From retail experience to cutting-edge technology advancements, these influencers are worth following to stay on top of the industry trends.
Michelle Grant | Director, Retail Strategy & Insights at Salesforce
Michelle is a seasoned researcher. At Salesforce, she blends data and analysis to create thought-provoking content that helps retailers understand how new technologies will impact the future of their business.
“The vast majority (80%) of shoppers will abandon a retailer after three bad experiences.”
Sucharita Kodali | Vice President & Principal Analyst at Forrester Research
With a background in retail and digital operations at B2C companies, Sucharita specializes in store operations, marketing, and merchandising.
“Economists are right to focus on the adverse impacts of too-high inflation for too long. But, while consumers say that they are worried about inflation, they don’t seem to be acting that way. Yet.”
Chris Walton | Co-CEO at Omni Talk
Chris is the Co-CEO and founder of Omni Talk, one of the fastest-growing blogs in retail. He is well-versed in nearly every discipline within retail and shares insightful perspective on the retail landscape.
“The rise of ecommerce has already created a move to turn stores into micro-warehouse logistics hubs for everything from curbside pickup to shipping out of stores themselves.”
George MacDonald | Executive Editor at Retail Week
With nearly two decades in the field, George is the longtime executive editor of Retail Week and serves as a leading voice on social media for everything from advancements in retail experience to digital channels.
“The ASOS mindset of innovation and being absolutely in tune with its customer priorities and worldview was key to its success. Years back, [the leaders] used to obsess about how to keep that spirit as the company grew.”
Keith Anderson | Former Senior Vice President, Strategy at Profitero
Looking for fresh takes on the latest retail trends? Keith is a career retail professional with a penchant for unique insights on the industry’s shift to digital.
“Investments [in e-cargo bikes] are often positioned as primarily about emissions reduction, but I suspect retailers will soon realize that micromobility is a strategic advantage in many high-density urban areas.”
Jason Goldberg | Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis
Jason (aka “Retailgeek”) hosts a top-rated ecommerce podcast, The Jason & Scot Show. He is one of the most influential experts in ecommerce and serves on the board of directors of shop.org.
“The moves into fulfillment indicate that TikTok is very interested in social commerce. They are doing a great job selling ads, but […] one of their big growth opportunities is playing a more prominent role in commerce.”
Leslie Hand | Group Vice President, Retail Insights at IDC
Leslie is a leading retail technology thought leader, influencer, and strategist who analyzes trends and drives strategic change. She has been named a top ten retail influencer by BizTech Magazine four years in a row.
“There has never been a more opportune time to drive change in global supply chain processes and business practices. The refrain, ‘this is the way we have always done it’ is being replaced with ‘let’s use sensors and data to measure and respond to customer needs and supply chain conditions intelligently.’”
Deborah Weinswig | CEO & Founder at Coresight Research
As the host of the Retailistic podcast and CEO of Coresight Research, Deborah shares insights with followers on the intersection of retail and technology.
“There’s a whole coming-of-age around labor and how we value, measure, and compensate people for what they do. There’s challenges in leadership right now, because everyone may not understand what is important to the consumer and business.”
Melissa Gonzalez | CEO & Founder at The Lionesque Group
Melissa is constantly pushing the boundaries of experiential retail and combining technology with the physical shopping experience. Her insights focus on emerging technologies and their impact on the industry.
“People of all demographics crave human experiences - an opportunity to interact off the screen and without boundaries. When brands deliver experiences that unleash the imagination, emotional connections are created and fandoms are born.”
Nicole Leinbach | Founder at Retail Minded
Nicole is an experienced retail and wholesale professional with a passion for small businesses. She is a Top Global 100 retail influencer and author of Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business.
“While the pandemic and subsequent ecommerce explosion have driven strong demand for true omnichannel supply chain solutions, it has also fueled a less immediately obvious move towards direct-to-consumer fulfillment, too.”
Sanford Stein | Founder at Retail Speak
Sanford is a highly sought-after speaker, contributor, and influencer in the retail space. He recently launched Retail Speak, a LinkedIn platform to share ideas and daily news on the industry.
“As online accelerates, in-store lags behind. With rapid online adoption, physical stores need to evolve, become more compelling, entertaining, and personalized with products and services.”
Trevor Sumner | Head of AI and Innovation at Raydiant
As the Head of AI and Innovation, Trevor provides a futuristic view of retail tech. He shares insights on both the in-store and digital retail experience across his social channels and publications.
“In-store digital and new marketing technologies will fundamentally change retail economics and reshape the industry.”
