Twittering from the NRF

I have just returned from the National Retail Federation’s Big Show at the Javits Center in New York. Traffic seemed down, and the mood somewhat sombre. Even Lee Scott’s keynote was sobering, and as the President and CEO of Walmart he actually had something to cheer about – his sales (and stock price) have remained strong.

I twittered live from several sessions – they are pasted here for posterity. They are in reverse chronological order – remember to read from the bottom
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Joel – online community is analogous to Tuppwrware parties from the 60′s. 3:01 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – you can’t buy community. You have to earn it. 2:59 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – money spent on search/SEO is a far better investment than on a billboard. 2:53 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – third from the top on a Google search for “apple macbook air” was Mitch’s spoof video. Try it. 2:43 PM Jan 13th from txt

“Your brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what Google says it is.” Chris Anderson, Wired magazine 2:38 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – we’re in the middle of a renaissance period. The business model is completely changing. 2:35 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – if you don’t have a digital footprint, then you must be a serial killer. Everyone has an online presence. 2:33 PM Jan 13th from txt

FYI – Mitch can be found online at sixpixelsofseparation.com. I think. 2:32 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – 12 billion videos viewed online in July 2008. Two years ago? Hardly any. 2:30 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – we’re all constantly ‘online’. Do you control your connectivity, or does your digital world control you? 2:29 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – why did Google buy YouTube for $2 billion? They already had Google Video. Because of the community. 2:23 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – digital isn’t about how many. It’s about who. Selling knitting needles? Only worry about reaching the knitting community. 2:16 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – digital channel allows for real interaction between real people. 2:14 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – how can a retailer possibly be serious about digital without a basic who, what, when mobile site? 2:13 PM Jan 13th from txt

It depends on whom the review is from, and targeted to. 2:11 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – online peer reviews – negative reviews convert more easily to a sale than positive reviews. 2:10 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – Multiplatforming. Using more than one digital channel at a time. 2:06 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – 40% of all mothers in the US are on MySpace. Not online mothers. Mothers. 2:03 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – technology should be used to better engage shoppers. Get them to add more to their basket. 2:02 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – you can do things in the digital world that you can’t do in a store. Peer reviews, etc. 2:01 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – opening of Apple store in Munich in Dec rocked. Proof that if you have cool products the economy doesn’t matter (as much). 1:59 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – the problem is that we’re trying to take the old way of doing things and adapt them to the digital world. 1:56 PM Jan 13th from txt

Joel – new Amazon.com application for iPhone – take a pic of book cover, Amazon scans and then provides comparative pricing. 1:53 PM Jan 13th from txt

A good crowd has turned out to hear Mitch – over 100 I would think. He’s just now being introduced. 1:49 PM Jan 13th from txt

From NRF again – just sitting down to Mitch Joel’s Six Pixels of Separation session. A fellow Canadian, I might add. 1:32 PM Jan 13th from txt

Scott – most important lesson I’ve learned in my career is to hire people smarter than mean and give them the credit. 9:33 AM Jan 12th from txt

The only transferable retail skill is culture and values. Operations need to be managed locally. 9:33 AM Jan 12th from txt

20% of Walmart customers do not have a chequing account. 9:33 AM Jan 12th from txt

Rob Walton, when asked how Lee Scott became CEO – “because everyone else quit!” 9:28 AM Jan 12th from txt

Scott – “We have become so large that we need our suppliers more than they need us.” 9:17 AM Jan 12th from txt

20% of Walmart customers do not have a chequing account. 9:13 AM Jan 12th from txt

“I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Washington in the past few weeks, and I got to tell you I’m glad I live is Arkansas.” 9:06 AM Jan 12th from txt

This is sounding like a political speech. Could he be going to run for office after his retirement from Walmart? 9:06 AM Jan 12th from txt

Scott – how do we come out of this crisis with America as a better country? Uninsured healthcare. Poverty. Poor education. 9:06 AM Jan 12th from txt

Lee Scott is now on the stage. Last public speech as CEO of Walmart. 9:02 AM Jan 12th from txt

Scott – retailers need to be part of the solution in fixing the country. 9:00 AM Jan 12th from txt

The hard questions never get asked when things are good. People don’t want to sacrifice. This is a time for America to rise above lib vs con 9:00 AM Jan 12th from txt

Mullin – retailers have defined luxury, whether a diamond bracelet or a double latte. 8:41 AM Jan 12th from txt

President of NRF – Tracey Mullin – doom and gloom. 8:38 AM Jan 12th from txt

Day 2 from the NRF. Lee Scott, outgoing President and CEO of Walmart, is about to speak on sustainability. 8:19 AM Jan 12th from txt

I just paid USD $3.75 for a 571 mL bottle of water. Dasani. Not Fiji or Voss. Not even Evian. Dasani. Tap water. 12:54 PM Jan 11th from txt

That’s it for now … more tomorrow! 12:47 PM Jan 11th from txt

(continued) “it” handbags, premium denim, low-rise denim. 12:40 PM Jan 11th from txt

Novelty fashion/celebrity fashion is in trouble. 12:39 PM Jan 11th from txt

Most celebrity lines should/will die. “I wish Paris Hilton should be put to sleep.” Some celebrities do have a fashion sense. 12:38 PM Jan 11th from txt

Coming fashion role models … Michelle Obama (50% of the time), whomever Prince William marries. 12:36 PM Jan 11th from txt

This isn’t the end of fashion. It’s the beginning. This was a great presentation. 12:33 PM Jan 11th from txt

Textiles is where innovation is happening in fashion. Electronics are fashion. 12:31 PM Jan 11th from txt

Womenswear – gingham, un-distressed jeans, accessories that actually match 12:30 PM Jan 11th from txt

Men’s wear – the return of the working wardrobe, the ‘interview suit’, suiting in general 12:29 PM Jan 11th from txt

Real trends – nature as inspiration, beautiful shapes (footwear), vintage 12:28 PM Jan 11th from txt

Fashion delivery calendar needs to be fixed. Why do we ship clothes when no one wants to wear them? Winter coats in August. 12:24 PM Jan 11th from txt

Book – “The Way We’ll Be” by John Zogby. The simple life. 12:20 PM Jan 11th from txt

Designeritis. A horrible disease like poison ivy. Real men don’t wear skinny ankle-tight pants. 12:19 PM Jan 11th from txt

The luxury market was inflated like housing. The bubble has burst. Luxury brands will endure, but with core customers. Smaller. 12:18 PM Jan 11th from txt

A markdown is not necessarily a good deal. Quality matters now. 12:16 PM Jan 11th from txt

$23,080 for a Dior dress. Completely out-of-step with consumer sentiment. 12:15 PM Jan 11th from txt

Ostentation is now absolutely over. Vertu phones are gone. Conspicuous consumption is no longer the epitome of cool. 12:13 PM Jan 11th from txt

Boomer and non-boomer celebrities are back. Welcome back Sean Connery. Jane Fonda. Good bye Perez Hilton. 12:12 PM Jan 11th from txt

We’ve all been living in a fantasy funded by our plastic. Reality is now here. Fashion needs to return reality, too. Celebrity is over. 12:10 PM Jan 11th from txt

“I have a love/hate relationship with the media.” “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” – FDR 12:06 PM Jan 11th from txt

2009 – major changes to the very foundation of the fashion business. 12:04 PM Jan 11th from txt

Fashion is alive and well. The fasion business, not so much. We’re aiming for the light at the end of the tunnel. 12:03 PM Jan 11th from txt

Davide Wolfe, Creative Director, The Doneger Group – Keeping Fashion Alive and Well (in the current economic reality) 12:01 PM Jan 11th from txt

Next session @ 12 noon – Keeping Fashion Alive and Well 11:16 AM Jan 11th from txt

Bergmeyer Associates – Marine Corps retail store 11:11 AM Jan 11th from txt

Watt International (also from Toronto). They featured design work for Longo’s Food Markets. 11:06 AM Jan 11th from txt

Interbrand Design Forum – Smart car dealerships 11:01 AM Jan 11th from txt

Correction – Graj and Gustavsen, not Graf 11:00 AM Jan 11th from txt

Graf and Gustavsen – Peter England People stores in India. 10:56 AM Jan 11th from txt

Interesting approach to balance Home Depot messaging with vendor POS (which typically insiduously overtakes this environment). 10:55 AM Jan 11th from txt

Next up is Perennial (from Toronto) – Home Depot redesign. Looks good. I wonder if it will roll out for real? 10:52 AM Jan 11th from txt

Miller Zell – P.O.D. Market – a convenience store for Generation Y 10:47 AM Jan 11th from txt

JGA – Borders Books redesign. 10:40 AM Jan 11th from txt

Next up – RYA Design Consultancy. Showing Neiman Marcus redesign. “Modern luxury for America”. 10:36 AM Jan 11th from txt

FRCH – Roche Brothers Supermarkets case study 10:30 AM Jan 11th from txt

Creative Realities Inc – featuring Meadowlands Xanadu 10:26 AM Jan 11th from txt

Our work was better 10:22 AM Jan 11th from txt

Little is up first. One of their projects is Chadraui from Mexico. I had led (and lost) the pitch for this business at DWP 10:22 AM Jan 11th from txt

This session is 10 design firms standing up and showing off their work. 10:20 AM Jan 11th from txt

Tomorrow morning’s NRF keynote is from Lee Scott, President and CEO of Walmart. 10:18 AM Jan 11th from txt

Next session: The Power of Retail Design @ 10:15 10:15 AM Jan 11th from txt

I just noticed that the afternoon keynote is Martin Lindstrom. I’ve seen his presentation recently (In-store Marketing Summit, I think). 9:51 AM Jan 11th from txt

Overall – a good session. Good case studies that I hadn’t seen before. And I’ve seen lots of case studies. 9:44 AM Jan 11th from txt

General mood of the panel was optimistic. The economy will improve. “This too shall pass. ” 9:42 AM Jan 11th from txt

Nisch – Kira Plastinina an invented celebrity. US stores didn’t survive – closed last week. 9:41 AM Jan 11th from txt

Taggart – ‘shop in shop’ an important part of the retail distribution strategy. 9:34 AM Jan 11th from txt

Taggart – a fragrance is being launched in 2009. Made in Switzerland, refillable bottles. 9:29 AM Jan 11th from txt

Taggart – line extensions into timepieces and luggage were true to brand values. 9:28 AM Jan 11th from txt

Taggart – “Luxury is the necessity that begins when necessity ends. ” – Coco Chanel 9:26 AM Jan 11th from txt

Taggart – Would founder Karl Elsener be proud of what we’re doing today? We ask this question every day. 9:19 AM Jan 11th from txt

Rick Taggart – Victorinox Swiss Army is about ‘functional luxury’. 9:15 AM Jan 11th from txt

Escribano – style is increasingly global. Therefore we think global, and we work global. 9:13 AM Jan 11th from txt

Escribano – our stores are containers of surprises and style. 9:09 AM Jan 11th from txt

Escribano – target is 22-30, but state of mind is more important than physical age. 9:07 AM Jan 11th from txt

Escribano – the real world is our inspiration, real people are our customers, real clothes are our product. 9:06 AM Jan 11th from txt

Escribano – Springfield brand values – European, relaxed, witty, casual, positive, authentic. 9:04 AM Jan 11th from txt

Escribano – vertical integration key differentiator. Constant product evolution (like Zara, H&M). 9:02 AM Jan 11th from txt

Juan Carlos Escribano – CEO of Springfield, apparel retailer from Spain. 9:01 AM Jan 11th from txt

Nisch – types of retail brands – lifestyle, enthusiasts, luxury, value 9:00 AM Jan 11th from txt

Saiani – Hortifruiti – lifestle advertising goes Hollywood. Very good – do a Google search to see. 8:53 AM Jan 11th from txt

Saiani – Bob’s out-McDonalds McDonalds in the Brazilian marketplace. 8:50 AM Jan 11th from txt

Saiani – Uncle K – a leading Brazilian specialty retailer. 8:49 AM Jan 11th from txt

Saiani – incredibly different customer service needed to appease Trendsetters. 8:47 AM Jan 11th from txt

Saiani – segments need to be treated differently – Fundamentalists, Survivors, Leaders, Trendsetters 8:46 AM Jan 11th from txt

Saiani – the biggest problem now in retailing internationally? Sameness. 8:43 AM Jan 11th from txt

Nisch – BRIC economies will account for 40% of global growth between now and 2020. 8:42 AM Jan 11th from txt

Ken Nisch – new markets plus mature organization equals big opportunities 8:40 AM Jan 11th from txt

Panelists Jaun Carlos Escribano and Edmour Saiani brought their own Spanish cheering section! 8:27 AM Jan 11th from txt

My friend Ken Nisch from JGA is on the panel. Everyone in the room so far is speaking spanish 8:06 AM Jan 11th from txt

The first session: Global Lifestyling. A panel speaking about ‘lifestyle’ retail brands. 8:05 AM Jan 11th from txt

Just arriving at the Javits Convention Centre. Very quiet. Everyone must still be sleeping. 7:55 AM Jan 11th from txt