Hello Omni Talk Fans! Black Friday broke records, ChatGPT wants to steal your customers, and Anne and I found yet again something about which we vehemently disagree.
We went head-to-head on whether AI shopping assistants are actually changing the game or if we’re all just drinking the Kool-Aid.
Here’s what’s waiting for you in this week’s episode:
- The Great AI Shopping Debate — Black Friday saw AI-driven traffic jump 805%, and ChatGPT just launched shopping research. Anne thinks this is the future. I think we need to “slow our roll.”
- Walmart’s genius advertising move — While everyone’s freaking out about ChatGPT stealing retail traffic, Walmart’s doing the smart thing: putting ads directly into their own AI assistant, Sparky.
- Smart glasses: The emperor’s new clothes? — McKinsey says 2026 is the year of smart glasses. I own a pair. They’re sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Producer Ella agrees with us old folks. Maybe the hype train needs to slow down?
- Amazon’s $20 milk delivery — Amazon’s testing 30-minute delivery at prices that make your eyes water. But when Prime members are paying $4+ per order, is the value really there?
There’s all that, plus we also handed out this month’s OmniStar Award to Emily Erusha-Hilleque at Macy’s, and also discussed Mariah Carey, slop bowls, and gingerbread.
Listen to This Week’s Fast Five Podcast
Be careful out there,
— Chris, Anne, and the entire Omni Talk team
P.S. My mom bought me a dictionary for my birthday.
But unfortunately I couldn’t find the words to thank her.
Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.