Talk Retail to Me

Retail’s Tariff Tension: What’s Next for Inventory, Pricing, and Supply Chain?

As retailers gear up for the critical back-to-school and holiday seasons, new tariffs on Chinese imports—some as high as 145%—are causing significant disruptions in global supply chains. In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Parker Avery’s CEO, Clay Parnell, is joined by the firm’s Chief Consulting Officer, Amanda Astrologo, and industry thought leader Walt Holbrook to discuss the current chaos driven by tariffs and how retailers can respond effectively.

While recent reports indicate a sharp decline in shipments from China and soaring freight costs, the true challenge runs deeper: retail organizations must move from reactive tactics to integrated, end-to-end strategic thinking.

Key Takeaways

1. There’s no single fix—retailers need a coordinated, cross-functional response

Amanda emphasizes the importance of aligning demand forecasting, pricing, allocation, and inventory strategies. “It’s not just about pulling inventory forward,” she notes. “Retailers need to be thinking holistically—how product flows, where it lands, and how pricing strategies evolve with consumer sentiment.”

2. Agility isn't just a buzzword—it’s a necessity.

Walt shares how flexible retailers are renegotiating with vendors and adapting plans in real-time. “We can’t rely on playbooks anymore,” he warns. “This is mission impossible without strong leadership and fast decision-making.”

3. Foundational capabilities matter now more than ever.

The trio discusses how inadequate tools and reliance on manual planning are slowing down responses. Amanda highlights a renewed focus on core capabilities like merchandise financial planning and data visibility. “You can’t execute pricing strategies or pivot on inventory if your teams are stuck in Excel spreadsheets,” she says.

4. This isn't just another short-term disruption.

Comparisons to COVID are valid, but this time, consumer demand hasn’t evaporated. “People want to shop,” Amanda notes. “But they don’t want to pay 145% more.” That distinction changes the game and requires nuanced planning, inventory, and pricing strategies to protect both margin and customer loyalty.

5. Culture and creativity are competitive advantages.

Both guests emphasize the need for a cultural shift inside retail organizations. Store teams must be empowered, and merchants encouraged to explore new sourcing strategies, domestic partnerships, and flexible assortments. “This is also a moment of opportunity,” Walt reminds us.

 

Final Thoughts

This episode of Talk Retail to Me presents a candid, practical discussion on how retailers can move beyond reactive tactics and build long-term resilience. Whether it’s scenario planning, realigning supply chain operations, or investing in foundational tools, the message is clear: speed, creativity, and flexibility are no longer optional—they’re crucial for survival and future growth.

 

Host and Guests

Clay Parnell, CEO, The Parker Avery Group

https://parkeravery.com/clay-parnell/

 

Amanda Astrologo, Chief Consulting Officer, The Parker Avery Group

https://parkeravery.com/amanda-astrologo/

 

Walt Holbrook, YODA Retail Consulting

https://www.linkedin.com/in/waltholbrook/

 

Related Content & Resources

Video Replay on YouTube

https://youtu.be/kalorQerjmk

 

Blog Post | Supply Chain Resilience in the Face of Disruption

https://parkeravery.com/supply-chain-resilience-in-the-face-of-disruption/

 

Blog Post | Rethinking Allocation and Replenishment to Drive Better Inventory Outcomes

https://parkeravery.com/rethinking-allocation-and-replenishment-to-drive-better-inventory-outcomes/

 

Talk Retail to Me Podcast | Strategic Sourcing Considerations for a Disrupted Supply Chain

https://parkeravery.com/strategic-sourcing-in-a-disrupted-supply-chain/

 

Parker Avery Retail Consulting Services

https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/

When Every Store Is Unique: Winning with Data and Hyper-Localized Assortments

In this episode of The Parker Avery Group's "Talk Retail to Me" podcast, retail experts Marty Anderson and Mike Johnson delve into how our firm collaborated with a major theme park retailer to untangle the complexities of managing over 300 unique stores. From hyper-localized assortments to razor-thin inventory margins, these consultants detail how data, analytics, and a clear roadmap contributed to balancing customer satisfaction with operational efficiency.

Episode Highlights

• Managing inventory across 300+ hyper-localized stores requires a fundamentally different approach than traditional retail models.
• Balancing customer satisfaction with inventory efficiency is possible—but it demands data-backed insights and operational precision.
• On-site visits, cross-functional interviews, and customized analytics were critical to uncovering actionable opportunities.
• Even highly successful retailers benefit from an external perspective to challenge the status quo and fine-tune strategies.
• Robust data availability and high client engagement dramatically accelerate the path to impactful recommendations.

Resources

• Read the project case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retail-inventory-management-assessment/
• Learn more about Parker Avery's consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/
• Meet Marty Anderson: https://parkeravery.com/marty-anderson/
• Meet Mike Johnson: https://parkeravery.com/mike-johnson/
• Meet Tricia Gustin: https://parkeravery.com/tricia-gustin/
• Listen to more Talk Retail To Me podcast episodes: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/

The New Rules of Retail Pricing: Navigating Market Volatility, Real-Time Data, and AI

Episode Overview

In this dynamic roundtable, host Sam Iosevich monitors a panel of pricing experts as they discuss how to tackle the complexities of modern retail pricing. From inflation and AI to organizational alignment and price wars, this episode delivers sharp insights and practical guidance.

Guests

• Robert McGuire, Retail Pricing Leader
• Jeffrey Kittell, VP, Pricing & Strategy, SpartanNash
• Eddy Salas, SVP Retail Strategy, DataWeave

Key Takeaways

• How agility in pricing starts with organizational clarity and cross-functional alignment
  You cannot be agile if your teams are not aligned. A well-defined pricing strategy, clear decision rights, and tight collaboration between merchandising, digital, supply chain, and pricing are foundational.
• Using AI as a strategic “intern” to streamline pricing ops
  AI is not a replacement for pricing teams—it’s a force multiplier. When treated as an "intern," AI can handle tedious tasks like competitive matching and execution rules, freeing experts to focus on strategy.
• The danger of racing to the bottom—and how to hold the line on value
  Price wars destroy long-term value. Winning retailers focus on their game—not the competition’s—by reinforcing brand value, leveraging data, and resisting unnecessary discounting.
• The metrics retailers should be watching beyond gross margin
  Profit matters—but so do frequency, basket size, and customer lifetime value. Broader, customer-centric metrics give a better read on how pricing impacts both the short and long term.
• Real-time pricing: aspirational buzzword or operational reality?
  Real-time adjustments are only possible with integrated systems and data flow. But even without full automation, having playbooks, streamlined approvals, and analyst autonomy can deliver agility.

Whether you're rethinking your pricing strategy or trying to avoid the next margin hit, this conversation offers a forward-looking playbook for today’s retail leaders.

Related Content

• Parker Avery Insights | The Expert Guide to Retail Pricing (https://parkeravery.com/retail-pricing/)
• Parker Avery Insights | Price Optimization: Margin Rate vs. Margin Dollars (https://parkeravery.com/price-optimization-margin-rate-vs-margin-dollars/)
• Case Study | Retailer Sees Strong Results With AI-Driven Price Optimization​ Solution​ (https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retailer-sees-strong-results-with-ai-driven-price-optimization-solution/)
• Case Study | Markdown Optimization​ Solution Vastly Improves Retailer’s Sell-Through and Margin​ (https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/markdown-optimization-solution-vastly-improves-retailers-sell-through-and-margin/)

The AI-Driven Demand Signal: Unifying Retailers for Seamless Success

In this episode, Tricia Gustin is joined by Sam Iosevich from Parker Avery and Dilip Popat from Novulis Consulting to discuss how AI-driven demand signals transform retail and CPG industries.

The conversation explores the power of the Enterprise Intelligence Hypercube, an advanced platform that integrates data across all organizational functions to provide real-time, actionable insights. Sam and Dilip share how AI enables retailers to address inventory productivity, revenue variability, and margin pressure while emphasizing the importance of clean data for successful AI implementations.

Key Takeaways:

• What is an AI-driven Demand Signal? An AI-driven demand signal unifies data from multiple business functions (finance, supply chain, pricing, etc.) into a single, real-time signal. The Hypercube platform makes this possible by centralizing and structuring data for AI-powered insights across the organization.
• The Importance of Data Quality: High-quality data is crucial for effective AI-driven demand signals. Sam Iosevich explains how the Hypercube addresses data challenges and prepares it for AI algorithms by cleaning and structuring data across different functions.
• Real-Time Agility: AI allows retailers to make quicker, more informed decisions using real-time insights. This agility helps avoid stockouts, optimize pricing, and enhance supply chain efficiency.
• Cross-Functional Insights: The Hypercube enables all teams within a retail organization to access data and projections, helping them comprehend how their actions impact demand and work together more effectively across departments.
• Integration with Existing Systems: Despite many retailers' complex and fragmented technology landscapes, the EI Hypercube integrates seamlessly with legacy systems, ensuring that existing applications can easily access data.
• The Continuous Journey: Implementing AI-driven demand signals is merely the start. Retailers must persist in refining data, adjusting to new trends, and expanding AI applications throughout the organization.

Tune in to learn how AI and data integration can elevate your retail operations and drive meaningful business outcomes!

Related Reading:

Parker Avery Blog | Optimizing Data Readiness for AI in Retail: A Complete Guide

https://parkeravery.com/optimizing-data-readiness-for-ai-in-retail/

 

Enterprise Intelligence Case Studies:

Enterprise-wide Planning Solution Drives Global Retailer’s Agility​

https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/enterprise-wide-planning-solution-drives-global-retailers-agility/

 

Markdown Optimization​ Solution Vastly Improves Retailer’s Sell-Through and Margin​

https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/markdown-optimization-solution-vastly-improves-retailers-sell-through-and-margin/

 

SKU-Level Forecasting Accuracy Drives Strategies for Precision and Growth

https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/sku-level-forecasting-accuracy-drives-strategies-for-precision-and-growth/

 

Subscribe to the Podcast:
Don’t miss out on more insights from retail experts. Subscribe to Talk Retail to Me for more discussions on how AI and innovative technologies are revolutionizing the retail industry. Plus learn how Parker Avery’s retail experience and consulting expertise transform retail and consumer brand challenges into meaningful, sustainable improvements.

 

Follow Us on LinkedIn:

• Parker Avery https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-parker-avery-group/
• Novulis Consulting https://www.linkedin.com/company/novulis-consulting/  

 

Contact Information:

• Parker Avery Website: https://parkeravery.com/enterprise-intelligence/
• Novulis Consulting Website: http://www.novulis.com/

The RACI Revolution: How Process Became a Retailer’s Bridge to Trust

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, we dive into a transformation at one of America's largest family-owned luxury retailers. What started as a straightforward client project to clarify roles became a journey of rebuilding trust, transforming leadership behaviors, and healing a deeply fractured organization. Join Parker Avery CEO Robert Kaufman, Principal Kathi Toll, and host Tricia Gustin as the team unpacks how authentic leadership, structured processes, and a willingness to admit mistakes turn an organizational crisis into a story of redemption.

Key Takeaways

• What started as a simple process improvement project revealed deep organizational trust issues stemming from a poorly executed reorganization
• Leadership's informal decision-making and inconsistent communication created widespread confusion and frustration
• Rebuilding trust required authentic leadership acknowledgment of mistakes and sustained behavioral changes
• A successful RACI (responsibility assignment matrix) implementation helped provide clarity and structure
• Organizational change requires consistent, repeated communication and a clear explanation of the "why" behind changes

Client Background and Challenge

A family-owned luxury retailer initially engaged The Parker Avery Group to help with what seemed to be a straightforward process improvement project in their product development area. However, within hours of arriving, the consultants discovered much deeper organizational issues:

• A recent reorganization had been implemented poorly, with employees being moved to new roles without proper training or explanation
• Leadership made informal decisions without proper communication or documentation
• Different leaders were giving conflicting directions to their teams
• Employee surveys revealed significant dissatisfaction and loss of trust
• HR had been sidelined during the reorganization process

Project Evolution

• The scope expanded from process improvement to addressing fundamental trust and organizational issues
• The consulting team worked closely with HR and, eventually, the CEO to address leadership behaviors
• One senior leader's transformation after attending a leadership academy helped shift team dynamics

Outcomes

• While trust wasn't fully rebuilt in three months, significant progress was made, and the client achieved a stronger overall team environment
• Teams became highly engaged in implementing the RACI matrix
• New structures provided clarity around roles and advancement opportunities
• The project left the organization with tools for sustained improvement, though ongoing leadership commitment would be crucial

The project highlighted the importance of clear communication, proper organizational change management, and authentic leadership during organizational changes.

 

Learn more about Parker Avery's consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/

Read the case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/better-merchandising-processes-and-new-roles-drive-fine-jewelers-future/

Meet Robert Kaufman: https://parkeravery.com/robert-kaufman/

Meet Kathi Toll: https://parkeravery.com/kathi-toll/

Meet Tricia Gustin: https://parkeravery.com/tricia-gustin/

Listen to more Talk Retail To Me podcast episodes: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/

Harmonizing and Modernizing Retail Merchandising: Insights from a Major Jewelry Retailer Project

In this episode of Parker Avery's "Talk Retail to Me" podcast, Clay Parnell (president and managing partner) and Marty Anderson (principal) discuss a recently completed project for a $7 billion jewelry retailer. The two retail experts share valuable insights from the project which entailed developing a comprehensive, actionable roadmap to address business and technology challenges resulting from significant growth and acquisitions.

Read the case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/global-jewelers-new-retail-process-and-technology-roadmap-energize-growth/

Learn about Parker Avery's consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/

Start solving your most important merchandising challenges:  https://parkeravery.com/contact-us/ 

 

You may also like this content:

Global Jeweler’s New Retail Process and Technology Roadmap Energize Growth: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/global-jewelers-new-retail-process-and-technology-roadmap-energize-growth/ 

Let’s Talk About Your Capabilities Roadmap: https://parkeravery.com/lets-talk-about-your-capabilities-roadmap/ 

Merchandising Capability Roadmap Paves the Way for Strategic Growth: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/merchandising-capability-roadmap-paves-the-way-for-strategic-growth/ 

Behind the Scenes of a Remarkable Store Operations Improvement Project

In this episode of the 'Talk Retail to Me' podcast by The Parker Avery Group, Tricia Gustin, senior director Carrie Habel, and senior manager Dustin Wright discuss a recent store operations improvement project. They detail their innovative approach, including a capsized train-the-trainer strategy and deep store collaboration, to identify inefficiencies such as laborious administrative tasks and ineffective training practices. The project resulted in significant labor savings, improved processes, and enhanced backroom organization, illustrating the value of cross-functional collaboration and retailer engagement.

Start solving your most important store operations challenges:  https://parkeravery.com/contact-us/ 

Learn about our retail consulting services: https://parkeravery.com/retail-consulting/ 

Read the episode summary: https://parkeravery.com/behind-the-scenes-of-a-remarkable-store-operations-improvement-project/ 

Check out the case study: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/retailers-new-store-processes-and-training-boost-profit-and-efficiency/ 

Visit more Talk Retail to Me episodes: https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/ 

 

You may also like this content:

Essential Disruption: Store Level Omnichannel Capabilities for Retail’s New World: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/essential-disruption-store-level-omnichannel-capabilities-for-retails-new-world/ 

Store Operations Assessment Unlocks Hidden Potential for Discount Retailer: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/store-operations-assessment-unlocks-hidden-potential-for-discount-retailer/ 

Strategic Advice and a New Roadmap Boost Store Operations Success: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/strategic-advice-and-a-new-roadmap-boost-store-operations-success/ 

 

Expert Q&A | The New Role of Retail’s Chief Supply Chain Officer

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Parker Avery’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Kaufman shares his insights about the changing role of the retail chief supply chain officer.

Answering questions from a recent interview with media outlet, Modern Retail, Robert discusses how changes in consumer shopping behaviors, combined with global macroeconomic events and disturbances have added great complexity, challenges, and risks to the retail supply chain. These issues continue to prevent a reliable and consistent flow of goods for even the largest and most sophisticated retailers and have dramatically altered the chief supply chain officer’s role and impact on the company’s success.

Robert outlines new characteristics the executive-level supply chain and operations roles must possess to be successful as he addresses questions such as:

• What is pushing apparel brands into hiring new supply chain leaders or COOs?
• How have retail inventory planning and supply chain planning changed in recent years?
• What type of qualities are apparel brands looking for in their new chief supply chain officers?
• What are some of the major challenges that supply chain officers will face in the coming months?

Meet CEO Robert Kaufman:
https://parkeravery.com/robert-kaufman/

Read the blog version:
https://parkeravery.com/podcast-expert-qa-new-role-of-retails-chief-supply-chain-officer/

Read the article in Modern Retail:
https://www.modernretail.co/operations/as-supply-chain-disruption-eases-apparel-brands-are-tapping-new-leaders-to-manage-operations/

Learn about Parker Avery’s supply chain consulting services:
https://parkeravery.com/retail-consumer-goods-consulting/supply-chain-services/

Listen to more Talk Retail to Me podcasts:
https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/

Meet The Parker Avery Group:
https://parkeravery.com/about-us/ 

 

You may also like this content:

Strategic Sourcing Considerations for a Disrupted Supply Chain: https://parkeravery.com/strategic-sourcing-in-a-disrupted-supply-chain/ 

Industry Experts Agree that Artificial Intelligence is the Answer to Retail Supply Chain Challenges: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experts-agree-that-artificial-intelligence-is-the-answer-to-retail-supply-chain-challenges/ 

Setting the Foundation for Retail Supply Chain Sustainability: https://parkeravery.com/setting-the-foundation-for-retail-supply-chain-sustainability/ 

Expert Q&A | In-Store Omnichannel Fulfillment

In this episode of Talk Retail to Me, Senior Director and omnichannel expert Rob Oglesby shares his insights into how big box retailers are handling the in-store fulfillment of omnichannel orders. Answering questions from a recent interview with media outlet Modern Retail, Rob outlines the implications, challenges, and risks, even as this capability becomes critical to many retailers’ success.

Rob answers the following questions about in-store omnichannel fulfillment:

• What is the basic idea behind using stores as fulfillment centers?
• What is pushing this strategy to become popular among big box stores?
• What are some of the major benefits of in-store omnichannel fulfillment?
• Why is this strategy particularly popular with big box stores like Walmart, Ulta, and others?
• Do employees have dual identities as store associates and fulfillment center workers?
• How can retailers benefit from this type of fulfillment method?
• What are some of the risks or challenges of this type of strategy?
• How do you see this trend impacting the retail industry?

 

Read Parker Avery's expert guide to omnichannel order management and fulfillment:
https://parkeravery.com/omnichannel-order-management-and-fulfillment/

Meet Rob Oglesby:
https://parkeravery.com/rob-oglesby/

Listen to more Talk Retail to Me podcasts:
https://parkeravery.com/retail-podcast/

Learn more about The Parker Avery Group:
https://parkeravery.com/about-us/ 

 

You may also like this content:

The Expert Guide to Omnichannel Order Management and Fulfillment: https://parkeravery.com/omnichannel-order-management-and-fulfillment/ 

Designing a New Order Management System to Double Sales: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/designing-a-new-order-management-system-to-double-sales/ 

Successful Buy Online Pick Up In Store (BOPIS) Solution Implementation: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/successful-buy-online-pick-up-in-store-bopis-solution-implementation/ 

Transformation Happy Hour | Integrated Business Planning

Hosted by retail demand planning experts, Sam Iosevich, Marty Anderson, and Steve Gordon, Parker Avery's recent Talk Retail to Me Transformation Happy Hour covered integrated business planning as a key strategic focus area for leading retailers and consumer brands. The trio outlined key enablers around technology, business process, and organization that help companies unleash collaboration and efficiencies with integrated business planning to help realize meaningful business improvements.

During this interactive happy hour, Sam, Marty, and Steve introduced Parker Avery's retail and CPG planning maturity model and answered participants' most pressing questions regarding integrated business planning.

Show resources:

• Insights | The Expert Guide to Integrated Business Planning
• Download | Retail and CPG Planning Maturity Model
• Download | Integrated Business Planning Resources
• Parker Avery Blog | Transform Your Retail Enterprise with Advanced Analytics
• Parker Avery Blog | How to Overcome the AI Hype and Drive Retail Collaboration
• Case Study | Unified Demand Signal Drives Global Retailer’s Enterprise Agility
• Case Study | Integrated Merchandise Planning Design and Roadmap

To learn how Parker Avery helps clients achieve better planning capabilities, please visit our Enterprise Intelligence page or contact us to set up a time to discuss your specific needs. 

 

You may also like this content:

The Expert Guide to Integrated Business Planning: https://parkeravery.com/integrated-business-planning/ 

Pet Retailer Strengthens Its Integrated Merchandise Planning Capabilities​: https://parkeravery.com/industry-experience/pet-retailer-strengthens-its-integrated-merchandise-planning-capabilities/ 

One Demand Signal, Endless Growth: EI Hypercube Redefines Retail Success: https://parkeravery.com/ei-hypercube-redefines-retail-success/