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
May 2, 2026 • 33 mins
On this week's episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by Modern Retail's platforms reporter Allison Smith to dig into why TikTok Shop is becoming a more legitimate sales channel in the eyes of bigger brands.
Less than three years old, TikTok Shop now makes up roughly 20% of all social commerce sales, according to data from eMarketer. The rest of the category is dominated by Me...
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April 25, 2026 • 25 mins
It seems like every company wants to bill itself as a “lifestyle brand” these days. If a company can truly integrate itself into a customer’s lifestyle – versus just selling them a single product – they can build a more powerful connection over time. But, what does that actually mean in practice?In this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast – recording live at the Modern Retail Marketing Summit in Huntington Beach, California – Mand...
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April 18, 2026 • 37 mins
Electronic shelf labels are nothing new.
Lately, though, the topic has been making headlines as companies like Kroger and Walmart announce they'll be rolling out more of the technology across their stores. The small screens replace the paper stickers that store employees would have to replace by hand anytime there is a price change or stock change.
But this is raising concerns among grocery store workers and consumer advocates a...
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April 11, 2026 • 28 mins
Last week, Allbirds sold for $39 million to American Exchange Group, a vast drop from the peak $4 billion valuation Allbirds had when it went public in 2021. But it’s not just Allbirds that’s dealing with decline in sales. The DTC brand is just one example of a shoe brand that stumbled in an ever-competitive market.
The Allbirds fire sale also comes at a time when many sneaker brands are on a comedown after years of growth, thanks...
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April 4, 2026 • 37 mins
On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabi Barkho and Melissa Daniels delve into the vast world of product LTOs, also known as limited-time offers. In the CPG space, these are usually limited-edition flavors or scents that brands drop to create consistent newness.
Spring tends to be a big season for LTOs as brands refresh their assortment. And the trend is only getting bigger. Even legacy brands like Peeps are releasing ...
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March 28, 2026 • 42 mins
This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels sits down with David's Bridal CEO Kelly Cook to go behind the scenes of the company's post-bankruptcy turnaround plan.
The roughly 76-year-old U.S. retailer is known for its wedding gowns and formalwear. But it’s had a challenging time staying solvent in recent years and filed for Chapter 11 in November 2018, and again in April 2023. The company's reta...
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March 21, 2026 • 27 mins
On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporter Gabi Barkho delves into the growing phenomenon of AI-generated review summaries.It’s one of the many ways generative AI is already impacting the way people discover products and shop online. These summaries are not only changing the way chatbots talk about products, they’re also pushing brands and marketers to navigate customer reviews differently.In this episode, Barkho is join...
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March 14, 2026 • 40 mins
In this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels and senior reporter Gabriela Barkho discuss their favorite food and beverage trends of 2026. Fresh off of Expo West, the episode’s discussion revolves around what is considered “in” and what’s “out” across categories. Protein sod and functional coffee remain hot items. Meanwhile, the noise against seed oils continues to grow in the better-for-you ...
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March 7, 2026 • 35 mins
This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels speaks with Kris Malkoski, the president of learning and development at Newell Brands who oversees operations for household brands including Graco and Sharpie. They go behind-the-scenes into how the 100-year-old baby gear brand Graco, known for its affordability against higher-priced start-ups, is approaching pricing strategies in an increasingly volati...
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February 28, 2026 • 29 mins
On this week’s episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by executive editor Anna Hensel to unpack how AI is reshaping marketing workflows and creative output.
As customer acquisition costs rise and shoppers grow more discerning, brands are using AI to sharpen targeting and streamline production. But many remain cautious about replacing human talent or handing over mission-critic...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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