William White

Albertsons Media Collective, the retail media arm for Albertsons Companies, has debuted Collective TV. According to the company, the solution unlocks the combined value of retail media and TV, providing advertisers with a modern currency for targeting, measuring and optimizing campaigns across streaming, digital video and soon linear TV. Despite the fast-paced growth of digital video ads, Albertsons Media Collective pointed out that the pathways for running connected TV (CTV) campaigns alone are varied and complex. Agencies, networks, streaming publishers, identity solutions and ad tech platforms have built silos for planning, executing and measuring CTV campaigns. | Progressive Grocer https://lnkd.in/giaREQN9 #retail #supermarkets #grocery #digital #retailmedia #video

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As a consumer insights professional, you have to accept you will never understand all of your consumers' behaviors all of the time. For example, there is NEVER ANY REASON TO REACH OVER THE SNEEZE GUARD AT CHIPOTLE. EVER! Even if you are Barack Obama, I can assure you that the worker knows what "pico" or "no corn" or "yes, I know guac is extra" means without your grubby hands reaching into the food area. There is no data or research or analysis that will ever make this understandable or acceptable. #ConsumerInsights #MRX #MarketResearch #Chipotle

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This interview with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is a #retail #masterclass. A bit of context and perspective, combined with a lot of detail about every aspect of their business — #merchandising, #SupplyChain, #stores, #digital / #omnichannel, #international, #technology, #marketplaces, #RMNs, and more. And this will make an excellent base prompt for a retail #AI assistant — one of my #WeekendProjects

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Americans are showing strong support for local small businesses, with consumers expressing a willingness to spend an additional $2,000 in 2024 to help their favorite shops thrive. Over 65% of Americans visit their local Main Street regularly, and the closure of these shops evokes strong emotions in nearly 75% of consumers. The pandemic has led to a newfound appreciation for local businesses, especially among suburban residents, with over 70% citing local economic contribution as a key factor in their shopping choices. Notably, younger generations such as Gen Z and millennials are particularly enthusiastic about the success of their Main Streets. Small businesses play a significant role in the U.S. economy, representing almost 44% of the GDP and employing nearly half of the nation's workforce, as reported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2023. Supporting local businesses is vital for community growth and sustainability. #SupportLocal #SmallBusinesses #CommunityEconomy #Locally

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Some great insights from this rare interview with Doug McMillon, Walmart's CEO. Here are my top 10: 💥 𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: "At the root of it all, though, it's a people business and it's a merchandising business. Today, it's increasingly a technology business. The supply chain is critical, of course, and real estate still plays a key role." 💥 𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: "Don't take your current job for granted, the next job doesn't come if you don't do the one you've got well. The second piece of advice was be a great teammate... And then the third one was volunteer for something extra, volunteer for something hard." 💥 𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: "We've always thought that a blend was best, and there are probably times where that blend is 80/20 instead of 70/30, depending on the moment that we're in. But Sam Walton would bring in great people from the outside to help build the retail business." 💥 𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬: "The e-commerce store is the interesting one. We've seen it all and done it all. We operate around the world in different formats, different brands. We've got large stores, small stores, all these different formats. So we know that space pretty well, but the e-commerce business was different." 💥 𝐎𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭'𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞: "There was a period of time when there was too much debate inside the company about the significance of e-commerce, there were leaders who believed it would never be any bigger than the catalog business, there were leaders that believed it would never be profitable." 💥 𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥: "It's always been clear to me that this was an 'and' — there are going to be stores, there will be store curbside pickup, there will be delivery of various forms, there'll be stores and e-commerce." Continue in the comments... 👇 Thank you Karl Haller for sharing this!

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“It’s impossible to not communicate with your consumer, but are you listening?” - Wendy Liebmann Wendy is someone whose company and brand are built on following the shopper. Many of us in CPG will communicate with the consumer But listening…that’s a different thing Telling someone what they need is not the same as hearing what they desire Here are five ways to listen to your consumer: 1️⃣ Conduct a survey Send out targeted surveys to get feedback to gather intel about your consumer’s experiences and expectations of your brand. 2️⃣ Review Customer Support Interactions Many of us have a contact line, but are you reviewing those messages? Check what folks are saying to uncover common issues or suggestions. 3️⃣ Engage on Social Media Host a live event, or participate in conversations to understand what consumers are actually saying about your brand. 4️⃣ Conduct a Focus Group Organize a focus group with a mix of consumers to dive deeply into their perceptions, usage, and attitudes toward your products. 5️⃣ Check Online Reviews Analyze customer reviews on your website and other places where your product is sold to identify common praises or complaints. So, are you listening to your consumer? – 👋🏾 Hi, I’m Monique, your bridge from niche market to major retail. I’m a former retail buyer turned beauty industry advisor who helps emerging brands ready to scale. Ready to expand your reach? Book a discovery call and let’s explore how we can elevate your brand together.

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Since my initial review of Kroger Boost, I’ve relied on it exclusively for grocery deliveries over the past seven months. Paul Chambers was the one who got me to try Boost, and it's been quite a journey. Here are some key takeaways: 🔹 30 deliveries, 29 from Kroger, 1 from Instacart 🔹 Only one minor delivery hiccup 🔹 Reliable handling of out-of-stock items 🔹 Valuable perks like double fuel points 🔹 Kroger Boost continues to impress, but there's more to the story. Full article in the comments. #CustomerExperience #GroceryDelivery #KrogerBoost #Ecommerce

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DTC/Digital Native Brands struggle to achieve scale. CPG portfolio's are stagnating. Consumers are trading down, and retailers owned brands are disproportionately growing. Target, Costco, Trader Joes, and Aldi owned brands are winning. Now Walmart has launched a formidable new elevated basics brand, BetterGoods. The best way to beat the Amazon/Temu/Shein/TikTok marketplaces is to sell products they don't have.

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Dollar General is enhancing its retail media program by teaming up with solutions provider Criteo. The commerce media platform will work with the retailer's Dollar General Media Network (DGMN) arm to support onsite sponsored ad offerings. Through this arrangement, brand partners can access inventory and campaign execution and utilize Criteo’s self-service demand-side platform. Among other capabilities, brands can leverage DGMN’s inventory within their private market through Criteo’s retailer monetization platform. In addition, the technology enables brands to reach Dollar General’s digital customers who often build lists online before making their weekly in-store purchases. Omnichannel insights will be available for marketers to see if sales are taking place online or in-store. | Progressive Grocer https://lnkd.in/gATgumgr #retail #retailmedia #grocery #shoppers #media #digital

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Our team talked through the differences in physical retail vs. digital this week. Cole Walker presented some great insight in the differences in Instacart behaviors and typical store patterns. The big underlying theme? Visibility means something entirely different when you’re talking digital vs. physical in retail. One of my favorite things to do in store is tidy up the shelf (most CPG folks I’ve found do this 😆). The physical shelf requires price tags, inventory, some decent packaging, and merchandising to look good. It also is seen by the human eye, which has a wide lens and can capture a lot of info at once. The digital shelf largely relies on inventory, reviews, and an algorithm paired with searches. It has a very narrow lens for viewership (1 listing per 1 inch of screen essentially) and is noisy in its own way. As the two worlds grow more intermingled, it’s imperative to remember the core ingredients that fuel each medium, and the recipe need for success.

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Retail Today / Retail Renaissance: What drives the remarkable success of Costco? #costco MEMBERS: The platform for their success is built on their membership program and 130 million members worldwide! 50% more members since 2016, generating $4.6 Billion Dollars. #members #loyalty Costco CEO “The most important item we sell is the membership card”. #profits KIRKLAND: This private label brand is the envy of the retail industry, and Kirkland is on FIRE! 🔥 Driving over $60 Billion in sales, providing quality, price, selection and exclusivity. #kirkland #quality #price #selection #exclusivity PRODUCT: Where do you start, from grocery , home, health, beauty, garden, toys, fresh produce and meats. Costco is the largest retailer of wine/spirits in the world, with an unmatched selection and price, delivering “value”. #merchandising Recently I have been overwhelmed by their approach to Apparel, it’s off the chart, driving prices down, then delivering a brand experience. This pass week I found Ben Sherman shirts for $15! I have attached more on this subject in the comments but I don’t think Costco is worried about Fast-Fashion. #apparelindustry #brandexperience SHOPPING EXPERIENCE: The outstanding performance of “Sustainable Execution”, day in, day out, neat, clean, stacked and signed, with tremendous foot traffic. #shoppingexperience #execution #opperations PEOPLE: A stable workforce that is highly trained and engaged. Simple but powerful. My cashier last week has been with them 21 years! #peoplefirst #retail #retailtrends #retailindustry #topretailexoert

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Back-to-school shopping is set to rise by nearly 22% this year, with in-store shopping leading the way! Parents are increasing per child spending to $475, with Walmart, Amazon, and Target as the top choices. Other retailers like Costco, Old Navy, and Dollar General also play a significant role. 90% of parents will shop in-store in some way for their back-to-school shopping, emphasizing the continued importance of brick-and-mortar retailers. Parents will spend more than 63% of their shopping budgets in stores versus online, especially for high-income shoppers. Those heading to malls are likely to spend $656 per child, with 45.8% visiting four or more stores. Get ready early as over 75% of parents expect to start shopping in July. #BackToSchoolShopping #RetailTrends #ParentSpending #Locally

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My interview with Lowe's Companies, Inc. SVP of Marketing, Jennifer Wilson, highlights the true value of consumer data. The new MyLowe's loyalty program incentivizes and even gamifies the capture of customer preferences ahead of making purchases. Which accelerates personalization and the overall performance of the program. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gz8A3qUa #podcast #marketing #loyalty

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As we enter Q2 of 2024, I have been asked about key trends relative to the current strength of the consumer in the U.S. Despite headlines showing endless resiliency, we have seen some softness in purchasing behavior on the consumer front, especially in January and February, with a rebound since March.   Q1 also brought dynamic changes in the consumer goods sector's M&A landscape. Key highlights include:   Health Focus: Significant deals like Medbase's acquisition of Zur Rose Group reflect a growing emphasis on health and wellness. Luxury and Efficiency: Firms like Tapestry are strategically acquiring to enhance luxury portfolios and operational efficiency. Tech Integration: Investments in AI and digital capabilities are driving better consumer engagement and operational agility. Strategic Consolidations: Companies are optimizing their portfolios by focusing on core areas and divesting non-core assets. Global Investments: Cross-border M&A remains strong, targeting regions with high growth potential.   Despite economic uncertainties, these trends show the sector's resilience and strategic focus on long-term growth.   #ConsumerGoods #MnA #BusinessStrategy #HealthAndWellness #DigitalTransformation

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It's not surprising that merger partners Kroger-Albertsons have upped the number of stores to be divested under their $1.9 billion deal with C&S Wholesale Grocers announced back in September. Under the initial agreement, Kroger-Albertsons planned to sell 413 stores, eight distribution centers and two offices in 17 states and the D.C. to C&S. Kroger-Albertsons also reported at the time that C&S could be required to buy up to another 237 stores “in certain geographies” based on securing Federal Trade Commission and other regulatory clearance for their mega-merger. Apparently, the latter provision has come to pass under the pending FTC review. What remains to be seen is whether the expanded divestiture will be enough for the merger to get the regulatory green light. The updated transaction adds another 166 stores — including the Haggen store banner in Washington state — and $1 billion to the C&S purchase (now totaling $2.9 billion), which also now extends to locations in 18 states and D.C. (with the addition of Delaware). Also under the amended deal, C&S will license Albertsons Cos.' Albertsons banner in California and Wyoming and its Safeway banner in Arizona and Colorado. The initial plan for C&S to buy Kroger’s QFC banner in the Pacific Northwest, upscale Mariano’s brand in Illinois and Albertsons’ Carrs stores in Alaska is being upheld. The number of Kroger-Albertsons stores slated to be acquired by C&S in each state also has been tweaked, with some counts increased and others decreased. Here's the new breakdown as per Kroger: WA: 124 Albertsons Cos. and Kroger stores CA: 63 Albertsons Cos. stores CO: 91 Albertsons Cos. stores OR: 62 Albertsons Cos. and Kroger stores TX/LA: 30 Albertsons Cos. stores AZ: 101 Albertsons Cos. stores NV: 16 Albertsons Cos. stores IL: 35 Albertsons Cos. and Kroger stores AK: 18 Albertsons Cos. stores ID: 10 Albertsons Cos. stores NM: 9 Albertsons Cos. stores MT/UT/WY: 11 Albertsons Cos. stores DC/MD/VA/DE: 9 Harris Teeter stores In announcing the updated deal on April 22, Kroger also stated the following: "Kroger and Albertsons Cos. remain committed to defending the merger in court and unlocking the many benefits it offers." Back in February, the FTC had filed suit to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger, claiming that the combination of the nation's two largest conventional supermarket operators was anticompetitive and the C&S divestiture deal didn't provide an adequate antitrust remedy.

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