George Looker

Session Takeaways

May 2, 2025

•

5 min read

The urgent need for US brands to scale Europe

At ShopTalk 2025, Luke Jonas, CGO of Nest Commerce, a global e-commerce marketing agency delivered a compelling message in a session hosted alongside Passport, a global e-commerce logistics and solutions provider.

George Looker

Apr 25, 2025

•

5 min read

How Cetaphil rebuilt its brand for every skin and every screen

At Shoptalk 2025, Alicia Criner shared how Galderma’s Cetaphil rebrand used authenticity, AI, and generational storytelling to connect with new audiences without losing the old ones.

George Looker

Apr 24, 2025

•

6 min read

Unlocking the Next Chapter at AG1: Why Simplicity, Science, and Scale Still Win

AG1 has done what few wellness brands dare: built a $600M business with a single product. In her Shoptalk keynote, CEO Kat Cole explained why simplicity, science, and trust—not expansion—have been the brand’s greatest growth drivers. Now, with retail on the horizon and a second product coming, AG1 is scaling without losing its edge.

George Looker

Exclusive Interviews

Apr 21, 2025

•

4 min read

How Pimberly is helping retailers turn product data into performance

At Shoptalk 2025, Pimberly founder and CEO Martin Balaam shared how product content has evolved from a backend clean-up exercise to a core driver of customer experience and conversion.

George Looker

Apr 16, 2025

•

5 min read

How Sunday Riley built a brand that belongs on bathroom counters—from Gen Z to Gen X

At Shoptalk 2025, the founder and CEO shared how authenticity, design fluency, and platform-by-platform nuance turned Sunday Riley into one of the most trusted names in skincare.

George Looker

Exclusive Interviews

Apr 11, 2025

•

5 min read

The Platform Behind the Curtain: Why Big Sur AI Wants to Power Every Retail Function

Big Sur AI isn’t building another AI tool—it’s building the infrastructure to power every function inside a retail org. At Shoptalk 2025, CEO Vinod Ramachandran shares how a network of specialized, collaborative AI agents is driving 4x conversion rates, cutting through vendor complexity, and setting the foundation for retail’s agentic future.

George Looker

Exclusive Interviews

Apr 9, 2025

•

5 min read

Vistar Media’s Bet on In-Store Digital as Retail Media’s Next Frontier

Sean Cheyney on operational drag, real ROI, and why retailers are finally waking up to the power of in-store signage.

George Looker

Apr 4, 2025

•

6 min read

Inside BÉIS: How Consumer Curiosity Drives a $300M Brand

At Shoptalk 2025, BÉIS CEO Adeela Hussain Johnson broke down how a luggage startup built its edge by operationalizing community insight. From DM-fueled product design to international retail expansion, she offered a masterclass in scaling without losing soul.

George Looker

Exclusive Interviews

Apr 3, 2025

•

5 min read

Yahoo’s Commerce Media Strategy: Efficiency, Identity, and Scale

At Shoptalk 2025, Yahoo’s Beth Nussbaum Gross outlined a sharp vision for commerce media built on identity, efficiency, and control. From offsite activation with Lowe’s to real-time sales optimization, Yahoo DSP is quietly becoming a high-functioning engine behind some of retail’s most trusted RMNs.

George Looker

Exclusive Interviews

Apr 2, 2025

•

5 min read

Inside SHEIN: How an On-Demand, Customer-Centric Strategy Scaled Global Fashion

At Shoptalk 2025, SHEIN’s Peter Pernot-Day broke down the brand’s approach to fashion at scale: on-demand production, customer obsession, and a curated marketplace model. From augmented design to zero-inventory bets, here’s how SHEIN is rewriting the playbook for responsive, real-time retail.

George Looker

Exclusive Interviews

Mar 31, 2025

•

6 min read

Ulta Beauty’s Next Growth Engine: Data-Driven Discovery at Scale

Josh Friedman, SVP of E-Commerce and Digital at Ulta Beauty, on personalization, marketplace expansion, and why loyalty is the real infrastructure.

George Looker

Exclusive Interviews

Mar 27, 2025

•

5 min read

Reddit Isn’t an Ad Channel. It’s a Trust Channel.

At Shoptalk 2025, Reddit’s Anna Haffner made a strong case for why brands like Sephora, Adidas, and Rent the Runway are investing in the most unexpected part of the funnel: conversation. As influencer fatigue sets in, Reddit’s realness is proving to be retail’s next trust channel.

George Looker

Mar 26, 2025

•

5 min read

When $20K Necklaces Sell in the Metaverse: How Roblox is Shaping Gen Z’s Shopping Behavior

At Shoptalk 2025, Roblox’s Winnie Burke showed how digital identity is becoming a driver of real-world purchase intent. From a $20K virtual necklace to upcoming Shopify integrations, the platform is reshaping the Gen Z shopping funnel—and forcing brands to rethink how they measure influence and conversion.

George Looker

Mar 26, 2025

•

6 min read

Endless vs. Edited: What Merchants from Ulta, Wayfair, and Thrive Market Know About Curation

At Shoptalk 2025, leaders from Thrive Market, Ulta Beauty, and Wayfair unpacked how modern merchandising is shifting—from endless aisle to intentional edit. Whether through wellness filters, CRM data, or verified picks, each brand is finding its own way to make choice feel effortless.

George Looker

Mar 26, 2025

•

6 min read

Creativity Reinvented: What Meta, Sephora, and Toys R Us Taught Us About Storytelling in 2025

At Shoptalk 2025, Meta, Sephora, and Toys R Us redefined what creativity means in retail. From Hulu docuseries and TikTok mascots to AI-led measurement innovation, the message was clear: storytelling now sits at the intersection of creators, culture, and performance.

George Looker

Mar 26, 2025

•

6 min read

More Than a Charm: How Pandora Is Rewriting the Rules of Modern Luxury

Pandora’s CMO Berta de Pablos-Barbier is reshaping one of the world’s most beloved jewelry brands—without losing the heart of what makes it personal. From lab-grown diamonds to AI storytelling, she shares how the brand is blending craft, culture, and community to stay globally relevant.

George Looker