🧵 The Weekly Thread | Issue No. 13

Retail Relates | Issue No. 13 | Sunday, July 20th

The Weekly Thread brings together all that Retail Relates has to offer in one place so you can catch up, explore what resonates, and join the conversation when it feels right.

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👜 This Week’s Common Threads

Spotlighting New Conversations, Timeless Echoes & Fresh Momentum

We are four SEVEN episodes into recording our second season of Retail Relates, and the excitement is building, REALLY BUILDING! (We really didn’t feel like asking Chatty, Gem, or Claude for another word).

We even have a tentative launch date (insert drum roll please), Thursday, September 4th! NOW LAUNCHING THURSDAY, AUGUST 28th! (we hope…). Stay tuned!!

This week’s featured Conversation (released on Tuesday) actually stems from one of the upcoming podcasts, where a guest stated emphatically that “industry best practices may be what is killing the industry,” and upon reflection, he may very well be right. We hope you get a chance to read the article when it is published on Tuesday.

In Echoes of Commerce, it is all about uniforms, rainy days, and digging deeper into the musical soundtrack of retail (and food, hospitality, etc).

Milestones That Changed Commerce it turns out the Tyson’s Corner opened the day before one of our co-hosts - yes, it is THAT old! And ten years ago this week, Jet.com was launched by Marc Lore and a year later, he sold it to Walmart (and joined them to head up its web commerce strategy). One could argue, this was the first in a series of decisions that propelled Walmart to where they are today.

And Momentum in Commerce brings you stories of progress and optimism: This past week, we couldn’t escape the advances in AI (but we will always ground it with humanity)

Thank you for being with us - whether you’re tuning in every week, or just dropping by to catch up. We’re building this hub with you, and your feedback, ideas, and shares mean the world.

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WHAT’S COMING UP THIS WEEK:

Conversations

Every week, one of our hosts or guests takes the mic for a deeper exploration of commerce’s most compelling questions and emerging opportunities. This is where we unpack ideas, challenge assumptions, and start new dialogues.

Coming up on Tuesday:

🚦Is the Chase to Follow Best Practices Hurting Retail?

Best Practices, Copycats, and the Innovation Ceiling: What Retail Can Learn from the Past - and Gen Z

During a recent recording for an upcoming season of Retail Relates, a guest offered a striking critique:

“Industry best practices are what is killing the industry.”

The argument is straightforward: when a new idea proves successful, imitation follows. Early adopters may benefit, but as copycats proliferate, the uniqueness and innovation that once sparked growth can give way to sameness and stagnation. This isn’t to say best practices lack value - they’re often crucial for safety, compliance, and operational excellence. But when the drive to emulate eclipses a brand’s need to differentiate and innovate, retail can lose its creative edge.

Check out the conversation when it releases, and we would LOVE your thoughts, comments, and feedback (a ♥️ and a SHARE would be great as well!)

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🕰️ Echoes of Commerce

Each week, we explore the experiences and environments that have built lasting emotional connections between people and commerce. These Echoes aren’t just stories from the past - they’re timeless lessons, resonating with relevance for today’s leaders, brands, and communities. Here’s what’s coming up this week:

🏷️ The Uniform: How Dress Codes Built Retail Culture (July 21st) - From crisp aprons to branded polos, retail uniforms have stitched together trust, identity, and the very fabric of store experience.

🏷️ The Rainy Day Guarantee: Retail’s First Risk Reversal (July 23rd) - Long before “no-hassle returns,” clever retailers turned the weather into a loyalty tool - building trust by sharing risk.

🏷️ The Soundtrack of Shopping: How Genre, Mood & Music Changed Retail (July 25th) - From jazz in the aisles to punk in boutiques, retailers have curated sound not just as filler - but as an immersive tool to drive mood, memory, and brand.

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📅 Milestones That Changed Commerce

Every week, we revisit the breakthrough launches, legendary deals, and unexpected firsts that set the pace for entire industries. These aren’t just dates - they’re the moments that turned everyday life into something new, remarkable, and enduring. This week’s highlights:

💳 July 20, 2015 – PayPal Splits from eBay as an Independent Company
🛍️ July 21, 2015 – Jet.com Launches to Challenge Amazon
🧙‍♂️ July 21, 2007 – Final Harry Potter Book Release Becomes a Global Event
👟 July 22, 2009 – Amazon Acquires Zappos in Major E-Commerce Merger
🍔 July 23, 1953 – Burger King Born as “Insta-Burger King”
🏨 July 25, 1968 – Tysons Corner Center Opens in Virginia

These are published (but not emailed) on the dates listed. We have fun with these (seriously, no one commented on the invention of sliced bread last week?), but experience tells us that no matter how much we research, we may get something wrong. Bonus points if you help us make it better!

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🚀 Momentum in Commerce

Human nature is to hone in on challenges, the bad news, the doom and gloom - you see those headlines every day. Momentum in Commerce showcases encouraging results, innovative solutions, and forward-thinking ideas.

💳 Costco Adds Early-Bird Access for Executive Members
RetailWire | Jul 15, 2025
Costco’s Executive Members now get exclusive 9 am access - an hour before non-Exec shoppers - making their perks feel extra premium. It’s a small tweak, but loyalty programs are about moments like this: curated, convenient, and customer-first. It’s a shot across the bow to other retailers: you don’t need a points gimmick to make people feel valued, just tangible, real-world benefits that actually matter. In a landscape obsessed with digital, sometimes it’s the analog moves - like a quiet store and no line for rotisserie chickens - that drive real loyalty.

🏪 Smart Store Infrastructure Powers Tomorrow's Retail
Retail Dive | Jul 18, 2025
Smart shelves, AI sensors, and modular pop-ups are turning static stores into dynamic ecosystems of data and customer delight. Retailers are building the foundation now, so future innovation can plug and play seamlessly. It’s the opposite of retail as wallpaper; it’s retail as operating system, and every store visit becomes a unique, data-driven experience. The real win? When infrastructure is this smart, you’re not just tracking stock - you’re setting the stage for agility, personalization, and the kind of in-store energy that can’t be duplicated online.

🤖 How Retailer Like Lowe's Are Using AI to Make Shopping 'simpler, faster, and more fun.'
Business Insider | Jul 18, 2025
Lowe’s is leveraging AI-driven spatial intelligence (and tech like Nvidia’s 3D Omniverse) to anticipate demand, whether for hurricane supplies or trending houseplants - and optimize product placement and inventory in real time. Frontline staff and corporate teams collaborate, using virtual store models and customer behavior data to continually refine layouts and experiences. This isn’t theoretical, it’s AI shaping what you see and buy in-store, and it’s already boosting responsiveness and engagement. And yes, I used the word “spatial”…

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WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:

🎤 Featured Podcast Episode:

We have an expanded slate of guests and co-hosts lined up for Season Two and will be announcing the launch date shortly. In the meantime, this is one of the episodes from Season One worth revisiting:

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🕰️ Echoes of Commerce

One of our highlighted “Echoes” that you might have missed last week:

Visit the Echoes archive for additional reflections on retail’s past and its influence on today’s customer journey.

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🔭 Looking Ahead

Remember that we only email our Weekly Threads recap and our weekly Conversation, so if you want to stay current with us, subscribe, download the app, and stay connected - it’s free!

We hope that you explore, and we would LOVE for you to comment, & share. Be part of the journey. If you have story ideas, guest suggestions, or internship resources to share, drop us a line.

We’re glad you’re here!
— The Retail Relates Team