Serious and Sometimes Comic Musings on the Future of Retail
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Wrapping up NRF 2026, OmniTalk’s Retail Fast Five breaks down Amazon’s bold brick-and-mortar bet, Google’s agentic commerce push, and Walmart’s rapid drone delivery expansion. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga deliver sharp insights on the technologies reshaping retail in 2026.
Ulta Beauty’s “digital mezzanine” marketplace reached 150 brands through an invite-only strategy that prioritizes authenticity over speed. Discover how Ulta is already graduating successful marketplace sellers into brick-and-mortar stores through a strategic test-and-learn approach that protects brand integrity while exploring adjacent categories.
In this second annual NRF must-see tech preview, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga showcase five breakthrough retail technologies solving critical operational challenges: AI agents negotiating supplier contracts, cross-border platforms reducing duties 60%, overhead RFID achieving 99% accuracy, visual AI cutting shrink 70%, and robotic parcel lockers across 300+ stores, with deployment data from Zara, Calvin Klein, and major CPG companies.
Instacart shuts down its AI pricing tests as Kroger rolls out new SNAP discounts and Amazon brings meal planning to browser-based Alexa+. Chris and Anne unpack grocery fraud breakthroughs, Amazon Returns kiosks, and how Veloq CEO Richard McKenzie explains the Rohlik Group’s proof that e-commerce grocery can actually be profitable.
Richard McKenzie, CEO of Veloq, shares how the Rohlik Group delivers profitable online grocery at scale with $2 billion in revenue and 30% annual growth across five European markets. Discover why their “customer backwards” approach to automation and technology succeeds where traditional warehouse solutions fail.
Amazon tests one-hour Rush pickup while Instacart’s AI pricing draws fire and November grocery sales shatter records at $12.3 billion. Chris and Anne close out 2025 with bold predictions on agentic commerce, Target’s SoHo experiment, and what AWS’s David Dorf sees coming in 2026.
David Dorf from AWS cuts through the AI noise to reveal what’s actually worth your attention in 2026. From domain-specific models replacing frontier fantasies to shopping agents starting with your grocery delivery. If you’re tired of hype and want to know where retail AI is really heading, this conversation delivers the clarity you need.
Which RFID solution is right for your retail stores: handheld scanners or overhead readers? GreyOrange’s Madalynn Lauria and Pareiya Gupta debate the pros, cons, and ROI of each approach in this must-watch retail technology showdown that reveals why the future might be hybrid.
Chris, Anne, and Chad Lusk hand out the 2025 Omni Awards, recognizing retail’s biggest winners from Doug McMillon’s transformative Walmart tenure to Aldi’s aggressive expansion, while calling out overhyped agentic AI and predicting 2026’s seismic shifts. From laughable Starbucks strategies to Gap’s cultural comeback, it’s a comprehensive year-end review of what really mattered in retail.
Troy Siwek of GreyOrange explains how digital twins and AI are transforming store operations from reactive to responsive, using unified platforms that connect RFID, computer vision, and real-time inventory data. Drawing from 40,000+ deployments, this episode explores how retailers can cut through technology hype, accelerate decision-making processes, and build digitization strategies that actually help store associates perform better.
What happens when you connect trillions of physical items to AI-powered intelligence using battery-free sensors? Wiliot’s Doron Hazan reveals how physical AI is creating self-aware retail operations that improve everything from freshness to fulfillment—without customers ever noticing the technology.
Walmart discovered millions of businesses were already shopping their stores—so they built an entire B2B platform to serve them better. Ashley Hubka, SVP of Walmart Business, reveals the business-specific tools and omnichannel capabilities that are transforming how organizations purchase everything from coffee cups to marketing materials.
Black Friday shattered records with $11.8 billion in online sales, but are AI shopping agents really changing consumer behavior or just amplifying search? Chris and Anne question the hype around ChatGPT’s shopping research, debate Walmart’s smart ad play in Sparky, push back on smart glasses predictions for 2026, and analyze Amazon’s defensive 30-minute delivery test… plus Lightning Round hot takes on advent calendars and Mariah Carey’s $60 million holiday anthem.
Target stumbles while competitors surge, Kroger abandons automation with a $2.6 billion write-off, and Gap’s viral marketing pays off with 7% sales growth. Chris and Anne debate whether Target’s ChatGPT shopping launch is innovation or desperation, plus Bath & Body Works heads to Amazon to fight gray market sales.
Most computer vision systems show you problems—SymphonyAI tells you exactly which ones to fix first. Discover how retailers are achieving 25% productivity gains and 5-7% better shelf availability using cameras they already own.
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. Know More →
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