IADS Retail Park

Zara has closed 600+ stores since 2019—but total selling space has grown. Their new flagships look like "monobrand department stores" with local architecture, cafés, and luxury-grade design. What can department stores learn from this transformation? Maya and Selvane explore the "fewer, larger, better" strategy, the experience trap, and where Zara's limits create opportunity for department stores. 🏬🌍👉Click here to read the full exclusive. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

45 days. 50% of annual grocery sales. 30-40% of automobile revenue. India’s festival season isn’t a shopping event — it’s an economic restructuring that happens every year. 🪔This week on IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya and Anchita examine how Amazon India turned a five-day sale into a month-long phenomenon where 85% of customers now come from non-metro cities. UPI accounts for 78% of digital payments. Luxury brands like Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin are launching Diwali collections. But the North-South gambling divide proves one truth: understanding micro-contexts isn’t optional when a billion consumers are watching.🎧 In this episode: Why 30-50% of annual sales compress into 45 days 📊. Amazon India scaled to 85% non-metro customers—what tier-2 cities revealed 🏙️. UPI hit 78% of digital payments and changed festival spending 💳. Galeries Lafayette enters Delhi and Mumbai, but one festival strategy won’t work for both 🎯. The Diwali gambling paradox: North vs. South, and what it means for campaigns 🎲.🔗 Click here to read the full India Festival Economy Exclusive by Anchita Ranka!For more insights and updates—connect with us on LinkedIn 💼, discover our exclusives on Substack 📰, and explore www.iads.org 🌐 for additional resources. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

25 billion Turkish lira in GMV. 18.3 million users. 550 business partners. Hopi isn’t a loyalty program anymore—it’s a B2B2C platform that does loyalty, MarTech, AdTech, and FinTech simultaneously. 💳This week on IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya and Selvane examine how Boyner Grup turned a department store loyalty program into a multi-merchant coalition serving 300+ partners, including its own competitors. 🎧 In this episode: * Find out why Boyner’s 1998 credit card experiment shaped Hopi’s FinTech DNA two decades later 🏦. * Learn how Paracik social sharing converted 1.6 friends per user into active shoppers 👥. The AdTech expansion that brought 100+ brands who never joined the loyalty program 📊. * What happened when Hopi approved 50%+ of credit applications versus banks’ 30-35% rate 💰. * Why serving your competitors is the only way platform economics work—and what department stores must unlearn 🔄.🔗 Click here to read the full Hopi Exclusive by Selvane Mohandas!For more insights and analysis—connect with us on LinkedIn 💼, discover our exclusives on Substack 📰, and explore www.iads.org 🌐 for additional resources. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

Target ended DEI in January 2025—four days after Trump's executive orders. By January 2026, when ICE agents detained US citizens in Minnesota stores, Target said nothing. That silence defines the bind facing US retailers in 2026. 🎯⚖️This week on IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya breaks down the trajectory from George Floyd commitments to Louisiana v. Callais—the late-April Supreme Court ruling that ended sixty years of voting protections. The frameworks that survived: leveling vs. lifting, targeted universalism, and the FAIR approach. The question isn't whether to pursue inclusion—it's how to do it when equity became prosecutable.🔗 Read the full exclusive!Stay connected: LinkedIn · Substack · www.iads.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

£24,000 per square metre. 18% operating margin. One building. One UK tax change cost it £80-90 million. 💷Maya and Selvane examine the landlord-brand model that made Harrods one of the world's most productive retailers—and the pressures now testing it. Seventy percent runs on concession economics. Freehold ownership eliminates rent risk. But customer concentration (4% = 28% of revenue), QIA dividend extraction, and Grade II* building constraints tell a different story🔗 Click here to read the full Harrods Exclusive by Selvane!Stay connected: LinkedIn · Substack · www.iads.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

🎧 In this episode: Why Breuninger’s credit card captures 71% of turnover 💳 | How personal shoppers recruit at operas and cultural events 🎭 | The 3-minute runner system in footwear 👟 | Mrs. & Hugs private label success 🏷️ | Luxury buyback programs that keep spending in-house 🔄🔗 Click here to read the full Breuninger Stuttgart Exclusive by Christine Montard!For more retail insights and strategy—connect with us on LinkedIn 💼, discover our exclusives on Substack 📰, and explore www.iads.org 🌐 for additional resources. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

This week on IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya and Christine examine what department stores are actually building with these renovations — from Nordstrom‘s 1,670 sqm Beauty Bar to Macy’s 5,000 sqm commitment to Galeries Lafayette‘s three-floor strategy. The brand counter model is dissolving. Whether the replacement can compete with Sephora's 20-year head start is the question billions can’t yet answer.🔗 Click here to read the full Beauty Exclusive by Christine Montard!Stay connected: Follow us on LinkedIn · Read our latest on Substack · Explore www.iads.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In 2006, Abercrombie & Fitch‘s CEO said it on the record: “Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.” It was company policy. And it cost them everything. 👀This week on IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya and Christopher trace A&F‘s decade-long reckoning — from a $40 million discrimination settlement in 2004 to an 8-1 Supreme Court defeat in 2015 to the Curve Love comeback. The problem wasn’t the lawsuit. It was the thirteen years it took to actually believe what the consent decree said.🔗 Click here to read the full A&F Exclusive➡️Click here to find out more about the 2025 IADS White Paper: DEI at a crossroadsStay connected: Follow us on LinkedIn · Read our latest on Substack · Explore www.iads.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎙️, we explore Galeries Lafayette's seven-year journey to open India's first true luxury department store 🏛️Based on IADS Exclusive: 👉 "A landmark entry: Galeries Lafayette and the evolution of Indian luxury retail" This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

€200M invested. Breuer's building. Gucci on the ground floor. But De Bijenkorf Rotterdam's VIP services? Invisible. 👻This week, Maya & Christine walk all five floors to find the gap between execution and visibility—and what every department store can learn from it. 🐝📸 Full story here | ⏱️ 12 min This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

🏢 A 40-year-old department store. 33,000 sqm. €750M in annual revenue. How? Korea built an entire VIC architecture where 5% of customers drive half the sales—through transparent €94K thresholds, allocation control, and lifestyle infrastructure the West hasn't replicated. Maya and Selvane unpack what makes Hyundai Apgujeong one of Korea's highest-performing stores per square metre. 📊💰📖 Full read linked in description This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Maya and Selvane unpack an exclusive from 2023 on the seismic shift in Chinese tourism post-reopening. 🛫 What do Galeries Lafayette, Harrods, and El Corte Inglés have in common? They rewrote the playbook—swapping tour-group tactics for wellness galleries, Michelin dining, and cross-border CRM magic. 🌍 But with Hainan’s duty-free empire doubling sales and XiaoHongshu rankings favouring Asia, European retailers faced an uncomfortable truth: products alone wouldn’t justify a twelve-hour flight. 💼✨ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

🌍 Fifty-eight department stores. One volatile year. Maya and Anchita unpack the I.A.D.S. Global Department Store Monitor — from the Saks collapse and Japan's boom-to-bust reversal, to Latin America's resilience and the rise of recommerce as a structural layer.📖 Read the exclusive: Access hereLinkedIn | Substack | www.iads.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Maya and Anchita unpack David Baverez’s "New China" presentation: Why the $600B US-China trade runs through Hong Kong, how China's 30-35% manufacturing share shifted power from consumers to suppliers, and what the "economy of war" means for retail strategy 🏭.Discover the demographic shifts reshaping Chinese consumers, why BYD and Huawei are outpacing Western brands, and how Chinese platforms could industrialise sustainability at scale 📊.📖 Read the exclusive: Access hereFollow us: IADS LinkedIn | Substack | www.iads.org This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when a 170-year-old retail icon makes a deal that backfires? 🎲BHV, the beloved Parisian department store, bet on SHEIN—and lost. Brand departures, public backlash, and a 40% reduction in retail space followed. Now, Brookfield Asset Management plans a five-star hotel 🏨 where shoppers once browsed DIY tools.Host Maya Sankoh sits down with Christine Montard, IADS. Director of Markets and Events, to unpack what went wrong—and whether heritage brands can survive radical pivots 🔄.📖 Full article link in description | 🎧 Listen now This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

🛍️ In this episode of IADS Retail Park, Maya and Anchita unpack Xiaohongshu (Red Note)—the platform transforming how international retailers reach 350 million affluent Chinese consumers. 📖 Read the full IADS Exclusive: “Unlocking Chinese Consumer Trends via Xiaohongshu” 👉 Access the exclusive hereFor more insights, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, subscribe to our Substack, and visit www.iads.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

For over a century, merchants built retail empires through margin discipline, inventory velocity, and vendor relationships. Today, those skills no longer guarantee relevance. In this episode 🎙️, Maya speaks with Christine Montard explore groundbreaking research from the 2025 IADS Academy cohort on how merchants balance intuition with data-driven decisions—and why the future belongs to those who master integration, not choice.👉 Click here to read the full 2025 Academy Exclusive!For more updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Maya and Christine unpack the seismic shift in luxury retail—where sales staff evolved into brand ambassadors, relationship architects, and cultural translators. 🏬✨ What do Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Kering have in common? They bet big on people, not just platforms. From clienteling apps boosting sales by 20% to recruiting from hospitality and finance, brands rewrote the playbook. 🎯 But with 36% of shoppers saying in-store experiences worsened, the stakes remain high. 👉 Click here to unlock Christine's full Exclusive!For more updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

Twenty-seven years after its final flight, Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport is preparing for a different kind of landing—one that challenges every assumption about what makes retail destinations work. In this episode 🎙️, Maya speaks with Christine Montard, Director of Markets and Events at IADS, about her firsthand visit to Kai Tak during the 2025 IADS General Assembly in Hong Kong. Christine breaks down the HK$100 billion transformation across three major developments—Kai Tak Mall's "sportainment" model, Airside's sustainability-driven "culturetainment," and IADS member Lifestyle International's The Twins dual-tower complex 🏢. 👉 Click here to learn more in the full Kai Tak Exclusive! For more updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

Maya and Selvane unpack the radical transformation at Åhléns under new owner Ayad al-Saffar. 🏬 What do Inglot, private label kitchen tools, and a 47-store network have in common? They're all weapons in a war against intermediaries. ✂️ By slashing third-party distributors and pivoting to 90% wholesale, Al-Saffar is turning Sweden's second-highest retail density into a competitive advantage—and planning more store openings. 🚀 Could this spark a Nordic-wide supply chain revolution? 👉 Click here to unlock Selvane's full Exclusive! For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for the full White Paper, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we unpack the 2026 NRF Big Show—the largest yet, with 41,000 attendees and a provocative tension: when tech companies dominate retail’s flagship event, who truly owns the future? From REI’s “selective openness” and FairPrice’s 17% basket lift through AI, to the stark divide between Amazon’s fortress and Walmart’s federation strategies—discover what retailers must own to remain destinations, not just data sources🛡️. Plus: Why semantic capital is the new competitive moat, why your website’s intelligence is existential, and how Bloomingdale’s and Printemps are proving physical retail’s renaissance is real 🏬.📖 Full report available at IADS Exclusive Insights (👉Click here) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya sits down with Christine, Director of Markets and Events at IADS and author of this week’s exclusive investigation into what’s being called “The SHEIN Paradox.” When SHEIN opened its first permanent European store at Paris’s historic BHV Marais in November 2025, 7,000 visitors showed up on day one. Within weeks, the floors were empty, online sales had plummeted 54%, and over 100 French brands had filed legal action. What went wrong? Tune in to discover why some retail models can’t absorb others—and how to avoid a collision that costs millions.👉 [To read Christine’s complete exclusive and check out the store photos here: The SHEIN Paradox: When Digital Ultra-Fast Fashion Meets Physical Reality]Keep your finger on the pulse 📊 of retail transformation by connecting with the International Association of Department Stores – IADS on LinkedIn, joining our Substack community, and exploring www.iads.org for strategic resources. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this Season 2 premiere 🎙️, Maya sits down with Selvane, Managing Director of IADS, to discuss her year-long investigation into diversity, equity, and inclusion at retail's most critical turning point 📊. Through research across six global regions with leaders from Nordstrom, Tesco, Falabella, and Galeries Lafayette, IADS' 2025 White Paper reveals four key patterns that separate authentic DEI strategies from performative gestures. As political pressures mounted and executive orders shifted corporate commitments, some retailers doubled down while others quietly retreated . In this revealing conversation, Selvane asks Maya the questions that uncover the evidence-based insights behind retail's most complex challenge. 👉Click here to read the IADS Exclusive on Maya’s White Paper🔎Access the full IADS White Paper hereYou can find all our White Papers here: https://payhip.com/IADSTo read the press release on our annual White Paper, click here! (link)For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for the full White Paper, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS. Retail Park 🎧, Maya sits down with Christine, author of this week’s IADS Exclusive on Macy’s transformation. From pioneering retail innovations in 1858 to closing 150 stores while investing in 350 upgraded locations, Macy’s story raises a fundamental question facing department stores globally: can concentration replace expansion as a path to growth? Christine breaks down the “First 50” results, the My Macy’s localisation experiment, why the mid‑tier is getting squeezed, and whether strategic precision can outperform broad coverage. If you’re navigating fleet optimisation, format innovation, or the future of department stores, this conversation offers critical insights you can’t afford to miss. Want to dive into the data and analysis behind this episode?👉Click here to access Christine’s full IADS Exclusive on Macy’s. Stay plugged🔌into the latest thinking by following the International Association of Department Stores – IADS on LinkedIn, subscribing to our Substack, and visiting www.iads.org for more in‑depth resources. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christopher pull back the curtain on Google’s Project X—Back in 2023 the moonshot factory tackling humanity’s biggest challenges. ✨ What do Waymo, Tidal, and Intrinsic have in common? They aim for 10X impact, not 10% improvement. 🚀 From embracing failure as “moonshot compost” to spending 20% of time on creative pursuits, our hosts unpack six counterintuitive principles reshaping innovation. Want all the case studies and expert insight? 👉 Click here to unlock full Exclusive for deeper dives and real-world examples! 🔗 For updates and more can’t-miss content, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores, explore our Substack, or visit www.iads.org for extra resources and the full article. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Anchita zoom in on a customer group retailers can’t afford to overlook: the silver generation. As birth rates drop 📉, people live longer 🧬, and more spending power sits with Gen X and older, they ask a key question: how do you build experiences for aging customers without leaning on lazy stereotypes? Drawing on examples like Le Bon Marché’s Rock’n’Drôle exhibition 🎸 and Galeries Lafayette’s Sophie Fontanel curation, they explore how pro-ageing beauty, longevity‑focused wellness 💊, and nostalgia‑driven storytelling 📼 can help department stores connect generations, normalise healthy ageing, and place older shoppers at the centre of both culture and commerce. If you’re rethinking who your priority customer will be over the next decade, this episode offers fresh angles and concrete ideas to use in your strategy work. Curious about the numbers, case studies, and full strategic lens behind this topic? 👉 Click here to read Anchita’s IADS Exclusive. To keep up with our latest insights, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – IADS 💼, explore our Substack 📰, and visit www.iads.org 🌐 for more in‑depth resources. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine look at what happens when retailers start acting like neighbourhood builders. 🏙️ IKEA, Walmart, Breuninger, and John Lewis are all turning old malls, car parks, and land banks into mixed‑use districts where people live, work, and spend their free time. From IKEA’s Livat “Meeting Places” in Shanghai to Walmart’s mall conversion in Pittsburgh and John Lewis’ 10,000 planned rental homes, the episode explains why mixed‑use is becoming retail’s new survival strategy. If you are rethinking what your flagship or real estate portfolio should look like in 2030, this conversation will give you concrete ideas to take back to your team. Want to dive into the data, business cases, and full framework behind these moves? 👉 Click here to access Christine’s IADS Exclusive. Stay plugged into the latest thinking by following us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – IADS, exploring our Substack, and visiting www.iads.org for more in‑depth resources. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine pull back the curtain on digital transformation in heritage organizations. ✨ What separates fast retailers from slow ones in a world where crises strike every twelve months? From rolling budgets and “forcasgility” to double ERP roadmaps and raw data ownership, our hosts unpack the paradigm shifts redefining retail operations. 🛍️📊 Learn why speed now trumps size—and how agile methods borrowed from unicorns can future-proof legacy businesses. Want all the case studies and expert insight? 👉 Click here to unlock the full Exclusive! For updates and more can’t-miss content, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., explore our Substack, or visit www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Anchita unpack what happens when department stores face the unthinkable—wars 🎯, currency collapse 💸, and complete economic chaos ⚡. Through exclusive IADS research with retailers at the epicentre of global crises, they reveal the raw playbook: why cash is king, how people come first, and the critical difference between iterative🔄 and protocol-driven crisis management 🚨.From retailers paying employees for three years while they serve in national defence 👥, to installing solar panels and mapping citywide power grids ⚡, to transforming into financial entities temporarily just to survive 💰—this isn’t theory. These are survival tactics from those who’ve lived it. Discover how strategic teams navigated hyperinflation, supply chain collapse 🚛, infrastructure failure, and government restrictions while keeping their doors open. If you think your contingency plan is solid, this episode will make you think twice 🌟.👉 Click here to read the full IADS Exclusive on crisis managementFor more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Anchita pull back the curtain on relational shopping’s business impact. ✨ What do Magasin du Nord and Lane Crawford have in common? They’ve turned customer data into loyalty engines. 🛍️ From booking personal shoppers to WeChat mini-programs that 6x sales, our hosts unpack how retailers bridge online and offline—and why Western stores must prepare for Chinese travelers’ sky-high expectations. 🌏 Want all the case studies and expert insight? 👉 Click here to unlock Anchita’s full Exclusive for deeper dives and real-world examples! For updates and more can’t-miss content, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., explore our Substack, or visit www.iads.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christopher explore Green Pea, the world’s first green retail park in Turin. 🌱 What do Patagonia, Brunello Cuccinelli, and a building you can disassemble with a screwdriver have in common? They’re all part of a manifesto-driven retail experiment. From energy-capturing floors to 20 million annual visitors, our hosts unpack how sustainability can be a business model—not just a marketing claim. 🛍️ Want the full breakdown of Green Pea’s strategy and lessons for legacy retailers? 👉 Click here to read the full exclusive on challenging the retail business model with the CEO of Green Pea! 👉 If you haven’t caught our first episode on Green Pea as a business case, click here. 👉 For further reading, check out our free IADS white paper on reinventing department stores through sustainability!For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., explore our Substack, or visit www.iads.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine dissect the bold new era where brands don’t stop at products—they shape full lifestyles. Why are icons like Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, and Selfridges diving into beauty lines, homeware, sports, and even film? 🏆💄🏠 From LV’s jump into Formula 1 and cosmetics to Zara’s thriving home business and Selfridges’ quirky post-Covid garden centres, our hosts trace how “brand territory” has become the hottest strategy in retail.Listen in for real stories, from blockbusters like Zara Home’s €830M success to curveballs like Birkenstock’s skincare flop, and get straight answers about what works, what fizzles, and where department stores fit in.Ready for the whole playbook and deeper case studies? 👉 Click here to get Christine’s Exclusive deep dive 🕵️‍♀️For more insights and can’t-miss retail updates, follow us on🔗 LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – IADS, check out our Substack, or visit www.iads.org for bonus resources and the full article. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine explore Benedict Evans’ provocative take on retail transformation. What do Netflix, Shopify, and Shein have in common? ✨ They’ve all used tech not to upgrade existing models, but to unbundle and rebuild entire value chains. From L’Oréal’s 25% direct-to-consumer shift to Amazon’s $31 billion ad business, our hosts unpack how every retail function—manufacturing, distribution, advertising, wholesale—is being deconstructed and reassembled. 🛍️ Learn why the question isn’t if your business will be unbundled, but when—and whether you’ll control the rebundle.👉 Check out the full Exclusive for more expert insights.🔗For updates and more can’t-miss content, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., explore our Substack, or visit www.iads.org for extra resources and the full article. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine pull back the velvet rope on retail’s most surprising reinvention: hospitality. ✨ What do Louis Vuitton, IKEA, and Selfridges have in common? They’ve all realised that in 2025, the real competition isn’t just about who sells the most shoes—it’s about who can make you linger, dine, post, and stay.🍽️🛋️ From Armani’s first foray into branded hotels to Harrods’ TikTok-fueled restaurant frenzy and IKEA’s game-changing meatballs, our hosts unravel the three-decade evolution that turned cafés and Michelin stars into serious business. Learn why loyalty schemes and data-driven dining redefine the department store experience, and what separates hype from lasting business impact.Want all the case studies and expert insight? 👉 Click here to unlock Christine’s full Exclusive for deeper dives and real-world examples! 🕵️‍♀️🔗 For updates and more can’t-miss content, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., explore our Substack, or visit www.iads.org for extra resources and the full article. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Selvane dissect the I.A.D.S. 100 report, revealing how department stores worldwide weathered the unprecedented 2019-2021 period. 📊 From BHG’s stunning 62% growth in China to Japan’s tourism-dependent stores losing two-thirds of their sales, this deep dive uncovers the strategies that separated survivors from strugglers. 🌍Why did stores with food sections bounce back faster? How did supply chain disruptions reshape consumer expectations? And what made some retailers completely reinvent their business models while others clung to pre-pandemic strategies?👉 Click here to read this week’s IADS Exclusive on omnichannel.🖇️Click here to read The Great Reset: How Department Stores Navigated 2019-2021For more updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., subscribe to our Substack for weekly signals shaping the future of retail, or explore www.iads.org for fresh resources and game-changing research! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya sits down with Selvane to decode the conscious customer revolution that’s reshaping retail from the ground up. 🌱 From the explosion of fast fashion to today’s sustainability-first shoppers, they explore how 50% of consumers now actively seek greener options - and what this means for department stores racing to adapt. 🛍️ How do you balance customer demands, regulatory pressure, and investor expectations while staying profitable? Selvanne reveals surprising insights about customer segments, the coming wave of packaging surcharges, and why going “back to basics” might be retail’s most innovative move. Can traditional retailers actually out-sustain Amazon? What happens when conscious customers start buying less overall?👉 Check out the full exclusive for more expert insights and all the details—link in the episode description!For more updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., subscribe to our Substack for weekly signals shaping the future of retail, or explore www.iads.org for fresh resources and game-changing research! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya welcomes Selvane to rethink one of retail’s most overused buzzwords—omnichannel. What if being “everywhere at once” isn’t actually the goal? 🤯 Together, they unpack groundbreaking research from Erasmus University’s Robert Rooderkerk that challenges a decade of retail assumptions. Discover why the smartest retailers aren’t multiplying touchpoints—they’re mastering customer steering. From Holland & Barrett’s market-specific nudging to Coolblue’s pickup-point optimisations, Maya and Selvane decode what it really means to guide customers profitably through personalised journeys. 🧭🛍️ Expect candid conversation about misaligned incentives, store politics, and the downfall of the so-called “halo effect.” Learn how retailers are redefining omnichannel maturity—turning friction into fuel for smarter growth. Is the future of retail really about being everywhere—or just being right where it matters most? 🚦 👉 Click here to read this week’s IADS Exclusive on omnichannel. 🖇️Click here to read Robert’s article in the Harvard Business Review. For more updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., subscribe to our Substack for weekly retail signals, or explore www.iads.org for exclusive insights, market intelligence, and more. 🌐 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya welcomes Selvane to unpack the untold story of Riyadh’s retail revolution—and why department stores are missing out on a market worth $270 billion and counting. 🏙️🛍️ Step inside the Saudi mall boom as our hosts walk through time-capsule classics like Olaya, entertainment giants like Panorama, and the ultra-luxury labyrinth of VIA Riyadh. But where are the department stores in all this action? Maya and Selvane break down the field report—revealing why Harvey Nichols and Al Rubaiyat feel stuck on defense, and what it will take for department stores to carve out a winning formula in the Kingdom. Expect candid stories from the ground: empty showrooms, eager shoppers, and what happens when malls trade focus for flash. Is this market waiting for retail’s next big reinvention? Or is the department store era running out of time in Riyadh? 🚗🌐 👉 Tap here to unlock the full Exclusive for expert strategy🔗, field notes, and the full Riyadh mall photo gallery📸 ! For more updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., subscribe to our Substack for weekly signals shaping the future of retail, or explore www.iads.org for fresh resources and game-changing research! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🏢, Maya and Selvane explore KaDeWe Berlin’s spectacular transformation into Europe’s most ambitious luxury department store. 🛍️✨ How do you reimagine 60,000 square meters of retail space while keeping 80% local customers engaged? Discover OMA’s architectural genius, the power of forty simultaneous pop-ups, and why thirty restaurants on one floor changed everything. 🍽️🏗️ From transparent Louis Vuitton walls to midnight caviar bars, learn how KaDeWe became Berlin’s social infrastructure rather than just another shopping destination.👉 Tap here to read the full Exclusive!For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - I.A.D.S., check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🧘‍♀️, Maya and Selvane explore the wellness revolution transforming department stores worldwide. From Galeries Lafayette’s 3,000-square-meter Wellness Galerie to Saks Fifth Avenue’s Botox services, discover how retailers are reimagining traditional beauty salons. 💆‍♀️✨ What happens when department stores become wellness destinations offering hyperbaric chambers, mental health counseling, and IV drips? Learn about five distinct approaches, from “2.0 beauty salons” to holistic wellness ecosystems that challenge everything we know about retail spaces. 🏥👉 Tap here to unlock the full Exclusive for expert insights and all the juicy details!💊 For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - I.A.D.S., check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine pull back the velvet curtain on Saks Global’s high-stakes transformation—where American luxury takes one last swing for the fences.🛍️💸 How do you merge two titans with a $2.65 billion deal, outpace overdue vendor bills, and stay glamorous when Amazon’s knocking and Costco’s calling? 💼✨ The hosts dissect Saks Fifth Avenue’s bold makeover, Neiman Marcus’s behind-the-scenes drama, and a cast of competitors ready to steal the spotlight. Expect inside stories on talent shakeups, brand mix shakeouts, and why Saks is racing the clock to prove it’s still retail royalty. Is this Saks’s finest hour—or a final act? Step inside the drama, and discover how luxury is being redefined for a digital-first age. 👉 Tap here to unlock the full Exclusive for expert insights and all the juicy details!🕵️‍♀️For further updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., explore our Substack, or visit www.iads.org for more resources!🔗 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine take listeners inside Mecca’s ascent from local Melbourne boutique to powerhouse beauty authority. Find out how Mecca flipped the script on global competition—capturing over 30% of the Australian market even as Sephora set its sights Down Under. The hosts reveal Mecca’s secrets: brand-agnostic strategies, immersive flagship concepts, and a community-first culture that built fierce customer loyalty and €1 billion in sales. Step into the new 4,000 sqm Melbourne flagship offering over 80 services, and see how local innovation can beat international scale in today’s consolidated market. 👉 Read the full exclusive on Mecca’s rise and check out photos 📸 from inside the flagship store. For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores – IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park, Maya sits down with Selvane to explore I.A.D.S.’s groundbreaking experiment with Web3 technology. During their 2022 General Assembly, the association issued POAPs to member CEOs and Academy graduates, diving headfirst into digital assets to understand their practical applications for retail. 🚀 The conversation reveals the ambitious brainstorming process that considered everything from metaverse storefronts to NFT awards, and why budget realities led them to focus on POAPs over costly virtual worlds. They discuss the challenges of educating members about crypto wallets, the complexities of Web3 regulations, and the decision to prioritize community value over monetization. 💎 What does it cost to build a functional metaverse store? How do you distribute digital certificates to traditional retail executives? Can Web3 technologies align with non-profit values? Tune in for practical insights into Web3 experimentation, lessons learned from real implementation, and why starting small might be the smartest approach to emerging technologies. ⚡👉Click here to read the exclusive on the A window into Web3.For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn, check out our Substack, visit our website at iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park, Maya explores Dubai’s department store landscape with Selvanne following I.A.D.S.’s research visit to Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. They examine how international brands like Debenhams, Harvey Nichols, and Galeries Lafayette thrive through franchise partnerships with local operators. 🏬The conversation reveals striking contrasts in execution, from overcrowded experiences to luxury excellence, and discusses the phenomenon of brand over-representation across multiple locations. ✨How do franchise models balance global identity with local needs? What’s driving innovation in Dubai’s retail scene? Tune in for insights into franchise success and why Dubai has become a crucial testing ground for department store evolution. 🌍👉Click here to read the exclusive on the Dubai Retail Tour.For more insights and updates from the world of retail innovation, follow I.A.D.S. on LinkedIn, explore our Substack, and visit iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Anchita dive deep into the premiere edition of the IADS Global Retail Risk Index 2025—a groundbreaking tool that’s reshaping how retailers approach global expansion. Join them as they explore why North America still reigns supreme despite political upheaval, how East Asia is bouncing back stronger than ever, and why Sub-Saharan Africa might be the sleeper hit for bold retailers 🌍. From Macy’s tariff struggles to Galeries Lafayette’s Indian adventure, discover how data-driven intelligence is becoming the ultimate competitive advantage in retail’s most uncertain era. Whether you’re planning your next market entry or rethinking your supply chain strategy, this episode delivers the insights you need to turn global chaos into strategic opportunity ✨.👉Click here to read the exclusive on the IADS Global Retail Risk Index 2025.👉Click here to access the full IADS Global Retail Risk Index.For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

How does a 109-year-old French lingerie brand transform every customer interaction into a sales opportunity? In this episode of IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya explores Etam's groundbreaking approach to omnichannel retail with Christine Montard, author of our latest IADS Exclusive. Discover how Etam's internally developed clienteling app 📱liberated sales associates from cash registers, turning them into mobile customer advisors. From processing 80% of online returns in-store to connected fitting rooms that solve intimate apparel's unique challenges, learn why this €880 million 💰transformation offers a blueprint for heritage brands everywhere. ➡️Click here to read the full IADS Exclusive on Etam and check out the store photos! For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🎧, we explore how the word "sustainability" rings differently across India, China, and the West. Join Maya and Anchita as they unpack why fast-growth markets like India and China care more about sustainability than mature markets, yet approach it through completely different lenses. Discover how L'Oréal masterfully adapts its global sustainability initiatives to local contexts, why repair culture thrives in emerging markets for cost reasons rather than environmental ones, and how the collectivist versus individualist mindset shapes everything from consumer expectations to corporate responsibility. From greenwashing scepticism to the sustainability say-do gap, we examine the complex reality behind global retail's green transformation. 🌍👉 Click here to access this week’s IADS Exclusive on why "Sustainability" means different things in India, China and the West. 👉Also, click here to check out the IADS White Paper on sustainability!Stay connected—follow us on LinkedIn, read our stories on Substack, and visit our website for more details. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park 🎧, Maya and Christine explore how Fortnum & Mason defies department store orthodoxy through food-centric specialisation, generating 63% of revenue from categories others treat as secondary. From royal warrant heritage to AI-powered innovation, discover why strategic restraint creates more sustainable competitive advantage than scale expansion 🏪. Uncover how this 317-year-old retailer transforms limitations into luxury positioning, balances heritage with modernisation, and navigates the climate threats that could reshape their three-century success story. From subscription services to supply chain vulnerabilities, we examine the strategic decisions behind retail's most compelling paradox ⭐. To read the full Exclusive, click here ➡️ Fortnum & Mason: the art of staying small to matter moreFor more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our Substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park🎙️ , Maya sits down with Selvane to explore the innovations showcased at EuroShop 2023, the first post-pandemic edition of Europe's premier retail trade fair. With 1,830 exhibitors from 55 countries demonstrating the future of retail technology, this massive German event revealed four critical trends. From Amazon's "Just Walk Out" checkout-free technology to computer vision analytics, practical AI applications 🤖, and innovative sustainability solutions🌱, discover which technologies offer real value for department stores. Selvanne, who collaborated with Retail Hub's CEO Massimo Volpe to analyse the fair, shares insights on why fully autonomous stores may not suit department stores, how companies like Shopreme are creating hybrid checkout experiences, and which AI tools like Miros's wordless search and Velou's automated co-pilot are moving from hype to practical implementation. To learn more about sustainability applications from Checkpoint Systems and Tomra, and understand why retail media was surprisingly absent despite industry buzz. Or what technologies should department store leaders prioritise, and which ones should they approach with caution? Or maybe you are interested in how retailers can balance innovation with the personal service that defines their business model? Click here to read the full Exclusive! Also, click here to access the mentioned 2022 White Paper on sustainability!🌱Stay in the loop—follow us on LinkedIn, read our stories on Substack, and visit our website for more details. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of The I.A.D.S. Retail Park, Maya teams up with Anchita to explore the ChatGPT phenomenon that captivated retail leaders in early 2023. When OpenAI's groundbreaking chatbot first launched, it promised human-like customer interactions and automated content creation - but our team's hands-on testing revealed both exciting possibilities and serious limitations. 🤖They dive into why ChatGPT couldn't provide sources, how it confidently delivered wrong answers, and what this meant for customer-facing retail applications. From inventory management to personalized recommendations, AI wasn't new to department stores - but this technology offered something different.How should retail leaders balance innovation with brand safety? What can we learn from Microsoft's partnership strategy versus Google's R&D approach? And why was human oversight absolutely critical for early adopters?Tune in for candid insights about AI's retail potential, the job displacement debate, and why proceeding with caution was the smartest strategy for forward-thinking department stores. 🏪✨👉Click here for the full IADS Exclusive!For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS, check out our substack, visit our website at www.iads.org for additional resources, and learn more here! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe