Hello Omni Talk Fans! Well, we made it. This is our last Fast Five of 2025, and what a year it has been.
Before we all disappear into loads of holiday parties and family arguments, Anne and I wanted to send you off with one final episode that’s absolutely packed with the kind of retail drama, debate, and data that our podcast is known for.
We even saved one of our favorite guests for last, as David Dorf of AWS also dropped by to share his bold predictions for AI in retail for 2026. And trust me, you’ll want to hear what he has to say before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.
Here’s what’s in store for you in our final episode of the year as Anne and I discuss:
- Amazon’s “rush” pickup service — I told Anne this is a terrible idea. Crowded Whole Foods parking lots? Long Amazon return lines? No thanks. Anne? She thinks I’m completely wrong and that this could be Amazon’s smartest move in years. Who’s right? You’ll have to listen and decide.
- Instacart’s AI pricing controversy — Consumer Reports discovered Instacart is charging some customers up to 23% more than others for identical items. We unpack why this matters, what it means for 2026, and why agentic commerce might flip online grocery from the most expensive way to shop to the CHEAPEST.
- November’s jaw-dropping $12.3 billion in online grocery sales — This number completely blew my mind. Consumers are supposedly budget-strapped, yet e-grocery keeps exploding. We dig into what’s really driving this growth and what it signals for next year.
- Target’s SoHo concept store — Anne thinks it’s a smart move. I think it’s pure PR sizzle that’ll never scale beyond the Instagram photos.
- Ashley + Perplexity = The future of shopping? — Ashley Furniture partnered with Perplexity to let customers shop, add to cart, and checkout entirely through AI. I love this move, while Anne asks the question about whether it actually works.
There’s all that, plus Ryan Reynolds at NRF, the world’s largest golden retriever gathering in Buenos Aires, and what I would likely smuggle out of Calvin Klein’s new flagship store.
Listen to This Week’s Fast Five Podcast
Be careful out there,
— Chris, Anne, and the entire Omni Talk team
P.S. No dad jokes today. Just a big thank you instead.
As we close out 2025, we just want to say thank you. Thank you for listening, for engaging with us on LinkedIn, for your emails, and for making the Retail Fast Five one of the Top 100 business podcasts on Apple. Anne and I genuinely love doing this show, and knowing you’re out there listening makes it all worthwhile.
We’ll be taking a brief break, but we’ll be back in your inbox in January. And if you’re heading to NRF, come find us. We’ll be recording live from the VusionGroup booth (#4921) all week.
Until then, enjoy the holidays, spend time with people you love, and for the love of all that’s holy, please indulge in some yuletide cheer.
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.