Neil Saunders
@neilretail.com
Managing Director at GlobalData. Retail analyst.
As a child, one of my favorite activities was to go shopping. I was fascinated by how stores worked and I loved observing customers. Retail remains as fascinating today, probably more so. So, being named as a member of the 2027 class of Retail Voices by NRF is a real treat!
lnkd.in/p/gpk4Yuie
lnkd.in/p/gpk4Yuie
#nrf #rethinkretail #retail #thoughtleadership #innovation #nrf2027 | Neil Saunders
As a child, one of my favorite activities was to go shopping. I was fascinated by how stores worked and I loved observing customers.
I did not fully understand it back then, but I think the interest...
lnkd.in
September 22, 2026 at 1:18 PM
As a child, one of my favorite activities was to go shopping. I was fascinated by how stores worked and I loved observing customers. Retail remains as fascinating today, probably more so. So, being named as a member of the 2027 class of Retail Voices by NRF is a real treat!
lnkd.in/p/gpk4Yuie
lnkd.in/p/gpk4Yuie
Bed Bath & Beyond is taking over The Container Store - but so far it seems to be a mishmash, not makeover. A wider offer needs a clearer point of view...
lnkd.in/p/g_rNdM9y
lnkd.in/p/g_rNdM9y
The Bed Bath & Beyond takeover of The Container Store continues.
Previously, Bed Bath & Beyond products were confined to the center aisle. But they’re now encroaching on other areas of the s...
The Bed Bath & Beyond takeover of The Container Store continues.
Previously, Bed Bath & Beyond products were confined to the center aisle. But they’re now encroaching on other areas of the store.
...
lnkd.in
September 8, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Bed Bath & Beyond is taking over The Container Store - but so far it seems to be a mishmash, not makeover. A wider offer needs a clearer point of view...
lnkd.in/p/g_rNdM9y
lnkd.in/p/g_rNdM9y
Retail has two sides: the efficient and the dignified. One makes the business work. The other makes customers care. Too many retailers focus only on the first. Diptyque’s new Arizona boutique is a beautiful reminder that the best stores do both…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
In the British structure of governance there is a constitutional formulation that divides the institutions into two parts. One, the efficient, is the government. It conducts the business of the… | Nei...
In the British structure of governance there is a constitutional formulation that divides the institutions into two parts. One, the efficient, is the government. It conducts the business of the nation...
www.linkedin.com
September 5, 2026 at 12:59 PM
Retail has two sides: the efficient and the dignified. One makes the business work. The other makes customers care. Too many retailers focus only on the first. Diptyque’s new Arizona boutique is a beautiful reminder that the best stores do both…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
While it doesn’t raise its ugly head quite so often these days, the concept of a retail apocalypse is still very much alive and well. The problem is that the numbers do not support that narrative….
lnkd.in/p/gewKqZ_E
lnkd.in/p/gewKqZ_E
While it doesn’t raise its ugly head quite so often these days, the concept of a retail apocalypse is still very much alive and well. It tends to come around when a retailer goes bankrupt or when a… |...
While it doesn’t raise its ugly head quite so often these days, the concept of a retail apocalypse is still very much alive and well. It tends to come around when a retailer goes bankrupt or when a la...
lnkd.in
August 23, 2026 at 1:26 PM
While it doesn’t raise its ugly head quite so often these days, the concept of a retail apocalypse is still very much alive and well. The problem is that the numbers do not support that narrative….
lnkd.in/p/gewKqZ_E
lnkd.in/p/gewKqZ_E
Sometimes takes smaller players to really remind us of what’s possible in food retail. Take Vallarta Supermarkets. The store is built around the playful joy of buying food, rather than simply the efficiency of selling it…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
I am not a great fan of many mainstream US supermarkets – players like Albertsons and Kroger. Bluntly, I find their propositions mediocre.
I use the word propositions deliberately because it would… ...
I am not a great fan of many mainstream US supermarkets – players like Albertsons and Kroger. Bluntly, I find their propositions mediocre.
I use the word propositions deliberately because it would b...
www.linkedin.com
August 21, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Sometimes takes smaller players to really remind us of what’s possible in food retail. Take Vallarta Supermarkets. The store is built around the playful joy of buying food, rather than simply the efficiency of selling it…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Most US drugstores are dispiriting places, topped with a thick layer of inconvenience and contempt for the customer. It really is little wonder that they’ve been losing market share…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Perhaps in a nod to the fast-approaching fall season, the store entrance of Walgreens features some boxes of scented pinecones. As there’s no context to this slightly random placement, someone has… | ...
Perhaps in a nod to the fast-approaching fall season, the store entrance of Walgreens features some boxes of scented pinecones. As there’s no context to this slightly random placement, someone has mis...
www.linkedin.com
August 17, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Most US drugstores are dispiriting places, topped with a thick layer of inconvenience and contempt for the customer. It really is little wonder that they’ve been losing market share…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
The pandemic had a huge impact on the way we dress. The formalwear market collapsed and super casual became de rigueur. But the shift, which persisted into 2021 and a bit beyond, has now reset - smart dressing is back…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
The pandemic had a huge impact on the way we dress.
Overnight, the formalwear market collapsed as events were cancelled. Smart casual took a tumble as offices closed and athleisure and the… | Neil S...
The pandemic had a huge impact on the way we dress.
Overnight, the formalwear market collapsed as events were cancelled. Smart casual took a tumble as offices closed and athleisure and the occasiona...
www.linkedin.com
August 16, 2026 at 5:25 PM
The pandemic had a huge impact on the way we dress. The formalwear market collapsed and super casual became de rigueur. But the shift, which persisted into 2021 and a bit beyond, has now reset - smart dressing is back…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Well, the race for Harvey Nichols proved to be very short. So short, in fact, that it's now over. And the winner is Frasers Group. Out of the field, it's the most logical fit. That said, a logical fit is not necessarily the perfect fit…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Well, the race for Harvey Nichols proved to be very short. So short, in fact, that it's now over. And the winner is Frasers Group.
Out of the field, it's the most logical fit - mainly because...
Well, the race for Harvey Nichols proved to be very short. So short, in fact, that it's now over. And the winner is Frasers Group.
Out of the field, it's the most logical fit - mainly because Frasers...
www.linkedin.com
August 13, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Well, the race for Harvey Nichols proved to be very short. So short, in fact, that it's now over. And the winner is Frasers Group. Out of the field, it's the most logical fit. That said, a logical fit is not necessarily the perfect fit…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
At one point, Harvey Nichols was one of the best-known department stores in the world. Admittedly, this had quite a lot to do with Patsy and Eddy. Sadly, it has gone from being Absolutely Fabulous to terribly ordinary…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
At one point, Harvey Nichols was one of the best-known department stores in the world. Admittedly, this had quite a lot to do with Patsy and Eddy of Ab Fab fame; but, even so, that was thanks to a… | ...
At one point, Harvey Nichols was one of the best-known department stores in the world. Admittedly, this had quite a lot to do with Patsy and Eddy of Ab Fab fame; but, even so, that was thanks to a dec...
www.linkedin.com
August 12, 2026 at 12:27 PM
At one point, Harvey Nichols was one of the best-known department stores in the world. Admittedly, this had quite a lot to do with Patsy and Eddy. Sadly, it has gone from being Absolutely Fabulous to terribly ordinary…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
As fashion retailers battle for market share, the latest weapons being stocked in the armory may come as something of a surprise. They’re not some newfangled AI tool but something that’s been around for 60,000 years: the humble needle and thread.
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
As fashion retailers battle for market share, the latest weapons being stocked in the armory may come as something of a surprise.
They’re not some newfangled AI tool but something that’s been… | Nei...
As fashion retailers battle for market share, the latest weapons being stocked in the armory may come as something of a surprise.
They’re not some newfangled AI tool but something that’s been around...
www.linkedin.com
August 10, 2026 at 11:42 AM
As fashion retailers battle for market share, the latest weapons being stocked in the armory may come as something of a surprise. They’re not some newfangled AI tool but something that’s been around for 60,000 years: the humble needle and thread.
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Some time ago, a promise was made by Target to upgrade stores that failed to make the cut for previous rounds of investment. You know the ones - they have bad lighting, red curved overhead signage, and still use the capitalized Target logo…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Some time ago, a promise was made by Target to upgrade stores that failed to make the cut for previous rounds of investment. You know the ones - they have bad lighting, red curved overhead signage… | ...
Some time ago, a promise was made by Target to upgrade stores that failed to make the cut for previous rounds of investment. You know the ones - they have bad lighting, red curved overhead signage, an...
www.linkedin.com
August 9, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Some time ago, a promise was made by Target to upgrade stores that failed to make the cut for previous rounds of investment. You know the ones - they have bad lighting, red curved overhead signage, and still use the capitalized Target logo…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Multiple cogs engaged this quarter, all of which have given the Wayfair engine some welcome momentum. The challenge is to keep the momentum going … the weaker operating margins rely on its to keep the firm in the black…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Wayfair Q2 results:
💰 Net sales: +7.5%
🇺🇸 US revenue: +8.7%
🛍️ Customers: +3.3%
📉 Net income: -106.7
Multiple cogs engaged this quarter, all of which have given the Wayfair engine some welcome… | Ne...
Wayfair Q2 results:
💰 Net sales: +7.5%
🇺🇸 US revenue: +8.7%
🛍️ Customers: +3.3%
📉 Net income: -106.7
Multiple cogs engaged this quarter, all of which have given the Wayfair engine some welcome momen...
www.linkedin.com
August 4, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Multiple cogs engaged this quarter, all of which have given the Wayfair engine some welcome momentum. The challenge is to keep the momentum going … the weaker operating margins rely on its to keep the firm in the black…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
It’s easy to say Best Buy is a victim of circumstance because, in some ways, it is. The housing market, financing interest rates, disrupted purchase cycles, more considered consumers have all softened the electronics market. But has it done enough to respond? No!
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Over the past few years, Best Buy has been on the back foot. It’s a shame as it responded brilliantly to the pandemic and, in many ways, is still a solid retailer. But, nevertheless, it has lost… | Ne...
Over the past few years, Best Buy has been on the back foot. It’s a shame as it responded brilliantly to the pandemic and, in many ways, is still a solid retailer. But, nevertheless, it has lost marke...
www.linkedin.com
August 2, 2026 at 12:13 PM
It’s easy to say Best Buy is a victim of circumstance because, in some ways, it is. The housing market, financing interest rates, disrupted purchase cycles, more considered consumers have all softened the electronics market. But has it done enough to respond? No!
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
People don’t want to shop in supermarkets anymore. No, people don’t want to shop in the supermarket that you haven’t bothered updating since the early 1990s and that’s so boring it’s like watching paint dry…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
People don’t want to shop in supermarkets anymore.
No, people don’t want to shop in the supermarket that you haven’t bothered updating since the early 1990s and that’s so boring it’s like watching… |...
People don’t want to shop in supermarkets anymore.
No, people don’t want to shop in the supermarket that you haven’t bothered updating since the early 1990s and that’s so boring it’s like watching pa...
www.linkedin.com
August 1, 2026 at 6:21 PM
People don’t want to shop in supermarkets anymore. No, people don’t want to shop in the supermarket that you haven’t bothered updating since the early 1990s and that’s so boring it’s like watching paint dry…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Many stores, especially older ones, have awkward little spaces. Those places where pillars get in the way, where level changes necessitate stairs and ramps, or where nooks and crannies break the flow…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Many stores, especially older ones, have awkward little spaces. Those places where pillars get in the way, where level changes necessitate stairs and ramps, or where nooks and crannies break the… | Ne...
Many stores, especially older ones, have awkward little spaces. Those places where pillars get in the way, where level changes necessitate stairs and ramps, or where nooks and crannies break the flow....
www.linkedin.com
August 1, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Many stores, especially older ones, have awkward little spaces. Those places where pillars get in the way, where level changes necessitate stairs and ramps, or where nooks and crannies break the flow…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
As Sprouts is lapping some tough prior year numbers (+17.3% total sales growth and +10.2% comp growth), the latest revenue numbers are solid enough. However, they are not spectacular in terms of the continued weakness in comparable sales…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Sprouts Q2 results:
💰 Total sales: +4.7%
🛒 Comp sales: -1.0%
📈 Gross profit: +4.4%
📉 Net income: +3.4%
As Sprouts is lapping some tough prior year numbers (+17.3% total sales growth and +10.2%… | Ne...
Sprouts Q2 results:
💰 Total sales: +4.7%
🛒 Comp sales: -1.0%
📈 Gross profit: +4.4%
📉 Net income: +3.4%
As Sprouts is lapping some tough prior year numbers (+17.3% total sales growth and +10.2% comp ...
www.linkedin.com
July 30, 2026 at 2:51 PM
As Sprouts is lapping some tough prior year numbers (+17.3% total sales growth and +10.2% comp growth), the latest revenue numbers are solid enough. However, they are not spectacular in terms of the continued weakness in comparable sales…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Not all dishevelment on the shop floor is equal. Sometimes mess is caused by carelessness, a lack of resources, or poor management. That’s worrying, especially if it’s pervasive, because it suggests a retailer hasn’t got a grip on basic operations.
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Not all dishevelment on the shop floor is equal.
Sometimes mess is caused by carelessness, a lack of resources, or poor management. That’s worrying, especially if it’s pervasive, because it… | Neil ...
Not all dishevelment on the shop floor is equal.
Sometimes mess is caused by carelessness, a lack of resources, or poor management. That’s worrying, especially if it’s pervasive, because it suggests...
www.linkedin.com
July 30, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Not all dishevelment on the shop floor is equal. Sometimes mess is caused by carelessness, a lack of resources, or poor management. That’s worrying, especially if it’s pervasive, because it suggests a retailer hasn’t got a grip on basic operations.
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Costco is giving out free samples ... of water. Now, on the surface, that sounds - and indeed looks - somewhat odd. However, there is a logic to it, and it’s one that helps drive loyalty and sales…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Costco is giving out free samples ... of water.
Now, on the surface, that sounds - and indeed looks - somewhat odd. After all, when associated with Costco, the word "sample" conjures up min...
Costco is giving out free samples ... of water.
Now, on the surface, that sounds - and indeed looks - somewhat odd. After all, when associated with Costco, the word "sample" conjures up mini pizzas, ...
www.linkedin.com
July 30, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Costco is giving out free samples ... of water. Now, on the surface, that sounds - and indeed looks - somewhat odd. However, there is a logic to it, and it’s one that helps drive loyalty and sales…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
All brands need to evolve. Very few can remain static, especially as the forces of supply and demand change around them. Small shifts are relatively safe to make. Radical ones, while sometimes necessary, are far harder to implement…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
All brands need to evolve. Very few can remain static, especially as the forces of supply and demand changes around them.
Small shifts are relatively safe to make, if only because they don’t garner… ...
All brands need to evolve. Very few can remain static, especially as the forces of supply and demand changes around them.
Small shifts are relatively safe to make, if only because they don’t garner t...
www.linkedin.com
July 28, 2026 at 12:53 PM
All brands need to evolve. Very few can remain static, especially as the forces of supply and demand change around them. Small shifts are relatively safe to make. Radical ones, while sometimes necessary, are far harder to implement…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Back in 2022, Shein was riding high. It was growing quickly and attracted funding that placed its value at around $100 billion. Those days have gone, and its valuation will be well south of this number…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Back in 2022, Shein was riding high. It was growing quickly and attracted funding that placed its value at around $100 billion. There was some froth in that number, but it reflected a view that it… | ...
Back in 2022, Shein was riding high. It was growing quickly and attracted funding that placed its value at around $100 billion. There was some froth in that number, but it reflected a view that it was...
www.linkedin.com
July 27, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Back in 2022, Shein was riding high. It was growing quickly and attracted funding that placed its value at around $100 billion. Those days have gone, and its valuation will be well south of this number…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Many mainstream supermarkets in the US haven’t evolved that much. Their stores, propositions and general way of doing business remain largely the same as 10 or 20 years ago…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Many mainstream supermarkets in the US haven’t evolved that much. Their stores, propositions and general way of doing business remain largely the same as 10 or 20 years ago. We discussed this… | Neil ...
Many mainstream supermarkets in the US haven’t evolved that much. Their stores, propositions and general way of doing business remain largely the same as 10 or 20 years ago. We discussed this recently...
www.linkedin.com
July 27, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Many mainstream supermarkets in the US haven’t evolved that much. Their stores, propositions and general way of doing business remain largely the same as 10 or 20 years ago…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
ICYMI ... here are all the main retail posts and discussions we have made on LinkedIn this week:
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
ICYMI ... here are all the main retail posts and discussions we have made on LinkedIn this week:
🎯 If it is to get back on track, Target needs to nail grocery. There are plans to make the offer… | Ne...
ICYMI ... here are all the main retail posts and discussions we have made on LinkedIn this week:
🎯 If it is to get back on track, Target needs to nail grocery. There are plans to make the offer more ...
www.linkedin.com
July 26, 2026 at 9:47 PM
ICYMI ... here are all the main retail posts and discussions we have made on LinkedIn this week:
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
A great experience with slightly higher prices can work. A weak experience with great prices can work. A weak experience with poor prices is where the math simply doesn’t add up…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
There are some retailers that I put into a category of ‘we’re doing what we’ve always done’. They’re firms that have sat back and failed to evolve. As a result, they now feel sub-par.
That kind of… ...
There are some retailers that I put into a category of ‘we’re doing what we’ve always done’. They’re firms that have sat back and failed to evolve. As a result, they now feel sub-par.
That kind of c...
www.linkedin.com
July 26, 2026 at 3:51 PM
A great experience with slightly higher prices can work. A weak experience with great prices can work. A weak experience with poor prices is where the math simply doesn’t add up…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
To get back on track, Target needs to nail grocery. Aside from the fact that it accounts for a huge slice of revenue, it is also one of the biggest drivers of trips. If grocery works well, then it greases the wheels of everything else Target does…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
If it is to get back on track, Target needs to nail grocery. Aside from the fact that it accounts for a huge slice of revenue*, it is also one of the biggest drivers of trips. If grocery works well… |...
If it is to get back on track, Target needs to nail grocery. Aside from the fact that it accounts for a huge slice of revenue*, it is also one of the biggest drivers of trips. If grocery works well, t...
www.linkedin.com
July 25, 2026 at 12:06 PM
To get back on track, Target needs to nail grocery. Aside from the fact that it accounts for a huge slice of revenue, it is also one of the biggest drivers of trips. If grocery works well, then it greases the wheels of everything else Target does…
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Swatch Group has finally returned to sales growth. While the partnership with Audemars Piguet was launched in a chaotic fashion, the high demand that caused crowds and closures has helped to drive up sales.
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
Swatch Group has finally returned to sales growth, with the watch firm reporting an 8.5% year-over-year increase in half-year net sales.
While the partnership with Audemars Piguet was launched in a… ...
Swatch Group has finally returned to sales growth, with the watch firm reporting an 8.5% year-over-year increase in half-year net sales.
While the partnership with Audemars Piguet was launched in a c...
www.linkedin.com
July 24, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Swatch Group has finally returned to sales growth. While the partnership with Audemars Piguet was launched in a chaotic fashion, the high demand that caused crowds and closures has helped to drive up sales.
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...
www.linkedin.com/posts/neilre...