Hello Omni Talk Fans! Today’s newsletter is a good one. Because today we introduce the concept of “supervised automation.”
If you stop and think about it, supervised automation is what warehouse managers have been overseeing for years, but now with AI, the concept is starting to infiltrate its way into corporate headquarters.
I spoke about this and more in my latest Spotlight Series Podcast with scandiweb’s CEO and Founder Antons Sapriko. Check it out here or below.
In today’s Retail Daily Minute:
- Urban Outfitters Inc. posts record Q2 sales as Nuuly subscriptions surge, with nearly half of Nuuly’s inventory coming from its own sister brands.
- Anthropologie brings Nike to its shelves for the first time as its sneaker-buying customers jump 30%.
- Batteries Plus rolls out a trio of AI tools across its franchise and store network.
Plus, a movie quote inspired by what just may be the first-ever Batteries Plus appearance in this newsletter.
👇 Listen now
Today’s Top Headlines
1. Nuuly’s Rental Growth Drives Urban Outfitters’ Record Q2 Sales
Urban Outfitters Inc. posted record Q2 net sales of $1.7 billion, up 10.4% year over year, with rental service Nuuly contributing $179 million on a 28.6% jump. Nuuly added nearly 113,000 average active subscribers, up 30.4%, and is expanding its East Coast fulfillment network to support roughly 1.2 million subscribers. (Read More)
2. Anthropologie Adds Nike as Sneaker Shoppers Climb Nearly 30%
Anthropologie is adding Nike to its shelves after the number of customers shopping it for sneakers rose nearly 30% in a year. Nine styles roll out through September 21, backed by a full digital campaign. Footwear is stocked in 200 of about 250 stores, and shoe buyers now rank as the retailer’s most valuable customer cohort. (Read More)
3. Batteries Plus Brings AI Tools to Franchising and Store Operations
Batteries Plus is rolling out three AI tools across its more than 800 locations: Savannah, a voice agent for franchise development leads; Edison, a bilingual assistant handling store calls and spam filtering; and Wattson, a POS-linked product search tool. Full deployment is expected to finish by the end of September 2026. (Read More)
4. Kroger Launches September Wellness Tour and Community Fests
Kroger is running a September “Wellness Tour,” with in-store activations every Friday and Saturday where shoppers can sample better-for-you products and meet pharmacists and dietitians. Community mini-fests featuring cooking demos, workshops and giveaways come to the Houston, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Nashville areas. (Read More)
5. Murphy USA Adds White Castle Sliders to Gas Stations via Kiosk
Murphy USA is bringing White Castle’s Crave & Go kiosks to its gas stations nationwide through a partnership with Automated Retail Technologies. Customers order hot Sliders on a touchscreen and get them in about two minutes, with the machine handling prep, heating and delivery — no commercial kitchen or staff required. (Read More)
Upcoming Live LinkedIn Event
Welcome to the Age of “Supervised Automation”
Producer Ella’s Product Pick Of The Week
Be careful out there,
— Chris and the entire Omni Talk team
Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.