Redefining Retail with Chris Walton: From Target’s Future Vision to Current Realities in the Age of COVID-19

Today’s guest, Chris Walton, has a long history in retail. He started out at The Gap, and is the former Vice President of Target’s Store of the Future project. He’s now the founder and CEO of Omni Talk, a keynote speaker, and a senior contributor to Forbes, among other things. Listen to the episode to hear what Chris has to say about how COVID-19 is changing consumer behavior, what changes retailers should be making right now, and how to build up a retail brand.

 

Topics Discussed in Today’s Episode:

✔ Chris’s retail background

✔ Changes in customer behavior since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic

✔ Short and long-term changes that retailers should make

✔ How retailers can implement a streamline digital and physical strategy

✔ How to bring in-store experiences online

✔ Best practices for retailers to focus on right now

✔ Areas that retailers should avoid

✔ Best in-store experiences Chris has seen

✔ How to evaluate retail technologies

✔ How to build up a retail brands

Resources: Chris Walton

QUOTES:

“Even amid COVID-19, only 53% of the American population, for example, has tried e-groceries.” “The thing that I think is the biggest concern right now is that stores just aren’t the safest place to shop.” “The mall developers need to step up, and for the most part I would say they haven’t been.”