Jared Shaner

Launchpad also uses Gemini to find the most relevant audience and supply packages from the Sovrn Deal Library, add them to a cart, and send to Sovrn for activation. In the example below, Gemini sees that the buyer wants to reach in-market beauty shoppers and suggests three relevant deals targeting Sovrn's Commerce Audiences. #AI #Curation #CommerceMedia #VibeCoding

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Getting Your Brand into Retail: What Makes It Easier or Harder KeyInsights from Talor Ofer, Retail Empire If your product is the same as many others, it’s harder to succeed in retail. Retail has less competition than Amazon, so it can be easier to get in. Most Amazon brands don’t try to sell in retail, so there’s a good chance for those who do. In retail, people care more about your brand’s uniqueness than how much money you make. #RetailStrategy #AmazonSellers #BrandGrowth #RetailOpportunity #ProductPlacement #EcommerceToRetail #RetailTips #ScalingBrands #FMCG #ConsumerGoods #RetailSuccess

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Canada 🇨🇦 I’m heading your way In June, I’ll be at DSA Canada Connect 2026 and I want to talk about something I’m seeing across almost every Direct Selling company right now: the massive AI acceleration gap opening up. On one side: companies moving fast, solving real problems, building capability. On the other: companies stuck in planning mode, waiting for the “right” strategy. The difference isn’t technology. It’s action. In my session, I’m going to run you through something we’ve done with many of the 20+ direct selling companies we work with, something that accelerated their progress significantly. You’ll learn: → Where you are right now (honestly) → Where your immediate opportunities are → How to lead this, regardless of your title or technical background → Real examples of what’s working and what’s not And we’ll tackle both sides of this transformation: the incredible capability AI unlocks AND the very real risk it poses to human connection at the absolute heart of direct selling. It’s my first time in Canada (getting in a week early to explore), and I can’t wait to help you get on the right side of the acceleration gap. Thanks to Peter Maddox for inviting me and Ben Robinson for recommending me. If you’re there, see you in June!

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In-store retail media could be one of the biggest business opportunities that a CMO or CDO can create in the next 5 years. Although the economics are forgiving, the upside is huge. Our analysis: At CPM $6 and 60% fill, retailers can see 117% ROI per store with potential to reach 400% during the peak season. My latest HFS Research POV on Wipro VisionEDGE explains how CMOs and CDOs can stop leaving money on the shelves. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/d3Db86jb #InstoreRetail #RetailMediaNetwork #RMN #CMO #CDO Phil Fersht | Melissa O'Brien | Krupa K S | Saurabh Gupta | Tony Filippone | Dana Daher | David Cushman | Rohan Kulkarni | Ashwin Venkatesan | Joel M. | Neeraj Satpall | Tarini Mehta

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𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 And we think they're making the right call. While Amazon captured seven market share points in four years, Ulta launched UB Marketplace—but with a twist that changes everything: 1. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 • No third-party resellers allowed • Direct brand partnerships eliminate counterfeit concerns • Quality curation over unlimited selection Amazon's open marketplace model created a trust problem. Studies suggest customers regularly encounter expired or fake beauty products, even from seemingly official stores. Ulta's curated approach solves this at the foundation level. 2. 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 • Over 45 million Ulta Beauty Rewards members can earn points • In-store returns at 1,400+ locations via Happy Returns • Unified search, cart, and checkout experience The marketplace isn't bolted on—it's woven into the customer experience. This matters when Amazon commands approximately 10% beauty market share and is projected to reach 15% by 2030. 3. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 • Over 100 new brands launched at go-live • 12-18 month scale plan to expand assortment • Test emerging categories without carrying inventory While Sephora launched creator storefronts and TikTok Shop grabbed impulse purchases, Ulta chose the middle path: expand selection without compromising brand integrity. The counter-intuitive insight: In an era where more selection wins, Ulta's betting that LESS choice with MORE trust beats Amazon's everything-store approach for beauty. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: E-commerce now represents 41% of beauty sales. Retailers who prioritize curation and authenticity over unlimited selection may capture premium customers Amazon can't reach. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Early customer feedback shows mixed reactions—some want to filter out marketplace items. Execution will determine whether this defensive strategy becomes an offensive advantage.

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Our recent data featured on the homepage of NBC News shows shoppers aren’t just accepting private label—they’re choosing it! Private label has quietly crossed the threshold—from “budget alternative” to brand equal. 📊 Full NBC News article here: https://bit.ly/4l5J5cB At First Insight, we’ve seen this shift coming: today’s consumers are prioritizing value, quality, and purpose over logos. The line between private and national brand is blurring—and in some categories, it’s disappearing altogether. #FirstInsight #NBCNews #PrivateLabel #Apparel #Footwear #Beauty #CPG #Grocery #Retail

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The silent channel killer: mis-sized space. Too big bleeds profits. Too small caps revenue and ops. Right-sizing comes down to: 📏 Sales per sq ft targets tied to real demand 🧮 Occupancy cost % that works under conservative comp assumptions 🧱 Back-of-house needs (storage, fulfillment, receiving, team flow) 🧪 Testing smaller formats before committing to a “flagship” box (the step most early brands skip, and then write off the channel) So many “bad" stores or channels I've seen are just mis-sized footprints. ----- ICYMI: I'm Andrew and I've been building FOURWALL, a brick-and-mortar insights platform and growth consultancy. 📩 DM me to see how we can improve your brand's retail footprint through growth, rationalization, or restructuring — starting with a free market or P&L audit! 👉 Subscribe on FOURWALL to get insights delivered to your inbox and access destination insights and brick-and-mortar vendor recommendations. #retail #stores #cre #leasing #ecommerce #brands #dtc #d2c #tri #topretailexpert

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