Brandy17 Maalis

The Death of Department Stores and the Hidden Psychology of Shopping Modes

Department stores were once the center of retail.

Today, many feel like empty shells. Large spaces animated by the brands inside them rather than the store itself.

In this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman and Scott Saunders explore the changing trajectory of retail through the lens of Kohl's and its recent earnings struggles.

But the most fascinating insight isn’t on the balance sheet.

It’s on the sales floor.

At many Kohl’s locations, the longest line in the store isn’t the checkout line... it’s the Amazon return counter.

Why?

Because those customers are operating in a very specific psychological state.

Return mode.

Reilly reintroduces the concept of “shopping modes”—the mental states consumers occupy when interacting with brands. Someone returning an item isn’t in browse mode or purchase mode. They’re trying to complete a task and leave.

Understanding this simple behavioral shift explains why foot traffic doesn’t always convert into sales.

In this episode, Reilly and Scott discuss:

• Why many department stores feel like “retail carcasses” animated by the brands inside them
• What Kohl’s trajectory reveals about the future of physical retail
• The psychology behind shopping modes and consumer intent
• Why Amazon return traffic doesn’t necessarily translate into purchases
• How founders and small businesses can identify the mode their audience is in and design experiences around it

Ultimately, great brands don’t just think about products.

They think about the mindset customers are in when they encounter them.

Have a brand marketing question?

Reilly & Scott will answer it on the next episode!

⁠⁠⁠>> Ask Here: https://forms.gle/S237AyoG1vj9Wfzj6

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They Ruined the Booty: Why Themes Are Your Brand Experience OS, Not Decor

Most brands don't choose their theme... their category chooses it for them.In this episode, rebrand experts Reilly Newman and Scott Saunders break down why brand themes aren't decoration; they're the ...

23 Kesä 25min

The Logo Trap: What Harvard's Logo Study Got Wrong

Harvard Business Review studied 597 logos and declared a winner, but we're not buying it.In this episode, rebranding experts, Reilly Newman and Scott Saunders unpack why HBR's descriptive vs. non-desc...

16 Kesä 19min

The Empathy Bait: AI Grifters Are Weaponizing Trust (And What It Means for Your Brand)

AI-generated avatars are flooding TikTok, posing as struggling small business owners who are actually selling dropshipped products at 300%+ markups. One account's viral video racked up 6.5 million vie...

9 Kesä 12min

Ferrari's Jaguar Moment - When brands take their eyes off the road

What happens when a brand takes its eyes off the road? More importantly what happens to the audience when a brand gives them whiplash?On this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman and Scott Saunders discus...

2 Kesä 17min

They Didn't Forget You. They Just Had Nothing to Rebuild.

The neuroscience of brand memory, marketing strategy, and why your growth has stalledYou're getting traffic, maybe even good reviews, but referrals are slow, word of mouth is inconsistent, and growth ...

26 Touko 29min

Why Toys R Us Bought Pickleball

The Pickleball Finals in San Clemente had a title sponsor nobody expected... Toys R Us.Parent company, WHP Global, didn't pick this matchup by accident. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in Amer...

19 Touko 15min

Social Media Rewards What Kills Brands

The algorithm rewards volume. Volume demands low cost and high frequency. And the unhealthy pressure to post constantly, cheaply, and for attention is working against everything brand strategy is buil...

12 Touko 17min

Walmart Rebranded Great Value, Most Marketers Will Miss the Point

$1 Trillion retailer (Walmart) spent millions on a brand system most $5M founders refuse to build.Walmart just rolled out a new look for Great Value with a darker blue, refined wordmark, "America's Pa...

5 Touko 23min