Jake Stein, Head of Retail, Uber Direct
with Jenny McLean
In the first interview of episode three, Jake Stein, Head of Retail at Uber Direct, offers valuable insights into the innovative world of delivery logistics and customer expectations.Jake introduces Uber Direct as an extension of Uber Eats, designed to empower retailers, grocers, and convenience stores to leverage Uber’s extensive courier network for their delivery needs. With Uber Direct, brands can seamlessly integrate same-day, next-day, and on-demand delivery options into their own channels, enhancing customer experience and driving revenue growth.
Reflecting on the evolution of Uber Eats and Uber Direct, Jake highlights the organic transition from on-demand food delivery to broader retail fulfilment services. Recognising the growing demand for fast and convenient delivery options, Uber seized the opportunity to support brands in offering personalised delivery experiences to their customers.
Discussing shifting customer habits and expectations, Jake emphasises the rising demand for express delivery services, with a significant portion of consumers preferring merchants that offer expedited shipping options. However, he notes that flexibility is key, as customers appreciate a range of delivery choices, from express to scheduled and next-day delivery.
Jake highlights the importance of tailoring delivery solutions to each brand’s unique requirements while adhering to industry standards. By offering multiple delivery options, brands can cater to diverse customer preferences and enhance their competitive edge in the market.
Looking ahead, Jake envisions Uber Direct’s expansion into the B2B sector, catering to industries such as auto parts and service, where efficient delivery solutions are paramount. By streamlining delivery processes for businesses, Uber Direct aims to optimise productivity and support seamless operations in various industries.
As Head of Retail, Jake finds excitement in driving changes in consumer behaviour and witnessing brands embrace innovative delivery strategies to meet evolving customer needs. With Uber Direct’s support, brands can pioneer new approaches to customer engagement and redefine the retail landscape.
Jasmeet Sabharwal, Senior Director, Marketing Strategy, Bread Financial
Jasmeet Sabharwal, Senior Director of Marketing Strategy at Bread Financial, shares invaluable insights into how research insights shape their approach in the marketplace.
Jasmeet of Bread Financial with interview host Graham
Jasmeet reflects on Bread Financials’ commitment to customer-centricity, emphasising their reliance on proprietary research to inform business strategy, product design, and customer experience. By extracting key learnings from their ‘State of the Middle Class Shopper Report,’ Bread Financial identifies opportunities to enhance offerings and better serve their clientele.Drawing from recent research findings, Jasmeet highlights the growing demand among Gen Z consumers for accessible financial education resources. Leveraging these insights, Bread Financial launched the Bread Financial Education Hub, resulting in a notable improvement in customer sentiment within a year.
Discussing agility in product development and deployment, Jasmeet underscores Bread Financials’ efforts to streamline internal processes and leverage technology to meet evolving customer needs promptly. By prioritising customer segments and aligning product features with their preferences, Bread Financial ensures a seamless shopping experience.
Jasmeet elaborates on Bread Financials’ success in revamping a sports and entertainment program for a client, showcasing a significant improvement in account volumes within six months of relaunch. This achievement underscores Bread Financials’ ability to deliver tailored solutions that resonate with both partners and customers.
Transitioning to the topic of AI and machine learning, Jasmeet shares insights into Bread Financials’ approach to leveraging AI as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human talent. Through strategic AI implementations, such as an AI-powered content engine for a jewellery partner, Bread Financial enhances personalisation and drives engagement without compromising on the human touch.
Kimberly Wallengren, VP Marketing, North America, Coach
In the next conversation, Kimberly Wallengren, VP Marketing North America at Coach, shares insights into Coach’s marketing strategies and their commitment to reaching Gen Z consumers.
Chatting with Kimberly Wallengren
Kimberly reflects on Coach’s presence at Shoptalk, highlighting the energy and inspiration at the event. Discussing Coach’s media mix, Kimberly emphasises their focus on digital channels to target Gen Z consumers effectively. While maintaining a presence in traditional media, Coach prioritises digital platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to build brand awareness and engagement.Delving into communicating with Gen Z, Kimberly underscores Coach’s dedication to consumer insights. By leveraging consumer behaviour data and feedback from store teams and community managers, Coach ensures alignment with Gen Z preferences and values.
Kimberly sheds light on Coach’s brand mission, emphasising their commitment to expressive luxury and inclusivity. With the introduction of expressive luxury, Coach aims to foster emotional connections with consumers, moving beyond transactional relationships to cultivate brand love and sustainable growth.
Discussing Coach’s campaign “Find Your Courage,” Kimberly highlights its focus on encouraging consumers to embrace their authentic selves. Featuring celebrity talent like Lil Nas X and Cami Mendes, the campaign celebrates individual journeys and inspires consumers to find their courage.
Riad Hijal, Head of Commerce and Solution Management, SAP
Riad Hijal, Head of Commerce Solution Management at SAP, shares details about SAP’s latest announcement at Shoptalk regarding their open payment framework, aimed at empowering merchants with agility and speed in their payment strategies.
Russ with SAP’s Riad Hijal
Riad elaborates on the open payment framework, slated for release in the back half of the year, which offers merchants a set of services to navigate global rollouts and collaborate with diverse payment service providers and gateways. Through a composable approach, merchants can customise their payment solutions, leveraging existing partners or integrating preferred providers seamlessly.Transitioning to the topic of GenAI, Riad emphasises SAP’s commitment to becoming an AI-first company and highlights the CXAI toolkit, designed to streamline content curation and catalogue enrichment, thereby enhancing the shopping experience for consumers.
Exploring consumer spending trends, Riad discusses the resilience of the American consumer, citing increased savings during the pandemic and cautious yet robust spending patterns. He anticipates continued positive indicators for consumer spending in the coming months.
In addressing marketing strategies for reaching younger consumers, Riad highlights the importance of authenticity and values alignment. Discussing the need for brands to communicate authentically, resonate with Gen Z’s values, and engage through channels like TikTok and DTC platforms to foster meaningful connections.
Jesse Goldstine, General Manager, Retail MoMA Design Store
In another engaging conversation, Jesse Goldstine, General Manager of Retail at MoMA, offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of MoMA Design Store, tracing its origins to the museum’s inception in 1930. Jesse sheds light on MoMA’s unique retail journey, rooted in the museum’s rich collection of design objects, which serves as the cornerstone of its retail DNA.
The MoMA Design Store, extending its reach globally, stands as an omnichannel retail powerhouse, boasting a diverse array of offerings ranging from exclusive merchandise to licensed collaborations with esteemed partners like Uniqlo and Swatch. Jesse provides insights into MoMA’s meticulous selection process, guided by a trifecta of principles: global design immersion, adherence to MoMA’s mission, and curator approval, ensuring that each product resonates with the museum’s ethos.
Delving into MoMA’s strategic vision, Jesse reveals the transformative role of retail as a conduit to enhance museum engagement, challenging conventional paradigms by leveraging retail as a gateway to MoMA’s artistic universe. Examples, such as the iconic MoMA champion hoodie, highlight retail’s potential to amplify brand visibility and drive museum traffic, thereby fostering a symbiotic relationship between retail operations and museum initiatives.
In addressing the pressing question of Gen Z engagement, Jesse highlights MoMA’s adaptive approach, leveraging social media platforms and immersive storytelling to captivate younger audiences. By embracing collaborative endeavours and curating bespoke experiences, MoMA Design Store remains at the forefront of retail innovation, poised to redefine the retail landscape in the years to come.
Gabi Saper, CEO, CMY Cubes
In the next captivating conversation, Gabi Saper, CEO of CMY Cubes, shares the remarkable journey of CMY Cubes from inception to viral sensation and hints at the exciting future ahead.
Gabi recounts how the idea for CMY Cubes emerged during the pandemic, spurred by a curiosity about subtractive colour mixing. With a background in engineering, Gabi’s partner crafted the original prototype, igniting Gabi’s vision for a unique subtractive colour mixing tool.
As Gabi unfolds the journey from prototype to product launch, she paints a vivid picture of the unexpected viral success of CMY Cubes on TikTok. Despite initial challenges in fulfilling orders, Gabi and her team navigated the demand surge with resilience, pivoting from prototype to production and launching the product to widespread acclaim.
Gabi explores the factors behind CMY Cubes’ exponential growth, attributing it to a robust omnichannel marketing strategy and the product’s inherent allure. Gabi emphasises CMY Cubes’ customer-centric approach, highlighting how customer feedback shapes product development and fuels continuous innovation.
In discussing CMY Cubes’ expanding product range, Gabi unveils the dynamic process of ideation and development driven by customer demand. With 27 SKUs and counting, CMY Cubes remains agile and responsive to customer needs, evidenced by the success of innovative products like the colour-changing puzzle.
Jenny McLean, Managing Partner & Retail Industry Lead, Clarkston Consulting
In the final conversation of episode three, Jenny McLean, Managing Partner at Clarkston Consulting, explores supply chain dynamics and the pivotal role of data analytics in demand forecasting and inventory planning.
Jenny sheds light on the myriad technologies available to retailers and emphasises the indispensable role of data quality, integration, and governance in harnessing the full potential of these tools. Drawing on insights from a recent discussion with the CEO of Reformation, Jenny highlights the significance of fostering a data-centric culture within organisations to drive effective forecasting processes.
Transitioning to the challenge of adapting to rapidly evolving consumer trends, Jenny cites Shein as a prime example of a company that excels in aligning its supply chain with customer-centric strategies, emphasising the importance of agility and innovation in meeting evolving consumer demands.
Jenny elucidates how companies like Wayfair navigate complexities by fostering collaborative partnerships with suppliers, highlighting the critical role of data sharing, AI, and trust-building in optimising supply chain operations.
