In this episode of the Omni Talk Expert Series, hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga are joined by Troy Siwek, General Manager of gStore at GreyOrange, for an in-depth discussion on store digitization and what retailers should prioritize as they head into 2026.
Troy brings extensive retail consulting experience and shares insights from GreyOrange’s work deploying technology solutions across 40,000+ retail locations. He explains how store digitization is fundamentally about closing the gap between what retailers know about online customers and what they know about in-store shoppers, making physical stores as responsive and data-informed as e-commerce sites.
Key Moments:
• [0:25] – Introduction to Troy Siwek and his background in retail digitization
• [4:06] – Defining store digitization and bridging the physical-digital gap
• [6:37] – Why digital twins and AI will dominate retail conversations in 2026
• [8:06] – Digital twins as a mirror of store operations, not just a concept
• [11:44] – The complimentary relationship between digital twins and store digitization
• [14:38] – When retailers should partner vs. build technology in-house
• [18:48] – How store digitization responsibilities are expanding across organizations
• [24:52] – Incorporating computer vision AI and RFID in the right sequence
• [29:23] – Real-time merchandising decisions enabled by connected store data
• [32:00] – The role of robotics in future store operations
• [32:25] – Advice for retailers building 2026 technology roadmaps: speed over excessive process
This conversation is essential for retail leaders evaluating store technology investments, building digitization strategies, and trying to separate meaningful innovation from industry hype.
Tune in now on the platform of your choice below:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Soundcloud | Amazon Music
Be careful out there,
– Chris, Anne, and the Omni Talk team
P.S. To see our full lineup of past Ask An Expert conversations, head here.
#retailtech #storedigitization #digitaltwins
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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.