Channel Signal

Let’s throw it way back to 1603 to the origin of two words that have had a big impact on commerce in the last 400 years or so: caveat emptor or buyer beware. As legend has it, a man named Chandelor bought a bezoar stone for £100 because the seller claimed it had healing properties—it …

Consumer intelligence from the only source that matters: Consumers Read More »

In the early days of the pandemic, a phrase started getting tossed around: the COVID-15. As we—and we’re speaking collectively here—burrowed into our couches and our beloved sports equipment sat to gather dust, we embraced hibernation with more vigor for snacks and drinks than normal, and for some of us, the weight started creeping on. …

Fit: The Elephant in Online Consumer Intelligence Read More »

In Los Angeles, there’s a wholesale merchandise liquidator called Via Trading—where product misfits are given a second life. You get the idea if you’ve ever seen the A&E show Extreme Unboxing. People bid on pallets of returned merchandise, hoping to resell valuable products for profit as they weed through tons of broken and unsalvageable items. …

The Growing Problem of Free Returns  Read More »

For many brands, creating the initial business concept is the easy part. A bright idea – that most often fills a void – comes into the mind of the founder, and a business is born. Look at Phil Knight, creator of Nike. If you’ve read Shoe Dog, you’ll know the story—but here’s the CliffNotes version. …

Measuring the New Power Player, Consumers Read More »

This article first appeared on forbes.com on November 23, 2021. The choked supply chain is driving both inventory and pricing problems, and it couldn’t come at a worse time as we head into the fourth quarter. This is when, typically, brands rely on the holiday season to power consumer spending, raising all ships, including the …

Navigating The Perfect Holiday Shopping Storm Read More »