Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know
Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.
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We’re getting to know Retail Brew’s newest reporter, Vidhi Choudhary.
How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I try to write stories that could potentially help retail executives do their jobs better. My endeavor is to give them information that can be used as action items, that might help them to stay ahead of the curve.
One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? That it’s a lot less glamorous than The Devil Wears Prada and a lot more like Spotlight. I think that movie is a more accurate description of a day in the life of a reporter, except in my case I get to work from home. And also, we do not get to keep any of the free stuff! In fact, we don’t get any free stuff.
What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? In my previous role, I wrote a regular story about brand expansion for this women’s supplement brand called Ritual. The story did not move any journalistic boundaries, but I vividly remember feeling very differently about retail as a beat after speaking with the founder of Ritual. This quote from the founder Kat Schneider really stayed with me long after the end credits had rolled: “I do think Target represents this American Dream story. I’m a refugee. I was born in Ukraine and moved here with my family and being in a mass channel, there’s something so, so exciting and representative, something bigger than just selling product.”
Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? I’m very excited to see how the retail media landscape shapes up in the coming years. It’s one of those things if done right, could really turn into a money-spinner for that retailer. And that’s what we’ve seen at Amazon, thus far. But as competition in this space heats up, and as consolidation happens, I suspect that top pecking order in the retail industry might look very different.
What’s your go-to coffee order? Iced coffee with skim milk or almond milk, regardless of the season.
Worst piece of advice you’ve received? Nothing comes to mind. Knock on wood!
What was your favorite retail product when you were 15, and what’s your favorite retail product now? At 15, it would have to be something music-related, possibly my CD player. And now, it would probably be anything that can help me to sleep, sadly—eye masks to magnesium supplements and the whole nine yards.