The Retail Pulse Report

The Retail Pulse Report

Home
Archive
About
Retail Pulse Report: Discovery Commerce, Our AI Overlords, and More Divergence
I don’t know how you have increased concern over tariffs but decreased concern about economic impacts, but who said consumers are rational?
 • 
Nikki Baird
Retail Pulse Report: Consumers Price in TACO Tariffs
But retailers have not – and their perspectives may have much greater impact.
 • 
Nikki Baird
Retail Pulse Report: Coping With a New Level of Uncertainty
Not consumers – they’re still trying to figure out what they’re going to do. Retailers, however, seem to be adjusting to a new, higher level of…
 • 
Nikki Baird

May 2025

Retail Pulse Report: Still Waiting on What Consumers Will Do
Survey data has started to come in ahead of actual spend data, but it’s not enough to really know if consumers will pull back.
 • 
Nikki Baird
Retail Pulse Report: The Tariff Challenge is Just Beginning
Tariff volatility is almost worse than ridiculously high rates.
 • 
Nikki Baird
1
Retail Pulse Report: GenAI is More Fragile Than It Seems
And the retail industry – and consumers – are especially vulnerable.
 • 
Nikki Baird
Retail Pulse Report: Demand Destruction and Supply Distortions
Whatever tariff impact is coming, it’s already on the boat and at sea (or rather, it’s not and that’s the problem).
 • 
Nikki Baird

April 2025

Retail Pulse Report: TikTok, Google Cookies, Amazon JWO, and yes, Tariffs
Tariffs won’t bring shrinkflation, facial recognition is not the answer to in-store theft, and much more!
 • 
Nikki Baird
Retail Pulse Report: The News is NOT Good
One-dimensional, transactional relationships lead to lots of predictable, avoidable consequences. Retail is a lagging indicator, not a leading one.
 • 
Nikki Baird
Retail Pulse Report: Is There Any Room Left to Think About Anything Else Besides Tariffs?
I tried: stories this week include Easter spending predictions, GenAI model collapse, and IKEA being kind to other retailers. But everything I learned…
 • 
Nikki Baird
Retail Pulse Report: Retail Tech Show 2025
UK retailers attempt to manifest optimism in the face of increasing challenges.
 • 
Nikki Baird

March 2025

© 2025 Nikki Baird
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture