The question: What do Bluemercury’s brand loyalty strategy, ChatGPT’s Instant Checkout launch, Walmart’s growth strategy, and TikTok Shop’s effect on social media shopping have in common?

The answer: Each was discussed on our “Reimagining Retail” podcast this year. Here are a few of our favorites from the past few months, in no particular order:

Making Holiday Magic: The Secret to Beauty Brand Loyalty with Bluemercury

Beauty brands thrive during the holidays, when gifting and self-treating spike. Bluemercury is using curated assortments, emotional storytelling, and elevated in-store experiences to deepen customer loyalty rather than relying on discounts alone.

Listen to the full episode to hear EMARKETER analysts unpack why the holiday period is so critical for beauty, how Bluemercury builds long-term customer connections, and what strategies help brands stand out in a saturated market.

Instant Checkout: How ChatGPT Could Redefine Online Shopping

ChatGPT’s Instant Checkout feature could upend ecommerce by letting users discover and buy products without ever leaving a conversational interface. The friction reduction is massive—but it raises big questions for retailers about visibility, data, and competition from the likes of Amazon and Google.

Listen to the full episode to hear EMARKETER analysts Zak Stambor and Carina Lamb explore how conversational commerce could reshape the shopper journey and what brands should do now to prepare.

What Makes Walmart Unstoppable?

Walmart dominates retail by pairing scale and low-price credibility with aggressive innovation in fulfillment, data, technology, and retail media. The company is expanding its appeal to higher-income shoppers while investing heavily in convenience, assortment, and new business models.

Listen to the full episode to hear EMARKETER analysts Suzy Davidkhanian and Rachel Wolff explore the pillars of Walmart’s approach, how its strategy is evolving, and why competitors struggle to keep pace.

How TikTok Shop Alters Livestream Shopping if It Stays—and What Happens if It Disappears

TikTok Shop has quickly reshaped US social commerce, driving livestream shopping adoption and giving small brands a powerful growth engine. But a potential TikTok ban, a threat throughout much of the year, puts its future in doubt, leaving many sellers—especially those heavily dependent on the platform—vulnerable.

Listen to the full episode to hear EMARKETER analysts Sky Canaves and Jasmine Enberg break down how TikTok Shop has changed consumer behavior, what brands stand to lose or gain if it disappears, and how livestream commerce might evolve across other platforms.