We are proud to announce that Michelle Grant, Head of Retailing Research at Euromonitor International, has been named to LinkedIn's 2017 Top Voices in Retail list! See some of her top articles and quotes in the list below.
Articles
What's New in Retail?
"Download What’s New in Retail: Emerging Global Concepts in 2017, to discover what Euromonitor International analysts identify as the top concepts seen across the globe within four categories: grocery, non-grocery, non-store and digital."
Google and Walmart to take on Amazon
"The partnership announced today between Google and Walmart is the strongest step yet to prevent Amazon from becoming the dominant voice platform in people’s homes. It’s a win-win for both companies: Google supplies the infrastructure while Walmart supplies the products."
The Implications Amazon's Acquisition of Whole Foods
"Grocery is the largest consumer category in the US and it enjoys a high purchase frequency. Amazon has always had an eye on grocery for these reasons. It can’t be the “Everything Store” without being dominant here."
The Race to Bring Groceries Online in the US
"Online grocery, especially the purchase of food and beverage products, faces an uphill battle in the US. Consumers tend to prefer the store experience, especially to inspect the fresh products."
Marketplaces are eating digital commerce
"Marketplaces, digital platforms that are open to 3rd party merchants, have steadily increased their share of global digital commerce. In 2007, only 10% of digital sales went to the 3rd party merchants listed on a marketplace. Steadily, and perhaps stealthily, the figure climbed to 35% in 2016, according to Euromonitor International. Retailers around the world are now reckoning with this new normal in digital commerce."
Quotes
Amazon’s Play to Rattle Whole Foods Rivals: Cheaper Kale and Avocado
“This is how Amazon operates,” said Michelle Grant, head of retailing at Euromonitor, a market research firm. “It’s all about speed, speed, speed.” (New York Times)
Three Hard Lessons the Internet Is Teaching Traditional Stores
"For example, Unilever might buy store sales data to figure out which products are in high demand and when people buy them. (Ms. Grant says that when retailers sell data, it’s anonymized and not linked to individual consumers.)" (Wall Street Journal)
Whole Foods Is Ready to Convince You That It Can Do Cheaper
Lore used to work at Amazon, which acquired an earlier business of his, Quidsi. And the 45-year-old is seen as a visionary in the field, said Michelle Grant, an analyst at Euromonitor International.
“Marc Lore is the second-smartest person in e-commerce behind Jeff Bezos,” she said. “He relishes the challenge of taking on Amazon.” (Bloomberg)
Amazon closes in on household names with own-label goods
“Its move into private label signals that it’s working to make its retailing business more profitable,” says Michelle Grant, head of retailing at Euromonitor. “It’s not going to leave money on the table if it can be successful, especially when Amazon has more control over the distribution and shipping of these products.” (Financial Times)
Experience Matters: Brands, Retailers Push Customization Services
“Certainly the social aspect of it, to be able to demonstrate to your circle of friends your own identity and creativity through a product, is very powerful,” said Michelle Grant, head of retailing at Euromonitor International. “Younger generations have grown up with that mentality of ‘be who you are, be an individual,’ which definitely translates now with technology and companies embracing that kind of openness, allowing [customers] to customize things in the way they see fit in order to stand out.” (Women's Wear Daily)
Learn more about the list criteria and see who else made the cut on LinkedIn.