210 – Charlie Cole of Tumi – A Cautionary Tale

The world's leading brand of luxury travel, business and lifestyle accessories... Charlie Cole, Global Chief eCommerce Officer at Samsonite, Chief Digital Officer at Tumi and active advisor, joins Pavan Bahl, Marc Raco, Charles Beckwith and Cathy Schepis (hosts of American Fashion Podcast) in the MouthMedia Network studios powered by Sennheiser. Avoiding a drug for brands, Agile-1, and communication platforms Cole discusses how it is so easy to mark down products in physical retail stores and see results, but it is a sizable task, how in ecommerce it is easy and a drug for brands, combining methodologies, using third party CRM, Agile-1, the advantage of using an earlier stage company that could be nimble and grow with Tumi, the value for a global point of view, utilizing different communication platforms, taking business away from promotional a business, employing an exclusive product strategy, the value of collaborations, and the when chat windows can provide ROI. Avoiding the loss of tactical information, keeping in touch, and individual algorithms The difference of thought leadership with how amazing brand is, or a blue-sky approach, or high level -- tactical information gets lost at conferences. Cole prefers to offer actionable content, talk about failures, and is secret sauce tactics? It matters to get great things done, clarifying the roles of everybody involved. Samsonite brands achieved $4billion in revenue in full portfolio, but even with the greatest website you’re not going to break a 10% conversation so the job is not transactional. The goal is keeping in touch to provide product we need, when we need it. Every person has their own algorithm at Tumi. Need to cipher small variations in each person’s algorithm for CRM. Good data set, good CRM, and people will tell you what the most important thing to talk to them about. Sharing insights across the full portfolio, how make the most effective use of portfolio scale Near term vs. long term, finding Wanderlust, and Seattle style Technological possibilities with luggage, how tech is interfacing with travel, the “near term” material story, and “long term” with recycling and sustainability. Hartman vs. Tumi, and balancing depiction of brands by region. Off the grid questions cover the first international travel that made an impact on Cole, getting Wanderlust, building of character with international travel, the perfect song when you come home to feel home, stylish things to do in Seattle, Seward Park, and making an excuse to think about your journey.