RetailCraft - digital retail, ecommerce and brands - Retail Podcast
Business:Management
Our studio chat with Kieron (Digital Director at Blackwells, part of the Waterstones group of booksellers) had a number of firsts... Not only the first podcast of 2024 (Happy New Year to one and all!) but also the first time that Georgia and I had been given gifts. In our prep for the studio session Kieron had asked us what were the last three books we'd read. He used this to predict a book for each of us and wrapped them for us to give in the studio! Utterly thoughtful, but more importantly gets to the heart of Kieron's focus upon data AND intuition.
In our conversation we talk about the history of Blackwells (surely one of the most famous longstanding and academic booksellers, now a part of the Waterstones group) and some of the dynamics of the book trade online. We discuss learning and the ongoing quest for information and knowledge, and the vital role of staff in retail. This is the origin of the "really different" of our title - how to engage staff with knowledge, skills, passion and individuality rather than falling into the trap of homogeneity.
There is so much to learn here about individuality, passion and invention in retail - our thanks to Kieron for being so open with us.
-- Run time: 53 minutes
INFORMATION:
[ 🖥️ ]
Blackwells (https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/home) is part of the Waterstones (https://www.waterstones.com/) group.
Kieron's offered books were:
- for Georgia: "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles (https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/A-Gentleman-in-Moscow-by-Amor-Towles/9780099558781)
- for Ian: "Tokyo Express" by Seicho Matsumoto (https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Tokyo-Express-by-Seicho-Matsumoto-author-Jesse-Kirkwood-translator/9780241439081)
[ 👨👧 ]
Kieron Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieron/
Georgia Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiajones1/
Ian Jindal: www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/ and www.twitter.com/ianjindal
[ 📷 ] (c) Ian Jindal / www.instagram.com/ianjindal
RetailCraft 49 - "Predicting the unpredictable" - in conversation with Radharaman Jha, VP Supply Chain at Flaconi
RetailCraft 48 - ”Activating a City” - in conversation with Juliet Scott-Croxford, President North America for Brompton Bicycle
RetailCraft 47 - ”3am Brew” - in conversation with Georgie Janion-Shaw, Founder, SISTIR
RetailCraft45 - ”Consumer moments” - in conversation with Ntola Obazee (Emma Bridgewater) and Raine Peak (New Look)
RetailCraft 44 - ”Find a fix for time” - in conversation with Paddy Earnshaw, Customer and Digital Director at B&Q
RetailCraft 43 - ”Marketing Machine” - In conversation with Tony Preedy, Managing Director at Fruugo.com, on the topic of globalised, localised commerce.
RetailCraft 42 - ”Details Matter” - retail and the arts - Ros Lawler and Zia Zareem-Slade
RetailCraft 41 - ”More of a Partner” - Molly Dobson of Currys Business
RetailCraft 40 - MyWardrobeHQ and Look Fabulous Forever
RetailCraft 39 - ”The Sneakerati” - Footasylum at NRF 2023
RetailCraft 38 - ”fits and shapes” - Hunkemöller at NRF 2023
RetailCraft 37 - ”three children in every garment” - Tern and Polarn O. Pyret
RetailCraft 36 - ”Discerning and Resourceful” - Jennifer North of Hobbycraft
RetailCraft 35 - ”Asset Management” - Ceanne Fernandes-Wong of Cocoon
RetailCraft 34 - ”Phenotype” - Andy Jayes of Fenwicks
RetailCraft 33 - ”The detail and the dream” - Camilla Henriksson of H&M
RetailCraft 32 - ”In the path of the customer” - Megan Maley of Zalando SE
RetailCraft 31 - ”Glass-box brands” - Provenance.org and Kingfisher PLC
RetailCraft 30 - ”Crisp in, Crisp out?” - Pepsico and Marks and Spencer
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