Grocery and gourmet food businesses have dramatically evolved over the past few years. Whether it's online shopping thriving or consumers' appetite for quality and organic products, the retail food economy has faced massive changes. In France alone, households' organic food expenditures annual turnover went from EUR 3.15 billion in 2009 to EUR 11.3 billion in 2019.

Thinking about Paris is thinking about fashion, but also food as it occupies a leading position on the gourmet scene. But how has it evolved? Has Covid-19 accelerated existing trends? When it comes to department stores, have they changed the way they run this part of the business? In order to feed our thinking, IADS is offering here a review of Parisian gourmet department stores together with a few ideas to develop this business and some insights into other business models.

Paris gourmet scene panorama and directions for development - 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 24 March 2021.

The IADS attended the following Vitra Session on 11 March 2021 which considered the pros and cons of working from home or returning to the office at a time when even large companies are polarised on the issue, some abandoning physical offices altogether while others put in place incentives to lure employees back to the office. What we at IADS have called "hybrid working", Vitra label "distributed work" and make the point that if this model represents the future, then it needs serious reflection, innovative organisation and clear communication.

The Vitra Session - 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 17 March 2021.

Department stores today rarely offer books, music, films and other "cultural" goods. These have reverted to specialists, chains and online retailers. However, the chains have consolidated and are doing less well; and the digital retailers appear to have peaked, while smaller, local booksellers are gaining in popularity. Is it possible that department stores could once again find a place for these goods in their local offer which has gained in popularity during the covid pandemic?

Department stores selling books and culture - 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 10 March 2021.

Two significant US department store groups, Macy's and Nordstrom, acquired small innovative formats, respectively Story and Jeffrey, and abandoned them in 2020, perhaps not entirely because of the Covid pandemic. What explains their failure to use these opportunities, and what lessons can be learnt by department stores searching for a new lease of life?

Even before the pandemic, Macy's outlined a major restructuring plan involving substantial cost savings, the closing of over 125 stores and the cutting of up to 4000 jobs. These measures went hand in hand with a new strategy called "new North Star" meant to turn around the country's largest department store group. Among those leaving the company since the pandemic is Story founder Rachel Shechtman , who arrived when Macy's acquired the innovative New York concept store in 2018 and created a post just for her called "brand experience officer". At the time the move seemed to usher in an era of reinvention for the department store group, together with the investment in start-up b8ta.

The same year 2020 saw the departure from Nordstrom of Jeffrey Kalinsky, founder of Jeffrey, which Nordstrom had acquired in 2005. Jeffrey's success, particularly in the Meatpacking District which contributed in no small part to the gentrification of that area of Manhattan, was seen at the time as an effort on the part of the upscale department store to renew itself and help modernise its fashion appeal. After the Nordstrom acquisition, Kalinsky worked in a variety of executive roles at the department store company while still running Jeffrey in New York, Atlanta and Palo Alto. It has now been announced that the stand-alone stores would also close (as well as 16 full-line department stores).

Two examples of well-established department stores acquiring successful and innovative concepts, as well as acquiring the founders' expertise, in an avowed effort to rejuvenate the department store concept, then abandoning the project (admittedly in a covid year) with little to show for it. Why does it appear to be so difficult for a traditional department store to learn from a radically different but very successful retail format?

Macy's & Nordstrom - full articles (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 24 February 2021.

Who doesn't remember a trip to Oxford Street to check on the competition or just feel the consumption frenzy? Well, the Oxford Street and the high street we used to know will not be the same anymore. Debenhams and Topshop collapses are a brutal reminder of department stores and clothing chains struggle, private equity mismanagement, lack of strategy and then Covid-19 dramatically speeding up the process. Even though the brick-and-mortar shutdowns trend is global and rampant, we might find ourselves at a turning point, especially in the United Kingdom, with Boohoo and Asos buying bits of Debenhams and Topshop.

What has happened to the famous British retailers? What are Boohoo and Asos's buying strategies aiming at? Are Debenhams and Topshop buyouts specific business cases? Is there a new pattern to be observed?

Business case #4 - full articles (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 17 February 2021.

Companies have been exploring the possibilities of remote working for many years. In fact, remote work has even, in some cases, been implemented then abandoned. Department stores have been forced into remote work by the current pandemic. Or at least some of the department store functions have been. Is this likely to become a permanent feature of our retail businesses? If so, what might it look like in more detail? Remote working has raised major issues for HR departments, as well as for management. If the practice becomes widespread, remote work will also have implications for city life and consumer spending more broadly, and therefore on department store customers.

Remote working - full articles (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 10 February 2021.

What: A third-party certification emphasising transparency and accountability.

Why it is important: Its approach includes all stakeholders, which makes it a "fashionable" certification when advertised to the public.

While the pandemic is increasingly emphasising the idea that shareholder capitalism seems no longer adapted to the challenges companies have to face, there is no consensus yet on what should replace the "profits first" approach. But the growing influence of the triple bottom line (profit, people, and the planet) in corporate governance and the need for companies to take all stakeholders into account has led to the emergence of a new certification, called "B Corporation".

Sustainability series #3 - full articles (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 03 February 2021.

Keeping markets under a close watch, IADS has gathered innovative concepts related to key topics such as sustainability, local retail and community, and multichannel experiences:

• Green Pea: a mixed-use centre gathering under one roof fashion, food, culture and leisure with one common motive: sustainability, carried out by Oscar Farinetti, the business man who created famous food chain Eataly.
• Nike Unite: the latest concept from the sports retailer, focusing on the physical and digital shopping experience for local customers. Throughout the space, the store highlights its staff, local partnerships and the story of the community by including local landmarks and hometown athletes; it is designed in such a way that the local residents feel represented.
• OREFICI 11: U.S. retail group VF Corp has opened a multi-brand space in Milan featuring three brands from the group' portfolio: Timberland, Napapijri, and The North Face. The space successfully mixes physical and digital experiences, showcasing new ways to do retail in the covid world.
• Moncler: The luxury winterwear brand opened it biggest store worldwide on the avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris. The store has been imagined like a Parisian flat, with a corridor leading to several rooms, and was designed using noble material such as marble, wooden floor and moulding ceilings.
• Foot Locker: a concept dubbed Community Power Store debuted in 2019, that expands to Canada. The three-floor retail experience includes an activation space where events can be hosted for the local community with key brand partners.
• Alhambra: located in Berlin, it is a multi-concept space where local brands and artists showcase their work. The store provides a full-service amplification kit for emerging brands by offering a space, a built-in social media campaign, impressive staging, as well as professional salespersons and event managers. The space will open during spring 2021.

Retail Review #2 - full articles (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 27 January 2021.

Retail is all about maximising the productivity of stores, and making sure each square metre is contributing to the overall margin. Is it still true in a world where online sales are growing, sometimes at the expenses of the sales performed instore? How do you maintain the profitability level, linked by definition to the traffic and its quality, when customers are stuck at home due, for instance, to a pandemic?

In many industries, the question is acute, and various players have been looking at innovative solutions to maintain their profitability level. We explore in this article the different models at hand with examples from all industries: members' clubs, subscription boxes, Saas, and rundles.

Subscription retail is growing as it fits the new customer's mindset of living an experience instead of owning "things". Interestingly, it also corresponds to the central role of department stores: a place mixing experience and curation in landmark buldings in the heart of our towns.

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 January 2021.

With the pandemic, the past year brought its share of new initiatives and the year ahead is going to be no different. Retailers in the world, which endured many weeks of closure in 2020 (up to 30% of total opening time) and are still threatened by further lockdowns in 2021, had to reinvent themselves to reach out to customers directly in their homes.

Remote shopping played a significant part in retailers' survival via new or upgraded digital tools, such as virtual stores. This new channel provides a more inviting shopping experience than a simple ecommerce and safer than physical shopping. For instance, on a webstore the customer scrolls and browses through a series of pages showing one article next to the other. By contrast, a virtual store is an immersive experience supported by interactive elements allowing customers to actually be in the store; which these are sometimes a perfect replica of the physical spaces. Customers navigate the store and see the products on the shelves, almost as if they were in the physical space. It is a mix between a webstore and a virtual reality experience.

Brands have started to use this new format during lockdowns. After the pandemic it could very well be a valuable tool for department stores too.

Review of the strengths and limits of this format to determine if it could become a valuable option for department stores.

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 January 2021.

An international health crisis, with more than 1.6 million lives lost worldwide; lockdowns in almost all countries following the waves of virus cases, with unprecedented impacts on the economy; tourism almost totally halted, adding to the pain of retailers: there is no doubt that 2020 is a year to forget.

However, this year and more than ever, department stores remain true to their mission to spread hope, magic and wonder, and there is a worldwide competition in creativity and ingenuity to this year's Christmas celebrations. IADS collected the seasonal windows of all major department stores worldwide in addition to those of IADS members, for a much-deserved moment of retail magic.

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 December 2020.

While every brand and retailer today is trying to figure out how to stay in the sustainability game, we have seen in the first IADS Exclusive article dedicated to sustainability that there are many different ways to become more sustainable. However, for a company to develop its own sustainability programme is becoming increasingly complex and expensive, and common initiatives like the Higg Index seem to be a silver bullet.

The Higg Index - playfully named after the Higgs Boson elementary particle - is an indicator-based assessment tool for apparel and footwear products that aims to create a single industry approach to measuring environmental and social sustainability throughout the supply chain. Launched in 2011, it was developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a non-profit organization founded by a group of apparel brands, retailers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other non-profit entities.

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 December 2020.

United Kingdom is living dark days as both the pandemic and the Brexit are putting huge pressure on the country's economy, and the retail sector has not been spared. The recent announcement of large retail group Arcadia filing for bankruptcy, and department store chain Debenhams entering liquidation, are another blow in the UK retail sector.

Frasers Group, ex Sports-Direct group, is a UK-based retail group that has been expanding its fashion and luxury portfolio over the past few years, trying to shift away from the sports tag toward a luxury brand. After the acquisition of Flannels and British department store chain House of Fraser, and the stakes in Mulberry and Hugo Boss, the group appears to be trying to establish itself as a lifestyle and luxury retailer.

IADS reviews the opportunities and risks for the group to elevate in this trouble timing.

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 03 December 2020.

For some time already, department store retailing has become less profitable as online has developed. The recent pandemic has accelerated this trend with innovative services such as digital shopping in store, kerb-side pick up and extraordinary fulfilment offers. It is the least profitable part of our business that we have had to expand. How can we readjust, rebalance and integrate our physical and digital formats to recover a profitable department store model for tomorrow? This is one of the qustions which the IADS Academy has set for its participants in 2021.

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 25 November 2020.

While in an April survey of European consumers by McKinsey, more than 60% of respondents said they considered the way brands promote sustainability as a factor in purchasing decisions, it seems like sustainability has reached a tipping point. Sustainability can be an opportunity to better match customers' shifting expectations, but a quick overview of the different ways the issue is being addressed in the fashion and retail industry shows that sustainable efforts often mean investing more and costing more. Are these the only options for department stores to explore, or can sustainability simply go hands in hands with efficient and good management? In this case, how to make it visible and desirable to the customers?

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 November 2020.

Following a truly innovative process this year due to the worldwide pandemic, the IADS Academy was conducted in full digital mode, and looked at immediate consequences of lockdowns for IADS member organisations.

A number of suggestions were made by the 2020 IADS Academy who presented some answers to the question "What next?" at the General Assembly of CEOs on 30 October 2020. Their answers covered customer behaviour, convenience, private labels, and store networks, as well as organisation structure and skills for the future.

They caused some important questions to be raised relating to organisations, profitability and store real estate.

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 04 November 2020.

Keeping markets under a close watch, IADS detects innovative concepts related to key topics such as experience, new models, digital, and curation.

In the first selection from our Retail Review series discover:

• adidas Home of Originals in London: a smaller store focusing on the Originals line, aiming at Gen Zs
• MAC Innovation Lab in New York City: a digital playground putting community at the centre, through omnichannel and digital experience
• Levi's NextGen in Palo Alto: a new concept for Millennials with live product customisation, personal styling, and pandemic-proof processes
• Naked Retail in New York City: a physical space to showcase invited DNVBs on a popup basis, with a strong focus on curation.
• The RealReal in Chicago: see how to mix resale, proximity, F&B, and design in one place and make it work with a pre-existing digital business
• Showfields in New York City: "The most interesting store in the world" houses a mix of curated DNVBs and labels in a most theatrical environment

IADS retail review #1 (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 28 October 2020.

The world's largest company by revenue ($514 billion in 2019), Walmart has stuck over the decades to the same model created by Sam Walton in the 60s, and the company has set up a massive network of rural and suburban supercentres across the U.S.

Although the low prices that have differentiated Walmart in the past seem less of an advantage at the age of ecommerce, while retailers are competing on convenience, the company's main differentiator online may be its brick-and-mortar stores.

And while its online sales have soared in the U.S during the pandemic, the company seems finally to have figured out how to compete against Amazon, and how to keep thriving thanks to a full omnichannel approach, a push in fashion, and a striking attempt to integrate a content-oriented social media platform.

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 October 2020.

The current Covid-19 pandemic crisis has been a real challenge for retail. The management of this crisis has highlighted the usefulness of having an agile structure, a simplified business model, and a solid e-commerce platform. It also requires specific tools. Do department stores have what it takes?

While reviewing the actions taken on the market, it appears that some are moving in the right direction. They are becoming more resilient, simplifying their operations, and developing omnichannel. It is not only a matter of weathering the storm, but also of preparing the future: in every crisis lies an opportunity to showcase a company's character, its commitment to its brand promise and its institutional values, in other words, all the components of a company's culture.

As a sub-chapter of risk management, crisis management has tools which we need to put in place to minimise the damage of a repeat Covid-19 episode or any of the other crises which may or may not hit us at any moment. Perhaps one of the most urgent measures which need to be taken by department stores concerns their structure which too often belongs to a past "industrial" machine-based model, and which needs to shift to something more agile, or perhaps more "organic".

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 14 October 2020.

With a total number of stores that has increased from 345 to 433 from 2013 to 2019 (+ 25,5%) and a global revenue that has steadily risen from 28 to 41 billion euros (+ 46%) over the same period of time, Ikea has managed to drive expansion and performance by innovating and adapting its distribution format locally while still offering a unique range of products worldwide.

Global, yet still relentlessly inventive and adaptable to local markets, Ikea has managed to become the world's biggest home furnishing retailer, and to keep growing and performing while continuously sticking to its differentiating Swedish character and original core values. And the company has managed to transform those values into a business model, an organizational structure, and a transversal and quick-decision-making management pattern.

While the firm itself actually rests on a very complex corporate structure made of several corporations owned by non-for-profit foundations registered in different countries, the company has successfully managed to transform its values into efficiency, inventiveness, agility and, most basically, a stunning simplicity for a global retailer of that size.

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 October 2020.

All IADS members face the same question: in order to cope with the increase of online competition, what do we have to do - apart from also being present online-? For customers to come to our stores, they need to have a reason: is that a specific product, an experience, or something more? Thinking again purpose and values in a post-covid world that has been shaken to its roots is key. But how do you do that very concretely? What does it mean in terms of execution? At IADS, we have seen recently an example that is worth the visit.

French urban supermarket chain Monoprix opened mid-September a refurbished location in Montparnasse area. On the day of the opening, Monoprix CEO claimed that "from a supermarket, Monoprix is bound to be a new generation department store".

Apart from some interesting surface improvements which are nice to watch, Monoprix takes the notion of "third space" quite literally and provides an interesting approach on how to integrate an already popular retail brand into the city life. At a moment when department stores are wondering how to recreate bonds with local customers and be a "popular" destination again (in the sense of addressing everybody), this is an interesting lead.

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 01 October 2020.

Department stores are disrupted by customer expectations, by suppliers going directly to consumers, by competitors developing new concepts, by politics imposing regulations, by the weather, and of course by pandemics. We need to change rapidly but intelligently, in order to adapt and thrive. Why do we find this so difficult? The reasons are partly uncertainty and fear: methods for choosing the right direction for change, the real possibility of failing, and the cost and difficulties of developing alternatives. We are also sometimes hampered by our own internal organisation structure inherited from the past. Can we learn lessons from the agile and innovative tech world?

Using Geoffrey Moore's "zone theory", we explore what it means to shift attention and energies towards transformation while keeping performance and productivity going in our businesses. It takes courage, leadership, a clear strategy, conviction and persistence. Some department stores have managed this with e-commerce. Some new concepts might be developing an alternative model for department stores.

In this IADS Exclusive, we ask the question what would it take for a department store to incubate a different model, take it from incubation to transformation, and eventually pilot it and let it see the light of day.

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 September 2020.

Self-proclaimed "the most interesting store in the world", NYC-based Showfields houses a mix of curated DNVBs and brick and mortar brands in a most theatrical environment. But is it as innovative as it claims?

Immersive, exclusive, instagrammable, many adjectives to describe Showfields and to qualify experiential retail globally. IADS reviews the store's assets and confronts them with existent concepts, reviewing a full spectrum from the industry.

IADS also tackles the state of experiential (physical) retail in time of pandemic as instore experience was announced like the future of retail. Is it completely being questioned by Covid-19 or can it find its way out?

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 September 2020.

Part of the SM Retail division, Filipino IADS member SM STORE has 64 stores nationwide, representing overall more than 807.000 sqm of retail space, operated with more than 23,000 associates.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown strongly affected the group's ability to operate both online and offline, due to the local harsh regulations applied. This led SM into setting up a new way of selling and distributing its products, the "Call to Deliver" setup, in a record time with significant & quantifiable results.

The "Call to Deliver" setup uses the existing instore resources (staff, assortment) to address the needs of the local clientele with a low-tech and simple procedure, while remaining in line with regulations and safety instructions.

Its success made SM Group identify a new channel opportunity, and this temporary solution has now become permanent, as it ideally addresses local communities' needs & tightens ties between SM and those communities.

IADS reviews the benefits of this setup to identify key learnings in terms of crisis anticipation and response.

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 September 2020.