
2023: 4 Trends That Are Here to Stay
As the new year kicks off, health & wellness, environmental stewardship and convenience continue to be at the top of consumer wish lists. We take a look at the ways brands and CPG companies are checking off some of these boxes while gaining new customers and building brand loyalty.

A Tale of Four Dollar Stores
Trends may come and go, but bargain hunting will be around forever. We take a closer look at four brands that have made their mark in the dollar store industry and who continue to grow in this inflation strapped economy.

Our Top Retail Blog Picks, Just for You!
From trend spotting and retail pop-up, to developing in-store marketing strategies to help navigate ongoing business challenges, we’ve collected some of our ‘Best Of’ retail blog posts for your perusal and enjoyment. Packed with insights and observations, we’re sure you’ll find more than a few ideas and approaches that will make you think differently about your business and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Inflation as the New Pandemic: How Shopper Behaviors Change, Once Again
With inflation running rampant and the uncertainty of where all this is going, consumers are having to rethink their priorities. How will retailers address shifting consumer behaviors and manage through this economic rollercoaster ride? Medallion Retail explores these questions and much more.

QR Codes: Turning on the Magic with Strategy
No longer buried below an ad campaign as an afterthought, QR codes have now moved front and center in marketing. However, a well-thought-out strategy is essential in driving their effectiveness. Medallion Retail explores 3 unique and compelling strategies that work to stimulate interaction.

Can Brand Partnerships Help Shift to Thrift?
While inflation and rising gas prices fuel further financial woes, many have been caught in the middle. Navigating around high prices and product availability has some shoppers seeking alternative channels to shop, like thrift shops. Medallion explores the growing shift to thrift and how brand partnerships could help.

New Year – New Trends:
3 Trends to Watch in 2022
What has happened in the past two years has caused quick adoption and adaptation of many
innovations in retail and consumer services, changing many attitudes from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘need to have.’ Medallion explores three such trends that show further promise of becoming mainstream in the new year and beyond.

6 Trends That Gained Traction in 2021
Trends come and go. While some fade away into obscurity, some gain traction and develop into formidable innovations that shape and disrupt many industries. Medallion takes a look at six trends that took root in early 2021 and are now blossoming, showing continued promise in 2022 and beyond.

The On-Going Evolution and Value of Pop-Up Retail: 6 Questions to ask if it’s right for you
In 2008, the retail world, at least in the U.S., faced multiple challenges and on many fronts. As online buying began to grow in step with shoppers’ comfort with this channel, the pull of foot traffic from brick-and-mortar stores to

QR Code Marketing: Why This Touchless Trend Feels Right
If February 2020 feels like a decade ago, you’re not alone. Last year was one of the most challenging—and felt like one of the longest—ever faced. And to think, it started out relatively normal, with casual debates about Prince Harry

2021 Trends to Watch and Why
What have we learned in 2020? I suppose the most critical thing we all learned from 2020 (aside from baking a mean soda bread from scratch or becoming experts at Zoom calls) is that nothing stays the same. Finding our

Shopping Mall Adaptive Reuse: The Phoenix Will Rise
Imagine driving to an arboretum, walking through a botanical garden and observing the slow movements of students in a Tai Chi class. You walk past a farmers market and make a mental note to pick up some locally grown peaches

The Rise of the Microbrands
Across the country, a dichotomy is taking place on store shelves: well-known (and well-funded) products are now elbow to elbow with small, emerging microbrands. The up-and-comers aren’t necessarily spin-offs, developed in the R&D facility of some large conglomerate. These new

Nine Questions to Ensure Effective Retail Store Merchandising
How many times have you heard a shopper exclaim, “Those Rococo-inspired chairs in the corner make me want to buy sweaters in every color you have!”? Never. Because it’s retail store merchandising, not retail store decorating. Interior decorating speaks to

Privacy and the Ideal Shopper Experience
We know that consumers prefer shopping in physical stores, and that the shopper experience is paramount. Ergo, retail marketers, the answer is simple: shower your guests with attention. Unless she wants you to leave her alone. The shopper is giving

Forward Thinking – The Future of Retail
CBRE’s The Future of Retail | 2030 looks at the state of shoppers and shopping 13 years from now. Forty fascinating insights demonstrate the continued evolution of buying and selling.

Must-Reads – The Best Marketing Books of 2017
You’re spending a precious few minutes reading a marketing blog, so it feels safe to assume that you are 1) a marketer, 2) curious about the ever-changing world in which you work, and 3) someone who can read. So this list

Four Avoidable Holiday Signage Mistakes
A couple of days ago (on I-Can’t-Believe-I’m-Doing-This Sunday, which I just invented to fall between Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday), I ventured out into retail world to do some basic marketing reconnaissance. I saw some decent displays, bumped into

Increase Your Shelf Esteem: 5 Retail Display Solutions that Sell
Have you ever gone into a store to buy a single item and left with a cartload of things you hadn’t intended to buy? Retail experts Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender share why that happens, and how to make it happen in your store.

Retail Signage Design Fails in Outdoor
A great Shopper Moment™ begins with an eye for detail and flawless execution of the fundamentals. Even with something as basic as outdoor signage. ESPECIALLY with something as basic as outdoor signage.