Brick-and-Mortar CAC • Aesop’s $2.5B Playbook • DigitalFirst Meets Store Staff • Marketplaces

Customer-acquisition costs exploded online. Smart brands are responding with bricks, data—and a dash of theatre.

⚡️ What we tackle in 20 minutes

​Physical retail as the new CAC – DTC brands discover rent can be cheaper than Meta ads when the store becomes a stage.

​Aesop’s $2.5 billion masterclass – From Melbourne to 400 boutiques, every location is bespoke, scented, and digitally wired for replenishment.

​Digital-first, store-second – Love, Bonito show why in-store staff now behave like consultants, not cashiers.

​Cross-border marketplaces – Shopee, Amazon AU, Trade Me and Afterpay’s “shop day” rewrite payments, language, and trust across ASEAN.

​Post-purchase power moves – Hand-written notes, sticker packs, friction-free returns. Retention is the real growth engine—and AI search will only raise the stakes.

Retailers & platforms in play

Aesop • L’Oréal • Love, Bonito • Temple & Webster • Amazon • eBay • Shopee • Afterpay • Trade Me • Kingfisher/B&Q • JD Sports • HP • Perplexity AI

Hosts

​Alex – Founder, The Retail Podcast, decoding global retail shifts.

​Ryf Quail – Leads NRF APAC, guiding brands across Asia-Pacific.

​Laura Doonin – Tech strategist turning omnichannel ambition into reality.

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