Meet Brittanie Knezovich, vice president, head of sales and partner success at ShopRunner, a members-only e-commerce platform that allows retail partners to offer free two-day shipping, free returns, and exclusive discounts (and one of Women in Retail Leadership Circle’s amazing partners). In this exclusive interview, Knezovich shares details about her role at ShopRunner, what she loves about her job, the retail trends she’s currently tracking, her leadership style, and more.

Inner Circle: Let’s start by talking a bit about ShopRunner. What types of services does it offer?
Brittanie Knezovich: ShopRunner is a membership service that connects millions of shoppers with the brands that they love with free, fast shipping and returns and exclusive discounts. Now powered by FedEx, we’re well positioned to continue to improve the online shopping experience for consumers and retailers alike.

IC: Can you discuss your role at ShopRunner? What are you tasked with, and what do you love about the job?
BK: I’m the vice president, head of sales and partner success, and am tasked with running one of the most talented Sales and Partner Success teams in the industry. I love learning from this amazing team. I will always tell you that I hire for “will” not “skill.” I have a team that has been through some hard-fought challenges but always comes up with a “better” way of doing things. Their resilience, kindness and overall grit never fail to amaze me.

I also adore working with our merchants. I’m humbled by working with the most innovative and creative brands in the industry. The opportunity to learn from these individuals is one of my very favorite things. I’ve seen so many women in this industry defy the odds and find success. Just to be in the same room as them is an honor, but the chance to learn from them is a privilege that I definitely won’t take for granted.

IC: What are some retail trends you’re currently tracking?
BK: Inflation impacts on fashion in 2023. I’m always curious to understand how the economy is going to impact discretionary spending. Over the past few months, we’ve seen tremendous increases in our retailers’ cost of goods sold (COGS). For example, we’ve seen both cotton and cashmere prices increase by 45 percent and 30 percent year-over-year, respectively. I’m curious to see how this will influence the high-income shoppers vs. lower-income shoppers, especially within the different generations.

IC: What are the long-term impacts of sustainability on fashion?
BK: I hear this as a buzzword so much right now. I’ve spoken to so many retailers that have made significant investments in their environmental impacts but haven’t seen the return on investment that they were expecting. In my opinion, the ROI will definitely be there, it’s just going to take a while to see it. Right now, I have a 23-year-old and a 19-year-old, and I can tell you that sustainability is front of mind for them. However, they’re not making enough money to spend (that’s why they’re busy spending mine 😉). As they secure a more stable income, I anticipate an increase in ROI on sustainability impacts for that generation and those beyond.

IC: With the “returns” season upon us, what are some best practices you can share with our readers?
BK: Free returns are a consumer expectation at this point in the game. There have been too many global platforms that have made it too easy. If businesses aren’t willing to offer free returns, consumers will go to another site to get the product they want. I think it’s more important than ever for retailers to ensure that the consumer journey is really, really seamless. It must be easy from the time they hit the merchant site until the end of their buying journey. If that ends with a return, that MUST be easy, too. If a consumer can’t find that with you, they’ll find it with someone else.

IC: What’s next for ShopRunner? Any new products, services or initiatives you would like to discuss?
BK: We recently launched our mobile app. With this app, we’re providing shoppers with a more simplified, more enjoyable shopping experience while helping our brands build loyalty with their customers. Shoppers can easily discover, track and return, all in one place. We’re excited to continue to bring new innovations to market to keep meeting and exceeding consumer demands.

IC: Let’s switch gears a bit: I would love to hear more about your leadership style. How would you describe it?
BK: I would say my leadership style is democratic. I truly adore my team and I trust them completely. I want the team to have a bias toward action and the only way to empower them to do that is to let them know that they’re trusted to make important decisions. We have team principles that continue to reiterate that message. These include create positive and memorable experiences, get stuff done, don’t be afraid to break stuff, learn to add value, be kind, and live to inspire. The team developed these maxims together as how we would be known within our organization and outside of it. It’s important that we all understand that work, while important, is only a part of our every day. I love getting to know who they are and what’s important to them. Don’t get me wrong, I love results and I expect them. I just think by leading with kindness, empathy and empowerment the team is eager to provide those results. I hire smart people so that I can continue to learn from them. I’m humbled by the team and all they continue to teach me and those around us.

IC: What are you most looking forward to, personally and professionally, in 2023?
BK: Personally, I think I’m excited to find a bit more “work/life” balance again. I always think that the first year in a new role is the hardest as you’re trying to get your feet under you. I’m excited to find some normalcy in my everyday again. Professionally, I’m so excited for what’s to come. I’ve spent the past year building the team and the organization, and I can’t wait to see them continue to execute on the vision we share and continue to grow into the organization that we’re building.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are Brittanie Knezovich’s and are not attributed to FedEx/ShopRunner.