RETHINK RETAIL

RETHINK Retail

RETHINK Retail - the evolution of retail in today’s connected world. Join us as we explore the most recent trends and innovations in commerce.

  1. Media in Retail: Why Community Matters

    2 hr ago

    Media in Retail: Why Community Matters

    Welcome to Media in Retail Today, RETHINK Retail officially launched Media in Retail (MiR), a new community built for the people shaping the future of retail media To mark the launch, Community Chair Drew Cashmore joins Jeremy Goldman to discuss why the industry needs a dedicated space for connection, collaboration, and candid conversation. Why MiR Exists - Retail media has grown quickly, but there are still too few opportunities for authentic, honest conversations between the people building the industry. - MiR brings together brands, retailers, agencies, and technology partners in a year-round community built around shared learning, fresh perspectives, and real-world experience. - A Community, Not an Event - MiR doesn't begin and end with an event. It's a year-round community designed to connect, learn, and grow alongside peers across the industry. - The community is also meant to create pathways for emerging and aspiring retail media leaders, while opening the door to mentorship and shared learning across experience levels. Why It Matters Now - Retail media is becoming a core part of how retailers operate, engage customers, and drive growth. - “Retail media started in its infancy as a profit center for retailers to offset some of their operating costs. And it is quickly moved into the total flywheel that generates value for retailers.” - As the industry evolves, the decisions shaping its future shouldn't happen in isolation. Progress depends on greater collaboration, stronger relationships, and a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing every part of the market. What Success Looks Like MiR is built to: - Helping buyers and sellers better understand each other's priorities - Creating opportunities for more productive conversations across the industry - Supporting the next generation of retail media leaders - Building stronger connections between the people shaping the future of the space Listen to the launch episode to hear why MiR was created, what it hopes to achieve, and how you can be part of the conversation.

    20 min
  2. How Retail Innovation Is Shaping Grocery Operations in 2026

    3 days ago

    How Retail Innovation Is Shaping Grocery Operations in 2026

    On this special crossover episode between RETHINK Retail and Retail Razor, guest host Ricardo Belmar — founder of the Retail Razor podcast network — sits down with Aidan Mittra, Co-founder of OrderGrid, to explore how retail innovation is reshaping grocery operations, tackling margin constraints, and leveraging data to unlock the massive opportunities presented by AI and retail media networks. Key Takeaways - Acute operational and resource pressures remain: Margin constraints, high staff turnover, and shifting customer expectations create an incredibly complex environment where grocers must operate leaner than ever. - Clean data is required for emerging tech: Advanced solutions like AI-based pre-trip meal planning rely entirely on real-time, accurate inventory and product data foundations. - Isolated point systems must be connected: Novel solutions like robots, sensors, and electronic shelf labels generate useful data, but they lack the operational connectivity needed to orchestrate real-time daily tasks for overwhelmed store associates. - Stores are evolving into omnichannel hubs: Physical stores remain essential but are shifting to blend digital channels with experiential upgrades, such as utilizing smart carts, apps, and backroom fulfillment. - In-store retail media opens incremental high-value revenue: Grocers possess an invaluable goldmine of first-party customer data that can be activated inside the store to build a meaningful new income stream with real bottom-line impact. - Three factors separate future market leaders: Success hinges on structuring organizations around the customer rather than separate physical/e-commerce P&Ls, establishing strong data foundations today, and fiercely owning the customer relationship through loyalty. This episode digs deep into how a clean data foundation and operational connectivity position grocery operators to lead an increasingly complex and fast-moving retail landscape.

    22 min
  3. AI in Retail: Operational Enabler, Not a Strategy

    12 Jun

    AI in Retail: Operational Enabler, Not a Strategy

    While agentic AI is reshaping operations, retail still runs on its core fundamentals: great products, strong brand identity, exceptional service, and operational excellence. In this week's episode of Retail Therapy, Top Retail Experts Ricardo Belmar, Brandon Rael, and Marie Driscoll break down why AI matters most as an operational enabler, not a creator of customer demand. “Keep the focus on the customer, keep the focus on the fundamentals, keep the focus on the product, the sourcing, the merchandising experience.” Ultimately, most retailers do not sell technology. They sell products and experiences. True brand heat and customer loyalty stem from sharp merchandising and powerful storytelling, not automated tools alone. Inside the Episode: - Why any technology implementation must start with strict business discipline rather than a tech-first rush - Why the most profitable automation happens in backend operations rather than through flashy, customer-facing tools - How to realistically evaluate what automated tools can and cannot do for the physical store and associate experience - Why the true financial impact of AI is incredibly difficult to isolate and measure using narrow, short-term attribution metrics The bottom line: AI can improve retail, but it can’t replace the fundamentals. Listen above to learn why the winning brands use AI to support what already matters, rather than pretending the technology itself is the strategy.

    31 min

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RETHINK Retail - the evolution of retail in today’s connected world. Join us as we explore the most recent trends and innovations in commerce.

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