Building on his 2026 What's in Store Live session, "Premium for the People: Top Shelf on Every Shelf," Michael explains why premium products cannot win by competing like commodities. He shares how clear storytelling, intentional packaging, occasion-based merchandising, and product education can reduce hesitation and make value easier for shoppers to understand.
The conversation also explores how retailers can build demand beyond the holidays, communicate product stories in lower-labor departments, create champions at the store level, and review displays through the eyes of someone encountering the category for the first time.
Listen in to learn:
Why premium products need a different strategy than commodities
How to merchandise by occasion rather than only by product attributes
How to reduce friction in the shopper’s decision
How product stories can remain intact from producer to shelf
What department managers can do now to improve their displays
Fresh Take with IDDBA releases new episodes on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
