Strategy
Partner Retail is Still the Smarter Retail and Here’s Why
(last updated in September 2022)
Own and operated stores are a favoured brick & mortar channel, but heavy on investment. In comparison, partner (aka franchise) retail is a capital-light strategy and often far more profitable.
While luxury brands clearly prioritise growing own and operated retail, successful premium brands (i.e. VF or LEGO) invest in growing both. But professionalising partner retail remains a challenge for many brands.
Can Peloton Reverse a Long History of Failed Fitness Fads?
Are Peloton’s recent struggles due to managerial hubris or indicative of deeper issues with its business model? Brand strategist John Ensminger unpacks the Peloton story.
8 Tips How to Overcome Supply Chain Challenges in Fashion
49% of fashion executives signal that supply chain disruptions will be the top issue for 2022. This article explores why and provides tips how to mitigate these challenges.
Are Online Marketplaces Catching the Department Store Disease?
Online managers, you have to be very strong now: You didn’t invent the marketplace. The department store industry did. And, you are at risk of getting the same low margin virus as they did.
The Global Supply Chain Crisis (and How Elon Musk Would Solve It)
The fashion supply chain has a global crisis, the worst in decades. Deliveries experience delays every day, and costs are rising exponentially. (more…)
Why Store-nostalgia Won’t Suffice: 7 Changes in the Retail Landscape You Don’t Want to Miss in Your Upcoming Strategy Iterations
This article offers seven thought-provoking impulses on how to navigate the post-Covid retail landscape. Spoiler alert: You will need to get your online strategy up to scratch!
Brand Sales and Distribution: New Best Practices that drive International Growth
International sales growth remains mostly volatile post pandemic. But as financial reports show, growth rates have decreased for many. Be it in the US or in Europe, especially domestic-bound retailers and brands stumble.
Global expansion in sales and distribution competence has become a lifesaving strategy feature, but allow me a question first:
Selling Brand Experience, LEGO’s Secret to Success
Everyone loves LEGO for the great brand experience they create for all of us. This strength makes them grow from one record year to another.
I’m honoured assisting them in growing international partner retail and own retail since eight wonderful years.
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The Future of Brand Flagship Stores: Strategy Update
In the middle of global store lockdowns, 100+ lifestyle brands announce the opening of new flagship stores.
Versace, Puma, Under Armor, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Montblanc, Adidas, Lacoste, Dior, Hermes, Supreme and more report new flagship store openings. All that adds up to retail investments of US$ 200m (assuming standard buildout cost and store sizes) in a time when the internet is booming.
The Price is Right, Right?
Pricing strategy remains a very timely topic. Learn how to make sound research-based decisions when lowering or increasing your prices.
Store Insights Can Speak the Voice of Shoppers. Are You Listening?
There was an almost sinister feeling of relief in the boardroom. Until a firm voice cut through the silence with a final question: Well done fleet review team. But which 5 stores are the most productive, which are the 5 least productive and why? (more…)
Brand Distribution Best Practice Post Covid
Our research and industry dialogue ‘Future in Brand Distribution’ has been off to an enlightening start. Four weeks in, executive talks and our online survey have already returned much valuable inspiration on the future of the lifestyle industry.
The sentiment we encountered in the industry dialogues was generally positive and energising, even though many still find themselves in lockdowns. It seems as though the Covid-19 pandemic not only gave a boost to digital transformation but also liberated some of the brand industry’s best creative thinking.
How to get Quality into your Brand Strategy and Planning
Key learnings of 30 years brand strategy and planning. Tips how to improve your brand growth planning, today.
Regularly media reports that companies take a zero-based budget (ZBB) approach, and cite respective studies. In light of Covid19 pandemic, many brands applied cost-cutting exercises to adjust their strategy and planning.
The Future in Brand Distribution – in Search of a 1000 Minds
How are these snapshots for a future in brand distribution?
“2025 retail rents will be like 2020 flight routes: back to the 1980s.” “The future is social commerce, digital market places are an interim hype, for brand industry’s e-com latecomers.” “In five years, an office workspace and business travel will be recruiting incentives.” “Grandpa tells me, his company used to pay him for sourcing travel to adventurous rural locations.”
Sundown in Global Sourcing Fashion – Is De-Globalisation Here?
With trade and travel restricted, and industries’ CO2 footprint under the microscope, what does “deglobalisation” mean for Global Sourcing Fashion?
If you believe in the mainstream news, we are reaching the end of globalisation and entering deglobalisation.
The “Next Normal”: Rethinking The Brand Business Model
The Brand Business Model for many established brands and retailers has sadly not been enough to deal with the Next Normal
It’s failed to stop many closures even before the pandemic, and Covid has only accelerated this trend.
Post Covid: Best Read in Brand and Retail
22,144 readers, 3 new authors, updates from China, India and Europe, and 14 greatly diverse posts. It is great to be back with our best quarter ever. Thank you to all for contributing, reading and promoting. Post Covid, the best read in brand and retail.
We are living in-between most interesting times
As we wrap up our post-lockdown publishing, we realise the industry mood is somewhat in-between. In-between first and second lockdown. In-between a return to office or of stay at home office for good. In-between going on international travel or staying put. Slowly we start to see, in-between could be the new normal for some time to come.
Post Covid Brand Strategy – Best Practice Round-up
Post Covid Brand Strategy: Discover the latest insights and emerging best practices across the brand and retail industry, from e-commerce and digitalisation to low touch strategic sourcing and creative social distancing implementations.
This quarter saw us return to our regular publishing schedule after a Covid-19 induced break. Our contributors have since focused on sharing their insights on emerging best practices for the ‘new normal’ in a post Covid-19 brand industry.
