00:00.031 –> 00:07.520
[SPEAKER_00]: I would start by really thinking about our stores as destinations, not just to place that transactions take place in.

00:07.580 –> 00:12.607
[SPEAKER_00]: They need to be able to buy these customers into an experience.

00:12.627 –> 00:18.154
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, how can we create a little bit of magic that drives people to come to me?

00:18.174 –> 00:22.699
[SPEAKER_00]: In my store and not just click a button on their phone or on their desktop.

00:22.760 –> 00:24.722
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s so

00:27.335 –> 00:30.383
[SPEAKER_01]: It’s the e-commerce master plan podcast.

00:30.403 –> 00:34.474
[SPEAKER_01]: Here to help you solve your marketing problems and grow your e-commerce business.

00:35.015 –> 00:43.116
[SPEAKER_01]: Cutting through the hive to bring you inspiration and advice from the e-commerce sector and beyond, here’s your host, Chloe Thomas.

00:45.239 –> 00:47.703
[SPEAKER_02]: Hello and welcome, it’s great to have you here.

00:47.783 –> 00:51.470
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you for hitting play and choosing to listen to one of our inspiring guests.

00:52.051 –> 00:55.517
[SPEAKER_02]: In this episode, we’re doing one of our, what would you do, episode?

00:55.537 –> 00:57.700
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, it’s WWYD time.

00:58.602 –> 01:01.146
[SPEAKER_02]: And in this episode, we’re not talking e-commerce at all.

01:01.307 –> 01:06.235
[SPEAKER_02]: We are talking physical, retail, actual, retail stores.

01:06.215 –> 01:10.085
[SPEAKER_02]: How can you make your physical retail store successful this year?

01:10.145 –> 01:15.759
[SPEAKER_02]: I know a lot of you listening have both the physical and the online retail side of things.

01:15.900 –> 01:17.985
[SPEAKER_02]: So this one is for those of you selling physically.

01:18.947 –> 01:21.955
[SPEAKER_02]: We have the brilliant Melissa Moore joining us.

01:22.276 –> 01:23.599
[SPEAKER_02]: She is.

01:23.579 –> 01:26.483
[SPEAKER_02]: Super, super good at all this retail stuff.

01:26.563 –> 01:34.795
[SPEAKER_02]: As you will hear when we get to my proper intro in a few minutes, she’s got all the the plot it’s going and serious amounts of experience.

01:34.815 –> 01:44.148
[SPEAKER_02]: She’s also fresh back from NRF, which is the biggest retail conference of the year, which just happened at the beginning of mid-January in New York.

01:44.208 –> 01:51.038
[SPEAKER_02]: So she’ll be sharing some of her insights from that and some of her insights from going around some of the top stores in New York as well.

01:51.018 –> 01:56.337
[SPEAKER_02]: Please listen right to the end so you don’t miss out on her top tips and my own take on this episode.

02:02.223 –> 02:04.306
[SPEAKER_02]: and now to introduce our special guest.

02:04.446 –> 02:09.172
[SPEAKER_02]: Melissa Moore is the retail advisor and the host of the retail tea break podcast.

02:09.532 –> 02:29.277
[SPEAKER_02]: She’s an expert in all things retail with over 25 years working with national brands and she’s been a rethink retail top retail expert for the last three years and named in retail technology innovation hubs top 100 retail technology influences list for

02:29.257 –> 02:31.541
[SPEAKER_02]: Chloe, I sound epic this morning.

02:31.621 –> 02:33.083
[SPEAKER_00]: That is incredible.

02:33.103 –> 02:33.985
[SPEAKER_02]: Go me in 2026.

02:34.426 –> 02:43.220
[SPEAKER_02]: I go you indeed and I’m just impressed I made it through the whole of that without stumbling over the large, large repetition of the word retail.

02:43.561 –> 02:47.147
[SPEAKER_02]: If anyone wasn’t any doubt about what you specialise in, we definitely don’t.

02:47.407 –> 02:48.229
[SPEAKER_02]: It’s retail.

02:48.589 –> 02:51.654
[SPEAKER_02]: So Melissa, how did you get into the world of retail?

02:51.674 –> 02:52.716
[SPEAKER_02]: What brought you here?

02:52.915 –> 02:55.298
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you know why I have some really vivid memories Chloe?

02:55.338 –> 03:06.391
[SPEAKER_00]: First of all, I suppose as a young, as a young girl, a shopper in Laura, actually, I’m sure lots of your listeners will know the brand really well from when they were across the UK as well as on our high streets.

03:06.891 –> 03:16.122
[SPEAKER_00]: So I vividly remember being kind of brought in and just in awe of how beautiful the stores, how great the people were, and that was really that first kind of initial baptism.

03:16.102 –> 03:17.184
[SPEAKER_00]: into retail.

03:17.244 –> 03:21.851
[SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, fast forward, then my first retail job was in Laura Ashley.

03:21.951 –> 03:36.372
[SPEAKER_00]: So, really kind of coming full circle there and it was, it’s gorgeous to have been able to serve the customer, understand the customer, get into kind of product and range and stock rooms and all that nice stuff and really, really get my hands dirty.

03:36.537 –> 03:47.201
[SPEAKER_02]: It is, I mean, I think people think from the outside, even people running e-commerce stores think retail is easy, but there are so many different leaves and different things you have to get right on there.

03:47.983 –> 03:56.301
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s unbelievable, and I mean, I was really lucky at that age to, again, first job, but being given so many different tasks to do in so many areas of retail.

03:56.281 –> 03:58.404
[SPEAKER_00]: So this was back with the time where E.C.

03:58.484 –> 04:00.047
[SPEAKER_00]: What else was that back in the day?

04:00.347 –> 04:03.812
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, there were little League Lings of it, but nothing of course was happening back then.

04:03.873 –> 04:05.856
[SPEAKER_00]: So it was all those physical jobs.

04:05.956 –> 04:12.205
[SPEAKER_00]: So you were getting kind of those touch points of what was going on in marketing or recount or what was going on with range planning.

04:12.225 –> 04:15.370
[SPEAKER_00]: So again, it was kind of building that kind of…

04:15.350 –> 04:23.688
[SPEAKER_00]: I suppose fascination with the industry, and then from there obviously then, you know, did agree, did a masters, but kept being drawn back into retail.

04:24.229 –> 04:32.447
[SPEAKER_00]: So really worked my way up, then from I suppose that shop floor that initial job with Laura Ashley all the way up, then into management and running stores and areas and all of that.

04:32.427 –> 04:35.392
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, at the end of the day, it was a people-first job for me.

04:35.432 –> 04:40.942
[SPEAKER_00]: It was very much about having an gorgeous product, really good ranges, obviously, really good supply of them.

04:41.303 –> 04:52.883
[SPEAKER_00]: And then, of course, you start to layer up, then this whole idea of e-commerce and social media as I kind of really start to come to a fore of knowing that I adore this industry, and I’m incredibly passionate about it.

04:53.673 –> 04:54.194
[SPEAKER_02]: love it.

04:54.314 –> 04:56.436
[SPEAKER_02]: So let’s stop looking back.

04:56.456 –> 04:57.978
[SPEAKER_02]: Let’s start we’re looking forwards.

04:59.240 –> 05:06.789
[SPEAKER_02]: Your what would you do if is what would you do if you wanted to increase your physical stores sales in 2026?

05:06.909 –> 05:12.376
[SPEAKER_02]: What is the recipe for physical world sales growth?

05:13.157 –> 05:13.938
[SPEAKER_02]: I’m just leaving like that.

05:14.419 –> 05:15.360
[SPEAKER_02]: Give us the answer.

05:15.340 –> 05:31.903
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, if only, if only I had a duel, but I look a couple of ideas and I suppose I take this from my time talking to retailers as I do now visiting retail stores I’m just back from New York and NRF’s big shows in National Retail Federation 41,000 people through the doors of that Chloe.

05:31.923 –> 05:33.045
[SPEAKER_00]: It was bananas.

05:33.025 –> 05:42.098
[SPEAKER_00]: So I kind of take for more of these different aspects, and I suppose my first big answer to your question, what would you do if you wanted to increase your physical store sales in 2026?

05:42.699 –> 05:57.199
[SPEAKER_00]: I would start by really thinking about our stores as destinations, not just to place that transactions take place in, but you know they need to be more than that, they need to be able to buy these customers into an experience.

05:57.219 –> 05:57.700
[SPEAKER_00]: You know,

05:57.680 –> 05:59.963
[SPEAKER_00]: We have to give people a reason to visit.

05:59.983 –> 06:04.550
[SPEAKER_00]: I’m talking to you today, and it is buckling down outside like it’s torrential.

06:04.610 –> 06:05.211
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s nasty.

06:05.251 –> 06:06.353
[SPEAKER_00]: Winters crappy anyway.

06:06.433 –> 06:13.483
[SPEAKER_00]: So Ryan Earth would someone want to you know, leave the comfort of their home and their slippers and physically come and find you.

06:13.583 –> 06:24.058
[SPEAKER_00]: So again, can we create moments and stores, whether it’s a product launch, whether it’s a workshop, a demo, a styling session, you know, how can we recreate a little bit of magic?

06:24.038 –> 06:28.749
[SPEAKER_00]: And that’s not just for big flagship sort of department stores, that could be for your corner shop.

06:29.210 –> 06:34.041
[SPEAKER_00]: How can we create a little bit of magic that drives people to come to me?

06:34.082 –> 06:38.592
[SPEAKER_00]: In my store and not just click a button on their phone or on their desktop.

06:38.672 –> 06:40.697
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s so important it really, really is.

06:40.964 –> 06:52.154
[SPEAKER_02]: And is it as much about creating those one-off events like the product launches or the VIP trial and sessions or whatever, as well as creating like an evergreen option as well?

06:52.555 –> 06:54.036
[SPEAKER_02]: So is it both parts?

06:54.536 –> 06:55.397
[SPEAKER_00]: I kind of think it is.

06:55.537 –> 07:09.570
[SPEAKER_00]: And again, this goes back to, and I was really thinking about this earlier, your corner shop back in the day would have had the notice board where you would have been able to kind of, whether you wanted to advertise jobs or you wanted to find even a cleaner or a pet sitter.

07:09.550 –> 07:24.370
[SPEAKER_00]: That’s the reason to go, so not only were you buying your milk or your bread, but there was a reason almost to interact with community and then when you amplify that out now, as I said, I was just in New York and a sore-like pet coat, like a phenomenal flagship store.

07:24.811 –> 07:28.015
[SPEAKER_00]: This actually heart of the community, like it’s a community hub.

07:27.995 –> 07:48.940
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s got maps of places you can go and walk your dog in the parks of all those different places around where the store was, where your pets are welcome, it’s got a grooming parlor, obviously it’s got product to sell, it’s got really knowledgeable sales colleagues, but there’s so much more than just the transaction of buying and selling, you know, in and out.

07:48.920 –> 07:51.024
[SPEAKER_00]: It was a place that felt so comfortable.

07:51.084 –> 08:04.971
[SPEAKER_00]: I’m a dog owner and yes, my dog wasn’t with me in Europe, but oh my goodness, I can just imagine how relaxed and easy it would be loads of information there loads of people to chat to like it’s a much bigger experience than just buying a boring pint of milk.

08:05.542 –> 08:15.257
[SPEAKER_02]: But it’s interesting as it like the destinations can be the destination creation can be both super exciting glamorous or it could be a notice board with a map on it.

08:16.338 –> 08:18.081
[SPEAKER_02]: It’s that full remit.

08:18.462 –> 08:22.588
[SPEAKER_02]: So how what else can we do once we’ve got our destination element right?

08:22.568 –> 08:28.236
[SPEAKER_00]: The next one, and I really don’t want to annoy people with this, but I think again, it’s thinking old school with this.

08:28.316 –> 08:43.256
[SPEAKER_00]: So using data and look, we all know there is so much of it available out there now in a retail, but using data to feel more human, not more corporate and techy and all that kind of, I have to say nasty stuff, which again, I’ll probably get me into trouble.

08:43.616 –> 08:52.288
[SPEAKER_00]: But really, when I think about 2026 for our stores, we should be recognizing loyal customers,

08:52.268 –> 08:57.335
[SPEAKER_00]: If you go back 30, 40 years, again, you walked into your corner shop.

08:57.836 –> 08:59.137
[SPEAKER_00]: Shopkeeper knew you Chloe.

08:59.177 –> 09:01.821
[SPEAKER_00]: They knew, you know, maybe the paper you were going to buy.

09:01.841 –> 09:07.348
[SPEAKER_00]: They knew maybe what your favourite drink was that you might buy on a Friday after school, whatever it might be.

09:07.408 –> 09:12.235
[SPEAKER_00]: But they knew you and the same if we went to a boutique, maybe we were buying a dress.

09:12.215 –> 09:14.980
[SPEAKER_00]: you know, maybe you had a favourite kind of brand.

09:15.561 –> 09:17.806
[SPEAKER_00]: They really knew us inside out and back to front.

09:17.846 –> 09:24.378
[SPEAKER_00]: And I just think in these days, this day and age, we’ve all this incredible tech, you know, and it’s right across retail right now.

09:24.799 –> 09:30.029
[SPEAKER_00]: Why aren’t we using it properly to really high-per-personize those transactions?

09:30.069 –> 09:34.898
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, to really let Chloe know when a new dress does come in from a new brand, or

09:34.878 –> 09:57.240
[SPEAKER_00]: here’s offers on your favorite beverage or whatever that might be, but we should be thinking with that mindset of 30, 40 years ago, but really utilizing every tool we have at our disposal now to just bring it to a place where I do feel like I’m having a proper interaction with the brand again, not transactional, not corporate because it’s really boring.

09:57.862 –> 10:05.692
[SPEAKER_02]: And it’s mad, especially for those who are doing, you know, who’ve got the bricks and the clicks, the, you know, the quite sophisticated clicks activity going on.

10:05.712 –> 10:15.325
[SPEAKER_02]: There’s all this information you have on the customers that you could share with your store staff and have it ping up when they’re coming in for whatever reason they’re going past the checkout.

10:15.345 –> 10:16.566
[SPEAKER_02]: But yeah, it’s not happening.

10:16.707 –> 10:25.438
[SPEAKER_02]: And it seems such a simple and straightforward, you know, a men’s to make when you’ve, when you’re

10:25.418 –> 10:29.645
[SPEAKER_02]: Alright, now I’m going to whip you through these because I know we’ve got six of these to get go through.

10:29.745 –> 10:32.269
[SPEAKER_02]: So what’s the next thing?

10:32.369 –> 10:34.212
[SPEAKER_02]: We’ve done, we’ve created our destination.

10:34.272 –> 10:37.537
[SPEAKER_02]: We’re sharing that data so we can create those more human connections.

10:37.597 –> 10:38.518
[SPEAKER_02]: What else can we be doing?

10:38.959 –> 10:40.601
[SPEAKER_00]: So the next one is the biggie for me.

10:40.762 –> 10:43.686
[SPEAKER_00]: I obviously work in retail education and I work as a retail trainer.

10:43.726 –> 10:45.008
[SPEAKER_00]: So it would be remiss me.

10:45.429 –> 10:46.470
[SPEAKER_00]: Not to talk about training.

10:46.571 –> 10:50.076
[SPEAKER_00]: Training is so important nowadays, especially in our physical stores.

10:50.056 –> 10:54.481
[SPEAKER_00]: It is simple things like building confidence, it’s about building communication skills.

10:54.521 –> 11:01.048
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, this is like retail 101, but I think they’re layering on top of that, it’s sales training.

11:01.408 –> 11:06.474
[SPEAKER_00]: So not big pushy and harsh, gentle, emotional, you know, having empathy.

11:06.935 –> 11:19.168
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s all these kind of quiet selling skills was actually seem to have gone out the window over the last 10 years in retail, but I think it’s really important, you know, whether it’s demonstrating products, talking about them, telling an origin story.

11:19.148 –> 11:23.733
[SPEAKER_00]: There’s so many retailers out there, especially if they’re in the come space that then open stores.

11:24.314 –> 11:28.880
[SPEAKER_00]: We need to be able to, you know, I said at the beginning, in Ticep people in, but let’s talk to them.

11:28.960 –> 11:31.383
[SPEAKER_00]: So training really helps and support here.

11:31.403 –> 11:33.886
[SPEAKER_00]: And that’s the big one I’m seeing over the last couple of years.

11:33.926 –> 11:38.551
[SPEAKER_00]: I’m being enticed into kind of retailers and brands to help them support them.

11:38.571 –> 11:41.615
[SPEAKER_00]: They build beautiful stores, but it’s not quite working.

11:41.635 –> 11:44.278
[SPEAKER_00]: And for me, it’s the training aspect that’s missing.

11:44.596 –> 11:47.641
[SPEAKER_02]: and it’s so not a once and dad element the training is it.

11:47.662 –> 11:51.789
[SPEAKER_02]: It’s like I’m sure many companies are great when they open a store, you know.

11:52.069 –> 12:02.368
[SPEAKER_02]: Well we’ve got a whole new team, well to tell about the company and tell them about the products, but as soon as somebody new comes on board, none of that happens, so it really is that kind of evergreen ongoing training activities, isn’t it?

12:02.602 –> 12:08.647
[SPEAKER_00]: It has to be, and I really saw a change in that last year, lots of big brands were coming to me.

12:08.787 –> 12:13.371
[SPEAKER_00]: For that exact reason and going, okay, this store has been open a couple years now, can we revisit?

12:13.792 –> 12:21.699
[SPEAKER_00]: Or they’re already booking it in like they’re making that commitment to their people saying, we’ll do this to refresher, and it can be a real fun, interactive refresher.

12:22.079 –> 12:32.608
[SPEAKER_00]: Some of Esher’s only take an hour, but again, we keep in key messages, key values front of mind, and of course our customer’s seeing it, and it’s coming through the

12:32.588 –> 12:34.672
[SPEAKER_02]: We love a win-win, what’s next?

12:35.473 –> 12:38.298
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, this is going to be a little bit controversial, but I’m going to say it.

12:38.879 –> 12:41.704
[SPEAKER_00]: Making every store a content studio.

12:42.105 –> 12:47.975
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, don’t come at me for this, but I think for me it is about that social engagement.

12:48.275 –> 12:50.479
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s also the behind-the-scenes stuff, like…

12:50.459 –> 12:59.680
[SPEAKER_00]: Customers are nosey, I certainly am, so seeing a little bit more about what’s going on in physical stores with your team and again this is really important.

12:59.700 –> 13:06.055
[SPEAKER_00]: We hear Grace Andrews an awful lot talk about in polo-e-e kind of content creation and brand experiences.

13:06.035 –> 13:13.466
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, I think it brings an emotional connection and it’s a really lovely way of a brand or a retailer showing exactly who they are.

13:13.827 –> 13:19.836
[SPEAKER_00]: So whether it’s product launches, whether it’s TikTok lives, it’s just bringing that connection from your physical store.

13:20.357 –> 13:27.908
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, into the palm of someone’s hand if it’s their mobile phone they’re using, but it’s just a really nice way to kind of continue building that engagement.

13:28.462 –> 13:32.230
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think for anyone who’s thinking we couldn’t possibly let our store team do that.

13:32.610 –> 13:35.676
[SPEAKER_02]: Let’s refer back to Melissa’s previous point about training.

13:35.696 –> 13:46.538
[SPEAKER_02]: If you’ve trained them, and they understand the business and the business values, then your halfway towards them being able to become a content studio, because they already know the foundational stuff, don’t they?

13:46.973 –> 13:51.618
[SPEAKER_00]: And I think that’s so true, but also they’re the people that talk to your customers every day.

13:51.638 –> 13:53.781
[SPEAKER_00]: I don’t care that the chat box does.

13:53.801 –> 13:56.644
[SPEAKER_00]: These are real people that meet the needs of your customers every day.

13:56.684 –> 14:02.531
[SPEAKER_00]: Nobody knows your customer or how they utilize your product better than the people in your physical stores.

14:02.591 –> 14:06.555
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we need to trust them and use them and awful lot more.

14:06.856 –> 14:14.044
[SPEAKER_00]: But also isn’t it gorgeous that me as a customer sitting at home is seeing a TikTok creation or even a video recorded on your website.

14:14.024 –> 14:30.801
[SPEAKER_00]: that’s come from someone you know and recognize like again there’s a really nice emotional correction there and we know that on this country day to say you know if we build that emotional connection we tend to stay long you know loyal for longer and again there’s money to be made there what’s our number five

14:31.135 –> 14:33.520
[SPEAKER_00]: Number five, removing friction.

14:33.781 –> 14:36.025
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, that sounds really, really boring, Chloe.

14:36.106 –> 14:41.657
[SPEAKER_00]: I know it does, but look, whether it’s paying, whether it’s returned, whether it’s even navigation.

14:41.697 –> 14:49.754
[SPEAKER_00]: How many times have you been stuck in a queue or you’re going to have to return or they’re making you jump through hoops for returns?

14:49.815 –> 14:50.055
[SPEAKER_00]: So,

14:50.035 –> 14:56.202
[SPEAKER_00]: again I think we need to have a little bit of respect for our customer and we need to take away those barriers or that friction.

14:56.843 –> 15:03.711
[SPEAKER_00]: Like in this day and age with all the incredible tech that we have, like we don’t make people queue when we’re online, why aren’t we doing it in store?

15:04.071 –> 15:07.375
[SPEAKER_00]: Why are we making them queue in one single file for one till operator?

15:07.936 –> 15:13.141
[SPEAKER_00]: I was in Svora in New York, I’m banging this drum for New York at the moment apologies but it’s so fresh in my mind.

15:13.602 –> 15:17.106
[SPEAKER_00]: I was in a queue Saturday morning in Svora and

15:17.086 –> 15:22.855
[SPEAKER_00]: The queue was pretty long, but really savvy, well-trained staff of course, sudden pulling some of us out.

15:22.895 –> 15:27.202
[SPEAKER_00]: If we were paying by hard, they literally took us side, didn’t have to go to the till point.

15:27.542 –> 15:35.955
[SPEAKER_00]: They took this magic little gizmo out of their back pocket and hey, Presto, you know, they ran it through there and then they eye could tap away and I was gone.

15:35.935 –> 15:37.558
[SPEAKER_00]: like it was just seamless.

15:37.638 –> 15:48.035
[SPEAKER_00]: So there’s plenty of tech out there that really does help us return goods, pay for staff, look for a bigger size, a different colour, whatever it might be, we should be using this.

15:48.195 –> 15:57.370
[SPEAKER_00]: As you said really, in every aspect of the business now, we’ve got to remove the friction, you know, shopping and a physical store should be easy in 2026 and it’s still not.

15:57.940 –> 16:12.813
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, a removing friction is I don’t think you can ever say that too many times in any scenario where you’re trying to sell to people because it’s it’s just a not it’s a nightmare for getting conversions where there’s real world electronic or contracts absolutely nightmare.

16:13.294 –> 16:15.379
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, our sixth and final one.

16:15.920 –> 16:16.962
[SPEAKER_02]: Melissa, what is it?

16:17.178 –> 16:25.350
[SPEAKER_00]: This almost starts to bring different aspects of retail together because my sticks kind of idea is about giving each store a clear job.

16:25.370 –> 16:34.503
[SPEAKER_00]: So obviously in the days and age now of Ecommerce and a lot of stores being used almost as warehouses which discuss me I have to say I don’t want to see boxes on the floor.

16:34.683 –> 16:37.347
[SPEAKER_00]: I don’t want to see a store just piled high for that crap.

16:37.327 –> 16:48.000
[SPEAKER_00]: So, do we need to have specific stores as fulfilment hubs, maybe some then more like your flagships as experienced centres or gorgeous kind of wow moments?

16:48.521 –> 16:52.406
[SPEAKER_00]: Do we need to have stores that are for like repair services?

16:52.526 –> 16:55.509
[SPEAKER_00]: So again, are we bringing that circularity into play?

16:56.010 –> 17:02.558
[SPEAKER_00]: Are there then different stores because of maybe their location that are community or event spaces,

17:02.538 –> 17:08.111
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, and then if you’ve got some that could even be like that whole tribe before your buys and maybe we’ve got more fitting rooms.

17:08.151 –> 17:09.875
[SPEAKER_00]: So what are we want?

17:10.056 –> 17:14.025
[SPEAKER_00]: Because realistically, I think gone of the days where your retail store can be all things to all people.

17:14.366 –> 17:19.939
[SPEAKER_00]: Because we’ve gone for smaller formats, remember, with a lot of retail stores over the last few years, because it suits the needs of the customer.

17:19.919 –> 17:21.561
[SPEAKER_00]: So what are we trying to do?

17:21.761 –> 17:26.707
[SPEAKER_00]: So instead of being everything, can we really start to hone in on what we’re amazing at?

17:27.108 –> 17:29.110
[SPEAKER_00]: And then shout about that.

17:29.150 –> 17:33.435
[SPEAKER_00]: Because I think this is really where staff then understand what’s needed of them.

17:33.475 –> 17:36.899
[SPEAKER_00]: The customer really gets the kind of the messaging.

17:37.300 –> 17:39.502
[SPEAKER_00]: And I almost think the retailer’s happier as well.

17:39.522 –> 17:41.725
[SPEAKER_00]: But they’ve got to make that decision to start with.

17:42.262 –> 17:44.164
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you can’t just let it evolve, can you?

17:44.224 –> 17:46.367
[SPEAKER_02]: It needs to be defined.

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[SPEAKER_02]: This is what we want, this is where we need to go.

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[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, that’s our six for increasing physical store sales in 2026.

17:52.954 –> 18:00.923
[SPEAKER_02]: Now, you’ve mentioned NRF and New York a couple of times, and I feel it would be very remiss of me to ask what we or take away is from the event.

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[SPEAKER_02]: What were the big trends you could see coming?

18:03.266 –> 18:05.468
[SPEAKER_02]: What were the big things you took from that this year?

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[SPEAKER_00]: I think we haven’t spoken about it at all.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Follow it off.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it was everywhere.

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[SPEAKER_00]: A genetic AI was being shouted from the rooftops.

18:16.482 –> 18:17.103
[SPEAKER_00]: Of course it was.

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[SPEAKER_00]: But actually, I think what frustrated me and pair in mind 41,000 people, Expo Hall was enormous.

18:24.554 –> 18:27.198
[SPEAKER_00]: I obviously didn’t get to see everything or hear every session.

18:27.779 –> 18:34.408
[SPEAKER_00]: I genuinely felt that we haven’t moved on much more from last year’s show, which I know is going to annoy a lot of people again.

18:34.388 –> 18:48.609
[SPEAKER_00]: Hey, I’m calling it as I saw it at the time, that yes, agentecai was the kind of the new buzz phrase last year, and it was fascinating to see it across all aspects of retail, whether it was checkout, whether it was search, whether it was payment, all of that stuff.

18:48.969 –> 18:51.553
[SPEAKER_00]: But this year, I kind of just felt it was more of the same.

18:51.533 –> 18:59.645
[SPEAKER_00]: So it will be really nice to see this being embedded in our retail stores now, see what’s really working for retailists, seeing all the really good use cases.

19:00.046 –> 19:03.090
[SPEAKER_00]: So that was the one thing, because again, we have everyone has to mention AI.

19:03.410 –> 19:08.979
[SPEAKER_00]: But I think the really good message coming out of the whole show for me was this community aspect.

19:09.079 –> 19:18.773
[SPEAKER_00]: So whether that’s Ben Francis from Jim Shark, talking about how amazing obviously he’s built as phenomenal community, whether that’s online or in person.

19:18.753 –> 19:36.347
[SPEAKER_00]: Everyone seems to be talking about this community, so it’s great that our values have almost gone back to that simplistic aspect of retail, bringing people on board, whether it’s our teams, our colleagues, whether it’s the customer, but also we’re really trying now to build a long-term value-based kind of shopper.

19:36.928 –> 19:38.972
[SPEAKER_00]: I suppose influence.

19:38.952 –> 19:42.996
[SPEAKER_00]: that we want, we don’t want to want to done anymore because I think for too long it’s been transactional.

19:43.016 –> 19:51.205
[SPEAKER_00]: So I’m loving this idea that retails gone back on a little old school and this is where we want to drive our businesses and our brands forward.

19:51.506 –> 19:57.212
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, past 2026 is building this kind of legacy community idea when it comes to retail.

19:59.835 –> 20:04.820
[SPEAKER_01]: Ecommerce Masterplan is supported by some of the greatest companies in the Ecommerce sector.

20:04.840 –> 20:06.462
[SPEAKER_01]: Here’s a reminder of who they are.

20:12.601 –> 20:14.885
[SPEAKER_01]: It’s time for the top tips round.

20:17.549 –> 20:22.918
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, I love this section because it gives me and our listeners some really quick ideas for taking our businesses to the next level.

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[SPEAKER_02]: So Melissa, are you ready for the top tips?

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[SPEAKER_02]: Let’s do it!

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[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, the book top tip.

20:28.167 –> 20:35.419
[SPEAKER_02]: If everyone listening to this podcast agreed to take Friday off and read a book to make their business better, which book would you recommend?

20:35.602 –> 20:42.419
[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, because I talk a lot, there was definitely not going to be just one, and having come back from New York with two books in my suitcase.

20:42.439 –> 20:43.702
[SPEAKER_00]: I’m going to give them both a shout out.

20:44.063 –> 20:46.630
[SPEAKER_00]: The first one is AI for retail success.

20:47.071 –> 20:50.860
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s the second book from Linda Johans James and Sharon Ghee.

20:51.282 –> 20:52.665
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is the shop of versions.

20:52.645 –> 21:08.344
[SPEAKER_00]: So with this one’s talking all about how shoppers can use AI to shop smarter, save money and time, and that’s on the back of their initial book, AI for retail success, which was for the retailer, brilliant books, really easy to read, and I mean that a good way, really practical too.

21:08.404 –> 21:09.145
[SPEAKER_00]: So that’s number one.

21:09.746 –> 21:15.733
[SPEAKER_00]: This second book I came back from New York with is the material life by Lisa Amlani,

21:15.713 –> 21:26.011
[SPEAKER_00]: So, I’m mindful neither of these are e-commerce, or marketers, books, but again, it really gives a good deep dive into different aspects and processes of retail.

21:26.031 –> 21:31.921
[SPEAKER_00]: So, a great book from Lisa there, second one from her, and then last kind of 18 months, and the first one was a great read to you.

21:31.941 –> 21:35.106
[SPEAKER_00]: So, that’s two books from me for your Friday reading.

21:35.086 –> 21:35.827
[SPEAKER_02]: Love it.

21:36.327 –> 21:41.694
[SPEAKER_02]: The traffic topped it, which marketing method do either prize above all others or think doesn’t get the press it deserves.

21:42.414 –> 21:52.666
[SPEAKER_00]: Now you can tell I’m not a marketing here, but actually one thing that I’m I swear by right now, showing up and showing up in person, nothing for me, whether it’s a retailer brand.

21:52.686 –> 22:04.620
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you’re if you work for retailer and you’re showing up and stage around event, certainly for me, going to things, talking to people, making that emotional

22:04.600 –> 22:07.049
[SPEAKER_00]: people you meet, but also you see it back in store.

22:07.109 –> 22:14.475
[SPEAKER_00]: So if I’m telling my retailers to get the staff to show up and be empathetic and listen, I need to do it too.

22:14.945 –> 22:21.555
[SPEAKER_02]: I actually, just to back you up on that one completely, I had a we had an interview a couple of few weeks back.

22:21.695 –> 22:22.796
[SPEAKER_02]: I will mention it every one at the end.

22:22.816 –> 22:35.755
[SPEAKER_02]: I’ll look up the number and let you all know about it when we get to the end with Hillary who runs a fashion boutique in the North of England and one of her marketing strategies is going and doing talks at all the local WIs.

22:35.735 –> 22:36.456
[SPEAKER_02]: Love it.

22:36.476 –> 22:43.184
[SPEAKER_02]: Get out there, meet the people, get them to build, start building that emotional collection so it totally can work in retail as well.

22:43.264 –> 22:44.206
[SPEAKER_02]: So I love that.

22:44.566 –> 22:46.428
[SPEAKER_02]: That definitely counts as a traffic top tip.

22:47.129 –> 22:57.422
[SPEAKER_02]: The tall top tip, maybe a collaboration tool, a social media plug-in, a phone-up or just a way of working, is there a cool little tool you use that makes you and your team and more efficient from day to day?

22:57.402 –> 23:06.218
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, you know, it’s January and I am genuinely feeling very refreshed and very sparky about 236 because this is not a cool tool at all, Chloe.

23:06.238 –> 23:07.159
[SPEAKER_00]: So forgive me for this one.

23:07.740 –> 23:08.502
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s sleep.

23:09.143 –> 23:18.820
[SPEAKER_00]: Like everybody listening knows how chaotic and crazy and amazing this industry can be, but oh my goodness, it can be completely overwhelming.

23:18.800 –> 23:22.609
[SPEAKER_00]: So for me, that’s like my secret tip that I am trying to almost.

23:23.130 –> 23:34.716
[SPEAKER_00]: I’m saying it out loud, I feel, because I want to keep telling myself and reminding myself, but it is sweet, because I think that’s the foundation of everything we do, whether it’s in this industry or beyond, and I’m planning it’s really helping.

23:37.008 –> 23:50.226
[SPEAKER_02]: I sleep can never be mentioned enough as a good thing to do, and I think so often when you’re running new businesses or in the thick of a peak season or something, then sleep can end up on the back burner.

23:50.306 –> 23:56.935
[SPEAKER_02]: And if you’re at NRF, the amount of stuff that goes on, I suspect there is actually 24-hour days stuff going on, should you want to do it?

23:57.055 –> 23:59.438
[SPEAKER_02]: So, totally love the sleep.

23:59.418 –> 24:09.876
[SPEAKER_00]: part of me wants to admit that those 18, 19 hour days nearly killed me and having four hours sleep was horrific, but I think that’s why I appreciate sleep even more, having come back and having recovered.

24:10.377 –> 24:20.734
[SPEAKER_00]: Now I do, I think, for business generally and again, I run my own business technically, like, without, I’m useless or apologies to anyone out there who meets me in the day where I’ve had four hours sleep because I am, I’m not used to anyone.

24:21.085 –> 24:23.589
[SPEAKER_02]: Yep, I’m the same sleep pass to come first.

24:23.789 –> 24:24.791
[SPEAKER_02]: Good quality sleep.

24:25.231 –> 24:26.874
[SPEAKER_02]: All right, the carbon top tip.

24:26.974 –> 24:31.341
[SPEAKER_02]: What’s your favorite way to reduce the carbon footprint of an e-commerce or retail store?

24:32.002 –> 24:33.584
[SPEAKER_00]: You know what, this is a really interesting one.

24:33.604 –> 24:40.575
[SPEAKER_00]: So from a shoppers perspective, I genuinely applaud those tiny, tiny packages that are now appearing.

24:40.875 –> 24:43.920
[SPEAKER_00]: God are the days of the big boxes or even the big brand of boxes.

24:43.900 –> 24:58.421
[SPEAKER_00]: I do not care as a shopper what something arrives to my house or my office in, so I love the fact that we’re getting much saviour about less packaging, that we’re getting saviour about not branding the hilt out of everything.

24:58.721 –> 25:00.945
[SPEAKER_00]: I don’t think the outside of the box really matters to me.

25:01.065 –> 25:04.069
[SPEAKER_00]: Once there’s something inside that reminds me where I’ve got it from or whatever,

25:04.049 –> 25:05.230
[SPEAKER_00]: But that’s what I love.

25:05.311 –> 25:14.442
[SPEAKER_00]: I think those retailers and e-commerce brands that are being really clever now with tiny tiny little packages or a reusing boxes that they’ve got from something else, bring it on.

25:14.502 –> 25:25.315
[SPEAKER_00]: I want to see more of that in 2026 because I think that’s a really small way of kind of I suppose reducing wastage and it’s something for me as a shopper, I genuinely love to see.

25:25.531 –> 25:28.115
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, one of the best ways you can go about doing it too.

25:28.135 –> 25:28.757
[SPEAKER_02]: So, I love that.

25:28.897 –> 25:29.598
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you, Melissa.

25:29.678 –> 25:35.308
[SPEAKER_02]: Now, before we say goodbye for those who are going, I need to speak to Melissa about my retail business.

25:35.889 –> 25:39.275
[SPEAKER_02]: Where can they find you and your business on the web and social media?

25:39.816 –> 25:44.704
[SPEAKER_00]: So, I suppose the easiest way, as most of us are there right now, it’s Melissa Moore on LinkedIn.

25:44.684 –> 25:46.987
[SPEAKER_00]: Do please feel free to DM me there.

25:47.428 –> 25:50.111
[SPEAKER_00]: The website, this is quite ironic, Chloe, and you’re probably going to come with this.

25:50.371 –> 25:52.874
[SPEAKER_00]: It’s currently having a rebound, which is really exciting.

25:53.555 –> 25:57.440
[SPEAKER_00]: So it’s slightly back up and running, so that’s the retail advisor.ie.

25:57.861 –> 26:01.606
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I’m based in the West of Ireland at the moment, so hence the.ie.

26:02.026 –> 26:10.557
[SPEAKER_00]: You can of course listen to the retail tea break podcast, which I’d upload, if you’re doing, across all all podcast platforms, much like yourself, Chloe.

26:10.537 –> 26:16.424
[SPEAKER_00]: And, of course, then you can find me on Instagram under the Retail Advisor or the Retail T-Brip podcast.

26:16.444 –> 26:17.746
[SPEAKER_00]: So, you’ll find me anywhere.

26:18.046 –> 26:19.308
[SPEAKER_00]: Anywhere at all.

26:19.328 –> 26:19.788
[SPEAKER_02]: Awesome.

26:19.808 –> 26:27.778
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, this is, thank you so much for coming on and sharing what it’s going to take to make a retail business super successful in 2026 and your takeaways from NRF.

26:27.818 –> 26:29.160
[SPEAKER_02]: So, thank you so much for being on the show.

26:29.821 –> 26:30.942
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for having me, Goi.

26:36.794 –> 26:47.305
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, then there’s your retail road map sorted for this year, great to get Melissa’s thoughts on NRF as well kind of hot off the press.

26:47.345 –> 27:01.080
[SPEAKER_02]: We recorded this just at the end of January, so any about a week and a half after NRF, so very hot off the press thoughts there from her and those six key points that she ran through for growing your

27:01.060 –> 27:04.245
[SPEAKER_02]: retail store, your physical retail store sales in 2026.

27:04.625 –> 27:07.229
[SPEAKER_02]: First of all, turning your store into a destination.

27:07.329 –> 27:09.913
[SPEAKER_02]: How can you create a reason for customers to come in?

27:10.754 –> 27:18.765
[SPEAKER_02]: Secondly, use data to create a more human interaction experience, third training and including the all-important

27:18.745 –> 27:36.180
[SPEAKER_02]: actually teaching your team how to sell sounds remarkable really isn’t really important to do that for content studios can your store become a content studio number five remove friction will forever be a top priority in the world of retail and online retail.

27:36.160 –> 27:39.385
[SPEAKER_02]: And number six, give each store a clear job.

27:39.545 –> 27:42.970
[SPEAKER_02]: What is the role of that store in your larger business plans?

27:43.130 –> 27:49.039
[SPEAKER_02]: And as well as around through those various obvious options, you’ve got going on there at the moment with how retails currently evolving.

27:49.480 –> 27:56.770
[SPEAKER_02]: You can get your hands on the notes from this episode, including the top tips and links to what we mentioned by heading over to e-commercemasterplanned.com.

27:57.311 –> 28:05.543
[SPEAKER_02]: You can use our direct episode short link that’s ECMP.Info4 was actually the number of this episode, and that will take you straight to the correct page on the site.

28:05.523 –> 28:07.165
[SPEAKER_02]: And when you get to the website, go on.

28:07.446 –> 28:08.607
[SPEAKER_02]: Put yourself on our email list.

28:08.627 –> 28:09.388
[SPEAKER_02]: You won’t regret it.

28:10.149 –> 28:18.361
[SPEAKER_02]: And I mentioned that I would, I mentioned in one of the top tips about an episode that we recorded that I thought really built on Melissa’s point.

28:18.881 –> 28:27.573
[SPEAKER_02]: It’s episode 574, which is all about how one fashion boutique manages their retail and online stores and my guess for that is Hilary Lodge.

28:27.934 –> 28:34.483
[SPEAKER_02]: And she shares a lot of great insights and advice in that one and it really does build on what

28:34.463 –> 28:42.271
[SPEAKER_02]: You can also find all our what would you do, episodes at ECMP.info forward slash WWYD.

28:43.052 –> 28:49.958
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you so much for tuning into this one and into every episode that you do of the e-commerce master plan podcast.

28:50.018 –> 28:59.728
[SPEAKER_02]: We bring you a new into every week because we want to inspire and help you to succeed and thrive with your businesses, including progressing along the path to net zero.

28:59.708 –> 29:05.795
[SPEAKER_02]: So, if you know someone this show can help, please tell them to listen to the e-commerce master plan podcast.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Hope you have a great week, and don’t forget to keep optimizing.