Doug Stephens's biography
- Retail industry futurist influencing global brands
- Founder and CEO of Retail Prophet consultancy
- Author of international retail business bestsellers
Doug Stephens is a retail industry futurist whose insights shape how global brands navigate the future of commerce. His intellectual work influences Fortune 500 companies including Walmart, Google, LVMH, and BMW as they adapt to rapidly evolving consumer landscapes. As founder and CEO of Retail Prophet, Doug brings over 20 years of senior retail industry experience to his consultancy work. He has authored three international bestsellers, including Resurrecting Retail, and serves as a nationally syndicated retail columnist for CBC Radio while advising multiple corporate and academic boards. Doug helps organizations decode seismic shifts in consumer behavior, technology integration, and competitive strategy. His research identifies how AI is transforming retail operations, how physical stores must evolve beyond traditional functions, and how brands can establish uncontested market dominance amid unprecedented global competition. His framework enables retailers to cut through market chaos, prioritize investments, and forge radical consumer value. Audiences gain practical insights on leveraging emerging technologies like AI and virtual reality, creating distinctive sensory experiences that drive profitability, and building sustainable competitive advantages in an era where traditional retail cornerstones no longer guarantee success. Book Doug to transform how your organization views retail's future and position your brand to thrive in commerce's next revolution.
Doug's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
The Retail Archetypes Of The Future
Doug Stephens unpacks a retail landscape reshaped by permanent shifts in consumer behavior, global competition, and relentless technological change. Traditional advantages such as price, convenience, and exclusivity are no longer reliable foundations for success. Drawing on research from his book Resurrecting Retail, he introduces a clear strategic framework that helps brands prioritize investment, cut through market noise, and build uncontested category leadership amid accelerating disruption.
The Future Of Physical Stores
Doug Stephens reframes the role of the physical store in a world where commerce now lives everywhere from mobile devices to digital touchpoints. As boundaries between online and offline dissolve, he reveals why brick-and-mortar has entered its most transformative era yet. Using up-to-the-minute research and global examples, he shows how planning, design, and performance measurement are being reinvented to unlock entirely new forms of retail value.
The Future Of Competitive Advantage
Doug Stephens explores how competitive advantage is being radically redefined as innovation and disruption collide at unprecedented speed. Long-standing sources of market leadership are giving way to new pillars shaped by technology, data, and changing consumer expectations. Through vivid case studies of global trailblazers, he reveals how leading organizations are no longer reacting to the future but actively constructing it as a source of long-term dominance.
The Future Of Consumerism
Doug Stephens examines how economics, demographics, technology, and media are reshaping not only how people buy, but who today’s consumer fundamentally is. From artificial intelligence and social commerce to virtual reality and big data, powerful forces are converging to rewrite the rules of engagement between brands and customers. He reveals how the most adaptive businesses are reimagining their models to thrive amid these historic, permanent shifts in behavior.
Doug Stephens explores why, even in a hyper-technological world, the emotional drivers of novelty, connection, and wonder remain central to why people buy. Showcasing the world’s most imaginative brands, he reveals how sensory design, storytelling, and experience differentiation are redefining profitable retail. This session reconnects commerce with creativity, demonstrating how the artistry of retail is once again a decisive strategic advantage.
Why we recommend booking Doug
Doug Stephens, renowned retail futurist and bestselling author, delivers transformative insights that help global brands like Walmart, Google, and BMW navigate the complex future of commerce with practical strategies for leveraging AI, creating distinctive customer experiences, and building sustainable competitive advantages. Book Doug today to position your organization at the forefront of retail's next revolution and unlock uncontested market dominance in an increasingly competitive landscape.
An outstanding discussion this morning. Best executive series I’ve attended. Thank you for sharing.
Your contribution to our conference as immeasurable and by far the most well-received presentation.
Doug’s passion for retailing and connection with consumer trends, attitudes, and behaviours brought a fresh perceptive and energy to Citi Retail Services’ annual leadership conference. We valued his willingness to push the boundaries of how retailers can better serve their customers and how our company can be a strong partner in ensuring their success.
Citibank, Citibank
Citibank, Citibank
