Category: Retail

fate of department stores

Where Did You Go, Department Stores?

Posted on | by Catherine Seeds

For this month’s audio blog, Ketner Group CEO and president Catherine Seeds explores department stores, including their glory days, challenging years and innovative futures. Watch the video or read the transcript below!

Hello, and welcome to another installment of our KG audio blog series! I’m Catherine Seeds, president and CEO of Ketner Group. Thanks for listening! In this blog, we are talking about department stores – the good, the bad and the future of these retail OGs.

I am showing my age a bit, but I have many fond memories of the department store shopping experience growing up in Lubbock, Texas. The South Plains mall housed the go-to classics like JCPenney and Sears. I remember going with my mom in the 80s to the customer service desk at JCPenney to turn in our catalog order for the back to school clothes I had so carefully picked out. 

Or, when my parents could splurge, we’d go to Dillard’s! I remember one specific shopping trip at Dillard’s where my mom treated me to a pair of Girbauds jeans and a GUESS shirt. I thought I was on top of the world as I walked out of that department store , ready to show off my new outfit.

But, oh my, how times have changed. Gone are the days when department stores ruled the retail world.

The Fall of Retail Giants

As CNN’s Chris Isidore wrote earlier this year, “Department store were once the giants of American retail. Macy’s, Sears, and JC Penney offered a selection of products and convenience for shoppers that reshaped how and where Americans bought everything they needed for their homes, from clothing to appliances to toys to electronics.”

Now, the department store landscape is a ghost of its former self, complete with store closures. Or worse – open stores with little inspiration to entice shoppers to spend their hard-earned money. (More on inspiration in a bit!)

According to Bain & Company, North American department store retail groups have reported their “sales have declined at a compound annual rate of 6% from 2018 to 2023.” This is in addition to the acceleration of the 5% revenue erosion that department stores have suffered annually in the previous five years. 

The decline of department stores wasn’t an overnight occurrence. It was a gradual sinking due to several factors: competition from big box retailers like Walmart and Target, the inevitable shift to online shopping, and of course inflation side-effects which has shrunk the middle class, forcing them to become more cost-conscience. 

But the fault can’t be entirely blamed on these external factors. Department stores have had to look inward and admit that they too have culpability in their fate. I remember as a kid and then as a teenager the excitement I had going into a department store – especially during the holidays. There was so much to see and take in! The smells of the perfume counter, the beautiful apparel and shoes on display, helpful employees and other customers that were just as excited to be there as I was. 

Now, as Bloomingdale’s chief executive, Olivier Bron said in a recent Business of Fashion article, “We’ve lost the element of inspiration over the last 30 years.”

The Comeback Kids

Not all is doom and gloom for departments stores. Sure, Kmart just closed its last full store in Long Island and JCPenney continues to close its physical stores, but there is a resurgence in the making at several other department store favorites. 

Coming back to the point of inspiration, Bron (Bloomingdale’s chief executive) also said that department stores do not have to reinvent themselves to survive, but “they do need to give customers a more exciting experience and to be better partners to brands.” Reading between the lines here: department stores must wipe the dust off their shelves and get back to what shoppers loved about the store in the first place. 

Bron went on to explain Bloomingdale’s growth strategy, aptly titled “Dream Big” which includes things like customizing stores to specific markets, investing more in vendor relationships and taking risks on smaller brands

If we look at Macy’s, although they recently reported the closure of 150 stores by 2027, it’s part of the retailer’s restructuring plan. According to Macy’s, “this strategy allows the department store to adapt to the fast growth in online shopping and the ever-evolving consumer retail behavior.”

Excite the Mind!

American retail magnate and founder of Selfridge’s, Harry Selfridge, once said “Excite the mind and hand will reach for the pocket.” When I think of my own memories of shopping at department stores, this quote certainly fits.  

The writing is certainly not on the wall for department stores, but it is up to their executives and board to ensure that these retail giants do not go quietly into the night. They must focus on things like bringing back inspiration and excitement through innovation, more personalized customer service and a better assortment of inventory. 

It doesn’t hurt to draw inspiration (there’s that magic word again!) from other retailers either. Look at Dick’s Sporting Goods and their focus on the experiential store, complete with immersive attractions such as a climbing wall, a batting cage and a putting green.

Another example is Primark, a fast-fashion retailer founded in Ireland, with a department store feel, has been making its “mark” in the US and bringing energy back to shopping malls. 

The department store has a storied history in the echelons of retail, and even though shoppers today have higher expectations and choices when it comes shopping, I believe that history is crucial to its future success. The opportunity is right in front of department stores, they just need make the commitment to bring back the joy and excitement for customers, old and new.

Thanks for joining me today. Let’s keep the conversation going! 

Get in touch today to find out how our retail expertise can help drive brand awareness and support your marketing goals. 

spatial computing in retail

Spatial Computing – The Next Big Thing in Retai?

Posted on | by Catherine Seeds

In her latest audio blog, our president and CEO shares the latest trend in retail tech.

Transcript of “Spatial Computing” audio blog:

Hello! It’s been a minute since we’ve recorded one of our KG audio blogs, but I am glad to be back and excited you have joined me today! I’m Catherine Seeds, president and CEO of Ketner Group.

Today, we are taking a closer look at the exciting world of spatial computing.

Before we dig in to see how retailers and brands are using this technology, let’s level set on what exactly it is.

According to the very smart folks at PC Magazine, spatial computing is a technology that enables computers to blend in with the physical world in a natural and seamless way. Not to be confused with a similar technology, augmented reality, which is a digital layer that augments reality by laying on top of it. 

To explain further, TechTarget defines spatial computing as a technology that “mirrors how we interact with virtual objects in the real world. For a human using spatial computing, the technology would ‘translate the two-dimensional images that they see into a 3D model of the world, make sense of objects in the world and then direct their hands to act.’”

The potential for spatial computing in retail is significant, especially with the launch of Apple’s Vision Pro and the forthcoming Google Glass. According to Brainy Insights, the U.S. market size for spatial computing will grow from 108.9 billion in 2023 to 815.2 billion by 2033. 

To further my point, McKinsey named immersive-reality technologies one of the top technology trends of the year, estimating that the “metaverse could generate up to $4 trillion to $5 trillion in value across consumer and enterprise use cases by 2030.”

So, let’s dive in and explore a few use cases on this amazing technology.

A new vehicle for product discovery and shopper interaction

In February of this year, e.l.f. Cosmetics announced one of the first beauty shopping apps for Apple Vision Pro, aptly named “your best e.l.f.” The app was created in partnership with the brilliant team at Obsess. In their blog discussing the project with e.l.f., Obsess describes the app as a way for shoppers to deepen their relationship with the brand through immersive exploration and branded games.

In the visionOS shopping app, users can participate in activities like guided meditations, stretching exercises and a “Paint by Numbers” game. With spatial computing, users can also “unwind and explore the best versions of themselves through playful, inspirational environments that contextualize an assortment of 3D e.l.f. products.”

Changing the game for all things virtual

Another first in the industry is J.Crew’s virtual closet app on Apple Vision Pro. Also powered by spatial computing, the app is an immersive shopping platform (see the trend here?) which gives shoppers the opportunity to shop J.Crew products in a 3D environment. With the app, users can:

  • Use intuitive hand and eye movements to browse a selection of J.Crew items
  • Mix and match pieces to create an ideal outfit for any occasion
  • See how the outfits look on their personal in-app mannequin. 

What is even more amazing about the app is the SharePlay FaceTime feature, which again, allows for shared experiences for a shopper. The app uses a digital twin of a person, complete with subtle facial expressions and gestures, that allow them to do 1:1 video calls with a J.Crew expert stylist or group video chats with friends and family to get feedback in real time! 

According to Halsey Anderson, VP of Marketing at J.Crew. “We’re particularly excited for our J.Crew stylists to use Apple Vision Pro to work with customers in a more dynamic way than ever before, via SharePlay in FaceTime. This incredible technology, combined with our rich brand heritage of best-in-class service, will provide endless styling capabilities.”

Ready to go shopping, anyone?

No turning back when it comes to immersive technologies

For those of us earning our living in the world of retail, we know that as technology evolves, so do the expectations and shopping behaviors of consumers. Just like mobile commerce or the online shopping beast that is Amazon has quickly become a part of the retail zeitgeist, so too will spatial computing. 

The possibilities for this immersive technology are endless. I mean, check out what the team at Augmodo is doing in the grocery space! With spatial computing, they can

create a 3D “Realogram” for each store, aka, a digital twin or map of that store, and everything in it.

As the team at Combeenation puts it, spatial computing “could become a mass phenomenon and fundamentally change the way we shop.” Personally, I’m excited to see which retailers and brands step up to the plate next. All the data and experts tell us that spatial computing is here to stay, and I agree!

Thanks for joining me today. Let’s keep the conversation going! 

Get in touch today to find out how our retail expertise can help drive brand awareness and support your marketing goals. 

ai retail tech pr

AI and Retail Tech PR: Three Things to Remember

Posted on | by Jeff Ketner

It’s hard to believe that today’s AI revolution started only 18+ months ago. That’s when OpenAI publicly released ChatGPT, forever changing the technology landscape by fueling an exponential wave of technology innovation.

We’ve seen firsthand the impact of AI in retail technology. NRF 2024 could easily have been rebranded “NRFAI,” as AI was everywhere and anywhere. But now there’s been a shift in emphasis about AI, which is moving from the “what” of AI (what it is and how it works) to the “so what” (what does it mean for your business?).

In terms of AI’s impact on the retail industry, our friends at IHL Group, a retail research and advisory firm, have done an excellent job of quantifying the financial benefits.

IHL has estimated that the top 200 publicly traded North American retailers and restaurants could see $1.5 trillion in additional financial impact from AI through 2029, with Amazon and Walmart alone accounting for more than a third of that. The firm’s “Retail AI Readiness Index” noted that nearly half of that will be created by generative AI.

Those are mind-boggling numbers. However, the “big picture” view of AI in retail is only part of the story. What’s needed now are stories about the real-world results and ROI of AI implementations. As IHL president/chief AI officer Greg Buzek says, “How are retailers really using it, with case study examples?”

That’s where we come in, as PR storytellers. However, given the unprecedented hype around AI, it’s important to keep these three things in mind when developing your PR strategy.

1. Skip the PR-speak about AI

Eliminate the buzzwords when you’re pitching editors. Most of them are burned out from AI fatigue, as this recent article from Fast Company makes clear. It’s worth quoting at length here:

“We are officially reaching the phase in the tech cycle where a new technology (in this case, artificial intelligence) goes from truly wondrous to truly annoying. Every organization now seems to be using it—or the idea of it—to ride the hype wave to achieve attention, clicks, or, you know, just a few more customers. And it’s starting to annoy the hell out of me.

“I can’t tell you how many pitches I receive from some poor comms person who is forced to proudly exclaim in the first sentence ‘We’re an AI-first company.’ Yeah, you and everyone else since, oh, early 2023.”

As the writer goes on to say, all the noise around AI can obscure the innovative work being done by the technology companies that are truly at the forefront of AI. These are the stories that the industry needs to hear.

2. Remember the media needs real-world AI stories

Exciting AI stories are quickly emerging. The industry’s largest retailers, grocers, restaurants and brands are actively sharing their own AI successes.

A recent Chain Store Age article detailed AI innovations in personalization from Best Buy (personalized mobile promotions), Reebok (personalized products) and leading regional grocers that have implemented personalized discounts, including Northeast Grocery, which uses an AI analytics, personalization and customer engagement platform from our client Birdzi.

While the largest tech vendors may dominate the headlines, some of the most innovative AI solutions for retailers are from earlier-stage technology companies.

These technology vendors have built AI platforms and solutions from the ground up (our client Digital Wave Technology is a prime example), rather than simply adding generative AI solutions to a legacy product portfolio.

The work these companies are doing is truly newsworthy.

3. Keep PR front and center in your marketing strategy

A recent Digiday article detailed how marketers are shifting the budgets away from pure performance marketing to focus more on brand building, including earned media. That’s where PR comes in.

There are unique challenges for PR agencies in telling AI stories. Some retailers and brands may be reluctant to disclose how they’re using AI solutions, as they consider it a competitive advantage. There’s an incredible amount of noise to cut through. Editors are bombarded with AI pitches, as we’ve noted earlier.

Yet there are plenty of opportunities to get your message across: thought leadership content, bylined articles, media pitching, recognition through industry awards, industry events and more, always amplifying your earned media wins through social media and marketing.

These are among the many PR tactics the Ketner Group team uses to get the word out for our clients, and it works.

AI innovation is moving at an extraordinary pace, creating plenty of opportunities for creative storytelling that explains the real benefits of AI. Make sure your company is part of those stories!

Why PR Meetings Should Be Part of Your Trade Show Strategy

Posted on | by Jeff Ketner

Trade shows are one of the best opportunities for retail tech vendors to meet with clients and prospects face to face.

Whether it’s an initial meeting or a chance to move a prospective client further along the sales pipeline, in-person meetings are invaluable. And since key events such as NRF, Shoptalk, FMI Midwinter and others happen early in the year, the success of these meetings can help set the tone for the rest of the year.

However, there is another key audience to consider for trade shows: the media who attend these events. As a PR agency, we work closely with editors and reporters to cover client news and industry perspectives, and what they write helps influence our clients’ prospective customers. As a result, we always look for good opportunities for our clients to meet with media during conferences and trade shows.

Tech companies are often reluctant to participate in press meetings during busy trade shows; after all, their #1 objective is sales (and rightfully so!). However, here are four reasons why media briefings should be part of your trade show strategy.

1. Amplify your news

PR-savvy companies recognize that industry events are prime opportunities to make news announcements. As we’ve shared before, press releases announcing customer wins, new products or original research can create buzz, help drive booth traffic, and lead to media coverage during and after the show.

Meeting with editors and reporters to brief them on your news will greatly increase the opportunities to be included in influential articles. And if you don’t have news to share, use press meetings as an opportunity to share your viewpoints on industry trends, conduct background briefings for future stories and build relationships.

2. Influence the influencers

When you meet with editors and reporters, it’s an opportunity to help “influence the influencers.” The earned media that’s generated through PR provides a valuable source of reliable information for your prospective customers. In an age of mass disinformation, credible, trusted news media are more important than ever.

We’ve seen many instances where articles in leading publications have resulted in new prospects and customer wins for our clients; press meetings at trade shows will help support your sales efforts.

Don’t overlook analysts when planning your meetings at industry events. Analysts issue highly influential reports on technology vendors, and it’s important for them to know about your company in order to understand the vendor landscape.

Analysts are important players in major sales cycles; retailers seek out analysts when deciding on technology direction and vendor short lists, and analysts are frequently consulted when companies are considering mergers and acquisitions.

3. Discover new opportunities

Not surprisingly, most of our communications with editors take place via email and occasional phone calls or Zoom meetings; the journalists we work with are scattered throughout North America and worldwide. Given the nature of our virtual world, it’s hard to overstate the importance of in-person meetings; they present a rare opportunity to make an in-person connection.

Even a short meeting at a trade show can provide an opportunity to learn about new stories a reporter is working on, and the topics and trends they’re especially interested in. You can learn about upcoming industry analyst reports, too, and arrange in-depth analyst briefings after the event.

In-person meetings are opportunities for you to share your opinions on industry trends, challenges and opportunities. Technology vendors are an important source of information about the direction of our industry, and trade show meetings provide a chance to provide your perspectives.

4. Develop long-term, valuable relationships

As editors get to know technology vendors, good things start to happen. They can begin to understand your company’s area of expertise and recognize you as a valuable resource for future articles – which in turn leads to more press coverage. As a PR agency, we see it happen continually, when we get inbound media requests to speak to one of our clients for a story.

In-person meetings also nurture the “relationship” aspect of public relations. We get to know one another as unique individuals, which leads to better relationships and in many cases, lifelong friendships. And that makes business–and life –a lot more enjoyable and rewarding.

Jamie Grill-Goodman

Talking Retail Trends, Journalism and Children’s Books with Jamie Grill-Goodman

Posted on | by Catherine Seeds

Well, this was a fun one, folks! I recently had the chance to visit with the talented Jamie Grill-Goodman, editor in chief of RIS News. As editor in chief, Jamie is among the ranks of amazing journalists and retail tech thought-leaders who previously held this post, such as Joe Skorupa and the late Dennis Eskow. She has been with the RIS News brand since 2015. 

In this fun chat, we talked about her journey to the publication, why she likes writing about in-store technologies and her love of the library and children’s books.

Following are some excerpts from our conversation. Enjoy!

Tell me about your path to retail tech journalism.

I have a degree in journalism and creative writing from Rowan University. The truth is that I’ve always loved writing! Long before I began to focus on retail tech, I started at a consumer magazine called Unique Homes and then transitioned into children’s book publishing. 

In 2009, I started working for Private Label Magazine, which was my entry into the retail consumer goods field. Phil Russo, the publisher, became a great mentor during my tenure at the publication and taught me so much about the consumer goods space. I went on to work for another private label magazine for a few years but, in 2015, I made the move to Consumer Goods Technology and RIS News.

What is it about the retail tech industry that you enjoy so much?

When I had my initial interviews with Private Label Magazine, they asked me if I liked to shop in stores. I’d always wanted to be a travel writer, so of course I said yes! Working for that publication gave me a unique opportunity to do a ton of store visits, so I really started paying attention to the experience shoppers were having in the store. 

The physical store has always interested me, especially when it comes to localization or personalization efforts. The store itself is almost its own travel experience, especially destination shops. 

I love retail tech because it’s always changing. It never gets boring. For context, when I started at RIS News eight years ago, my kids were babies and there was no curbside pickup! And now, 63% of retailers that we (RIS News) surveyed are up to date with curbside pickup. It’s just so crazy how fast the industry adopts things and how fast the technology itself evolves.

As a retail journalist, what do you use as inspiration for writing your stories, and how do you stay up to date on the latest trends?

I am always looking at the wires for breaking news, and of course I have a lot of Google alerts set to monitor key terms or trends. I also like to read other publications. But so much of my inspiration comes from just talking to a lot of people! We talk to retail tech vendors to get first-hand accounts of what their retail end users are seeing.

We also have an editorial council which meets a few times a year. They’re great at telling us about the things keeping them up at night and helping us direct our coverage. I also learn so much through our people profiles and hear more about what they are working on, what’s trending in the industry and what changes are really happening in retail tech.

I have to say, also, that women in retail tech always inspire me. Stay tuned for our 8thannual women in retail tech feature later this year.

What do you look for when deciding on which story or trend you want to write? What gets you pumped to write a particular story?

In general, it’s always better if we can talk to the people who have been working with the technology. We love doing case studies with retailers, especially if we can profile someone who’s had the technology in place for six months.

This allows us to go deeper and find out how the technology was implemented, what issues they have had, how they overcame them and what could be done differently next time. Our readers really want to hear the realities of these technology implementations, even if those are not so picture-perfect.

What retail technologies are you most excited about or interested in these days?

I think you can’t ignore Gen AI, but I’m most interested in it for both retail technology and how it’s going to impact journalism. I think it’s interesting to see what use cases there are for AI and how people are dipping their toes into this technology.

For in-store tech, I love anything that the customer is using! I’m really interested in smart carts, smart mirrors, sample vending machines and new instant checkout options – basically anything where the customers are touching the technology. I always get excited and want to learn more about where these in-store technologies are being implemented. 

At industry events, how do you like to divvy up your time? What are the main priorities for you at these events? 

Certainly, NRF is the big one for us, and we put out a huge report on it every year.  For NRF, it is very formulaic in terms of how our editorial team plans for the event. Our schedules are mapped out to the minute every year. We meet several times before the show to assign sessions and floor coverage. We then use the extra time that we have left to meet with vendors and talk to them about what they’re seeing.

For other industry events, we generally try to identify the sessions that we think are the most interesting, and as we have time, will set up meetings with vendors.

We do have our own events, such as Analytics Unite in May, but it is the same formula of having every minute accounted for during those shows. The best conversations come during the networking time when we’re not covering sessions.  

I would say when it comes to meeting with retail tech vendors at industry events, the biggest thing we want to hear is if you are announcing something new at the show. That will get our attention to want to meet and find out more about the announcement, especially if it is a partnership with a retailer. 

At Ketner Group, we are in the business of PR and working with journalists like yourself. Can you share how PR professionals can provide you with the info you need to generate stories?

The biggest thing for me is just know that my audience is retail tech executives, and making sure that the pitches or announcements have some kind of tech associated with it.

The best pitches I get are when the person sending it to me knows my audience and knows what we do. It’s always helpful to pull out a few bullet points to tell me what exactly about the pitch is going to resonate with my audience.

I receive an overwhelming number of emails, over a hundred every day, so concise pitches help me to quickly determine if it is important for me to read. In short, I need to be able to see that the pitch or news is tech related and if there is a retailer involved.

When it comes to pitches that we may not use right away but identify that it may be a good resource for the future, we will share it with the other editors so that everyone has access to it when the time is right. As an editorial team, we are constantly sharing things that look interesting and then work to boil down what we’re really going to cover. 

What are you reading right now?

My kids are 7 and 9, so most of the books I’m reading these days are children’s books! The best one I’ve read most recently was “Maddie’s Fridge” (you can check it out on Storyline Online). But I do still love the library. I love taking out a stack of books and hoping that I’ll get to them!

The library route is great because you have a deadline, and I do well with deadlines! I recently checked out “Beach Read” by Emily Henry and “National Dish” by Anya von Bremzen. 

2024 retail tech trends

AI Upended the Retail Tech Landscape in 2023. What’s Ahead in 2024?

Posted on | by Jeff Ketner

AI’s breakthrough year in 2023 was the retail technology equivalent of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour – a once-in-a-generation event that changes everything.

If Swiftmania is the biggest musical sensation since The Beatles, then Generative AI is easily the most revolutionary technology since the iPhone. AI is quickly becoming a pervasive technology, dividing the timeline for tech advancements into “before” and “after” AI.

AI will dominate the 2024 retail tech industry

Dan Berthiume, senior technology editor of Chain Store Age, summed up the impact of AI in a recent Q&A with Ketner Group: “AI is the most dominant technology I’ve seen in the last 15 years. It will be an important component in every technology system and every part of the enterprise, and like mobile and omnichannel commerce, it will be a constant feature (not just in retail) and will just be assumed.”

It’s a safe bet that AI will be the #1 tech topic at next week’s NRF 2024. And while AI will continue to dominate the retail technology landscape 2024, the conversations have shifted from the technology itself to all the different ways that AI impacts retail: from product creation to assortment planning, forecasting, supply chain management, pricing, PIM, marketing and every other area of the complex retail ecosystem.

Along the way, we’re also starting to see some data emerge about the financial impact of AI in retail. Last month our friends at IHL Group released their Retail AI Readiness Profiles that measure the potential financial impact that AI can bring to retailers and restaurant chains.

As always, IHL quantified its findings with an impressive real-world analogy: according to IHL, Macy’s alone could see $7.5B in business gains from AI in the next 5 years.

What are some of the AI-driven tech trends to watch for in 2024? Here are just a few of the things we’re tracking; they’re just a small sampling of all the ways that AI will impact retail in 2024.

Personalization continues to get more personal

Retail is moving from personalization to hyper-personalization, delivering shopping experiences that “dazzle each shopper at scale,” according to Adobe’s annual research report, 2023 Digital Trends: Retail in Focus.

Currently, only 16% of retailers can personalize experiences based on customers’ interaction history, while only 9% provide personalized experiences based on shopper intent. There’s massive room for improvement, and AI is the critical technology that makes this possible.

AI helps combat retail’s labor shortage

Employee turnover in retail reached record highs in 2023, but a combination of AI, robotics, computer vision and other technologies can help retailers offset the impact of labor shortages by automating routine tasks.

For example, autonomous inventory robots can provide 24×7 inventory updates and help retailers keep their shelves stocked, reducing out-of-stocks and increasing sales.

Retail supply chains become more resilient with AI

One of the biggest technology lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic was that retail supply chains weren’t resilient enough to handle sudden supply chain shocks, from factory closings to rapid changes in consumer demand and the need for new fulfillment models.

AI is quickly helping change that. A recent Business Insider article notes, “Robots are helping fulfillment-center workers sort through large volumes of products, artificial intelligence is predicting the most energy-efficient delivery routes, and modern data-collection and analysis methods are helping retail stores optimize stock management. Retail-technology experts say that without these innovations, supply chains would struggle to function in the face of fast-changing customer expectations and turbulent economic times.”

Retail tech spending will increase in 2024

The examples above are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI innovation in retail. And given the furious pace of AI innovation, it’s no surprise that Gartner predicts that 57% of retailers plan to spend more on software in 2024.

AI will certainly be a major driver in this trend, especially as retailers look at AI’s tremendous financial upside (IHL estimates that the overall economic impact for the top 212 North American retailers and restaurants will be $1.5 trillion for the next 5 years).

Ketner Group is fortunate to have a number of clients that are on the forefront of AI innovation, and we’re looking forward to exciting press announcements at next week’s NRF Show.

2024 will be a pivotal year for AI in retail technology, and Ketner Group clients will be a big part of the story!

Looking to make an impact with PR in 2024? The Ketner Group team would love to connect! Download our Retail Tech PR Handbook to learn more about our best-practice approach to retail technology PR or schedule some time with us!

interview dan, chain store age

Getting the Inside Scoop With Dan Berthiaume, Retail Expert and Senior Editor of Technology

Posted on | by Catherine Seeds

I think we can all agree that the retail tech industry is extremely lucky to have so many wonderful experts and content creators!

You may recall that I recently sat down with our friend Barbara Thau to get her take on industry trends and tips for PR folks.

For my next chat, I sat down with Dan Berthiaume, senior editor of technology for Chain Store Age to discuss all things AI, why he loves retail tech and his love of music.

Following are some excerpts from our conversation. Enjoy!

Tell me about your path to retail tech journalism.

I was an English major in college and knew that I wanted to do something that involved writing. I got my start as a small town reporter, working for a few weekly newspapers in the Metro West Boston area.

After a few years I felt like I’d taken small town journalism as far as I could, so I started looking around and found Retail Systems Alert Group, which was one of the biggest retail tech publishers at the time.

I joined as associate editor for the newsletter, and, as it turns out, joined at an interesting time for the retail industry! We were literally writing articles about why you should sell products online. At that point, the big “buzzword” was cannibalization – specifically around the concern that a sale made online was a sale taken away from a store.

In those years, I rose through the ranks and saw an enormous amount of change: the early days and struggles of Amazon, ecommerce turning into omni-channel, the rise of RFID, and of course mobile commerce.

After Retail Systems Alert Group closed its doors, I spent time as a freelance editor before joining Chain Store Age 2013 as their technology editor. I left Chain Store Age for a few years to work for a retail industry software company but rejoined the team at Chain Store Age again in 2019.

What is it about this industry that you enjoy so much?

Well to start, it is a very exciting place to be! To outsiders, you might think retail is just putting stuff on the “shelf” and selling it. But there is so much that goes into selling products.

There are things like merchandising, marketing, and managing the supply chain that come into play. It’s such a complicated process for what seems like a simple thing to the customer.

As well, there’s so much innovation in retail, and I think a lot of the top tech people, who wouldn’t have thought about working for a retailer 20 years ago, are now working in retail. It’s impressive how far the industry has come.

And it’s not just general retail that is innovating, the CPG side of things has really come into its own, too. When I started out in the industry in the late 90s, if a CPG company had their own promotion, they wouldn’t even tell the retailer about it. The backend communication just wasn’t there.

Now, technology is enabling real-time communication between all the partners in the extended supply chain. Overall collaboration has improved, thanks in large part to technology.

As retail journalist, what do you use an inspiration for writing your stories? How do you stay up-to-date on latest trends?

I’m very active online, so I’m always checking the news wires, different retailer websites and the leading business news sites. I also receive a ton of pitches from PR professionals like you all at Ketner Group!

Of course, industry events like NRF give me a good sense of what’s happening and what the big trends are. I also conduct a lot of Q&As with industry experts and retail practitioners, which I love doing.

The thing that is most important to me is to focus on writing content that I find interesting and exciting, because it is my hope that the reader will also find it equally as interesting!

I also try to take inspiration from my past writing as a sportswriter as well as my published short fiction writing to make my retail tech articles as lively as possible.

What retail technologies are you most excited about right now?

Well clearly AI has stolen the show!

The last time I saw a technology so overwhelmingly dominate the landscape was probably the emergence of smartphones. And before that, in the early 2000s, when suddenly people realized e-commerce was a necessary component to their retail strategy.

AI is the most dominant technology I’ve seen in the last 15 years. It will be an important component in every technology system and every part of the enterprise, and like mobile and omnichannel commerce, it will be a constant feature (not just in retail) and will just be assumed. 

Aside from AI, we are still waiting to see what is going to happen with blockchain and the Metaverse. We are also still waiting to see how social media will develop as a retail channel, and how AI will affect that. As I just said, AI is inevitable and is bound to play a major role in how retailers promote and sell products on their social media platforms.

Looking into your crystal ball – what do you think retailers will be focused on in 2024?

I think that the global supply chain is still heavily disrupted from the lingering effects of the pandemic, an increase in severe weather events and sadly from the instability in different parts of the world.

AI can provide a lot of assistance in the backend when it comes to trying to predict what are inherently unpredictable events. With machine learning, retailers can take data from all these disruptive events and have a better sense of how to react both in the moment and longer term. Additionally, they can use AI and machine learning to get a better sense of how to find alternate routes in the supply chain.  

I also think that retailers will be applying AI to help with labor issues, as there are just not enough associates in the store. What’s interesting is that retailers can use AI not simply to save money on labor or to reallocate labor, but literally to fill in the gaps where their employees just aren’t there. This could include implementing technology like inventory tracking robots and RFID-based product tracking.

What are you reading or listening to right now?

The last book I read was not a retail tech book at all! It’s a memoir called, “Searching for the Sound” by Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead.

If I read off hours, I sometimes like to read something that just reflects my personal interest. I love The Grateful Dead and I love music in general. I have been a freelance music journalist, so I’m always interested in the stories, lifestyles and the “behind the scenes” of musicians.

Because I read so much about retail tech during the day, I often like to read something different at night!

nrf 2024 public relations

5 Things To Do Now To Prepare for NRF

Posted on | by Jeff Ketner

I’m writing this blog during the hottest summer on record, and like you, I’m dreaming of cooler weather, football season, the holidays and….

….NRF! The first email for NRF ’24 hit my inbox Aug. 8, and my first reaction was “whaaaat!?” But after 30+ years in retail tech PR, the timing makes sense. After all, now is the time to begin planning your NRF communications strategy, and we’re already starting to work with clients on this.

PR success at NRF can put a vendor in the spotlight and support the sales pipeline in a big way.

As a retail technology vendor, what can you do now to get ready for the Big Show? Here are five brief recommendations for PR success at retail’s most important event.

1. Include PR in your planning

The checklist for NRF is a long one, from booth planning to event logistics, products, sales meetings, marketing support, customer dinners, after-hours events and much more. Don’t treat PR as an afterthought!

Start planning your NRF PR messaging and strategy now, including overarching themes, analysts to brief, potential customer announcements, new products, press announcement schedule, spokespersons (including training, if needed), media and analyst meetings during the show, on-site PR support and more.

2. Brief analysts now

Industry analysts are in high-demand during NRF. Their schedules are incredibly packed, and their paying clients are understandably first priority for in-person briefings.

Because of this, we advise clients to begin briefing key analysts and other influencers in the months leading up to NRF. Schedules are more open in the fall, and it’s an excellent time to update analysts on your company’s product roadmap, customer success and other developments. During these briefings, you can also lay the groundwork for a short meeting or product demo at NRF.

Looking for best practices? Our blog on analyst relations provides valuable insights.

3. Map out your press release strategy

Don’t save all your announcements for the show! Most vendors spend months planning their NRF announcements — why pack all your news into a three-day period? You’ll see more success by making announcements before, during and after the show.

Your company can help build momentum prior to NRF by announcing significant customer wins and other news, helping you get the attention of prospects and media prior to the show. But hold some announcements in reserve. Newsworthy announcements during NRF can create buzz, help drive booth traffic, and land your company on the post-show “best of NRF” lists.

Don’t forget to have hard copies of news releases available to share with media. Some editors receive hundreds of PR emails daily at NRF, so it’s easy for your news to get lost. After the show is a good time for announcements, too; editors’ inboxes are less crowded, your competitors won’t be making so many announcements and your news will have room to breathe.

What if you don’t have announcements? You can still highlight recent data reports, predictions and industry trends that you’re seeing. Your company’s perspectives may shed light on some of the big issues in retail and technology. Don’t hesitate to share them, and be sure to make ongoing PR a key part of your marketing strategy throughout 2024.

4. Plan your media and analyst outreach

Timeframes for media, analyst and influencer outreach can vary widely. In general, start your analyst outreach early, as some analysts will book their NRF calendars several months in advance. Keep in mind, too, that these will be relatively short meetings, which is why it’s important to do in-depth briefings in the fall.

We typically start media outreach for our clients when the first NRF media list is available, usually mid-to-late November. Keep in mind, editors, analysts and other influencers will be attending NRF keynotes and other general sessions, so their availability to meet with vendors may be limited.

5. Show kindness and respect

A mentor of mine once said to treat editors like your best customers. And if there’s one time each year when editors and analysts especially deserve extra consideration, it’s during NRF.

Offer them a comfortable place to sit (their feet will be aching!), bottled water or other refreshments, and realize they may be exhausted from packed schedules and talking to dozens of vendors. Find out in advance what they’d like to focus on during the meeting and be sure to address their expectations. If an editor is accompanied by a sales rep, be sure to give them equal time, too.  Be concise, realizing that you may only have 20 minutes before they head to the next meeting.

Bonus tip: prepare to enjoy free beer!

Our Ketner Group team has gained a lot of insight about NRF during the 20+ years we’ve been attending, and it’s always fun to share advice about retail’s biggest event. The checklist above is by no means exhaustive, but it will help get you off to a good start. And as always, contact us if you’d like to talk about PR planning for NRF.

Here’s one last tip: when I asked Dan Ochwat, our senior content specialist and former retail editor, what always got his attention at NRF, his answer was simple: “free beer!” So if you’re looking for the icing on the cake from NRF PR (or the frost on the mug), that may be just the answer.

And with that, let’s all raise a glass to a successful NRF in 2024. Cheers!

barbara thau co-

Talking Shop with Barbara Thau, Retail Influencer and Editorial Director of Features

Posted on | by Catherine Seeds

In a fast-paced news world, journalists continue to rely on reputable and interesting story resources from PR professionals. That is why it is important to know and understand as much about the media we are working with as we can.

Over the years, the Ketner Group team has been lucky to work with so many talented media professionals in the retail and consumer technology space.

One of those is Barbara Thau, editorial director of features for CO— by U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Barbara has more than 25 years of experience covering the retail and consumer industries and is consistently named as a top retail influencer.

I recently had a chance to visit with Barbara about her take on the latest retail trends, how she selects her stories and her tips for PR professionals.

Following are some excerpts from our conversation. Enjoy!

Tell me about your path to retail and consumer journalism. What is it about these industries that you enjoy so much?

To be honest, I stumbled into the world of retail and consumer journalism.

I answered an ad in the New York Times for a research assistant for a publication called Housewares Executive. I had been writing prior to the job, but it gave me the opportunity to cover the big brands and retailers in the housewares industry. As well, it was an introduction to the world of trade publication reporting, which was so interesting to me!  I really enjoyed covering business from the consumer economy standpoint.

Years later I realized that my boss and the publisher there, Gerry Vander Schauw, was a key mentor to me: His keen, no-marketing-spin-allowed expertise on the retail industry was from both the retail and supplier perspectives. Absorbing that foundation of knowledge starting out covering retail proved invaluable to me. He was super tough, but he also believed in me.

Retail is so fascinating because it’s not just about the store and the products, but it’s about how we live, how we shop, how we work, how we think, and all the things that play into that. I like how retail is at the intersection of beauty, fashion, consumer electronics, hospitality, and even mental health.

Retail is a business that is rich and ever-changing. There’s always the through line between the consumer and the larger macro, socio-economic trends. What’s not to love about it?

As a retail journalist, what do you use an inspiration for writing your stories and how do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends?

Even though I’m the editorial director of features at CO—, I still write as often as I can. In terms of inspiration, conversations with people in the industry is at the top of my list. There’s nothing that can replace it. I make a point to go to industry conferences to meet with people and attend sessions to get the information I need on the larger business trends.

Of course, I read a ton, too. A few of the sources that stand out to me include CB Insights and eMarketer. As well, I spend a lot of time reading the old school trade publications and newsletters such as Women’s Wear Daily and the Industry Dive publications, and top business publications like the Wall Street Journal. 

I also like to spend time with companies before we even talk about doing a story. I like to ask what’s top of mind for them these days, what’s being over-reported and what’s keeping them up at night.

There is so much power in questions and these conversations often give me inspiration for future stories.

I know you write, assign and edit a lot of articles focused on retail executives – what do you look for when deciding on who to spotlight for these pieces?

At CO—, our sweet spot for the feature coverage are the startups that are scaling meaningfully and making an impact in the market, as well as the legacy Fortune 500 companies. We are always looking to cover the disruptors and the disrupted.

For example, we recently covered Sharon Chuter, the founder of UOMA Beauty. Sharon has made a quietly important move into the beauty space. As we reported it, “Chuter’s commitment, 20-hour workdays and a no-time-for-performative-diversity ethos” landed the startup as the most inclusive Black-owned beauty brand. UOMA is now on the shelves at Walmart, Ulta and Nordstrom.

I also look at the trends, and what companies are meaningfully changing shopping behavior. For example, there is a huge trend in the buy-now-pay-later space, so companies like Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm are interesting to me.

What I look for are the executives behind technology companies, brands and retailers who are really moving the needle.

What retail and/or consumer technologies are you most excited about or interested in these days?

I have to say that in terms of the tech that excites me, it is less so about the bells and whistles and more about the new platforms that democratize the playing field.

What we are seeing now is an overarching trend of emerging platforms, like Walmart Business and Google for Small Business that allow smaller companies to scale.

I am also excited about the potential for generative AI right now, especially for small retail and consumer businesses. It is going to allow them to use the technology to quickly and cost-effectively create content that is akin to what a large marketing team would do in bigger company.

And even for big retail brands, generative AI brings a new level of convenience to help with content creation for ad copy and more. It will be very interesting to see where the technology is going to go. There is obviously going to be some fascinating level of a playing field, but time will only tell.

Can you share how PR professionals like our team at Ketner Group can provide you the information you need to generate stories?

My answer is not going to sound very glamorous, but it is really all about the basics.

I appreciate when the PR person really knows their client’s business and knows how that specific company ties into bigger industry trends. I get a lot of generative AI pitches these days. It is clear which PR professionals understand our coverage and the “je ne sais quoi” of our publication and how this specific technology applies, and which ones that don’t.

I love when PR pitches clearly communicate their sweet spot and then match that up with a unique fact or forward-thinking insight. Pitches that include meaningless and glittering generalities don’t land very well.

I also can’t overly communicate the importance of couching pitches within the larger consumer or retail context of the landscape and why that trend is important. And I appreciate when I clearly understand what the return on investment is to the consumer or the retailer from a company’s strategy. To me, those are the best pitches. 

What are you reading right now?

I love that question!

I am reading a book called “Max Perkins: Editor of Genius” by A. Scott Berg and I love it! It is focused on the renowned editor, Max Perkins, who shepherded the editorial growth of Thomas Wolfe, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tennessee Williams and many more. He was the one that brought so many famous books to life. It is a wonderful time capsule into the world of editing.

I highly recommend it for PR professionals, too!

domain diaries

Domain Diaries: My Day With In-Store Technologies

Posted on | by Catherine Seeds

In her latest audio blog, our president and CEO recaps some of the cool in-store technologies at the Domain shopping center in Austin, TX.

Transcript of “Domain Diaries” audio blog:

It’s times like this that I really love my job. In preparation for this audio blog, I recently spent some time cruising around the Domain, the landmark mixed-use retail development and current home to the Ketner Group Austin offices, to find the latest and greatest in-store technologies and experiences. I may have done a bit of retail therapy, too.

You may remember our founder, Jeff Ketner’s, blog about the Domain last April. So, we thought it would be fun to revisit our favorite shopping digs in the ATX to see the impact that technology has on the shopping experience. 

I’m happy to say that the Domain did not disappoint! 

While we could certainly write an eBook on the growing innovation with in-store technologies, as there are so many to choose from, today we take quick look at three different experiences:

1. Amazon/Whole Foods palm payment

First introduced in 2020 and expanded to over 60 locations in 2022, the Amazon “One” palm scanner payment technology offers a contactless way for Whole Foods shoppers to checkout and pay faster. And all via a shopper’s palm.

I had not signed up for the service but was able to do so in less than a minute at one of the store’s checkout lanes. All I had to do was provide the form of payment I wanted to use for the purchase. Then, as Amazon describes, “using a process of proprietary imaging and computer vision algorithms” the palm reader was able to quickly capture and encrypt the images of both of my palms. 

Now, any time I make a purchase at Whole Foods, all I need to do is hover my hand over the scanner to complete the transaction. Very convenient.

But, as you can imagine, the in-store technology is not without controversy. More convenient shopping often means giving up more personal data, which means more privacy concerns. 

Back in 2021, a group of U.S. senators had concerns about the palm-scanning technology. In an open letter to Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy, the senators said, “In contrast with biometric systems like Apple’s Face ID and Touch ID or Samsung Pass, which store biometric information on a user’s device, Amazon One reportedly uploads biometric information to the cloud, raising unique security risks.”

Of note, more retailers and restaurants are making the move to contactless palm payments, including Panera Bread and Starbucks. 

2. Reformation magic fitting rooms

I must admit, this was my first time shopping at a Reformation store, and I’m definitely a fan now.

The shop is a showroom concept, with one of each item on the floor and touchscreens available to find my size.

As I mentioned in my subscription box blog, I am a big fan of apparel stores with curated, easy-to-find items, as opposed to going through racks and racks of clothes. I was in heaven.

On this visit, the store wasn’t busy at all, so one of the staff members was able to help me right away. I picked out two dresses to try on and within a few minutes, my two dresses in the right size were ready in the magic fitting room in the magic wardrobe. 

This is where the fun began!

The Reformation dressing room comes with a touchscreen iPad, allowing me to search and request another size or style. Once I did that, a new item magically appears in the wardrobe! The dressing room also has customizable lighting, ranging from cool to hot. 

As Reformation describes it, the showroom concept allows them to “gather customer insights, and therefore better forecast inventory and plan based on what is actually desired. This allows us to deliver exactly what customers want on a localized level.”

What’s more, it also allows the retailer’s in-store staff to have a “strong direct connection with our shoppers” and “build a more tailored relationship with them, delivering only insights that feel most relevant.”

3. Kiehl’s healthy skin consultation

I rounded out my in-store technologies walkabout at the Kiehl’s store, which I have shopped at frequently, but had never taken advantage of its in-store skin consultations. 

I was on the hunt for a new skin serum. After looking through a few options, the store associate (aka Skin Pro) offered to do a hydration test using the retailer’s skin reader technology via a sleek wand.

Within seconds, she could tell me the hydration levels and firmness of my skin. This helped me to find the perfect skin serum. I also found a better moisturizer to complement my new serum.

Kiehl’s does offer more in-depth skin analysis that helps customers identify areas of strength and concerns to target such as fine lines and wrinkles, visible pores, and eye area concerns.

I will be back to take advantage of that when I have more time. Until then, my customized serum is working like magic!

Shopping with a technology twist

I know I’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to in-store technologies, and I plan to dig in and find more as time (and my credit card) allows.

I’d love to hear about any cool in-store tech you’ve seen recently! 

The Ketner Group team loves to talk retail! Give us a shout to learn how our retail expertise can help elevate brand awareness and support your marketing goals.