Where Culture Happens, Commerce Follows

As retail sheds its four walls, technology must follow. Jason James (CIO, Aptos) and Nikki Baird (VP of Strategy & Product, Aptos) join us to explore how brands like New Balance deploy 90+ registers at the NYC Marathon—then dismantle them just as quickly. The conversation reveals how point-of-sale systems built on next-generation databases enable everything from parking lot pop-ups to van-based fitting experiences, all while maintaining enterprise-grade security in environments where network connectivity is more hope than guarantee.

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Key takeaways:

• New Balance transforms NYC Marathon into 100-store chain for one weekend
• Offline capability: transactions continue when networks fail, sync when connectivity returns
• In-person acquisition yields stickier customers with higher lifetime value
• Retail ranks third most-attacked sector; mobile commerce increases threat surface
• Store associates need intuitive systems for high-pressure, temporary deployments
• "If they're able to pull this off in the middle of a parking lot, I'm probably a hell of a lot more likely to go in the store next time." – Jason James on how ephemeral retail builds store trust
• "A customer acquired through an in-person, in real life experience is stickier, has longer lifetime value, is ultimately more loyal than a customer that's acquired online." – Nikki Baird on the power of physical engagement
• "God forbid a retailer gets hit back at headquarters with ransomware and it takes down their core network. We can still transact." – Jason James on offline resilience
• "It's not just you put products on racks or on shelves and you wait for people to walk in the door. Events are coming into stores too." – Nikki Baird on stores as experience hubs

Associated Links:

• Learn about Aptos
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• Subscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce world
• Listen to our other episodes of Future Commerce

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