🎙️New Episodes with Pacsun CEO and Nobody's Child Founder
Also check out Intuit Mailchimp's new global e-commerce report
Hello from sunny San Francisco! ☀️ Have an exciting few days planned here on the West Coast… but more on that next time!
Have you seen Intuit Mailchimp’s latest report?
It’s called The New E-Commerce Calendar and it’s a fantastic guide to help retailers navigate new and emerging moments throughout the year. Here are a few of my contributions/takeaways from the report:
🫶 Over 75% of the new e-commerce calendar consists of moments that aren’t led by retail or price promotions. This isn’t just about shifting product. From Black Business Week to Autism Awareness Month, retailers have the opportunity to really tailor experiences and activations to their audience, building more meaningful connections with shoppers.
😵💫 Don’t try to be everywhere and everything. If you’re jumping on the bandwagon, customers will just see right through it and that can be instantly damaging to your brand.
📩 Promotion fatigue: shoppers today are inundated with offers and messages. 39% of shoppers feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of sales and deals available. Prioritize the moments that are most aligned with your brand and customer values – and do it authentically.
🛍️ Don’t forget to think locally. Singles Day, for example, is the biggest shopping event in the world, but it hasn’t really taken off in the UK or the US because it falls on Armistice Day in the UK and Veterans Day in the US. Retailers are understandably reticent about partaking in a huge shopping event on a day of remembrance. It’s crucial to consider these market nuances.
Did you make it to the World Retail Congress?
If not, let me bring it to you. Fellow retail expert Andrew Busby and I recorded a WRC takeaways episode and I also had the privilege of sitting down with Brieane Olson, CEO of PACSUN.
Brieane and I discussed:
Staying culturally relevant: how Pacsun transitioned from a “house of brands” in malls to a purpose-driven, culture-first youth brand.
Are Gen Z and Gen Alpha brand loyal? What are the misconceptions of these digitally native generations?
The power of co-creation: how Paris Hilton and A$AP Rocky are helping Pacsun to position their stores as culture and community hubs.
Physical retail: why is Pacsun opening 75 new stores in the US and what are the opportunities globally?
Social commerce: As an early adopter, how is Pacsun reaching shoppers on TikTok and China’s Douyin?
Women in retail: as the first female CEO of Pacsun, does Brieane think the industry has made sufficient progress?
Not a one-trick pony: hear from Nobody’s Child Founder
Andrew Xeni, Founder and Chairman of Nobody’s Child, also recently joined me on the podcast.
He tells me all about the evolution of Nobody's Child, an M&S-backed fashion brand known for its commitment to affordability and sustainability. He shares insights on the brand's transition from pure-play e-commerce to physical retail and the importance of product diversification and brand elevation in order to achieve profitable growth.
“We don't want to be in three or four locations in every town. That is not our strategy. I do believe there is a balance to be struck between accessibility, desirability, and the way that you set your stall out.” – Andrew Xeni, Founder of Nobody’s Child, on moving into bricks & mortar retail
We also get Andrew’s views on sustainability – how it’s being embedded into the organization and how other retailers should respond to growing demands for circularity. And we discuss digital product passports. Andrew has been a real trailblazer here through his other venture, Fabacus, and soon every Nobody’s Child product will have a digital product passport!
📣 Sign up to hear me speak at the definitive e-commerce loyalty event, Loyalty Connect 2025, on June 10th. It’s virtual! Register here.
Great insights!