Loren Padelford

This week on the Ecommerce Braintrust podcast I’m joined by Acadia's CEO, Jared Belsky to talk about a topic he is quite passionate about: The Retail Media Island. While we are in the midst of the “Retail Media Era,” a time when retail media is booming, in many organizations retail media remains siloed.  The siloes can be through funding of investments, organizational structure or even creatively.  Jared and I discuss a few ways in which brands can work to break down those siloes and integrate retail media more effectively within an organization.   Among the strategic actions a brand can take is unified budgeting: consolidating various budgets—for Amazon, performance media, and brand media—into a single, omni-channel funding bucket. This approach allows funds to be allocated more fluidly based on strategic ROI profiles rather than being restricted by pre-defined, siloed budgets. Jared's take on the issue of the retail media island is ultimately a very optimistic one. While the siloes can present challenges now, just imagine the opportunity that can be realized as we work to remove them. Listen by searching for “ecommerce braintrust” in your favorite podcast app, or streaming via the link in the comments. 

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A very informative article below highlighting the intersection of Fast Casuals & QSRs & how guests are reacting in the current economy & what marketing messages each category is sending. So breakout the popcorn 🍿and share your thoughts on whether fast casual & QSR are indeed converging in perception or growing further apart by the continued polarization of perceived value and quality + experiences. Personally I believe that fast casual is the new dine-in for families while stealing QSR market share bc if I'm going to spend $30 at McDonalds, I might has well spend $40-50 & get some real guacamole 🥑🍅 "As of February, consumers’ value perception between QSRs and fast casual brands were converging, per TD Cowen data." Hospitality folks, thoughts? "An emphasis on value can also impact market valuations... ...McDonald’s has been moving toward emphasizing its value options in the below $3 category, which could impact sales growth. However, fast casual chains have been using promotions, such as Shake Shack’s free shakes with qualifying orders from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., during low-volume periods or to offer add-ons." Regardless of strategy or your perspective on what loyalty means, each restaurant category still needs the mechanism that loyalty platforms command to connect customer (identity mgmt) with near real time, basket validation, sku level integrations with POS, Online Ordering, Shopify (swag sites), & other platforms. Market & strategy aside, brands still need loyalty to execute on their vision. #loyalty #customerengagement #restauranteconomy #restaurantmarketing Steph So 👌

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We’re working on next years Leader’s Guide to be published in January and are seeing a lot more categories begin to have very differently performing apps. If you’re thinking about changing out components of your commerce experience, we can give you some insight on what others in your peer group (platform, industry, etc) are using and how it’s performed. Reviews are so valuable to helping customer get confidence to click “add to cart”, but you would be surprised to learn how often they don’t load from some vendors before the shopper moved off the screen.

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Running branded sponsor integrations isn't cheap -- how do you know it's resonating with your audience and driving meaningful KPIs like purchase intent? At Rival Technologies and Reach3 Insights, we've been helping both media / streaming brands as well as advertisers figure this out using a new approach called "Watch Party." It works well for several reasons: ✔️ It's in-the-moment, so you get real-time, gut-feel reactions rather than relying on recall ✔️ It's quant and qual (including photos and videos), providing deeper insights than traditional approaches ✔️ It's holistic, involving (in most cases) a pre- and post-test to quantify brand lift, share ability and more Really proud of how our product and approach helps address an important use case for many of our customers. Curious how it works? Our next masterclass webinar with Jenna Shuster and Matt Kleinschmit will walk you through the details. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gFa7rzbW #insights #marketingeffectiveness #advertising

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Read beyond the headline. According to NACS global convenience is on the rise but the US and Canada are not. US convenience sales dropped 2.1% in Q1, 2024. Canada dropped by 4.0%. And tobacco products performed even worse. Last year convenience retailers barely stayed ahead of inflation and this first quarter, the lingering effects of inflation, are rearing their ugly head. I'm a big believer in the evolving convenience model. Their easy to get to, fast, getting cleaner, improving their assortment, and with decent (at times) prices. Also, some have very friendly employees. I can go through a massive big box store or grocer and never even talk to one. Believe me, its a differentiator. But they are going to be tested and there is going to be a separation between those that embrace technology and those who don't. You can already see it today. Tobacco manufacturers and distributors are asking and collecting scan data and providing rebates to those c-stores that deliver. They are using this to come up with even more sophisticated pricing, multi-pack programs, and buydowns that are harder to understand and comply with. It's a virtuous or vicious cycle - depending on what technology side you are on. As c-stores broaden their assortments they are finding new competitors. The competitor is no longer other c-stores but grocers, liquor stores, fast food, and dollar stores. (and dollar stores play a similar game of speed, location, and convenience - and add price!). Guess what, these retailers are ultra-competitive and they don't like non-traditional category killers (or category bandits). They are embracing technology and pricing technology to make sure they are looking to improve their overall experience to grab customers. EV chargers at grocery stores are on the rise. And studies show more than 50% of grocers are using pricing optimization technology. https://lnkd.in/g4DuQKnT

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🚀 Just attended the Retail Marketing Conference, and it’s clear that Canadian retail is evolving faster than ever. With new tech, fierce competition, and the rising expectations of younger shoppers, the pressure is on for all of us to stay agile. AI is no longer just a buzzword—it's a critical tool in meeting these demands. The future of retail is here, and it's all about adaptability and innovation. Exciting times ahead! #Retail #Marketing #Innovation #AI #Agility #Shoppers Retail Council of Canada

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🇨🇦 Toronto Marketers & PMs 🇨🇦 - Join Amplitude tomorrow Oct 22nd at Steam Whistle Brewery for a discussion of how Product & Marketing can work together to accelerate growth. You can find more details 👇 👇 #productanalytics #marketinganalytics

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Is the shipping free or not? 🙄 I see so many examples of poorly configured shipping options with merchants running on Shopify. These UX issues might seem minor, but they create confusion for the consumer in the checkout. In this example, the "ground shipping" appears twice - one is free the other is $8.75 and why show a Hawaii option when my address is not in Hawaii?

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Thank you, Relo for the case study and mention. The Slumber team and I could not be happier with the results we are seeing with our Klaviyo + Skio + Relo stack. The ROAS speaks for itself. In today's digital marketing environment with rising CAC and brand saturation, increasing your customer's LTV is critical and the stack you choose can be make or break. #DigitalMarketing #Startups #advertisingandmarketing #ecommerce

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Spent some time with Barry Hillier talking about eQuo and their mission to support founders looking to scale their business. Some great insights from Barry on how our current ecosystem looks primarily at Start-Ups & high-growth and neglects the majority of small business in this country, and their desire to take the next step in their growth. Some great tidbits from Barry on what is needed to change perceptions and move the scale-up agenda forward #scaleup #entrepreneurship #businessinCanada

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Catie Ivey, CRO of Walnut, recently joined me on The GOATS of Growth to discuss the differences between selling in today's environment versus selling just a few years ago. Of course, as a GTM recruiter, the thing that stuck out most to me was what she says in this clip below about the level of talent required on the go-to-market team when budgets are tight. There's a big difference between great sellers and CSMs and everyone else--and it's never been more apparent. We also talked about: -Creating buyer-centric experiences -Unit economics and KPIs she tracks -Her transition from VP to CRO -Traits she looks for when hiring -Much more Access to the full episode will be in the comments, or just search for The GOATS of Growth online or in your podcast app. Catie, thanks again for joining me! Please follow Catie for more great content.

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“It’s a great time to invest in CPG.” This is the sentiment of Chicago’s S2G Ventures. According to Managing Partner Chuck Templeton. Have we turned the corner on scarce money? Maybe. Here are some reasons why investors might be courting CPG again: -> Innovation has dropped to a historic low. -> Interest rates have dropped and will continue to. -> Health-minded consumers are at an all time high. -> Retailers are growing natural and innovation sets. -> Lack of capital has driven down business valuations. According to key investors (links in comments), here’s what investors want: -Innovation -Some scale -Strong velocities -Strong management -A sensible bottom line Most of these should look pretty familiar. But the bottom line has now taken a front row seat. It may just be that valuations make a lot more sense now. What do you think? Have we turned the corner on CPG investment? ——— 🔹 We grow brands on Amazon. 🔹 We increase velocity in Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, Sam's, COSTCO, and lots of other cool retailers. #cpg #cpggrowth #retailgrowth #retailvelocity #omnichannel #retail #amazonagency #retailmedia #shoppermarketing #instacart #royalfarms

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I am so proud to share how Marché Leo's Market transformed merchandising with LEAFIO Shelf Efficiency Solution! 🌟 Marché Leo's, a fast-growing food and grocery chain in Canada, manages 10,000 SKUs across categories like grocery, beverages, ready-to-eat meals, health and beauty, and more. With plans to nearly double its store count within a year, Marché Leo's needed a solution to scale efficiently while maintaining exceptional standards. By leveraging the LEAFIO Shelf Efficiency solution, they achieved: ✅ Automated, data-driven planogram creation for consistent shelf layouts. ✅ Streamlined execution through a user-friendly mobile application. ✅ Faster new store openings with optimized shelf space management. ✅ Cost savings by reducing labor efforts and minimizing waste. I’m happy to see how the LEAFIO AI Retail Solutions is driving success for our clients! Check out the full case study to learn more about how Marché Leo's transformed its operations.

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Really enjoyed spending time with Rachel Gignac at CSP Daily News talking #personalization in Convenience Retail and why its the most cost-effective & accessible way to grow your business 🙌 Here's the thing: every retailer is awash in data which is super exciting because it means each of you has the raw material necessary to deliver personalized consumer experiences... 🛢 The challenge is the data is generally raw, unorganized, and not easily connected to individual consumers....so it largely goes unused 😕 Finding the right partner to make sense of that noise can provide a platform for you to connect with new customers and grow wallet share from existing ones *without* huge startup costs or admin fees 🤝 🎉 ...so why is this extra, extra, *extra* important to consider now? #Inflation has caused common business health metrics like Monthly Store Revenue to have huge caveats on them 👀 For example, Upside reviewed 4 years of transaction data from 1,700+ convenience retail locations and the data shows in Inflation-adjusted daily c-store revenue has actually dropped 19% (Jan ‘21 to Jan ‘24) 😬 There's hope though! If you're interested in even deeper industry analysis (or your business in particular 🙂 ) don't hesitate to reach out! Thanks for the opportunity to chat Rachel & CSP! https://lnkd.in/e_8DWC5U Informa Connect Upside #AtYourConvenience

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In our latest issue, Cong Cao, former VP of Marketing at imgix with 17+ years of tech experience, shares insightful thoughts on branded solutions, responding to the question: How do you work with vendors to ensure that the marketing supply chain aligns with broader strategic goals? Here's what Cong Cao had to say, "This alignment process starts in the vendor interview phase, where the in-house team must thoroughly assess the vendor's suitability in terms of domain expertise, functional capabilities, and work style. During the project's kick-off phase, the in-house team should prioritize transparency, background, vision, and internal discussions. This enables the vendor to seamlessly adapt their execution to our core strategy." Read more: https://lnkd.in/gnp68Hv5 #VendorRelations #Imgix #Marketing #CongCao #BrandActivation

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Our 2024 State of Grocery Shopping report is available now. Here are some general highlights. Check out the full report to dig further! 1. In 2024, consumers spend an average of $174 per grocery trip 2. Over half of consumers anticipate spending more on groceries in 2024 than 2023 (56%) 3. Dairy goods (82%), fresh produce (80%), and snack foods (76%) are among the top grocery items people purchase 4. 74% of grocery shopping still happens in physical stores 5. Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:59 p.m. is the most popular time to go grocery shopping 6. Use of grocery delivery services in 2024 have risen by 56% compared to 2022 https://lnkd.in/eeV-tYJd

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Are you ready to supercharge your digital marketing strategy? Dive into the future of performance with the first webinar of our Reddit for Business Performance series. Join us on October 10th at Noon EST to hear cutting-edge solutions designed to boost your ROI and enhance your campaign results. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eQtPHM4B What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Advanced Techniques: Practical tips for integrating and utilizing the Conversions API and Pixel to their full potential. ✔️ Real-World Examples: Success stories and case studies showcasing how businesses like yours have achieved incredible results. ✔️ Expert Q&A: A chance to get your most pressing questions answered by Reddit's performance experts.

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Today’s episode with Mark Bergen, former VP Revenue at Shopify, is a special one for me. Mark gave me my big break into tech sales after I cold called him in 2015 and I teamed up with again at Shopify at few years later. Berg, as he’s affectionately known, is one of the best leaders I’ve ever worked with. He genuinely cares about his team, engages people in a compelling vision, executes on strategy and produces great leaders. He has easily the highest Q-Rating of any leader I’ve been around, which I'm sure people will be quick to mention in the comments. He’s the people’s champ on top of being and incredible executive. From an early role helping a struggling company find product-market fit, to leading Shopify’s enterprise GTM motion during its meteoric rise, Mark has seen every stage of the SaaS journey. Now, as a fractional executive advising multiple companies, he reflects on decades of experience to share timeless lessons for scaling teams, aligning cross-functional priorities, and building enduring organizations. We talked about: Partnering with Product in Engineering-First Companies Thinking Long-Term in a Short-Term World The Journey of Sales Acceptance at Shopify Building High Impact Partner Programs Lessons in Leadership and Followership I hope everyone listens to this one because Berg deserves a lot more attention than he gets. He's too humble for his own good. 😆

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🌿 Elevating Retail Experiences with Tuck Shop 🌿 As the Canadian Cannabis market matures the importance of educational sampling in B2B relationships has continued to flourish. The attached chart from a recent survey we conducted with 509 budtenders underscores the continuing impact that educational sampling can have on driving distribution and velocity. We found that an overwhelming majority of budtenders believe it's highly important to personally sample products before recommending them to customers. With an average importance rating of 8.4 out of 10, the message is clear—first-hand product experience is invaluable. Last year I wrote about sampling (which was by far my most engaged post ever, clearly it's evident that the community is deeply invested in understanding and enhancing the impact of sampling) and talked about 3 key tactics to get the most out of your programs: 1️⃣ Make it Easy and Compliant for a Retailer 2️⃣ Find Creative Ways to Stand Out 3️⃣ Have a Feedback Loop We recently partnered with Chris Marmion in their launch of the Tuck Shop Brand, and here are some insights we received: ➡️ Feedback Highlights:  ▶ 47% of stores expressed their desire to engage with Tuck Shop’s sales team. ▶29% of retailers told us they don’t currently stock Tuck Shop, but now plan too. ▶27% of stores that already listed Tuck Shop reinforced their decision to continue offering the product, in turn driving sales velocity. ▶The overall experience with the product received a high rating, averaging 4.13 out of 5, indicating strong satisfaction among retailers. At O2O we believe that by aligning product trials with expert feedback, offering ongoing marketing supporting and an opportunity to connect with the sales team we empower our brands to not just showcase products; but rather they're fostering enduring retail relationships and expanding brand reach. 🤝 Let’s continue this conversation. How have educational samples influenced your business strategy or customer relationships in the last 6-9 months? Is it a part of your strategy? Would love to hear your experiences and thoughts below! 👇

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