We're in the technology sector, and that is often about automating processes. Automating processes often involves reducing computer clicks.

Clicks = Delays and Labor Costs

The Wall St. Journal recently covered six decades of technological innovation, which extolled how technology would save users time and effort via various innovations, including the telephone, fax machine, and copying machine (my dad worked at Xerox!). While we don't make fax machines or copiers per se (sorry, Dad!), like these

A friend shared a meme image about the seven levels of watch wealth. This made me wonder what the seven levels of wedding registry wealth would be compared to watches. 

I also asked my colleagues to create their own registry wealth spectrums.  They came up with very clever metaphors! 
 

The 7 Levels of Wedding Registry Wealth

Jason: Watches

1. No watch: No registry. Your customers register at other retailers--giving them their business.   
2. Wall clock: Customers ask about a

The CEO of Strava, the exercise tracking app, is trying to convert more users to paid members. Strava tries many different paths to boost usage and revenue, including helping members compete against each other. 

Michael Martin, the CEO, noted in a recent The Wall St. Journal article that working out can be lonely, and Strava seeks to fix this by building a community around exercise. (Yes, people will pay to not be lonely.) We have long said that working in retail--and online retail in

This week's news shared how Luckin Coffee, the Chinese coffee chain, requires all orders to be placed via a mobile phone. No barista will take your order. To me, this shows how even coffee is now a digital product. Software has eaten (sipped!) even the coffee market. This week's news cycle also shared that Starbucks is closing its standalone, mobile-led to-go stores. (It is keeping drive-in locations.) To me, this suggests divergent strategies: Luckin is leaning into digital and mobile, and

While traveling recently,  I was drawn to this column’s prominent use of stats.  We learn that this cookbook author has: 88k Instagram followers, 27k TikTok followers, and 23k Substack subscribers. People are drawn to numbers because they suggest facts and can give a quick sense of importance, and easily make comparisons. A factor’s relevance may be hard to gauge and subjective, but social media helps by giving it a numeric value. Want a book deal? Think your writing style will appeal

I sometimes think of ourselves as digital landlords. Our clients rent their retail 'property' from us and pay a monthly rent. We are responsible for keeping the building up-to-date, the roof patched, and the sidewalk clean.  This real estate metaphor came to mind again recently when The Wall St. Journal shared how interior designers spruce up rentals and thereby rent them for more.

Article excerpt:
"[The upgraded rental property] Perch came online in December 2023, for a nightly rate of $1,

Since I don't drive to work and listen to the radio or watch broadcast TV, I'm in a bit of a bubble when it comes to fast-food marketing. Thankfully, The Wall St. Journal helps me keep a pulse on America.  What caught my eye today was the Journal's article about Chili's, inflation, and its value offering. I was surprised to read that the cost of a fast-food burger meal has risen 62% in the last six years (2019: $7.50 -> 2025: $12).  Chili's is using the inflationary news to promote

Ben Cohen in The Wall St. Journal shares how Home Deport invests in improving plants to improve its sales. When customers are happier gardeners, they’ll buy more.  

I view our job here at Shop Local in a similar fashion:   When we nurture a better wedding registry process for indie retailers, they’ll sell more—and we’ll sell more.  We’ll keep their business and we’ll grow our client base. 

While Home Depot employees a team of horticulturalists, we employ coders and coaches to

As I approach my 50th birthday, time is on my mind. 

One of our platform’s major benefits is helping clients avoid wasting time. For example, a retailer that uses our service on average avoids $36,000 on Labor costs each year.  

My job is to convey these time savings whenever I can. We want to quantify time savings, such as by showing weeks or months saved on labor. (Reference: my napkin calendar sketch.) i have to let retailers, brands, and reps know we can stop the bleeding of time

In a recent Tableware Today article, I implored retailers to 'build their robot.' I encouraged them to invest in technology to automate their processes. I told them how larger retailers like Amazon and Walmart are spending heavily on technology, and that is the best spot to get long-term ROI. Yet, there is another area that indie stores can target to boost profit, and it requires less time and money than spending on technology. 
 

Low Prices > Pretty Website

We've recently discovered

The Wall St. Journal recently shared how Skechers has become a major shoe player by marching to its own drumbeat. 

Started in 1992, Skechers is the third largest seller of shoes in the world. But the company's history goes back even further: the founder's first company, LA Gear, which flamed out, was started in the 1980s.

Skechers grew by focusing on comfy and affordable shoes and didn't sign expensive promotion deals with active athletes. (It does partner with ex-athletes like Howie Long.)&

The Wall St. Journal shares that Vail Resorts relies heavily on its annual ski pass, called the Epic Pass, to steer its success. The pass, which the company launched in 2008 and now costs $982, gives the holder a few benefits, including the ability to ski at any of Vail’s 42  mountains, save 20% off rentals, and more. The company sells about 2.3m passes a year, and about 75% of visitors use the pass. One has to buy the pass before the season.

The resort raises the price of lift tickets and

• Product information, pricing, pictures, and more (including website listings). (Inventory.)
• Stock.
• Marketing offers.
• Communications to customers (

• Main Cabin Plus. Included a free checked bag, a more spacious seat, and boarding earlier. 
• Main Cabin Select. Included an even earlier boarding time and made it easier to change my flight. 
• First Class. Included the largest, most comfortable seat, priority boarding, two checked bags, and better drinks and food.