• Ngai Yuen Low: [Insert LinkedIn URL]

• Ryf Quail: [Insert LinkedIn URL]

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:

• AEON Group: [Link if you have one]

• Comexposium: [Link if you have one]

🎙️ About The Retail Podcast:We help retailers and vendors cut through the noise to find what actually works. Hosted by industry veterans, we cover the real ROI of tech, from AI agents to the future of luxury.

👉 Subscribe for more APAC insights:https://retailnews.ai/

It’s almost Christmas and this week’s Five Things cuts straight through the noise.

Alex and Simon break down what really happened this Black Friday, why the numbers matter less than the format shift, and what live shopping and brand activations tell us about where retail is heading next.

From muted UK retail sales and changing Black Friday behaviour, to why Ralph Lauren’s activations are quietly best-in-class, this episode focuses on what retailers should actually be paying attention to right now — not the headlines.

We also touch on:

• The rise of live, shoppable events and social commerce

• Why “Black Friday Month” is now the reality

• What brands are doing instead of discounting

• How tech companies are preparing for NRF 2026

• Why activation, not promotion, is the differentiator heading into the new year

This is a grounded, honest conversation for retailers, brands, and tech leaders navigating a tough market without losing relevance.

This year, NRF is turning the dial up on everything: AI, interactivity, speakers and scaling a 40,000‑person global audience.

In this episode, I sit down with Jill from NRF to unpack how the team is bringing the 2026 global theme “The Next Now” to life at the Big Show in the US – and why this could be one of the strongest speaker lineups yet.

We dig into how what’s next is already here for retail – from AI‑driven shopping journeys to a new generation of talent that expects to participate in content rather than sit through one‑to‑many lectures. Jill shares how NRF has re‑engineered parts of the show to serve that next generation without losing what long‑time attendees love.

🌐 Visit Retail News.AI, your premium destination for the most relevant, cutting-edge information in the retail sector: https://retailnews.ai/

💬 Which of these trends do you think will shape the future of retail the most — and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

✅ Subscribe now and never miss a new episode of The Retail Podcast.

https://www.youtube.com/@theretailpodcast?sub_confirmation=1

----------------

Welcome to the official channel of THE RETAIL PODCAST, the leading community for global retail leaders, innovators, and changemakers.*

If you are struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry, looking for insights from major conferences like NRF, Shoptalk, and EuroCIS, or aiming to connect your digital funnels to physical events with measurable ROI, this channel is designed for you.

➡️ Hosted by Alex Rezvan and joined by some of the most respected voices in the sector, The Retail Podcast brings sharp, actionable insights from industry veterans with backgrounds at Microsoft and Verizon, where projects worth over $1.5 billion were directed. Our mission is to help retailers and businesses that sell to retailers anticipate change, embrace technology, and unlock new growth opportunities.

Here you will discover exclusive interviews with executives and innovators, coverage of global retail conferences, analysis of technology and AI trends, in-depth explorations of fashion, grocery, luxury, and eCommerce, and thought leadership that keeps your strategy relevant all year long. As part of the RetailNews.AI ecosystem, this channel does more than report the news—it shapes the conversation on the future of retail.

*Subscribe now and activate notifications so you never miss the strategies, stories, and signals defining tomorrow’s retail.*

--------

📲 Follow us on LinkedIn to stay connected with daily retail insights and industry updates.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-retail-podcast/

📩 Contact us at: Sofia@theretailpodcast.com

--------

🔗 References:

--------

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00:00 – Intro: the Big Show is 38 days away

00:00:35 – Welcoming Jill back & post‑Thanksgiving catch‑up

00:00:56 – Why the show happens after Christmas & representing retailers

00:01:17 – Why this year’s speaker lineup feels different

00:01:37 – Theme “The Next Now” and the 2026 global framing

00:01:58 – One global theme, local flavors & 100+ countries at the Big Show

00:02:18 – AI, generative shopping engines & hockey‑stick tech change

00:02:40 – Next‑gen retail talent replacing the old guard

00:03:03 – What younger audiences want: conversation, not lectures

00:03:22 – Designing content for the up‑and‑coming generation

00:03:44 – Host reflection: last year’s opener & new‑world expectations

00:04:14 – The challenge of serving 4–5,000 people in one room

00:04:35 – You can’t please everyone, but you can make them learn

00:04:55 – What’s new #1: the dedicated AI Stage in the River Pavilion

00:05:17 – General AI vs generative AI content & expert roundtables

00:10:09 – Opening tradition: board chair interview & the 107th show

00:16:54 – 14 years of conversations and “see you in 38 days”

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#TheRetailPodcast #NRF

In this episode, recorded at MAPIC in Cannes, we sit down with Shane Eldstrom, CEO of United Developers, the company behind Place Vendôme in Qatar – a project that has already become the #3 shopping centre for high-end fashion in the entire Middle East, just a few years after opening.

Shane breaks down what makes Qatar’s retail market so distinctive, how Place Vendôme has scaled from opening to regional leader, and what international brands need to know before entering the Middle East.

🌐 Visit Retail News.AI, your premium destination for the most relevant, cutting-edge information in the retail sector: https://retailnews.ai/

💬 Which of these trends do you think will shape the future of retail the most — and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

--------

Welcome to the official channel of THE RETAIL PODCAST, the leading community for global retail leaders, innovators, and changemakers.*

If you are struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry, looking for insights from major conferences like NRF, Shoptalk, and EuroCIS, or aiming to connect your digital funnels to physical events with measurable ROI, this channel is designed for you.

➡️ Hosted by Alex Rezvan and joined by some of the most respected voices in the sector, The Retail Podcast brings sharp, actionable insights from industry veterans with backgrounds at Microsoft and Verizon, where projects worth over $1.5 billion were directed. Our mission is to help retailers and businesses that sell to retailers anticipate change, embrace technology, and unlock new growth opportunities.

Here you will discover exclusive interviews with executives and innovators, coverage of global retail conferences, analysis of technology and AI trends, in-depth explorations of fashion, grocery, luxury, and eCommerce, and thought leadership that keeps your strategy relevant all year long. As part of the RetailNews.AI ecosystem, this channel does more than report the news—it shapes the conversation on the future of retail.

*Subscribe now and activate notifications so you never miss the strategies, stories, and signals defining tomorrow’s retail.*

--------

📲 Follow us on LinkedIn to stay connected with daily retail insights and industry updates.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-retail-podcast/

📩 Contact us at: Sofia@theretailpodcast.com

--------

🔗 References:

--------

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open: Place Vendôme hits top 3 for luxury in the Middle East

00:19 – Welcome from MAPIC Cannes & intro to Shane Eldstrom

00:44 – Who are United Developers & what is Place Vendôme, Qatar?

01:11 – Why MAPIC? Learnings, innovation & global retail connections

01:41 – Is the Middle East one market? Busting the “single region” myth

01:59 – Qatar’s demographics, Doha, and World Cup–driven infrastructure

02:25 – Local luxury demand and what makes Qatar’s shoppers unique

02:42 – Opening on 15 April 2022 & Place Vendôme’s growth story

02:59 – Thinking of entering Qatar? What retailers should consider

03:35 – New ownership laws & direct entry for international brands

03:56 – The future of retail at Place Vendôme: service, authenticity, sustainability

04:35 – VIP lounge, social-media-powered styling & curated experiences

05:12 – Where to find more info on United Developers & Place Vendôme

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#TheRetailPodcast #PlaceVendome #Qatar #RetailRealEstate #MAPIC #FashionTrustArabia #LuxuryRetail #MENA

Black Friday isn’t a day anymore. Singles’ Day now stretches across weeks. Quick commerce promises groceries in 15–30 minutes. In this APAC edition of Five Things Friday, co‑hosts Ngai Yuen Low & Ryf Quail break down how peak season is changing across China, Southeast Asia, Australia and Japan – and what it really means for consumers, retailers and retail property.Joining from WP. Kuala Lumpur and the Greater Sydney Area, Ngai Yuen and Ryf compare how Singles’ Day has turned into a multi‑week promotion machine, why Black Friday lands very differently in Singapore vs Malaysia, and how Australia now treats November as a long sprint into Christmas.🌐 Visit Retail News.AI, your premium destination for the most relevant, cutting-edge information in the retail sector: https://retailnews.ai/💬 Which of these trends do you think will shape the future of retail the most — and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below!✅ Subscribe now and never miss a new episode of The Retail Podcast.https://www.youtube.com/@theretailpodcast?sub_confirmation=1--------*Welcome to the official channel of THE RETAIL PODCAST, the leading community for global retail leaders, innovators, and changemakers.*If you are struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving industry, looking for insights from major conferences like NRF, Shoptalk, and EuroCIS, or aiming to connect your digital funnels to physical events with measurable ROI, this channel is designed for you.➡️ Hosted by Alex Rezvan and joined by some of the most respected voices in the sector, The Retail Podcast brings sharp, actionable insights from industry veterans with backgrounds at Microsoft and Verizon, where projects worth over $1.5 billion were directed. Our mission is to help retailers and businesses that sell to retailers anticipate change, embrace technology, and unlock new growth opportunities.Here you will discover exclusive interviews with executives and innovators, coverage of global retail conferences, analysis of technology and AI trends, in-depth explorations of fashion, grocery, luxury, and eCommerce, and thought leadership that keeps your strategy relevant all year long. As part of the RetailNews.AI ecosystem, this channel does more than report the news—it shapes the conversation on the future of retail.*Subscribe now and activate notifications so you never miss the strategies, stories, and signals defining tomorrow’s retail.*--------📲 Follow us on LinkedIn to stay connected with daily retail insights and industry updates.https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-retail-podcast/📩 Contact us at: Sofia@theretailpodcast.com--------🔗 References:--------⏱️ Timestamps • 0:00 – Intro: Five Things Friday APAC & on‑the‑road check‑in • 1:06 – Singles’ Day & Black Friday turn into full “seasons” • 2:03 – Black Friday in Singapore vs Malaysia • 2:39 – Australia’s Black Friday “monster” & Christmas build‑up • 3:40 – Spend forecasts, per‑capita estimates & retail optimism • 4:36 – Promo email overload, time‑bound offers & Cyber Monday as one festival • 5:53 – Hockey weekend, 16‑year‑old daughter & shopping plans • 6:12 – TikTok’s “last time” parenting trend and emotional moments • 7:18 – MAPIC recap: retail property finally turns a corner in Europe • 8:12 – Asian retailers (kidswear, Mr DIY) reshaping European high streets • 8:40 – Quick commerce scepticism: infra, riders and margin erosion • 10:03 – India’s BigBasket & the race for shorter delivery promises • 11:25 – Don Don Donki: favourite retailer in Asia & SE Asia juggernaut • 13:07 – Yen weakness, retail tourism & destination Don Don Donki stores in Japan • 14:17 – Store autonomy, non‑traditional management & wrap‑up--------#TheRetailPodcast #FiveThingsFriday #APACRetail #BlackFriday #SinglesDay #QuickCommerce #DonDonDonki #MrDIY #RetailTrends #ecommerce