NEW YORK — The National Retail Federaton’s 2025 Big Show conference brought together retail executives, vendors and industry experts for three days this week in New York City.
Audiences were able to hear industry leaders discuss retail trends, ideas and technological solutions. Speakers included Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner, Target CEO Brian Cornell, Foot Locker President and CEO Mary Dillon and New Balance Athletics President and CEO Joe Preston.
A number of themes bubbled to the surface, including retail and the intersection of generative AI, personalization, the store experience and the business of retail. Here are a few of the top quotes from the event:
AI
“Supply chain, more than anywhere in retail in my opinion, is going to benefit the most from AI.” - Azita Martin, vice president and general manager, retail and CPG, Nvidia
“AI is becoming transformative for our business, and we really haven't had a technology revolution as large as this since the start of the internet.” - Doug Herrington, CEO, Worldwide Amazon Stores
“I remember right after ChatGPT came out, somebody asked, ‘Is ChatGPT going to take our job?’ And [Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang] made a quote that has always stood out with me. I always use it on his behalf, and that is: ‘No, but someone using generative AI may take your job, so embrace it.’” - Azita Martin, vice president and general manager, retail and CPG, Nvidia
Other tech
“The simplest way I’ve been able to understand ‘digital twin’ is: It’s a video game.” - John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S.
“I think that technology is not the solution. It's an enabler … when it's used in the right way, it will only amplify what we have.” - Martin Urrutia, head of global retail experience and innovation, The Lego Group
Branding
“We have the most opportunity where we have the most authenticity.” - Joshua Schulman, CEO, Burberry
“As the brand grows, as assortment grows, we're growing away from a brand for her — or a yoga brand for her. In the U.S., the opportunities continue to drive awareness as the brand for him.” - Calvin McDonald, CEO, Lululemon
Personalization
“We love getting to learn about our customers, and love putting together that personalized beauty plan for you. What works for you is different than what works for me, and so having that human connection to uncover, to discover your needs — that's the special part of Bluemercury. And we're right in your neighborhood, and so that's five minutes away.” - Maly Bernstein, CEO, Bluemercury
“Personalization is really hard … We know our customers individually, but in many cases, you're trying to understand, recognize and learn about millions of people at the same time. And the data is always changing.” - John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S.
The store experience
“I think Nordstrom — and a well-run luxury department store more broadly — is also important, not only for the initial discovery of a brand, but to discover how a brand can be changing and evolving.” - Joshua Schulman, CEO, Burberry
“I am not sure I'll ever see a world in my lifetime where people aren't going to want to come in and touch and play with beauty.” - Artemis Patrick, president and CEO of Sephora North America
”I really am a firm believer that brick-and-mortar retail is here to stay.” - Mary Dillon, president and CEO, Foot Locker
“For me, the way I see it, I cannot imagine a better place in the world than the Ikea store to go and smell and get inspired about home solutions … I think the Ikea store is the best place in the world.” - Javier Quiñones, CEO and chief sustainability officer, Ikea U.S.
“I think that the stores, they could also be considered now another media channel. You will have your TV, your advertising and magazines. Now the stores are the place where you will come and see what are the latest products.” - Martin Urrutia, head of global retail experience and innovation, The Lego Group
“Time is against us because our competitors, especially the behemoths, are starting to use time to eliminate stores altogether. There's going to be very, very few stores, and they're going to get stuff to you the next day, and you're going to be so happy. You won't be, though, because you’ll be missing the emotional factors of being in a store or going to a store, or walking to a store or knowing people in a store.” - Lee Peterson, executive vice president of thought leadership, WD Partners
Retail and business
“We're in the retail therapy business. Essentially, we have folks that want to come in and escape their everyday life in some way, shape or form.” - Tony Spring, chairman and CEO, Macy’s, Inc.
“There’s power in private.” - Joe Preston, president and CEO, New Balance, after stating the company would not go public
“I didn't choose to be in retail. I graduated, needed a job, started. I was working part-time through university in retail, and I just fell in love with it, and really wanted to make it a career.” - Calvin McDonald, CEO, Lululemon
”You cannot rest ... The bar is going to continue to go up, and your competitors are going to continue to raise the bar.” - Mary Dillon, president and CEO, Foot Locker
