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Your Weekly Retail Rev Up Newsletter | Volume 11

Your Weekly Retail Rev Up Newsletter | Volume 11

Plus: 🔍 Is Your GTM Built for the 2025 Buyer?

Rafe Houston
June 18, 2025

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TODAY’S PICK 🎯

The Modern Buyer Journey Isn’t Linear, It’s Anonymous, Unpredictable, And Consensus-Led.

Yet most GTM teams still operate like it’s a funnel: tracking rep activity instead of buyer signals.

Hive Perform's Buyer Intelligence Maturity Assessment helps you diagnose where your team stands and what to do next.

In 5 minutes, you’ll learn:

How well you're capturing and acting on buyer signals
Where execution is falling short
What moves will drive more aligned, buyer-led growth

👉 Close the gap between buyer behavior and team execution.

📣LEADING VOICES

Want a Moneyball Approach to Sales?

As part of the Blenheim Chalcot portfolio I often have the privilege to hear first hand about the Rajasthan Royals business model.

Their whole philosophy? Data-led performance.
Relentlessly tested. Ruthlessly implemented.

From nutrition to tools, training, education, competitor analysis, every aspect is part of a full performance operating system. They don’t just look at game results and throw more training at the problem. They ask: does it drive performance? If not, it’s out.

You can see where I’m going….. Sales is performance. Why do we treat it any differently? More hiring. More one-off workshops. More “hit and hope”. None of that builds repeatable revenue growth.

If you want to bring a performance system into sales… Where call data is used not just to review, but to empower. Where every tool, coaching moment, and insight is linked to improved outcomes. Where your GTM team operates like an elite sports team. Then you’re thinking like we are @Hive Perform. Moneyball for sales is already here. Build a performance system that actually performs.

Before You Hire Your Next Rep, Check If This Exists

Too many SaaS teams go from founder-led sales straight into “let’s hire two AEs and try outbound”. But without a Revenue Architecture in place, you’re just scaling improvisation. Here’s what should exist first:

1. Architecture: Who you sell to. How your funnel works. Where your revenue comes from. It’s the blueprint. Without it, you’re guessing.
2. Process: A repeatable buyer journey. Defined stages and handoffs. Built around how your customers actually buy.
3. Plays: What to say. When to say it. What to do next. Codified actions that move deals forward.
4. Enablement: Onboarding that isn’t “figure it out.” Templates, tools, talk tracks. Training that aligns with the real motion.
5. Coaching: Weekly deal reviews. Live feedback. A shared language to improve performance.

If these layers aren’t in place, every new hire adds weight, not leverage. You’ll burn time, leads, and trust. Not because your team is bad. But because the system isn’t there to support them. Revenue doesn’t grow from hustle. It grows from structure. Before you post that AE role, ask yourself: Are they joining a system — or stepping into chaos?

INDUSTRY NEWS 🌐

Walmart Launches GenAI Shopping Assistant Sparky for Enhanced Customer Interaction

Walmart has unveiled Sparky, a generative AI-powered shopping assistant in the Walmart app, marked by the smiling "Ask Sparky" button. Sparky enhances the customer experience by providing comprehensive search capabilities, synthesizing product reviews, and offering tailored insights for various shopping needs. This assistant is designed to simplify complex tasks and will evolve over time, enabling automatic reordering and service booking to further streamline user experiences.

The implementation of Sparky is a strategic move towards a more personalized and efficient shopping journey for customers. By integrating multi-modal support, Sparky not only elevates the searching and buying process but also positions Walmart as a leader in AI-driven retail solutions. This initiative underscores the company's commitment to utilizing technology for improved consumer engagement and satisfaction, ultimately setting a new standard in modern retail services.

Retail Dive

EBay Tours US With Live Shopping And Collector Experiences

EBay's live shopping tour, beginning June 14, aims to engage collectors through immersive experiences in various U.S. cities. This initiative showcases collectibles, luxury goods, sneakers, and apparel, allowing consumers to connect with top sellers and enjoy curated inventory. With real-time broadcasts from hobby shops and conventions, attendees can participate in live auctions or the "Buy It Now" option.

This approach reflects the growing trend in live shopping, although only half of viewers currently make purchases via this format. Brands like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram dominate live shopping, while QVC is rebranding to adapt to the evolving market. EBay's tour underscores the platform's commitment to enhancing consumer interaction and broadening its market influence, offering an enriching experience for both online and in-person participants.

Retail Dive

PulseAd Expands Into 280B US Market, Setting Up Seattle Operations

PulseAd's entry into the U.S. market with Seattle operations marks a strategic move to tap into the burgeoning $280 billion retail media sector. Having successfully driven 99% customer growth for brands during peak shopping events, PulseAd aims to challenge established AdTech firms with its AI-driven, retail-focused platform. By redesigning campaign management from the ground up, PulseAd addresses the inefficiencies of legacy systems that retrofit AI capabilities.

Poshmark Pricing Guide to Finding the Sweet Spot for Maximum Profit

Understanding effective pricing strategies on Poshmark can significantly impact your profitability. In particular, it's crucial to recognize when to price high, when to accept offers, and when to strategically apply discounts. Pricing high may be beneficial if an item is new, rare, or in demand, allowing room for negotiations without cutting into profits. Regularly comparing active and sold listings can provide a benchmark for setting competitive prices.

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Sales Intelligence is a ClickZ Media publication in the Sales & Marketing division