Mark Quinn

What do mattress liquidation deals have to do with building a vertically integrated empire? John Merwin, CEO of 3Z Brands, shares the lightbulb moment that sparked his obsession with cost control and buying equipment. From liquidation deals to machine #1—he’s never stopped chasing efficiency. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. But it always pushed the business forward. Catch this fascinating story from the shop floor to the showroom—and listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/g5F_pdNJ #MattressIndustry #EntrepreneurMindset #3ZBrands #JohnMerwin #BusinessGrowth #VerticalIntegration #ManufacturingMoves

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Scott Brothers line helps King Koil double its retailer traffic at the summer Las Vegas market. Retailers are seeking higher-margin luxury products and are excited about the brand’s new Drew & Jonathan Home by King Koil and Scott Living by King Koil mattress collections. https://ow.ly/ho3K50WPABs See how the new partnership came about in our special, one-on-one with King Koil CEO David Binke https://ow.ly/vYtf50WPABr International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) #mattressretailers #LVMKT #propertybrothers #kingkoil #mattresscollection

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Electronic shelf labels, digital screens that display the price of an item, are replacing traditional paper price tags in grocery stores across America https://lnkd.in/emnyh9yf Digital price tags may enable Kroger and other grocery chains to transition to ‘dynamic pricing,’ in which the price of basic household goods could surge based on the time of day, the weather, or other transitory events #retail CNBC

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The challenge was clear: protect thousands of refrigerated cases without compromising aesthetics or installation costs. But no market solution met the retailer’s expectations. That’s when CSF DeFend stepped in, designing a custom solution now adopted in thousands of stores nationwide, covering more than 1.4 million linear feet in 2024. With the Click Connect System, the structure can be effortlessly removed by one person without the need for tools or removal of post from the concrete. To learn more: https://lnkd.in/egkAejTh

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VP of Retail Amy Collo explains how the brand used shopping patterns and immersive design to deepen shopper engagement at Mall of Georgia store. bit.ly/49gvECH

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The National Retail Federation has just unveiled the 2026 edition of “The List: People Shaping Retail’s Future”, naming five leaders who are driving meaningful change across the industry. Among them are Kathleen McLaughlin, Executive VP & Chief Sustainability Officer at Walmart, and Brieane Olson, CEO of PACSUN. This recognition highlights two critical vectors of retail evolution: sustainability leadership and agile brand reinvention. McLaughlin’s role reflects how major retailers are elevating environmental, social and governance practices into operational strategy, not just “nice-to-have” initiatives. Meanwhile, Olson’s inclusion speaks to how growth-oriented specialty brands are shaping omnichannel, youth-driven retail experiences. For retail executives, marketers and product strategists alike, this announcement signals important themes: sustainability is now a business imperative; talent and leadership development remain key differentiators; and the notion of “retail careers” is expanding beyond traditional functions into new and dynamic roles. The honorees demonstrate that the next generation of retail leaders will be those who combine purpose (sustainability, inclusivity) with innovation (digital, brand growth) and operational excellence. Retail competition goes beyond price or traffic; it’s also about culture, leadership, and adaptability. The 2026 list shows that brands investing in leadership diversity, sustainability integration, and brand-purpose alignment may be better positioned to thrive in the evolving retail landscape. Read more by Retail TouchPoints’ Adam Blair: https://lnkd.in/g6JTG_s2 #HalifaxWest #WinTogether #capitaladvisory #MandA #restructuring #operatingadvisory #RetailLeadership #RetailStrategy #Sustainability #ESG #Omnichannel #FutureOfRetail #RetailTalent #NRF #RetailInnovation

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Manchester-based Bob’s Discount Furniture could raise up to about $370 million in its initial public offering, according to updated federal filings, as the retailer both restructures its balance sheet and outlines plans to more than double its store base over the next decade.

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Kohl’s CEO tells customers major revamp is on the way. A major inventory shift is coming to the department store as it works to establish a niche. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eqnFgYGi

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The "2025 State of the Industry: Store Innovation Report" reveals how top retailers are re-engineering physical brick-and-mortar retail through modular design, real-time analytics, and sustainability-driven operations into versatile environments. https://ow.ly/vBAr50WEWHN

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If your visual merchandising strategy depends on catalog inventory, you’re limiting your brand’s potential. We believe true branded customization isn’t just a choice—it's a requirement. hashtag #visualmerchandising #smartbusiness #customdesign #schwamsourcinggroup

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Mark Quinn, Shifman Mattress senior vice president of sales and marketing, talks about the company’s new marketing focus designed to help consumers “feel us as a brand” and value the mattress differently. For more Bedding Insights: https://rebrand.ly/0cu8jxu (Video Series brought to you by #SouthBayInternational)

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Is “spray and pray” the best way to approach retailers with your product? Typically, no. I mean on one hand It sounds like a good idea. Just bombard retail buyers via email and hope somebody replies. The reality is, and this is just going by the rough numbers - 95% of the time it doesn’t work. Not very good odds! Methods like this are reserved for those that are getting nowhere with making contact and it’s a last ditch effort and occasionally it can work, but you can’t build a business on it. What DOES work? Cultivating relationships. This means spending the time to find out who the real decision makers are and then sending thoughtful emails. Those emails should not include language like this is the next billion dollar idea or this is better than anything you’ve ever seen before etc. etc. Worse is a retail buyer doesn’t have the time to read a three page backstory of your product and your personal situation. Stuff like that’s a dime a dozen. Perhaps saying to a retail buyer that you’ve built the product that can supplement or complement something they are already selling. That it’s a viable product because you’ve tested it by selling it locally or online and it has momentum. That it offers significant profit margin. That you’ve created a marketing plan to help drive traffic to that particular retailer. That’s the kind of thing they want to hear. And it still doesn’t mean they’re going to respond at least initially. But if you follow up every few weeks and you stay at it…the chances are you will eventually get people to respond. You’re building trust…and a possible relationship!

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NRF: Consumers to return almost $850 billion in merchandise in 2025 The rate that consumers return merchandise to retailers in 2025 will decrease compared to 2024, as will the total dollar value of returned products, according to a report from the National Retail Federation. Data from the NRF and Happy Returns indicates retailers expect consumers to return 15.8% of their purchases in 2025. That’s lower than 2024’s 16.9% returns rate. NRF anticipates consumers returning $849.9 billion in merchandise throughout 2025. #NRF #retail #ecommerce #return #cost #margin #loyalty #merchandise #customerexperience https://lnkd.in/dtTxtd8p

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🔍 🚨 BREAKING: Kohl's Shares Soar as Department Store Chain Highlights Turnaround Momentum The stock of department-store operator Kohl's witnessed a substantial surge, advancing by 35 percent, following an announcement where the retailer communicated an improved business outlook. This not...📖 read more at 👉 https://lnkd.in/gRFSPmbC 📰 Published on November 27, 2025 by Aartie on Aakash News and Media Syndicate #News #BreakingNews #TechNews #AI #TrendingNow #LinkedInNews #AakashNewsAgency #ANMS

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"Today’s tobacco consumer is not a monolith and the backbar must reflect that." As cigarette volumes decline and modern oral nicotine, pouches, and alternative formats gain momentum, backbar strategy has become far more complex. And far more strategic. In this article from Convenience Store News, Richard Bode outlines why operators must evolve their assortment strategy, closely track velocity and margin performance, and leverage supplier insights to stay competitive in a rapidly shifting nicotine landscape.

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