The Modern Retail Podcast

The Modern Retail Podcast

The Modern Retail Podcast is a podcast about all the ways the retail industry is changing and modernizing. Every Saturday, senior reporters Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels break down the latest retail headlines and interview executives about what it takes to keep up in today’s retail landscape, diving deep into growth strategies, brand autopsies, economic changes and more

Episodes

An emergency tariffs episode

February 21, 2026 • 28 mins
In a blow for President Donald Trump's tariff agenda, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 20 that the Trump administration exceeded its authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in a 6-3 decision. In other words, they deemed that the sweeping tariffs he issued on Liberation Day against nearly every U.S. trading partner were unlawful. Now, many people in the retail industry, whose companies have been impacted ...
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The dawn of DTC 3.0

February 14, 2026 • 51 mins
In 2026, the term direct-to-consumer, or DTC, has become somewhat of a pejorative within the retail startups ecosystem. Enter: “DTC 3.0,” or what’s dubbed as the most sustainable and profitable version of the model to date. The term was popularized last year after an X post by Cody Plofker, the CEO of Jones Road Beauty, though a debate has emerged on what the phrase entails. On this week's episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, se...
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Inside the Super Bowl activation boom

February 7, 2026 • 31 mins
This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels is joined by senior reporter Julia Waldow to dive deep into the world of brand activations happening around Super Bowl LX. Many brands don't have the $8 million to drop on a Super Bowl ad. In turn, they're tapping pop-ups, concerts and other IRL experiences to drive awareness before millions of eyeballs in the Bay Area, where the Super Bowl will be held...
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How ICE activity became an issue retailers big and small can no longer ignore

January 31, 2026 • 32 mins
On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, the staff discusses how the growing presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in cities like Minneapolis is impacting retail. Senior reporter Gabriela Barkho and special projects editor Melissa Daniels are joined by Modern Retail executive editor Anna Hensel to discuss topics like executives' reactions, shoppers’ protests and how brands are expressing solidarity with people on the g...
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The high cost of free returns

January 24, 2026 • 26 mins
On this week's episode, special projects editor Melissa Daniels takes a deep dive into how brands are shaking up their returns playbook. As many as 72% of brands are charging for returns these days, according to the National Retail Federation, but that's a major customer pain point. In turn, it's an area of business that brands are constantly evaluating to make sure their return policies make logistical and financial sense while st...
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Cautious optimism at NRF around AI and shopper sentiment in 2026

January 17, 2026 • 33 mins
This week, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by senior reporter Julia Waldow to dive into takeaways from the National Retail Federation's 2026 conference; it's the retail industry's biggest conference, and typically sets the tone for the year. The mood at NRF was cautiously optimistic, with brands and retailers showing off their best use cases of agentic commerce and AI tools to help with checkout and discove...
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What is in and out for wellness in 2026

January 10, 2026 • 31 mins
Kicking off the new year, the Modern Retail Podcast is delving into all things wellness. This week, senior reporter Gabi Barkho is joined by Rachel Hirsch, founder and managing partner of Wellness Growth Ventures, which has backed brands like BelliWelli and Cure Hydration. Together, they predict what’s on trend and what’s on its way out, when it comes to health and wellness. The categories discussed include food and beverage, beau...
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The Modern Retail Podcast's 2026 predictions

January 3, 2026 • 45 mins
On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, the editorial team dives into what’s to come in 2026. Senior reporters Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by executive editor Anna Hensel for a roundtable discussion on the biggest retail predictions in the coming year. Hensel, for example, is contemplating how AI will continue to shape e-commerce and the way people shop in 2026. Meanwhile, Daniels predicts that the creator economy...
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A look back at 2025, from tariffs to Target to Labubus

December 20, 2025 • 42 mins
On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by reporter Mitchell Parton to discuss the themes and trends that dominated retail in 2025. The year certainly didn't play out the way that many in the retail industry were initially expecting, as tariffs upended many companies' carefully laid plans for the year. Still, there were pockets of hope. Even though there weren't as many IPOs this ...
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PepsiCo thins portfolio and bets on better-for-you products

December 13, 2025 • 44 mins
This week's episode of the Modern Retail Podcast kicks off with a discussion between co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels about PepsiCo's announcement that it will be trimming its portfolio and cutting back prices as part of a new agreement with activist investor Elliott Investment Management. They also unpack the opportunities the conglomerate faces as it plans more innovation in the better-for-space, whether that's removi...
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How startups get on the shelves of Whole Foods

December 6, 2025 • 64 mins
On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporters Melissa Daniels and Gabriela Barkho kick things off with a look at the record-setting use of buy now, pay later payments over Black Friday weekend. The duo also gets into the holiday spirit by talking about the widespread impact of seasonal flavors. This year’s big trend? All things cranberry. Later on in the episode (23:41), Barkho sits down with Kelly Landrieu, principal pla...
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The trends that will dominate Black Friday and Cyber Monday, from AI search to experiential pop-ups

November 29, 2025 • 45 mins
Cyber Week is here and the Modern Retail Podcast is breaking down the biggest shopping and trends to watch during this all-important shopping period. This week, Modern Retail senior reporter Gabriela Barkho is joined by staff from our sister site, Glossy, including senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and Glossy West Coast correspondent Lexy Lebsack. Now that the sales week has officially begun, the trio discusses a number of bran...
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How Gen Z builds brands, with CharCharms' Charlotte Trecartin

November 22, 2025 • 48 mins
This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels dive into all the brand moments Barkho saw on a recent trip to BravoCon in Las Vegas. The event had a record number of shoppable activations, ranging from Wayfair studios to special-edition Reebok sneakers. Then they analyze the latest earnings from TJX, which showed net sales of $15.1 billion. That marked a 7% increase from a year ago, boosted by ...
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How ButcherBox uses a loyalty program to drive more meat sales

November 8, 2025 • 54 mins
This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Julia Waldow kicked things off by discussing Amazon’s plan for a new Whole Foods store concept. The new layout, currently being tested in select locations, will allow shoppers to purchase more mainstream brands like Pepsi and Chips Ahoy while they do their Whole Foods shopping. The team also broke down the growing popularity of Advent calendars and why every brand...
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Inside the private equity playbook to revive Claire’s

November 1, 2025 • 47 mins
This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels unpack the news that Amazon is laying off about 14,000 people from its corporate workforce. They discuss what this says about how corporate America is responding to economic circumstances as well as the role of AI in reshaping workflows. Next, they talk through Lululemon's NFL collaboration and what it reveals about the athleisure giant's attempts ...
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How Bobbie's brand playbook led to landing Cardi B

October 25, 2025 • 47 mins
On this week's episode, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels get into the news of Quince dodging claims from Ugg's parent Deckers Brand that it unlawfully copied two of its best-selling styles. Next, they discuss the announcement from cosmetics company E.l.f that it will be offering live shopping on streaming service Twitch, and what that says about the potential resurgence of streaming in social commerce. Then during the ...
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Behind the scenes of Ulta Beauty's new marketplace

October 18, 2025 • 49 mins
On this week's episode of The Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels discuss Mammoth Brands' acquisition of Coterie, a luxury diaper brand that's had a fast-growing subscription business since 2021. While the terms of the deal are undisclosed, it's a big move for Mammoth whose portfolio up until now has included adult body care and grooming brands like Harry's, Flamingo and Lume. Then they unpack the n...
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Prime Day takeaways, the end of Rite Aid, and Gen Z’s changing drinking habits

October 11, 2025 • 55 mins
This week on The Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels unpack how Amazon’s latest Prime Day reflected shifting shopper priorities, and what the end of Rite Aid indicates about the pharmacy industry’s future. Then (20:50), they’re joined by Bacardi’s Alex Tomlin and Southern Glazer’s Zach Poelma to explore how Gen Z’s health- and budget-conscious habits are transforming the alcohol category — from the r...
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Checkout comes to ChatGPT, Walmart to remove dyes and additives, and how Cakes is redefining brand corporate culture

October 4, 2025 • 52 mins
On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels discuss the rollout of ChatGPT's new Instant Checkout feature that will initially support single-item purchases from Etsy sellers, and how brands are increasingly looking at third-party AI tools as a sales channel. Then they chat about Walmart's announcement that it's removing more artificial dyes and additives from its private label food products am...
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The much-hyped NikeSkims collection and Michaels' bid to fill the Joann and Party City voids

September 27, 2025 • 35 mins
On this week's episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels go deep on the much-hyped NikeSkims launch. They discuss the look and vibe of the collections that debuted this week and where it might find a white space in the athleisure market. Then on the featured segment (16:06), Daniels speaks with Modern Retail reporter Mitchell Parton to unpack craft retailer Michaels' new store layouts as it...
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