Serious and Sometimes Comic Musings on the Future of Retail
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Infios’ Eugene Amigud explains how to cut through the noise around AI in supply chain operations, emphasizing purpose-built, modular tech that delivers fast results. He also reveals why the next big breakthrough will be agentic AI that drives real-time, autonomous execution.
Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga deliver this week’s Fast Five live from Shoptalk Europe! In this episode, they explore Walmart’s new AI-backed Medicare Advantage badge, E.l.f.’s acquisition of Hailey Bieber’s Rhode beauty brand, and how David’s Bridal is going luxe. Plus, Aldi invests in teen career tools, Victoria’s Secret faces a major website crash, and Infios explains how “agentic AI” could reshape retail supply chains.
Join Omni Talk co-hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga in this Ask an Expert episode as they sit down with retail tech pioneer Dave Steck, former VP of IT at Schnucks, to unpack the power of invisible watermarks from Digimarc. From reducing shrink at the self-checkout to combatting gift card fraud and unlocking future AI-driven efficiency, this episode dives deep into the real-world impact of digital watermarking. Perfect for anyone interested in retail technology, loss prevention, or store innovation.
Former Target executives deliver brutal honesty about Target CEO Brian Cornell’s latest desperate move while revealing why Sam’s Club’s $9 pizza delivery could destroy the competition. Plus, exclusive insider analysis on Google’s AI shopping revolution and Nike’s shocking return to Amazon.
🧠 New insights from the A&M Consumer and Retail Group reveal critical shifts in consumer behavior, including increased private label purchases, declining brand loyalty, and the surprising role of subscription and loyalty programs.
Join Omni Talk’s Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga as they unpack what the latest retail sentiment survey tells us about discretionary spending, price sensitivity, and why retailers must rethink their strategies for 2025.
E Ink’s Bryan Chan joins Omni Talk to explain the evolution and adoption of electronic shelf labels and their transformative role in modern retail. From Europe’s early sustainability focus to Walmart’s recent large-scale rollout, Bryan shares how ESLs are reshaping pricing, operations, and even retail media strategies.
Radar CEO Spencer Hewett discusses the phased rollout of his RFID platform at Old Navy and American Eagle, and shares why he believes handheld scanners are becoming obsolete. With 13 billion daily tag reads, is Radar paving the way for a future of real-time inventory visibility and autonomous checkout?
In the May 21, 2025 edition of Omni Talk’s Retail Fast Five — presented in partnership with A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Miracle, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Clear Demand — Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga are joined by A&M’s Michael Prendergast and Chris Disa to unpack Walmart’s price hike announcement, Target’s Circle 360 expansion, and Dick’s bold acquisition of Foot Locker.
Omni Talk’s Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga host a special Ask An Expert session with SPS Commerce to explore how tariffs are impacting the retail supply chain. With actionable advice on transparency, pricing strategy, and auditing supply chain data, the conversation arms both suppliers and retailers with tools to adapt in a volatile trade environment.
Chris and Anne tackle the week’s biggest stories in omnichannel retail, from Instacart CEO Fidji Simo’s surprise departure to Amazon’s sci-fi-named Vulcan robot hitting warehouses. They also explore evolving store tech, retail media experiments, and how pop culture is turning commerce into content. Plus Justin Swagler of AWS also stops by for 5 Insightful Minutes on physical retail store tech!
Justin Swagler of AWS makes the case that physical retail is not only alive but entering a technological renaissance driven by edge computing and AI. He outlines how agentic stores—powered by connected data, computer vision, and automated workflows—will reshape customer experiences and operational efficiency for the next generation of retailers.
Rajat Nigam, CPO at ClearDemand, joins Omni Talk to explain how competitive intelligence has evolved from simple web scraping to a complex, essential retail discipline. He outlines the engineering challenges and strategic benefits of clean, complete, and normalized data for pricing, assortment, and promotion success.
This week, Omni Talk covers how retailers like Saks, Walmart, and Morrisons are betting big on tech—from Amazon storefronts and AI robots to futuristic store concepts. Plus, we chat with Omar Akilah of Infios on AI’s impact on supply chains and crown our OmniStar of the month in a fun, fast-paced episode with guest host Ben Miller of Shoptalk.
Infios SVP Omar Akilah outlines how modular, AI-driven order management systems can help retailers make faster, smarter fulfillment decisions. He explains how predictive tools and AI agents are streamlining inventory visibility, order routing, and customer support for modern omnichannel success.
In this episode of the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five – recorded April 30, 2025 – hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga welcome Alvarez & Marsal’s Jeff Dwyer and Luis De Lencquesaing to weigh in on this week’s biggest retail headlines. From geopolitical tariff confusion to tech-forward grocery innovations, this episode spans it all — with a little help from Beyoncé and Red Vines along the way.
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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