Innovation was top-of-mind for savvy retailers prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, but the impact of the virus has truly pushed it to the forefront. In his role at Target, Chris Walton helped bring “the store of the future” into the cultural zeitgeist, and he uses those experiences and lessons learned to fuel his Omni Talk blogs and podcasts…even his columns for Forbes.
Retail Remix host Alicia Esposito caught up with Walton to discuss industry progress and shake-ups, especially amid COVID-19 realities. His unique expertise in retail innovation led to an insightful conversation.
“The companies that have had [innovation] in their DNA or in their ethos over the past five to 10 years – relatively speaking – they’re doing a little bit better given the dynamics that are at play because the innovation has made them more flexible and more able to adjust to changing consumer expectations, not just prior to the virus, but especially now that the virus is here,” Walton said.
Check out the full episode to hear Walton’s perspectives on:
- The accelerated adoption of contactless commerce;
- A new vision for the future of the store;
- New methods for shopping mall developers to innovate; and
- The most exciting examples of innovation in light of store closures and social distancing.
