telling product stories Archives

The ‘Passion Supply Chain’ delivering customer engagement and commercial success.

The fundamental purpose of any retailer is to bring together a physical customer and a physical product, irrespective of whether the sale is made in a physical shop or online. A successful supply chain is therefore a pre-requisite for any retail business. However, managing the ‘beast’ of the supply chain to ensure customers and their products are ultimately in the same place, at the same time, is not going to-

Why Independent Retailers should naturally make the best social media influencers!

Have you ever wondered why shopping on a good local high street takes so long? Well, there may be negatives such as finding somewhere to park, particularly if its popular, but once in situ it is largely down to becoming immersed in the whole shopping experience. You discover new and unusual products that require further inspection, you bump into friends in the street and pass some time, and maybe you-

How ‘Passion Supply Chains’ enable Local Independent Retailers to compete commercially and win!

I’m often asked how small independent retailers can compete against the scale efficiencies and operational expertise of larger chains. There are in fact, many ways, but always my first answer is about being authentic, about generating a unique passion. That ‘passion’ must be genuine. It needs to be engaging and infectious. And that can only be a reality if the owner and the colleagues take an active interest in the-

What can ‘we hardened retail professionals’ learn from the students at the London College of Fashion?

My collaborative project with the London College of Fashion has come to an end, for this year at least. Sad to say goodbye for now, but what an amazing and rewarding experience for everyone. The student’s final presentations were professional and polished. I can honestly say that I have sat through far worse presentations from professional businesses. Whilst I would like to take some credit for my input into their-

Discussing ‘Experiential Retailing’: Hotel Chocolat – ‘Vertically Integrated Indulgence’

Listen to myself, Tim Radley, on the Louise Lally podcast, discussing the much vaunted but little understood concept of ‘Experiential Retailing!’ Join the free podcast now through this link…Retailing with Meaning Ep1 Store Concepts (podbean.com) The podcast features a discussion on Hotel Chocolat, a brand that not only transformed the ways to create, package and display chosolate, but also revolutionised the vertical supply chain behind the beans. Hotel Chocolat is-

Read “Creating Customer Lifecycles:” Coat Paints – A Brighter Future!

Join me, Tim Radley, in “Meaning in the Retail Madness,” discussing how considerations about the product lifecycle must now be extended forwards to the customer purchase, their relationship with the product, and its disposal. The retail lifecycle must evolve into the customer lifecycle. Solutions must make more use, and more uses, of what the customer buys. Turning away from the throwaway, embracing and enjoying what we have. The terminology needs-

Discussing Visual Merchandising & Shop Design: Zara – ‘A Storyteller by Design’

Listen to myself, Tim Radley, on the Louise Lally podcast, discussing the future of visual merchandising, and the changing world of physical shop spaces for both large brands and small independent retailing. Join the free podcast now through this link…Retailing with Meaning Ep2 ”Shop Merchandising and Display” (podbean.com) The podcast features a discussion on Zara. For me their name represents so much more than fast-fashion. They are restless innovators, from-

Read: “Passion Generators & End-to-End Facilitators” – The House of Vans

Join me, Tim Radley, in “Meaning in the Retail Madness,” discussing how retailing without passion is alienating consumers, and handing customer relationships to distributors. Modern retailing is so complex. It is now almost impossible to be an engaging brand & product innovator, and also best practice distributors of communication and physical stock. The game changing model involves ‘Passion Generators’ & ‘End-to-end Facilitators.’ Allowing retailers to focus on building product authority-

Discussing Visual Merchandising & Shop Design: Abercrombie & Fitch – ‘Creating Theatres for Retail’

Listen to myself, Tim Radley, on the Louise Lally podcast, discussing the future of visual merchandising, and the changing world of physical shop spaces for both large brands and small independent retailing. Join the free podcast now through this link…Retailing with Meaning Ep2 ”Shop Merchandising and Display” (podbean.com) The podcast features a discussion on Abercrombie & Fitch. For me their name still stirs up magic and wonder, despite their slow-

Discussing Visual Merchandising & Shop Design: Crate & Barrel – ‘The founders of modern VM?’

Listen to myself, Tim Radley, on the Louise Lally podcast, discussing the future of visual merchandising, and the changing world of physical shop spaces for both large brands and small independent retailing. Join the free podcast now through this link…Retailing with Meaning Ep2 ”Shop Merchandising and Display” (podbean.com) The podcast features a discussion on Crate & Barrel. For me their name and visual merchandising are synonymous. Visiting their famous flagship-