613. Dying Is Easy. Retail Is Hard.

New York City’s mayor called them “public enemy number one.” History books say they caused the Black Death — although recent scientific evidence disputes that claim. In an updated episode from 2025, we ask: Is the rat a scapegoat? And what does our rat hatred say about us? SOURCE ... Show More

One possibility: a leading hypothesis pursued by researchers (and funders) was built on science that now appears to be fraudulent. Stephen Dubner speaks with the scientist and the journalist who blew the whistle. SOURCES: Charles Piller, investigative journalist for Science, auth ... Show More

How do beekeepers make a living? Why is there so much honey fraud? And why did billions of bees suddenly disappear? To find out, guest host Steve Levitt activates his hive mind. SOURCES: Alex Sapoznik, historian, reader in late medieval history at King’s College London. Chris Hia ... Show More

<p>For decades, department stores were symbols of American retail success, but their shine has long since faded. Overexpansion that began in the 1990s, the growth of e-commerce and the decline of many malls has left a saturated market, with more stores than there is demand. Major ... Show More

In the latest edition of Omni Talk’s Retail Fast Five sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Avalara, Mirakl, Ownit AI and Ocampo Capital Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, along with guest hosts from the Alvarez & Marsal Consumer and Retail Group David Ritter and Chad Lusk di ... Show More

On this week’s episode of the Glossy Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska discuss two big news stories: the tariffs' last-minute delay and the impact on the fashion industry, and Prada’s acquisition of Versace (16:44). Later i ... Show More

If there has been any constant down the aisles of supermarkets and on the racks at clothing stores, it’s inflation. While inflation has started to cool down, the reality is that prices for stuff continue to be high – and that remains a top of mind problem for consumers and consum ... Show More

In this episode of Oprah’s Book Club: Presented by Starbucks, Oprah and bestselling author Wally Lamb discuss his newest book "The River is Waiting"– Publisher’s Weekly says Wally’s “love of storytelling illuminates his prose.” This is the third time Oprah has chosen a Wally Lamb ... Show More

‘The department store is dying,’ Rosemary Hill wrote recently in the LRB, reviewing an exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris on the origins of the grands magasins. She joins Tom to talk about their 19th and 20th-century heyday as cathedrals of consumerism as well a ... Show More

In the latest edition of Omni Talk’s Retail Fast Five sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Avalara, Mirakl, Ownit AI, and Ocampo Capital, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, along with guest hosts from the Alvarez & Marsal Consumer and Retail Group David Ritter and Chad Lusk ... Show More

In the early hours of December 4, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York City as he walked toward the annual investor's meeting of his parent company, UnitedHealth Group. US law enforcement embarked on a massive manhunt. Several days after the murd ... Show More