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Multichannel retail, ecommerce and digital business - interviews, analysis and discussion with Ian Jindal and InternetRetailing
Episodes
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Tony Preedy is a bit of a legend at Etail Towers and has one of the most rounded and in-depth knowledge of e-commerce performance (brand, digital marketing, CRM and business models) that we know. Having run through Tony's CV, we focus on Fruugo - its history, operation and market position. With a blend of incisive wit and deadpan humour, Tony talks about the importance of relevance and focus at scale ("We're not a marketplace, we're a very good marketing machine"), and how a combination of AI and human care can present 140 million SKUs in 40 markets - a combinatorial challenge resulting in c6billion combinations, and serving around 1800 different ads per second. An insight from Tony is the focus on ROAS (return on advertising spend). The bid model takes price, propensity and margin to determine whether or not to bid and if so at what level. This 'anticipation' and planning means that all transactions are profitable and there's no anxiety over CPC spend rising to unprofitable levels. Tony doffs a digital cap to Claude Hopkins (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_C._Hopkins), author a century ago of "Scientific Advertising", who emphasised the importance of copywriting for relevance (and whose book was seen in the background of several Mad Men episodes!). Amongst many 'zingers' and insights, a further point of note was that 80+% of traffic comes to a product description page (PDP) - the lowest level of a site's hierarchy. Rather than being seen after a brand-first browsing and filtering journey, Tony's customers land straight at the 'here it is, buy it' level, and these pages have to carry the whole brand, product and service story. He mentions the importance of the on-page "carousels" of products to increase the number of products shown, fish for opportunity and how these carousels (rather than navigation or on-site search) then drive the browse journey. So many more things covered in our 40 minutes in the studio, and we'll update the InternetRetailing.net page with the full transcript. -- Run time: 47 minutes INFORMATION: [ 🖥️ ] Free digital copy of Scientific Advertising - https://scientificadvertising.blogspot.com/ Fruugo - https://www.fruugo.co.uk/ Fruugo awarded King's Award for Enterprise - https://channelx.world/2023/04/kings-award-for-enterprise-fruugo-marketplace/ Tony in conversation with Chris Dawson on international selling (video interview) - https://channelx.world/2023/09/introducing-specialist-retailers-to-the-international-stage/ [ 👨👧 ] Tony Preedy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonypreedy/ Georgia Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiajones1/ Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal [ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal
Tuesday Aug 01, 2023
Tuesday Aug 01, 2023
Some 'summer listening' in this episode, where we take as our theme "retailers and the arts". There's a long and illustrious history of retail professionals swapping the stores for galleries, but with our current digital dimension there's still a consumer/customer/visitor/individual connection.
In the studio today we have Ros Lawler, COO of the National Portrait Gallery, fresh from a multi-year reworking of the space, the interpretation and the visitor facilities. Widely hailed as a triumph, Ros reflects on an extremely varied career that spans music, publishing, retail and the arts - all, however with a distinctly digital and transformational flavour.
Zia's retail career has been customer-focused and digital since her time in retail, consulting, then Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason. Moving to the high end of the arts market at Hauser and Wirth, as well as engaging with an inspiring and stimulating arts group in Peckham, London (Bold Tendencies) we hear of the consistent threads throughout retail and the arts - the focus on the consumer's experience and the integrity of the product.
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Run time: 40 minutes
INFORMATION:
[ 🖥️ ]
National Portrait Gallery: https://www.npg.org.uk/
Bold Tendencies: https://boldtendencies.com/
Ros' previous visit to our studio while at Crabtree & Evelyn: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retailcraft-08-hands-made-conversation-with-made-com/id1418542382?i=1000431732461
[ 👨👧 ]
Ros Lawler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roslawler/
Zia Zareem-Slade: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziazareemslade/
Georgia Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiajones1/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Thursday Jun 22, 2023
Molly Dobson is the Managing Director of Currys Business, the B2B operation of the long-established Currys brand, that covers white goods to smart devices via outdoors electricals and gaming... basically anything with a plug or voltage! See www.currys.co.uk. Molly explodes into our studio like a positive force of nature, and takes us at a gallop through the business, the service approach, and how expertise, people, systems and great service come together into the B2B offering. We hear of Molly's career and how the data+customer obsession has been a connective line through her roles.
Molly takes us through how to balance "service with a capital and small 's'" and how to attach that service element to products. We go through the weird and wonderful and perhaps dwell for a while on pink flamingoes, yet the central core is a commitment to the business customer.
This chat changed our views on Currys and B2B.
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Run time: 40 minutes
INFORMATION:
[ 🖥️ ]
Currys Business: https://business.currys.co.uk/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/currysbusiness/
[ 👨👧 ]
Molly Dobson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollydobson/
Georgia Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiajones1/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal
Tuesday Jun 06, 2023
Tuesday Jun 06, 2023
Two fresh angles that speak to the developments in multichannel retail - changes in formats, product, audience engagement and business models.
Our first guest, Charlotte Fairbairn, talks us through the model of MyWardrobeHQ, the luxury-rental-subscription-white-label genre-defying multi-hyphenate business that's carving a new path for fashion brands in the re-commerce, circular economy.
We learn from Charlotte some of the operational and business challenges they've overcome in their journey, as well as some choice insights on what it takes to create circular commerce with your customer.
Janis Thomas of Look Fabulous Forever gives us a new look on cosmetics as she explains the brand's genesis, founded for the specific needs of older skins. We hear how a start-from-scratch tale of needs analysis, product development and market creation started with the founder, along with how the business grows its base. Along the way we delve into Janis' career and learn that nothing's new in the world of subscription commerce (or rather, that she was pioneering approaches way before we were reporting on them!).
This recording is also a welcome to the studio to Georgia Scott, my co-host from Adobe. Georgia settled immediately into the studio and we'll do a 'behind the scenes' chat with Georgia over the summer, including perhaps that our first event partnership was over a decade ago at the British Embassy in Paris... Welcome Georgia to the series!
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Run time: 52 minutes
INFORMATION:
[ 🖥️ ]
MyWardrobeHQ: https://www.mywardrobehq.com/
Look Fabulous Forever: https://www.lookfabulousforever.com/
[ 👨👧 ]
Charlotte Fairbairn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlottelingmba/
Janis Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janisthomas/
Georgia Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiajones1/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
[ 🎙️📷 ]
Recorded and engineered at Spiritland Studios, UK.
Episode photo credit: Ian Jindal ( www.instagram.com/ianjindal )
Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
In our second run-and-record session from NRF 2023 in New York in January 2023, we catch up with Mike Wallwork, Head of eCommerce at Footasylum, the fast-growing destination for sneakerheads in the UK...
From a distinct, Manchester-born DNA in 2005, the business has grown rapidly online and into 66 stores. In our conversation Mike gives us an insight into the knowledge, passion and expertise in the team that connects a very demanding and knowledgeable consumer with local yet global trends. It's clear the level of consideration, expertise and focus needed - "our teams are basically our consumer" - even between the Footasylum and (subsidiary) Sevenstore (https://www.sevenstore.com/).
We chat about their app (including in-app voting), loyalty schemes, brands, understanding the customer, engagement, how to keep the inspiration fresh while spotting up-and-coming trends, and the growth of own-brand. Not bad for 17 minutes!
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Run time: 17 minutes
INFORMATION:
[ 🖥️ ]
Footasylum: https://www.footasylum.com/
Sevenstore: https://www.sevenstore.com/
[ 👨👧 ]
Mike Wallwork: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-wallwork-2035315/
Jamie Merrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemerrick/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
[ 🎙️📷 ]
Recorded at NRF 2023 in New York and engineered at Spiritland Studios, UK.
Episode photo credit: Ian Jindal (https://www.instagram.com/ianjindal )
Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
Tuesday Apr 11, 2023
During an exceptionally busy NRF 2023 in January in New York we managed to grab some time with Gijs van Engelen, the Chief Digital Officer and member of the Board at Hunkemöller, one of the largest lingerie specialists in Europe. They have a direct site in the UK (https://www.hunkemoller.co.uk/), while also selling via retailers like Next, and a US/Global site at https://www.hunkemoller.com. Meanwhile their stores are to be seen in most town centres in northern Europe.
Jamie and I chatted with Gijs against the bustle of 40,000 retailers jostling around the Javits Centre, and we covered the brand's history, position and growth focus for 2023. Of particular note is approach to multichannel, blending store and online, and how to make each store simultaneously a flagship and a profitable endeavour. Gijs also covers the use of marketplaces as a market-entry strategy (eg Zalando in Switzerland and Asos in the UK).
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Run time: 20 minutes
INFORMATION:
[ 🖥️ ]
Hunkemöller: https://www.hunkemoller.co.uk/
[ 👨👧 ]
Gijs van Engelen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gijs-van-engelen-760582/
Jamie Merrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemerrick/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
[ 🎙️📷 ]
Recorded in New York at NRF 2023 and engineered at Spiritland Studios, UK.
Episode photo credit: Ian Jindal ( https://www.instagram.com/ianjindal )
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
With us in the studio we Kate, from Tern.eco and Mats who founded Polarn O. Pyret (PO.P) in the UK, recently amalgamated from master-franchisee to part of the global operation.
Kate Walmsley is a pioneering retail leader who has created a platform to integrate second-hand sales into a brand's offering, integrating the option to buy new, buy second-hand, within the same experience.
Mats Nilsson, of Polarn O. Pyret, the doyens of the organic cotton striped kidswear, tells us about their journey to include second-hand in their offering. We hear of the brand's quality obsession (one of the pioneers in the use of organic cotton) and their obsession with great quality, even planning unisex styles to be handed down through a family from brother to sister several times. Mats is clear that giving their cherished, high-quality clothing an extended life in a different family is simply an extension of their values.
Mats and Kate give us much to be positive about, while also reminding us that it is motivated people, allied to purposeful brands, that really drive progress. An inspiring session in the studio!
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Run time: 43 minutes
INFORMATION:
[ 🖥️ ]
Tern: https://www.tern.eco/
PO.P: https://www.polarnopyret.co.uk/ and https://www.polarnopyret.co.uk/blogs/pop-magazine/po-p-second-hand
[ 👨👧 ]
Kate Walmsley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-walmsley-573608/
Mats Nilsson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mats-nilsson-55b8931/
Jamie Merrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemerrick/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
[ 🎙️📷 ]
Recorded and engineered at Spiritland Studios, UK.
Episode photo credit: Ian Jindal (https://www.instagram.com/ianjindal )
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Joining us in the studio at the end of 2022, Jennifer North, Head of Digital Experience at Hobbycraft, gives us an eye-opening insight to the demanding, innovative craft and hobby market in the UK, and their multipronged and entrepreneurial position.
We hear about the craft customer - artists, hobbyists, businesses and the growing "sidehustle" generation of digitally-amplified creators - and how their demands and behaviours changed over the pandemic and now into 2023.
Jenny covers loyalty, subscriptions, apps, customer insight... as well as a fascinating glimpse at their customers' requirements - listen out for the hand-knitted nativity set and the laser-cut materials!
The briefest glimpse at https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/ will show the range and depth of the offering - along with a view of the triumph to present in a scaling, engaging experience.
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Run time: 33 minutes
INFORMATION:
Jennifer North: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyanorth/
Jamie Merrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemerrick/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
Recorded and engineered at Spiritland Studios, UK.
Episode photo credit: Ian Jindal (https://www.instagram.com/ianjindal )
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Tuesday Jan 31, 2023
Cocoon (https://www.cocoon.club/) is a London-based circular subscription service for bag lovers. Not just any old bags - high end, desirable handbags. They operate a membership model, where a subscription unlocks access to the collection and weekly drops to support maintain freshness and energy. The business blends luxury service, product experience, sustainable and circular business models and of course the attraction of a scale-up with an interesting digital platform.
Ian was pleased to get some time with founder and luxury expert Ceanne Fernandes-Wong and in the cosiness of the studio we learn of the business drivers, the realities of providing the service, along with Ceanne's rich experiences and reflections from a career of leadership in luxury - Net a Porter, Vestiaire Collective, Kate Spade...
There's some bonus material at the end - we had so much to cover it was hard to leave the studio!
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Run time: 44 minutes
INFORMATION:
Ceanne Fernandes-Wong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceannefernandes/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
Recorded and engineered at Spiritland Studios, UK.
Episode photo credit: Ian Jindal (https://www.instagram.com/ianjindal )
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Andy Jayes is a retail and digital veteran, and has earned that accolade given his background in BHS, House of Fraser, Selfridges, Virgin Megastores... along with covering the gamut of digital - from product and merchandising, via operations and development - to his current role as Digital Director at Fenwicks, the independently-owned, unique and quirky department store mini-chain.
There's so much to follow here - his journey from chef to chief, the positioning of Fenwicks and the sources of distinctiveness, the role of Digital Director, and how digital can transform a last-century business while retaining and using its DNA... As a result we just dived straight into the middle!
If you're not already familiar with Fenwicks then do check out their website (https://www.fenwick.co.uk/) to see the range of products and something of their history on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenwick_(department_store)) or in their own words (https://www.fenwick.co.uk/our-story.html).
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All of our podcasts now have a full transcript and notes available - check out the episode page on https://internetretailing.net/retailcraft-retail-podcasts/retailcraft-retail-podcasts
Run time: 30 minutes
INFORMATION:
Andy Jayes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-jayes-14307821/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
Recorded and engineered at Spiritland Studios, UK.
Episode photo credit: Ian Jindal (https://www.instagram.com/ianjindal )