Omni Talk Retail

1d ago

In this 5 Insightful Minutes episode, David Dorf, Head of Retail Industry Solutions at AWS, joins Omni Talk to cut through the AI hype and reveal what's actually coming for retail in 2026. From LLM limitations to agentic commerce reality checks, David breaks down why domain-specific models are replacing frontier model fantasies, how answer engines will reshape search, and why shopping agents will start with your grocery delivery. If you've ever wondered what AI predictions are worth believing, this episode delivers the clarity you need. 🔑 Topics covered: Why LLMs hit a plateau and what comes next Domain-specific models and AWS Nova Forge The real state of agentic commerce Answer engines vs. search: advertising, trust, and optimization Shopping agents with Instacart and DoorDash leading the charge Internal retail AI agents transforming merchandising and supply chain Agentic payments with Visa's B2B breakthrough 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! #retailai #AWS #generativeai #retailtech #omnitalk #agenticcommerce #answerengines #retailinnovation #DavidDorf #retailpodcast #LLM #shoppingagents #retailoperations Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content* This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

2d ago

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group , Mirakl , Ocampo Capital , Infios , and Quorso , Chris and Anne discussed: Amazon’s planned “rush” pickup service for one-hour order collection ( Source ) Instacart’s AI-enabled pricing experiments that may be inflating grocery bills ( Source ) November’s record-breaking $12.3 billion in online grocery sales ( Source ) Target’s new SoHo store concept featuring curated beauty and apparel ( Source ) Ashley’s partnership with Perplexity and PayPal for agentic commerce ( Source ) And special guest David Dorf of AWS, one of our favorite recurring guests, dropped by to share his insightful predictions on AI for 2026. There’s all that, plus Ryan Reynolds at NRF, the world’s largest golden retriever gathering, and whether Chris would smuggle Calvin Klein underwear from a store tour. Music by hooksounds.com #RetailNews #AmazonRush #InstacartPricing #OnlineGrocery #AgenticCommerce #RetailPodcast #OmniTalk #TargetSoHo #AshleyFurniture #PerplexityAI #RetailInnovation This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

4d ago

Specialty retailers keep asking us: handheld scanners or overhead readers? So we settled it the only way we know how: with a knockdown, dragout debate between two RFID experts. In this Retail Technology Spotlight, Anne Mezzenga moderates as Madalynn Lauria (Team Handheld) and Pareiya Gupta (Team Overhead) from GreyOrange make their cases for the best RFID solution. From proving ROI on a tight budget to cutting inventory counts from hours to minutes, this conversation tackles the real questions retailers are wrestling with as they decide how to track inventory in 2026. The verdict? It's not as simple as picking a side. Whether you're testing RFID for the first time or scaling across hundreds of stores, the right answer depends on your velocity, your budget, and what you're actually trying to solve. But one thing's clear: manual counts and mystery stockrooms aren't going to cut it anymore. Key Topics covered: • How to test RFID with minimal budget and staff • Cutting inventory counts from hours to under 20 minutes • Why some retailers are going hybrid (overhead + handheld) • Real-time shrink visibility and where product actually disappears • Tracking TikTok trends and moving inventory between stores in hours • The smart fitting room problem nobody talks about Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content* #RFID #retailtech #inventorymanagement #omnitalk #retailinnovation #smartretail #retailpodcast #omnichannelretail #retailoperations #supplychain This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

6d ago

Chris, Anne, and Chad Lusk from A&M Consumer and Retail Group close with bold 2026 predictions sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chad predicts OpenAI will launch its own payment platform for agent commerce, Chris forecasts Starbucks will abandon seating for mobile-focused ghost cafes, while Anne expects agent-influenced shopping to triple during 2026 holiday season. Which prediction will prove most accurate? For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/ApiGWRByxIY #retail2026 #retailpredictions #openai #agentcommerce #starbucksstrategy #retailfuture #AIshopping This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

6d ago

Chris, Anne, and Chad Lusk from A&M Consumer and Retail Group call out 2025's most ridiculous retail headlines in this segment sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Anne demolishes Starbucks' claim that mobile pickup stores lack "warmth and connection," Chad laughs at Liquid Death's viral pit diaper incident, while Chris questions Target's small town expansion as desperate PR. Which headline showed the worst strategic thinking? For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/ApiGWRByxIY #starbucksfails #liquiddeath #targetstrategy #laughableheadlines #retailfails #retailstrategy #mobilepickup This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

6d ago

Chris, Anne, and Chad Lusk from A&M Consumer and Retail Group debate 2025's smartest retail partnerships in this segment sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chad highlights Walmart's Rebag luxury resale partnership as perfectly timed for cross-income shopping trends, Chris praises Walmart and Avery Dennison's perishables tracking as the "holy grail" for grocery margins, while Anne champions IKEA's Best Buy kitchen installations as brilliant real estate utilization. Which partnership model works best for expansion? For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/ApiGWRByxIY #retailpartnerships #walmartrebag #ikeabestbuy #luxuryresale #inventorytracking #retailcollaboration #marketplacestrategy This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

6d ago

Chris, Anne, and Chad Lusk from A&M Consumer and Retail Group recognize 2025's best retail turnarounds in this segment sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Both Anne and Chris praise Macy's focus on core stores, private brand investment, and Tony Spring's shoe department service improvements, while Chad celebrates Gap's viral marketing comeback with KATSEYE bringing cultural relevance. Can advertising alone save a struggling brand, or does execution matter more? For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/ApiGWRByxIY #macysturnaround #gapmarketing #tonyspring #strugglingretailers #brandrevival #retailstrategy #KATSEYE This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

6d ago

Chris, Anne, and Chad Lusk from A&M Consumer and Retail Group pitch their retail movie ideas in this segment sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chris envisions "Shein: Sac le blue!!!" featuring Paris protests, Chad creates a Black Mirror-style thriller about Neo's terrifying robot servant with human controllers, while Anne wants true crime investigations of mysterious CEO departures at Kohl's and Kroger. Which retail headline belongs on the big screen? For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/ApiGWRByxIY #retailmovie #shein #neorobot #kohlsCEO #krogerCEO #retaildrama #retailheadlines This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy