2020-2021 has been more than a period of pandemic and crisis: by its magnitude and lack of precedence, it has literally changed the world, especially the retail world, by changing habits: digitalisation and new purchasing habits, work from home and the question of commuting, notion of essential vs. non-essential goods.

The IADS launched a series of interviews with innovative thinkers to understand their views on how to deal with such changes. All organisations have proved their resilience and ability to cope with the emergency of the situation, however, it is a very human thing to tend to come back to habits whenever possible. What happened? How can we make the most of what we learnt and how can we make sure our organisations and thinking processes are durably impacted?

IADS Exclusive - Transformation in retail: Innovative Thinking Interview with Chafik Gasmi , Chafik Studio

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 09 February 2022.

Today, Gen Z favoured brands are highly addictive and successful due to their interesting offer, convenience, affordability, and seamlessness. But as these players focus in on finding a service that sets them apart, it makes it difficult for more traditional retail formats, like department stores, to stay relevant in the eyes of young shoppers. In fact, retailers can no longer only focus on an interesting offer, they must now offer perfect logistics, seem sustainable, and provide a unique experience. How should retailers respond to these incumbent brands as they change the DNA of the retail business? What exactly does it take to generate an interesting offer and experience for this next generation of shoppers?

IADS Exclusive - GenZ brands are putting department store models under pressure

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 2 February 2022.

At a time when travel is continuously restricted for many of our members, the reopening of the US borders before Christmas, as well as the NRF event in January, to which the IADS attended, felt like the perfect occasion to prepare a special retail review to give you a glimpse of what's happening in New York retail, including comments and pictures for your review.

IADS Exclusive - New York retail scene: it's all about experience

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 26 January 2022.

Cidade Matarazzo, a mixed-use retail project founded by French businessman Alexandre Allard, could herald what a 'smart city' should be in the future. Located on the famous Paulista Avenue of São Paulo, the city-within-the-city aims to attract recurring customers who are looking for a concentration of shopping, culture, and entertainment. Read more and discover this one-of-a-kind project.

IADS Exclusive - Business case #9: Cidade Matarazzo, an example for the retail of the future?

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 18 January 2022.

Keeping markets under close watch, IADS collected new, pure streetwear and streetwear-oriented store concepts from retailers around the world. This series shows various themes, experiences and displays, illustrating the richness and diversity of the streetwear culture and aesthetics.

IADS Exclusive - Retail Review #1: Streetwear and Sneakers

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 5 January 2022.

IADS consolidated 2021 holiday window displays from around the world in the latest Christmas window report. Have a look at how IADS members and other department stores are capturing the holiday spirit through their artistic and inspiring interpretations.

IADS Exclusive - Department Stores Christmas Windows

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 15 December 2021.

Digital payments are spreading fast. In spite of distrust, fear for privacy and inequality, retailers see digital payments as a way of reaching beyond omnichannel to unified commerce. If the right safeguards are observed, customers will benefit from a better seamless experience and retailers will achieve efficiency across operations. First we need to understand the extent of the revolution occurring in finance and payment systems, then we need to put in place technologies and safeguards to help serve our customers better and more efficiently.

IADS Exclusive - The era of digital payments

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 8 December 2021.

Created 2 years ago, Pando Fashion is a French company specialised in consulting for sustainable fashion. Its co-founders Laëtitia Hugé and Stéphane Piot are helping companies every step of the way in their CSR implementation, starting with a diagnosis using certification ISO 26000, to building custom strategies and embarking all teams. Pando Fashion is working with companies such as Moncler, Louis Vuitton, Zadig /amp] Voltaire, Besson Chaussures, IKKS, Maje, Sandro, Lemaire, Institut Français de la Mode (French Fashion Institute) and with BTB fashion platform LeNewBlack. Why Pando? It's the name of the oldest tree in Utah in the US, and it also means transmission in Latin.

IADS Exclusive - The era of digital payments

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 1 December 2021.

IADS has reported how IADS members accelerated on the sustainable front since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. They transformed their organisations from within (with dedicated committees benefitting from increased powers, and often in direct liaison with the C-suite) and communicated initiatives and changes in a crystal-clear manner to the final customer. This also translated into pain points as all these initiatives require resources, which can be overwhelming given the number of certifications and labels, and can also, sometimes seem too far-fetched compared to the immediate challenges posed by the state of the business. In other words: just like digital transformation, sustainable adaptation is costly, takes time and energy, and requires organisational re-engineering.

This is the reason why we decided to look at "Green Pea", a new type of sustainable business, the first self-proclaimed 100% sustainable department store in the world, and which reverses the problem. Green Pea tries to bring an answer to the following question: how to build a profitable business that takes for granted the sustainable approach?

We looked at the key learnings from this business case and tried to isolate the most interesting ones for IADS members.

IADS Exclusive - Business Case #8 – Green Pea: building up sustainability from within

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 24 November 2021.

Private label development is in full swing for some retailers, especially for the big-box ones in the United States, reflecting a successful business model that Millennials are also favouring. The penetration of private labels amongst Millennials is 1-2 points higher than prior generations and continues to grow.

Usually considered as a margin enhancer, a great tool to recruit customers, a way to develop loyalty thanks to attractive price points, or an asset to emphasize the store brand message, private labels can meet tremendous success for retailers such as Target. But for others, they struggle to reach profitability.

To stay relevant these days, private labels not only have to offer an excellent product implying a great deal of research and creativity, but also differentiate from competitors, and even outdo national brands. As retail consultant Stacey Widlitz sums it up when discussing Target's success in launching private labels: "They've basically been going around saying, 'Who does it best and who does it worst?. Let's replicate what the winners are doing and take on the losers and do it better.'" Is it really that simple?

Private labels currently represent an average of 6-7% of the IADS members' turnover (data from IADS Merchandising meeting dedicated to private labels, January 2021). This part of their business has been reorganised in the past years and months raising critical questions: do department stores still need private labels, are they still good at this historical part of their business?

IADS Exclusive - Do department stores still need private labels?

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 17 November 2021.

*If the pandemic wasn't hard enough already on retailers, it also accelerated topics such as sustainability. Consumers have become more aware and educated on CSR related topics while they were stuck at home with more time to think about their environmental impacts - especially as this relates to retail. This has created increased importance for retailers to ramp up their sustainability initiatives as well as communicate them.

Before the "first wave" of the pandemic (March 2020), IADS polled its members about their overall vision and approach to sustainability and its structure. Little did we know how important this baseline would be just over one year later. Therefore, IADS conducted a post-covid survey (July 2021) to understand what our members were focusing on, how they were communicating, what pain points they have, and what has changed organizationally.*

IADS Exclusive - Sustainability: An acceleration post-crisis

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 10 November 2021.

Organisation charts, while not a perfect picture of how companies operate, nevertheless provide some insights into how companies are shifting over time, how they are dealing with complexity, and also how companies differ in their perspectives and priorities. A sample of IADS members have shared organisation charts prompting some thoughts about department store structures.

IADS Exclusive - The anatomy of a department store - Organisation structures under the microscope

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 20 October 2021.

IADS welcomed Heroïne, a retail design agency dedicated to client experience, to reflect on customer experiences, methods used to improve them and current retail trends that the crisis has emphasized. Read the interview to learn more about interactions between consumer and organization, store innovation and how good customer experience is defined.

IADS Exclusive - Designing a relevant customer experience: A talk with Héroïne

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 13 October 2021.

There is so much more to come from RFID technology than we have experienced so far in the past few years. The technology and its implications have transformed rapidly, leading to more interesting use cases for the retail format. Unfortunately, the implementation of RFID can take a lot of time and money. So how can retailers make the most of it? Once implemented, what potential does RFID have for retailers and where can it lead?

IADS Exclusive - RFID attempts a comeback in retail

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 05 October 2021.

Several aspects of retail supply chains have been revisited during the Covid pandemic. Retailers have been dealing with the crisis using different fulfilment strategies which integrate online and physical stores more than ever. Some of these will probably last into the future, or at least have an impact on future retail models. Many of these new ways to serve customers are in fact supply chain questions which are becoming an increasingly important part of the retail business.

IADS Exclusive - Rethinking the retail supply chain 

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 29 September 2021.

IADS welcomed Jakob Sand, partner of the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), to kick off a series of interviews with key innovative thinkers to understand the magnitude of the changes that the world is going through. Read or watch his interview to learn more about the group's take on innovation in retail and the role of department stores following such changes.

 IADS Exclusive - Transformation in retail interview with BIG - full article

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 22 September 2021.

Reinvention at Galeries Lafayette is underpinned by 4 strategies: accelerating on local customers, remaining an unmissable Parisian attraction, keeping its position with international shoppers, and benefitting from the new growth engineers appealing to younger generations.

 IADS Exclusive - Reinvention at Galeries Lafayette - full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 15 September 2021.

Retail jobs have never been easy, with low wages, permanent pressure over turnover, chronic understaffing, and no weekends off. At the same time, such jobs have drastically changed, and not in a good way according to the staff fleeing from stores. What's happening to retail staff? What should be done to make retail attractive again?

 IADS Exclusive -how to make retail attractive again? - full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 08 September 2021.

Keeping markets under close watch, IADS collected spectacular store concepts from retailers around the world. This collection of stores offers jaw-dropping displays that will draw customers from near and far.

Check out how retailers are using surprise effects and creativity to fundamentally challenge traditional retail concepts to create desirable experiences and spectacles.

 IADS Exclusive - Ikea :the Paris example - full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 23 August 2021.

*It took about 20 years for Ikea to open stores in city centres. The innovative idea to go from suburban big blue-box to inner-city stores dates back from the end of the nineties and was set to develop from 2002, but the first city-centre store only opened in 2014 in Hamburg. In 2019, the first Parisian store was launched and now it seems Ikea is in full speed in the City of Lights with two new units opening in less than a month: one on the buzzy 'high-street' Rue de Rivoli (facing the newly reopened La Samaritaine department store), and one in the more residential 12th district, making it the 38th store in France.

The 3 Parisian stores are quite different from one another, Ikea developing different and custom formats in city centres, and constantly adapting them to local customer needs. What is the strategy behind recent openings? How are stores organised? How are they combining and most important, do they work?*

 IADS Exclusive - Ikea :the Paris example - full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 21 July 2021.

What: Generation Z shoppers are not easy to win over and have a long list of demands for retailers and brands.

Why it is important: Gen Zers are the influencers that can impact the buying decisions of the generations before them. Retailers need to constantly understand and adapt to the needs of younger generations to stay relevant.

Introduction: Generation Z shoppers are a completely new beast for the retail industry to market and capture. They are digital natives that have little patience for errors and value their personal brand above all else. Although they can be tough to appeal to, they are easily won over through loyalty programs and perks. Taking the right steps to impress these young shoppers will be vital for brands and retailers to stay relevant.

 IADS Exclusive - Capturing the wallet share of a Gen Z shopper- full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 07 June 2021.

*What:  Our visit and review of one of the most important Tech fairs in Europe

Why it is important:  4 interesting start-ups that we spotted for our members, with some potential for immediate retail applications.*

*Viva Technology (aka Vivatech) is a French fair dedicated to new technology, launched in 2016, and seen as the French response to the tech hype from California and the CES in Las Vegas. With the permanent support of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who promotes the "start-up nation", this tech fair became in 4 editions a rendezvous of choice, where all tech moguls from the world gave speeches (Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Ma, Satya Nadella from Microsoft), but also world leaders such as Justin Trudeau or John Kerry, and world figures (Usain Bolt, Bernard Arnault).

The 2021 edition was, due to the Covid-19 context, unique as it was one of the first mass-scale events to be held in Europe, organized in a hybrid way, with both a physical fair with live events, echoed by an online platform to maximize visibility. In terms of numbers, this meant 26,000 physical visitors and 114,000 users on the platform (to give a sense of comparison, the first edition welcomed in 2016 45,000 visitors, and the last pre-pandemic one in 2019 attracted 124,000 people).

We decided to attend this edition as we believe the IADS should help its members detect innovative approaches and solutions wherever they are, in complement to their own efforts. Also, it was a way for us to catch a glimpse of where "retail tech" stands.*

 IADS Exclusive - Four startups retailers should consider from Vivatech 2021- full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 30 June 2021.

The long-awaited reopening of iconic Parisian department store La Samaritaine is finally here after sixteen years out of business and a total investment estimated between EUR 750 million and EUR 1 billion. IADS got an exclusive first look before the official opening, read below!

 IADS Exclusive - La Samaritaine: what to expect after so many expectations? - full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 23 June 2021.

Omnichannel department stores have two big advantages over pure players, including Amazon: they know their products, and they have stores. Department stores need to capitalise on these by using their human potential to the full with product knowledge, and by tailoring stores to the behaviour of digital customers.

 IADS Exclusive - Two secret weapons of department stores - full article (IADS Members only)

IADS provides its members with a weekly in-depth analysis on retail-oriented topics. This is an example of the themes the Association regularly addresses, and the topic of an article from the IADS members-only newsletter date 16 June 2021.