Consumers lead the conversation at WWD Retail 20/20 Forum 2017

Apu Gupta, CEO and co-founder of Curalate, emphasised the importance of discovery when linking marketing to sales. ‘Brands are great at creating discovery,’ Gupta told LS:N Global. ‘They are just really bad at connecting discovery to sales.’

Sharmadean Reid, founder and CEO of WAH Nails, also talked about the importance of engaging consumers. She explained how, by creating a space for its consumers and hosting business events and support initiatives for female entrepreneurs, the brand becomes a community touchpoint rather than a selling space.

Offering consumers multiple touchpoints was another talking point of the day. Tom Chapman, co-founder and co-executive chairman of Matchesfashion.com, explained that when consumers have three different touchpoints, their retention rate rises to 95%.