“As brands shift their marketing budgets from media to stores, they need to create a retail experience that’s both memorable and emotional,” said Elizabeth Layne, the chief marketing officer of Appear Here, on Coach’s ‘Life Coach’ experience and the rise of product-free pop-ups

Luxury Brands like coach are beginning to see the value in engaging and connecting with their customers through pop-ups built to bring customers into a different "world." The rise of product free pop-ups is indicative of a shifting consumer culture looking for experiences and not ham-fisted sale opportunities.

“In recent years, we have invested in both the most advanced technology and optimized our stores for this aim, our business model combines stores and digital seamlessly, and we are ready for the opportunities that this brings with current and new customers.” - Inditex CEO Pablo Isla wrote about Why Zara is Investing in in-store tech to drive online sales in the UK.

Taking a cue from fellow mass retailers like Nordstrom and JCPenney, as well as luxury brands like Rebecca Minkoff, Zara is adopting a “store of the future” approach. Like competitor efforts, the flagship revamp is intended to not only drive foot traffic but also boost online sales.

"Human beings are social creatures. Shopping isn't just about getting stuff, or else you would just be sitting eating Ben and Jerry's in bed and shopping on Amazon.” -Barry Beck, Co-founder and COO of Blue Mercury.

In the newest edition of Retail Dive’s ongoing Executive Series, they interviewed thought leaders about the marketing strategy, in-store technology, and the future of retail.

"Retail sales totaled $501.97 billion in May, a 0.8% increase over the prior month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The performance bested last May by 5.9%.” - Sourcing Journal on May 2018 growing retail sales numbers.

After a slow beginning to the year, retail sales continue to grow and show promise to continue at this pace in the upcoming months.