Morning Brew - ☕ The AIs have it

Artificial intelligence dominated at NRF’s Big Show.
January 24, 2024

Retail Brew

Listrak

Hey there. Consumers’ obsession with the internet-famous Stanley cups took a bit of a dark turn recently as a California woman was arrested for allegedly stealing $2,500 worth of them from a local retailer, which police believe she was aiming to resell. We’re starting to miss the good ol’ days when the only viral cup was “Cups” from Pitch Perfect.

In today’s edition:

—Katishi Maake, Andrew Adam Newman, Erin Cabrey

OPERATIONS

Time to get on it

AI finance implementation Zhuweiyi49/Getty Images

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that artificial intelligence dominated the conversion at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show last week. Brands are looking to capitalize on the technology in ways that can smooth over processes across the board, from customer service to human resources.

Ahead of and during the conference, software company SAP was one of a handful of businesses that introduced and demonstrated new AI tools it said will help retailers increase profits and customer loyalty through consumer insights and data that would be otherwise more difficult to consolidate without the help of AI.

  • SAP debuted a predictive demand planning solution that provides users with more accurate and longer-range forecasts for product demand across channels.
  • Additionally, the company is phasing in “store replenishment capabilities” that factors in demand volatility, business targets, and supply constraints to find out order volume at the lowest expected cost, according to a company release.

For SAP, predictive demand planning involves using an algorithm on top of real-time data to help retailers adapt to shifting consumer behaviors, Kristin Howell, global VP of retail solution management at SAP, told Retail Brew.

Keep reading here.—KM

     

PRESENTED BY LISTRAK

Slay the new year

Listrak

What’s the trick to making 2024 one for the books? Retail customers who are seamlessly linked + effortlessly accessible across every channel. Yep, we’re talking email, SMS, identity resolution, push notifications—you name it.

Enter Listrak. Their unified platform puts everything in place to get you actionable insights for better precision targeting and individualization. Trusted by 1k leading retailers like Untuckit and Le Creuset, Listrak is an absolute game changer.

Classic shoewear titan TOMS made the switch to Listrak, consolidating their email and SMS programs and adding a new revenue channel: Listrak’s identity resolution marketing solution. The results? TOMS achieved true cross-channel orchestration and an 86x return on ad spend.

Make 2024 a marketing party.

STORES

Take this job and…

Stressed retail worker Fiorigianluigi/Getty Images

Maybe this has happened to you. You’re at an all-hands meeting and the boss can’t contain his excitement about the executive team going to an offsite to come up with a new mission statement. Or managers in departments that have nothing to do with yours are giving PowerPoints about the minutiae of their team’s goals. And all along you’re thinking: Why can’t they focus instead on raising our salaries to at least keep up with inflation?

That incongruity between what management thinks motivates workers and what indeed does is tackled in a new report by Beekeeper, a mobile-based platform that helps workers communicate and collaborate with their teams.

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho…The Global Frontline Workforce Pulse Report is drawn from a September 2023 survey of 5,615 frontline workers, 2,318 managers, and 210 executives in head offices. Roughly half of the respondents were from North America, and the other half were from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Along with retail, the report covers industries including—this gets slashy—bars/restaurants, hotels/resorts, manufacturing, healthcare, and construction.

“Disengaged Frontliners are leaving in droves,” the report stated.

Keep reading here.—AAN

     

COMMUNITY

Coworking with Tom Malengo

Tom Malengo headshot Tom Malengo

On Wednesdays, we wear pink spotlight Retail Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Tom Malengo is co-founder of Brandjectory, a platform helping CPG companies secure capital.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? All those new food and beverage products you see at Whole Foods or Sprouts? We help those founders learn how to build a strong consumer products business and meet, work with, learn from, and build relationships with industry investors and experts through education and engagement.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I work, just like right now, sitting on the floor with a goldendoodle on my lap.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Without a doubt, the Brandjectory Pitch Slam. We awarded $250,000 in cash and prizes among five very strong brand founders who were selected, coached, and received feedback from over 30 investors in preparation. We brought together some of the best CPG experts and leaders to participate, host, and sponsor! It was fantastic and rewarding.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? As a non-drinker, the growth of non-alc options for the social situation is terrific.

Keep reading here.—EC

     

TOGETHER WITH ELASTIC SUITE B2B ECOMMERCE PLATFORM

Elastic Suite B2B Ecommerce Platform

A whole new world. Imagine if B2B sales weren’t just by-the-books transactions but something more personalized and meaningful. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, Elastic Suite has made it a reality. Their tools swap conventional selling methods for a collaborative platform guaranteed to elevate your customer experience. Level up.

SWAPPING SKUS

Today’s top retail reads.

Close call: Target, Nike, and REI announced their intention to close stores in Portland, Oregon, due to retail crime after back and forth with officials over how best to address the issue. (the Wall Street Journal)

At what cost: Even as they come down from their peak, grocery prices remain top of mind for consumers, especially as their credit card balances rise. (Grocery Dive)

Sour grapes: Wine sales have declined over the past several years as younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, haven’t taken to the category like previous generations. (Fortune)

Ready to crush the year? Partner with Listrak. Their unified platform can eliminate your data silos and give you a seamless view of your customers across all channels. Let’s get the marketing party started.*

*A message from our sponsor.

SHARE THE BREW

Share Retail Brew with your coworkers, acquire free Brew swag, and then make new friends as a result of your fresh Brew swag.

We’re saying we’ll give you free stuff and more friends if you share a link. One link.

Your referral count: 2

Click to Share

Or copy & paste your referral link to others:
retailbrew.com/r/?kid=303a04a9

         
ADVERTISE // CAREERS // SHOP // FAQ

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here.
View our privacy policy here.

Copyright © 2024 Morning Brew. All rights reserved.
22 W 19th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10011

Older messages

☕ Going places

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Exploring EV roadblocks and drone delivery. January 24, 2024 Tech Brew It's Wednesday. Happy midweek! Today we've got three stories about the tech it takes to get things from point A to point B

☕️ Pokémon with guns

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Netflix body slams its streaming competition... January 24, 2024 View Online | Sign Up | Shop Morning Brew PRESENTED BY Knightscope Good morning. Is it OK to eat snow? That's the question dividing

👠 Trendy Talk: Mytheresa's Retail Insights!

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Join us virtually tomorrow! Hey Retail Brew reader, In a landscape where inflation and rising costs impact consumers, the retail industry faces the challenge of maintaining spending spirits. To shed

☕ Winning time

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

What one advertiser learned running for local office. January 23, 2024 Marketing Brew It's Tuesday. And the end of an era, apparently: Marianne Gambelli, a long-standing media executive who most

☕ Mixed media

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Retail media networks discussion at NRF. January 23, 2024 Retail Brew PRESENTED BY VTEX It's Tuesday. Wondering how to make your brand shine in the era of quiet luxury and dupes? Join us tomorrow,

You Might Also Like

AI chatbots keep failing every accuracy test thrown at them

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

PLUS: Why Substack's new subscriber milestone is so significant ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Everything We’ve Written About That’s on Sale at Nordstrom

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Plus: Actually cute plus-size maternity clothes. The Strategist Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.

What A Day: Bad Car-ma

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Elon Musk's politics are sparking a major Tesla backlash, ironically thanks to Trump. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Rohingya refugees just lost half of their food aid. Now what?

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

An interview with Free Rohingya Coalition what happened last week in Asia, Africa and the Americas Hey, this is Sham Jaff, a freelance journalist focused on Asia, Africa and the Americas and your very

Shayne Coplan’s Big Bet Is Paying Off

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

March 11, 2025 THE MONEY GAME Shayne Coplan's Big Bet Is Paying Off By Jen Wieczner Photo: Dina Litovsky At 6 am on Wednesday, November 13, eight FBI agents in black windbreakers burst through the

We need your input.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Share your insights & receive a 70% off forever. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

We Talkin’ About Practice?

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Nobody Told Me There'd Be Days Like These ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Seattle startup takes eco-friendly aim at recycling clothing 

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Read AI rolls out enterprise search tool | Hard time for hardware ADVERTISEMENT GeekWire SPONSOR MESSAGE: A limited number of table sponsorships are available at the 2025 GeekWire Awards: Secure your

☕ The beauty of it all

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

A conversation with Ulta Beauty's CMO. March 11, 2025 View Online | Sign Up Marketing Brew Presented By Iterable It's Tuesday. Count Kathy Hochul as an ad buyer. The governor of New York is

🤔 What’s in your wallet? A scam.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Plus, a new streaming deal is the latest gift to Trump from the billionaire CEO and his company — which profits off government contracts. Forward this email to others so they can sign up 🔥 Today on