The Retail Podcast (Video Feed)

Brick-and-Mortar CAC • Aesop’s $2.5B Playbook • Digital-First Meets Store Staff • Cross-Border Marketplaces • The Post-Purchase Power Move

Customer-acquisition costs exploded online. Smart brands are responding with bricks, data—and a dash of theatre.
 
⚡️ What we tackle in 20 minutes
Physical retail as the new CAC – DTC brands discover rent can be cheaper than Meta ads when the store becomes a stage.

Aesop’s $2.5 billion masterclass – From Melbourne to 400 boutiques, every location is bespoke, scented, and digitally wired for replenishment.

Digital-first, store-second – Love, Bonito show why in-store staff now behave like consultants, not cashiers.

Cross-border marketplaces – Shopee, Amazon AU, Trade Me and Afterpay’s “shop day” rewrite payments, language, and trust across ASEAN.

Post-purchase power moves – Hand-written notes, sticker packs, friction-free returns. Retention is the real growth engine—and AI search will only raise the stakes.

00:00 Intro – heatwaves, cold snaps, and one crisp Sydney morning
01:05 Topic 1 – Physical stores as customer-acquisition engines
03:20 Topic 2 – Aesop: $2.5 B valuation built on scent & signature design
06:36 Topic 3 – Digital-heritage brands opening doors (Love, Bonito, Temple & Webster)
10:39 Topic 4 – Region-level marketplaces: Shopee, Amazon AU, Trade Me, Afterpay
15:07 Topic 5 – Post-purchase, returns, and the loyalty multiplier
Retailers & platforms in play
Aesop • L’Oréal • Love, Bonito • Temple & Webster • Amazon • eBay • Shopee • Afterpay • Trade Me • Kingfisher/B&Q • JD Sports • HP • Perplexity AI
 
Hosts
Alex Rezvan – Founder, The Retail Podcast, decoding global retail shifts.

Ryf Quail – Leads NRF APAC, guiding brands across Asia-Pacific.

Laura Doonin – Tech strategist turning omnichannel ambition into reality.

 
Liked the conversation? Hit follow, drop a five-star review, and share it with a teammate who still thinks “online first” is a plan.

Asia’s Five-Element Edge • Australia’s IT Surge • 8-Minute Delivery • Meta’s AI Ad Rules • The Hybrid Consumer

Retail evolves faster than it’s ever moved. This week Alex, Ryf, and Laura unpack five forces reshaping the industry—and the brands proving each point.
Asia’s five-element advantage – Emotional value, community identity, nighttime escapes, immersive art, smart-health choices. Gentle Monster, LVMH, Hermès, Burberry, and Lefty’s show why experience beats merchandise.
Australia’s IT breakout moment – A fresh fiscal year releases frozen budgets, pushing tech projects back to the top of the agenda. Vendors slow to commit risk falling behind.
The delivery revolution – Apple clocks an eight-minute iPhone drop in Mumbai. Quick-commerce rivals from India to the Middle East chase sub-15-minute promises; Deliveroo decides where speed does (and doesn’t) matter.
Meta’s new AI ad levers – Value Optimisation, Incremental Attribution, and Value Rules let marketers dial in a conversion rate and let algorithms hunt for it, squeezing agency middlemen in the process.
The hybrid consumer – Shoppers move fluidly between phone, store, and social feed. Retailers run risk—not channels—when they still treat ecommerce, physical, and media as separate fiefdoms.
 
Mentioned brands: Apple • Amazon • Deliveroo • Gentle Monster • Lefty’s • Primark • LVMH / Louis Vuitton • Hermès • Burberry • Inditex • Mango • Gap • Westfield.
 
Guest bios
Alex – Host of The Retail Podcast, known for distilling global trends into actionable strategy.
Ryf Quail – Managing Director, NRF APAC; guides brands across Asia-Pacific on future-proof retail models.
Laura Doonin – Tech advisor specialising in digital transformation and omnichannel acceleration.
00:00 Intro – Welcome to Five Things Friday02:00 Topic 1 – Asia’s five-element edge (Gentle Monster, LVMH, Hermès, Burberry, Lefty’s)14:30 Topic 2 – Australia’s IT spend rebound23:00 Topic 3 – Delivery revolution: Apple’s 8-minute iPhone, Deliveroo & quick commerce33:50 Topic 4 – Meta’s AI ad toolkit and what it means for agencies
Call to action
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NRF APAC 2025: Retail’s New Frontier with Jill Dvorak and Ryf Quail

Alex Rezvan from The Retail Podcast sits down with Jill Dvorak, SVP of Content at NRF, and Ryf Quail, Managing Director of NRF APAC. Recorded live from NRF APAC 2025 in Singapore, this conversation explores why the next generation of consumers is not just arriving—they’re here and reshaping retail in profound ways.
 
Discover how retailers can navigate the challenge of catering to a generation that shops with individuality, ethics, and personal values at the forefront. From record-breaking attendance to groundbreaking trends in partnership, innovation, and global collaboration, hear firsthand insights from two retail thought leaders who are at the heart of transforming the industry.
 
Key Topics Discussed:
Next Generation Shopping Behaviors (Gen Z & Alpha)
Ethical and Value-Based Retail
Record-breaking NRF APAC Conference Highlights
Future of Retail: Buy vs. Build
Trends in Retail Innovation and Partnership Strategies
Insights from NRF’s global expansions (U.S., APAC, Europe)
 
Featured Guests:
Jill Dvorak, MBA – SVP Content at NRF, Retail Enthusiast
Ryf Quail – Managing Director, NRF APAC
 
Host:
Alex Rezvan – Founder and Host, The Retail Podcast

NRF APAC 2025 Day 1: AI in Retail, FairPrice Store of the Future & Global Insights

Day 1 at NRF APAC 2025 and we’re off with a bang.
I had the chance to walk the floor with Ryf Quail—Managing Director of the show and my co-host on Five Things Friday. Fresh from ribbon-cutting duties, Ryf talked about the emotional high of seeing the industry come alive again.
The show floor is packed.FairPrice's Store of the Future is a must-see.And the Innovators Showcase? 25 handpicked tech companies proving how AI is transforming everything—from supply chains to customer loyalty.
We even got a sneak peek into the Ai-Media Penang event coming in 2026 with Michael Lamb.
A special shout-out to Seth Webb, EVP at Tusk Strategies (Woodstock, Vermont), who curated the Innovators Showcase with insights from VCs, accelerators, and global operators. He’s also behind iMedia Summits & Events across AU, NZ & SEA. Great to see him shaping what’s next in retail tech.
It’s fast, it’s energetic, and it’s only Day 1.
🎧 Catch the highlights now on The Retail Podcast#NRFAPAC2025 #RetailUnlimited #AIinRetail #FairPrice #RetailEvents #TheRetailPodcast #iMediaSummits #RetailInnovation

NRF APAC 2025 Soundbite: Panchalee Weeratammawat on Retail’s Human Core

Recorded live at NRF APAC 2025, this short soundbite features Panchalee Weeratammawat, Chief People Officer of Central Retail. With nearly 80,000 employees across Thailand, Vietnam, and Italy, Panchalee shares what’s top of mind for retail leaders in Asia today.
Key Highlights:
 
Why employee happiness drives customer loyalty
Retail’s evolving role: from reactive to behavior-shaping
What stood out on Day 1 of NRF APAC 2025
 
A quick yet powerful insight into the human side of global retail transformation.
She unpacks why great retail begins with engaged employees, and how listening—both to teams and customers—is the secret to building long-term trust and sustainable growth.
Panchalee Weeratammawat
Chief People Officer, Central Retail
🧑‍💼 Guest Name & Title

Five Things Friday APAC Edition: Retail’s Next Moves at NRF Singapore & Shoptalk Europe

Welcome to a special APAC edition of Five Things Friday from The Retail Podcast.
This week, host Alex is on the cusp of two retail mega-events: Shoptalk Europe and NRF APAC in Singapore. With Laura under the weather, we’re joined by special guest Reef Quail, Managing Director at NRF APAC, for a candid, front-line take on the pulse of Asian retail.
In this episode:
How Asia-Pacific is rewriting retail’s playbook—diversity, partnerships, and global scale
Why the retailer-to-vendor ratio makes or breaks a great event
What Western brands get wrong (and right) when expanding in Asia
The rise of homegrown brands like Anko, and the secret to successful cross-border expansion
Big tech, AI, and the looming disruption in retail jobs
Alex shares milestone listener numbers, thanks the global retail community, and raises the alarm for leaders who think digital disruption is “someone else’s problem.” This is your behind-the-scenes pass to the real stories, challenges, and opportunities in global retail right now.
Don’t forget to rate, follow, and share the show!
Connect:
The Retail Podcast on LinkedIn
The Retail Podcast website
Contact:
Email Alex at [your email here]—he reads every message.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Welcome & Retail Event Preview
1:30 – Milestones & Listener Shoutouts
3:45 – AI in Retail: Opportunity or Threat?
8:15 – Reef Quail on the Ground in Singapore
10:00 – The Secret to a Great Retail Event: Ratios
13:30 – The Diversity Challenge in APAC
16:00 – Anko: An Aussie Brand Goes Global
18:30 – Lessons from Japan: Long-Term Partnership Success
20:00 – Closing Thoughts & Next Week’s Preview

How Microsoft is Redefining Retail with Generative AI

How Microsoft is Redefining Retail with Generative AI: A Conversation with Keith Mercier
 
The pace of retail transformation has never been faster—and Microsoft is at the heart of it.
In this exclusive interview, Alex from The Retail Podcast sits down with Keith Mercier, Vice President of Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods at Microsoft. They explore:
How generative AI and copilots are reshaping the frontline experience
The myth of data readiness—and how to get unstuck from pilot purgatory
Why conversational commerce is the next battleground
The power of real-time decision-making from petabytes of store data
Where Microsoft is showing up in retail around the globe
This is one of the most practical and visionary conversations you’ll hear about the future of retail. Whether you’re a CIO, CMO, or store operator—this is essential listening.
🔔 Subscribe for more real-world retail insight.

Retail Transformation in Asia-Pacific: Ryf Quail (NRF APAC) & Shopify’s Bold Moves, with The Retail Podcast

In this special “Five Things Friday: APAC Edition,” Alex from The Retail Podcast and Laura from Neat sit down with Ryf Quail, Managing Director of NRF APAC, to unpack the biggest trends shaping retail in Asia-Pacific ahead of NRF APAC in Singapore.🎙️ Topics covered:
 
Ryf’s top insights for APAC retail leaders
Digital transformation: AI, 5G, and cloud
Shopify Editions: Key updates, global e-commerce, new “Horizon” theme
The future of agencies and AI-driven retail
CEO Club at NRF APAC and leadership networking
 
 
⁠NRF APAC 2024⁠
⁠The Retail Podcast⁠
⁠Laura @ Neat⁠
 
Chapters:
 
00:01 – Welcome & introductions
01:00 – What’s ahead for NRF APAC
03:00 – Shopify’s latest moves: AI, global markets, and new themes
08:00 – The agency landscape: how AI is reshaping service
13:00 – Digital transformation trends in APAC: AI, 5G, and more
16:30 – Ryf Quail: Economic outlook, CEO Club, and what’s different in 2024
21:00 – Networking for retail leadership
22:00 – Closing thoughts
 
 
Useful Links:
 
⁠NRF APAC⁠
⁠Shopify Editions⁠
⁠The Retail Podcast⁠
 
Notable brands & technologies: Shopify, NRF, Grab, GoJek, FairPrice, LottePlus: The real impact of generative AI, what’s driving optimism in the region, and why Asia-Pacific is setting the pace for global retail.Don’t miss this candid conversation packed with actionable insights for retail executives, technology leaders, and anyone shaping the future of commerce.Connect:Follow and share for more expert interviews from the world’s top retail leaders.
If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Retail Podcast, leave a rating, and share with your network. For more interviews with retail’s top thinkers, visit ⁠theretailpodcast.com⁠.

Retail’s Next Frontier: Leadership, Agility & Digital Influence with Ben Miller of Shoptalk

In this powerhouse episode of The Retail Podcast, Alex sits down with Ben Miller, VP of Content at Shoptalk, to unpack what’s really shaping the future of global retail.
From rising pressure on operational efficiency to the explosive growth of retail media and AI-powered discovery, this conversation goes deep into:
How leaders are navigating uncertainty
Why in-store tech investment is skyrocketing
The mindset shift retailers need to thrive
Key regional differences between the US and Europe
What’s next for grocery, CPG, and digital influence
As Shoptalk expands globally—with shows in the US, Europe, and now Abu Dhabi—Ben shares what he’s hearing from hundreds of retail leaders and why cultural adaptability and digital-first thinking are now non-negotiables.
 
📍 Recorded inside The Hive offices, just weeks before Shoptalk Europe 2025.
Shoptalk, retail leadership, grocery trends, digital transformation, Ben Miller, retail podcast, retail innovation, retail media, AI in retail, physical vs digital retail, eCommerce strategy, store tech, retail mindset, European retail, CPG insights, retail search behavior, inventory management, loyalty programs, global retail events, Shoptalk Europe, Retail Podcast with Alex
 
retailpodcast, shoptalkeurope, futureofretail, grocerytrends, digitalretail, retailleadership, retailinnovation, ecommerce2025, instoretech, aiinretail
 
Business
Retail & Shopping
Marketing
Technology
Entrepreneurship
Leadership
Innovation
Grocery
CPG
Digital Strategy
 
(June 1, 2025)
Stereo MP3
128kbps or higher
Loudness normalized to -16 LUFS
 

Five Things Friday: Luxury Wellness Trends, Retail Strategy Insights & World Retail Congress Preview

Welcome to Five Things Friday—a fresh, engaging weekly podcast from the hosts of The Retail Podcast, Laura & Alex!
In our inaugural episode:- 🌟 Discover how Sunday Sporting Club is transforming luxury wellness, creating health-driven, meaningful social experiences.- 🛍️ Get an exclusive preview of the upcoming World Retail Congress 2025 in London, including insights from iconic retail destinations such as Selfridges, John Lewis, and the revolutionary new IKEA concept store.- 📈 Dive deep into retail strategy with James Hurman’s latest insightful report in collaboration with Klaviyo, exploring innovative ways to engage and retain consumers.
Featured Links:- [Sunday Sporting Club](https://www.sundaysportingclub.com/)- [World Retail Congress](https://www.worldretailcongress.com/)- Instagram: [Sunday Sporting Club](https://www.instagram.com/sundaysportingclub/)
 
📲 Subscribe, review, and join our community of forward-thinking retail professionals!
 
Five Things Friday, Retail Podcast, Luxury Wellness, World Retail Congress, Retail Trends, Retail Insights, Consumer Strategy, Klaviyo Insights, Sunday Sporting Club, Retail Innovation, Store Formats, Consumer Engagement
#FiveThingsFriday #RetailPodcast #LuxuryWellness #RetailInnovation #WorldRetailCongress #RetailStrategy