Zia Daniell Wigder

We're busting the myth that there's no demand for plus-size fashion—market data shows the size of the opportunity is undeniable. So why are some brands still missing out? The issue isn’t demand but rather a lack of investment in R&D, thoughtful design, representation, and in-store availability. It's time for brands to meet this market where it is: ready to spend on inclusive, well-designed fashion. Thanks to Inside Retail Australia for sharing Mys Tyler data and insights, and our thoughts.

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Retail operators: What's your approach to determine what is a short-term release vs a long-term product? More insight into how Emily McCarthy has approached e-commerce vs physical retail vs wholesale in the growing Emily McCarthy + Co. brand. Notice how she indicates a close reporting view in Shopify on what sku's perform best in the different channels. Full Good Morning, Market conversation is out now: https://lnkd.in/egtBTVfp #retailoperations #wholesaleapparel #retailstrategy #smallbusinesspodcast

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2025 is will be the year branded resale grows beyond apparel. Archive is leading the pack and helping some of the largest global consumer brands achieve circularity.

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Balancing purpose, innovation, and quality always matters 👀 Consumers are savvy and quick to spot when a brand’s actions don’t match its words—especially when it comes to sustainability. Brands perceived as "greenwashing" see a quick dip in customer happiness, and that directly affects revenue. But, while people care about sustainability, they also want innovation and quality. That’s why brands like Patagonia stand out as examples—they’ve nailed the balance of great products, environmental responsibility, and being transparent about what they stand for. At the end of the day, brand perception matters. A lot. It’s more than just slapping on a green label. Consumers want to feel confident that a brand aligns with their values and delivers on quality. To win customer trust and loyalty, focus on authenticity, innovation, and delivering products that people love and trust. #brandstrategy #brand #marketing #revenuegrowth

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As BFCM approaches, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are gearing up for what could be the most impactful days of the year. But while this surge in shopping offers huge potential, it also comes with the risk of common pitfalls that can disrupt plans and leave lasting impacts. Here’s how to avoid some of the biggest BFCM challenges: 𝟭) 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 Failing to plan inventory during BFCM is a classic misstep. Running out of popular items leaves customers disappointed while overstocking can strain cash flow, leading to rushed post-sale discounts and slimmer margins. Precise inventory planning not only maximizes sales but also ensures every campaign dollar you invest has the power to convert, even under the highest demand. 𝟮) 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 The best BFCM strategies are backed by data, not intuition. Analyzing historical trends and sales data helps forecast demand more accurately, reducing risks of overstock and stockouts. The stakes are high during this peak shopping period, and every decision needs to be grounded in numbers to minimize guesswork and optimize results. 𝟯) 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 Your marketing campaigns are the driving force behind your BFCM sales. But if they’re pushing products you’re low on, it’s a wasted effort. Successful brands align inventory with their promotional content, ensuring the products they spotlight are ready to meet demand. This alignment amplifies marketing impact and keeps the customer experience seamless and satisfying. 𝟰) 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 Stockouts are inevitable during high-demand periods like BFCM. But that doesn’t mean sales are lost! Allowing customers to place backorders maintains momentum and minimizes frustration. Rather than seeing an out-of-stock notification, customers feel reassured that their order is still possible - just a bit delayed. 𝟱) 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 In the frenzy of BFCM, keeping customers informed should remain at the top of the mind. From stock updates to shipping timelines, clear communication builds trust and enhances the customer experience. Simple, proactive updates about potential delays or stock status go a long way in reducing customer service volume and keeping relationships strong. With careful planning, informed decisions, and clear communication, BFCM can be an incredible opportunity to build revenue and customer loyalty. __________________________________________________________________ If you’re seeking a streamlined approach to align inventory, marketing, and customer support, kim.cc is here to ensure you’re prepared to take on BFCM with confidence. #bfcm #customerexperience #bfcm2024 #d2cbrands

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Day 1 from #AmazonPrimeDay2024 is underway. Here’s what the Pacvue team has noticed so far: #1. Brands started spending before Prime Day officially kicked off: Our data showed ~+15%SP & ~+23%SB increase in brand average daily spend in the leading 10 days #2. Apple 🍎 takes over the main Prime Day landing page on mobile: On Day 1, the full above the fold page on mobile and 50% of the second scroll was dominated by Apple products, showing an aggressive approach to get Apple products front and center #3.  Amazon brands are stealing the spotlight: Amazon Basics seem to be prominent in cross-category searches, making the space even more competitive for brands #4. Amazon tests AI in a big way for Prime Day: This Prime Day marks the debut of #Rufus, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant - a new way for shoppers to get personalized recommendations just by having a conversation. Big implications here for how brands should prepare their product pages!  #5. Target Plays 4D Chess: Whether it was on purpose or not, Target didn’t list products as discounted during Circle Week - which made Amazon’s algorithm give away the buy box to other sellers. This shows the risk of counting on the algorithm - and why it’s important to keep monitoring your sales and product pages in real-time during the week!  Adobe forecast a new record of $14 billion in sales this Prime Day… what do you think? Are records getting broken? How’s everyone’s Prime Day 2024 going so far? ⁉

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The retail media equation. Magnitude of Visit + Proximity to point of sale + Discovery mode = highly valuable media opportunity. Had the privilege of joining Hans Fischmann, Janet Levine and the inimitable David Roth at World Retail Congress last month to discuss this very topic and one of the key takeaways was how location analytics and in-store analytics can be combined to drive more creative and engaging concepts that will truly resonate with the consumer. But one of the keys here is that we finally have better ways to measure. (Emphasis on better, we have a long way to go to make it great.) Magnitude of Visit can be measured by visit duration, especially when compared to other channels. Proximity to point of sale can be measured by increases in conversion rate (visitors/conversions). Discovery mode is the most difficult, but even here, there are ways. For example, combining an analysis from in-store measurement of aisles visited with visit duration and comparing to other channels. Even success can be measured by sales or visits uplifts in relevant areas for non-endemic advertisers. The key to unlocking retail media is going to be effective media planning, reliable measurement and simplified accessibility. But the true ceiling will only be reached when we embrace the creative opportunity that comes with it. If we focus on dealing with these obstacles, Retail Media could actually be one of the big retail trends to meet its promise in the near term.

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Watch after-sales prices are normalizing downwards. In my latest aBlogtoWatch feature essay I discuss the downstream effects of a market where consumers do not expect to resell watches and brands must better defend value propositions. #ablogtowatch #watchindustry #luxurywatches #watches

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What an insightful publication by the Apparel Impact Institute! 📊🌱 The "Brand Finance Playbook for Decarbonization" highlights the critical role that apparel and footwear brands must play in reducing the industry’s carbon footprint, which accounts for up to 8% of global GHG emissions. Here are the key takeaways: 🔹 Misaligned Incentives: The industry is at a standstill because producers, who bear most of the decarbonization costs, lack sufficient support from brands. This financial burden, coupled with low creditworthiness, makes it difficult for producers to invest in sustainable practices. 🔹 The Role of Brands: To overcome this impasse, brands must use their financial strength to derisk investments for producers. This means committing capital to support projects through innovative financial tools like long-term purchase agreements, direct loans, and equity investments. 🔹 Strategic Focus Areas: The report emphasizes targeting high-impact areas like reducing energy demand, minimizing waste, and transitioning to renewable energy sources. Such efforts can significantly lower emissions in production processes. 🔹 The Bigger Picture: It’s not just about compliance or reputation; there are substantial financial benefits for brands willing to invest in decarbonization. By leveraging tools like green bonds and sustainable financing, brands can access below-market borrowing rates and improve shareholder value. My take? 🌍💡 This playbook is a call to action for brands to lead the charge in sustainable transformation. It's clear that collaboration between brands, producers, and financial institutions is crucial for driving meaningful change. Let’s hope to see more brands stepping up and turning these strategies into impactful actions! Kudos to the Apparel Impact Institute for shedding light on such a pivotal topic. 🙌 #Sustainability #Decarbonization #FashionIndustry #ClimateAction #SustainableFashion #GHGReduction #Finance

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Traditionally, brands aimed to get as many impressions as possible. But in the micro-moment landscape, precision trumps reach. A successful micro-moment doesn’t just stop at one interaction—it’s an entry point into the broader customer journey. Here’s how brands are turning single micro-moments into long-term loyalty https://lnkd.in/e6_YsE-p

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AI in Retail: Bridging the Gap Between Ambition & Readiness for Generative AI I recently spoke with Michelle Pacynski, Ulta Beauty & Mike Dupuis, SPARC Group LLC about this topic. Before diving in, I find it helpful to ground the conversation in recent data: 1. According to a recent Forbes estimate, the AI market size is expected to reach $407 billion by 2027. 2. A global Accenture study (July) highlights that: - Companies with strong digital capabilities (data, cloud, security, etc.) are reinventing 2x as many functions with AI & are expected to drive 2x the value creation. - 50% of executives believe they can scale generative AI across their enterprise within 6-12 months, but only 13% are confident they have the right data strategies & digital capabilities to fully leverage GenAI. Why the gap? These insights set the stage for a deeper conversation. Here are some key themes we explored: 1. AI integration frameworks they've adopted: - Assist, Augment, Automate – This framework has helped categorize the 15-20 AI pilots running at any given time. It has especially reduced the pressure to automate everything right away, allowing teams to focus on assistive & augmentative use cases first. 2. Real-world AI implementation examples that required process changes & KPI definition: - Leverage GenAI from your SMS partner to create new audiences & test custom messaging. Process changes included: new workflows for both internal & external teams. KPIs: # of new customers acquired & conversion rates. - Launch a GenAI conversational experience during peak sales to manage case loads, while ensuring real humans are available for more complex queries. Process changes included: customer query routing & escalation procedures, with KPIs focused on # of cases resolved to satisfaction, incremental revenue from case resolutions etc. 3. Keeping up with the evolving world of AI: a) Follow key professors like Ethan Mollick & Stefano Puntoni b) Stay close to the VC community to learn about emerging applications & how people are thinking about the future c) Access to product engineers & innovation through involvement on Boards (e.g., Cordial) d) Attend key tech events like CES and SXSW. 4. How AI can transform retail, from customer experience to back-end operations: - Use weather data to inform inventory buying & planning, ensuring customers get the products they want in the channel they prefer. - The retailer that best uses GenAI applications to develop personalized & on-brand communication with customer segments will create the most value. c) Empower consumers to virtually try on products & learn more about them, both online & in-store. Finally, some questions to consider: - I wish consumers knew AI… - I wish regulations did… - I hope someone develops… There’s no doubt that AI is omnipresent, but achieving meaningful impact requires strong digital strategies, partnerships, and a sharp focus on data governance. #AI #Innovation #Transformation #Leadership

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All the buzz around AI blurs the true question - technology's value for money. In the world of Fashion, a seasonal business, AI needs to deliver actionable intelligence in real-time, and value for money needs to be an increase in profitability, decrease in overstock and growth of customer loyalty. To do this you need the customer engagement data that drives your in-store sales, your most profitable channel. Until now, in-store behavior was a black box, nexite turns the light on, able to capture every customer interaction; what your customers see, pick up, try on and ultimately buy or abandon, using this data to tell you why something doesn't sell and what you can do about it. It's game-changing. #fashiontech #nexite

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A great reminder of the need to differentiate between life stages and generational traits. And to read the small print... This report has some really actionable advice on how to engage the real Gen Z rather than the mythical stereotype. As is often the case, the insight is in the small print. The question asked was "A low cost product is more valuable to me than an environmentally friendly product. Agree/Disagree" Big print says "39% Gen Z agree, 37% Millennials agree, 29% Gen X agree and 19% Baby Boomers agree". So do Baby Boomers care more about the environment than Gen Z? Not necessarily. The small print reminds us, "Gen Z is just entering the job market and has less purchasing power than their older counterparts. Additionally, this digitally native generation grew up in an "on-demand" world with the likes of Airbnb, Amazon, Netflix, and Uber, so they’re more likely to expect frictionless, instantaneous, and convenient experiences."  As a Gen Xer it reminds me of the value of always carrying my monocle with me to read the small print.

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Delighted to have been invited to contribute to this important conversation on cross-border e-commerce in the latest Sourcing Journal article by Meghan Hall. As brands explore new global opportunities, overcoming logistical/cost challenges is key. >>>TL;DR; 🚀 cross-border e-commerce is essential, despite challenges like supply chain costs, delivery fees, and tariffs. 🌍 💡 Start small in markets where you already likely have visitor traction eg. CA, AU and the UK before looking to conquer the world. Effective strategies begin with small steps! 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺Thanks for having me as part of this insightful piece. Unsure which path to take for maximum growth? Contact me Winborne Consulting, LLC. Read the Full article here (paywall): https://lnkd.in/gwZU_wP3 #LogisticsStrategy #SupplyChainOptimization #EcommerceGrowth #GlobalMarkets #crossborder #retail #holiday2024 #globalretail #ecommerce

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Check out my latest blog post on The Digital Hive: "Burberry's Renaissance: Navigating Change with Daniel Lee" - a deep dive into the brand's new creative director, financial challenges and strategic shifts. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gkxe3edX

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I recently read an interesting article in Inc about the consumer goods space. It is a good, albeit gloomy article, about the state of early stage CPG brands in the USA. “By the end of last year, the total amount of early-stage VC funding for CPG brands was down about 60 percent from its 2021 high, according to PitchBook. And new product launches were down about 70 percent in the same time period, according to consumer-products data provider Spins”. These stats are not different in Canada and could actually be worse here. There are many factors that help to make an early stage CPG business a long term success. Product market fit and a well planned strategy are critical. Many founders skip over the strategy for tactical efforts that don’t build brand, or, they don’t have the ability to stick the strategy out and stay with it because they run out of capital. Just because your family and friends love your product, doesn’t mean the category at large will accommodate the rate of growth needed for venture capital or private equity return expectations. If there is a market opportunity, the road ahead is fraught with innovation, distribution, marketing and brand development decisions, any of which, if you get wrong, can set you back years and your own equity. This is why strategy is key - along with recognizing your strengths and weaknesses and finding partners to help you mitigate risk. We are passionate about supporting early stage CPG businesses and have invested in dozens of them. The overwhelming characteristic of a successful COG entrepreneur is persistence. That, along with a healthy dose of optimism, fortuitous timing, capital and consumers who know and love your brand and product!! It’s not easy but then again, nothing worth doing ever is. I have deep admiration for CPG founders in Canada. We have some amazing founders in this country who are out there every day working hard creating much needed innovation for the market. Keep going. You’ve got this!

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Had a great time chatting with Oliver and Doug at today’s panel discussion! ViSenze AI Multi-Search is solving some complex search problems using GenAI, helping customers find exactly what they want more efficiently. Check them out! Excited about the future of retail search and discovery! #NRFAPAC #RetailInnovation #GenAI #Fynd #ViSenze #AWS

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Retail executives have witnessed #AI's transformative potential, yet have we grasped its full impact on #ProductDiscovery? Today, AI isn't just disrupting search–it's reinventing its future. Consider this: while product search itself increasingly happens on: - Generative AI answer engines (Perplexity AI, ChatGPT Search, Meta AI, Microsoft Co-Pilot, etc.) - Retail media networks (Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, Macy's, etc.) - Social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, etc.) ...70% of search ad spend still remains focused on the largest search engine in the world: Google. To stay competitive, retailers must embrace shifting consumer behaviors as AI, technology, media, and Google itself reshape the product search and shopping landscape. I'm diving deeper into this critical issue in our upcoming demo session at Search Engine Land SMX Next, "Vibe shift: Elevating shopping ads with AI-powered natural language search." Here's a sneak peek at the hot topics I’ll cover in this free, virtual event on November 13th: 1) The state of product search and advertising 2) Preparing for an increasingly feedless GMC future 3) How Lily AI's attributes platform goes beyond Site Search to seamlessly unlock better Shopping Ad and SEO performance https://lnkd.in/ehB5VGMv

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