Retail Disrupted

What does the CEO of Morrisons actually think about AI, shopper loyalty, and the pace of change? Retail analyst Natalie Berg shares five direct learnings — then River Island's Tech Director reveals how fashion is fighting the same battle.
In this episode of Retail Disrupted, Natalie shares frontline intelligence from the Richmond Retail and eCommerce Directors' Forum, including rare direct access to Rami Baitieh, CEO of Morrisons (and former CEO of Carrefour France). Then Meriel Neighbour, Director of Technology at River Island, unpacks how fashion retail is navigating Gen Z's demand for speed, the returns crisis, and AI's real-world role on the shopfloor.
From Morrisons:
Why Rami believes "the bigger the store, the bigger the problem"
How AI personalisation is driving Morrisons' e-commerce growth
"Customers are loyal to their pocket" — what shopper promiscuity means for grocery and beyond
The £200m+ tax burden threatening retailer pricing power and long-term planning
From River Island (starts at 11 min):
How social commerce and Gen Z's "I need it now" mindset are making speed-to-market a survival strategy
The returns crisis: why inconsistent sizing across brands is the root cause — and how virtual try-ons could fix it
River Island's internal AI platform that cut service desk calls by 80%
Meriel's bold vision: AI that spots a mannequin on the street, adds the outfit to your basket, and has it at your desk before you arrive
For retail leaders navigating disruption — this is essential listening.
🎙️ Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% global podcast hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionise Commerce.
👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted 
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Snapchat is no longer just a messaging app — it's Gen Z's discovery engine, digital changing room, and social shopping hub, and it's transforming how forward-thinking retailers must think about the purchase funnel.
90% of UK Gen Z are on Snapchat. Only 5% describe themselves as impulsive shoppers. And 73% still visit a physical store at least once a week.
If those numbers challenge what you thought you knew about the next generation of consumers, this episode is required listening.
Natalie Berg sits down with Rachel Levy, Head of Retail & Lifestyle at Snapchat, to decode the Gen Z shopper — and what every retail leader needs to understand about augmented reality, authentic advertising, and why the changing room is going digital.
In this episode: 
Why Gen Z are budget-conscious and considered, not impulsive (the data will surprise you)
How AR virtual try-ons are reducing returns and building purchase confidence
The "changing room becomes Snapchat" thesis — and what it means for physical retail
Why Gen Z don't mind ads (as long as you're not faking it)
How to structure a full-funnel Snapchat strategy across all tabs
Social commerce strategies: the first step every brand should take 
Connect with Rachel Levy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-levy-48450414/ 
About Retail Disrupted
Hosted by retail analyst Natalie Berg, co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer Will Continue to Revolutionize Commerce. Retail Disrupted is a Top 5% Global Podcast for leaders navigating the future of shopping. 
👉 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@retaildisrupted
👉 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://retaildisrupted.substack.com

Traditional ROI is broken. If you're still measuring success with quarterly numbers and like-for-like sales, you're flying blind into the next decade of retail.
In this episode, host Natalie Berg is joined by Martin Newman — "The Consumer Champion", author of ROI Reimagined, and a 40-year retail veteran who has shaped strategies for brands like Burberry, Harrods, and Ted Baker.
Together, they dismantle the "96% Problem" (why 96% of website visitors don't buy) and introduce the ROI Reimagined framework — a set of 11 critical metrics designed for the future of shopping, where innovation and failure are inextricably linked.
In this episode, you will learn:
The 96% Problem: Why retailers are obsessed with conversion rates but ignore the massive opportunity in those who leave empty-handed.
CX vs. CC: The strategic difference between Customer Experience (what happens to the customer) and Customer Centricity (what the business must do to deliver it).
The 11 Future Metrics: A breakdown of the "new" ROI, including Return on Integrity, Inclusion, Inspiration, and Innovation.
The "Monday Morning" Challenge: A simple framework to re-energize your leadership meetings and shift focus from reporting to problem-solving.
Tech-Led Trade-Ins: Lessons from brands like Suit Supply and CDLP on bridging the gap between digital and physical retail.
🔔 Subscribe to the Retail Disrupted YouTube Channel: Watch the full video version here
👉 Follow Natalie Berg on LinkedIn: Natalie Berg | Retail Analyst
Retail Disrupted™ is a Top 5% Global Podcast for retail leaders. If you found this episode valuable, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

This CFO doesn't care about ROI. Instead, Vineta Bajaj (Holland & Barrett CFO) believes we should be asking:
How will the customer's life change? Will they get a better assortment? Will they get better pricing? Will they get dynamic pricing? Will they get better personalization? If I invest this in tech, will my frequency go up? Will my conversion go up? Will my AOV go up? Will they keep coming back?
Long-term compounding beats short-term justification. Every time.
Vineta also breaks down:
Holland & Barrett's omnichannel transformation
Why grocery e-commerce is structurally brutal - and why most retailers are playing it wrong (pre-H&B, Vineta was the CFO at Rohlik Group and she also spent 10 years at Ocado so the perfect person to help us demystify this)
Whether quick commerce is here to stay
What her LinkedIn cat memes 🐈 tell us about her leadership style
Why all retail leaders need to be on TikTok
The case for "boring AI"
📺 Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for the full video episode of our conversation with Vineta + exclusive clips from the podcast every week: https://youtu.be/iUwAGCfc5NU?si=gMRnCdsJaHHCoCtd

While major chains struggle with closures and declining foot traffic, one category is quietly thriving: recommerce. And at the center of it is a surprising advantage - physical stores.
In this episode of Retail Disrupted, retail analyst Natalie Berg sits down with Stephen Preuss, Co-Founder and CEO of PayMore, to unpack how a brick-and-mortar-first strategy is fueling the fastest-growing electronics franchise in the U.S.
You'll learn:
Why physical retail is essential for trust in secondhand transactions
How PayMore achieves a 7-minute average transaction vs. ~60 mins for pawn shops — and why that speed builds loyalty
The 75% repeat customer rate that defies a 7% industry average
How PayMore competes with eBay, pawn shops, and Big Tech buyback programs 
The franchise model: building a strong network of seasoned operators
How PayMore is turning used electronics into a community retail experience — creating local jobs, driving economic growth, and keeping money in the neighbourhood
2 million pounds of e-waste diverted — and why sustainability is now a revenue driver
International expansion: UK, Canada, and Europe 
📺 You can also watch this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXHJdr7LhTM and don't forget to subscribe for weekly insights and exclusive clips from the podcast! 
If you're a retail leader exploring resale, recommerce, or franchise growth, this episode is a must-listen.