Retail's Reality Check

IHL Group

The Retail Reality Check is a podcast from IHL Group that looks at the news for technology installs as well as other interesting research affecting retail, hospitality and consumer goods industries.

  1. 3D AGO

    Retail's Vision Revolution

    Retail's Vision Revolution: Are You Next or Left Behind? Episode Duration: ~8 minutes Vision AI and computer vision have moved from pilot programs to massive full-scale production deployments across food service, grocery, pharmacy, and beyond. In this episode, we break down three real-world deployments that prove the shift is here, share IHL research showing profit leaders are 43x more likely to already be deploying computer vision, and run through a lightning round of the biggest retail tech moves happening right now across supply chain, loyalty, media, and operations. 00:49 — Webinar Invitation: How Top Retailers Are Winning on Shrink (May 19, 11 AM ET), where we cover why leading retailers treat loss prevention technology as an EBITDA lever01:00 — Why Vision AI is no longer optional: the simultaneous deployment wave across food service, grocery, and pharmacy signals a fundamental structural shift02:00 — Section 1: AI in Production, Scaling Up — Three Real-World Examples02:05 — Culver's + Berry AI: Deploying camera vision across 1,000+ locations nationwide for real-time drive-thru visibility, service execution tracking, and throughput optimization, all within a privacy-first framework02:50 — Ahold Delhaize (Albert brand): Brain Corp AI shelf-scanning robots deployed across 350 stores in Czech Republic, roaming aisles during live operations to find empty shelves, check price tags, and flag restocking needs03:30 — Shelf-scanning accuracy results: consistently hitting high-90s% against a 90% baseline target, drastically cutting manual errors and catching outdated tags03:50 — CVS Health: Highly automated warehouse in New Jersey using AutoStore and Tomkins Robotics, replacing traditional manual picking with orchestrated robotic systems04:10 — CVS processing 2 million items weekly for Northeast and Mid-Atlantic stores, with plans to double to 4 million by year-end04:30 — IHL Data: 63% of retailers cite lost sales from out-of-stocks as their biggest cost impact, making automated warehousing a margin protection imperative04:40 — IHL Research: Computer vision users averaged 27% higher profit growth in 2023, with the gap expected to widen to 51% in 202405:00 — The headline number: Profit leaders are 43x more likely to already deploy computer vision technologies. The early mover window is closing fast.05:20 — Section 2: Lightning Round News Ticker — Major moves across the industry05:25 — Supply Chain & Delivery: Amazon turning its supply chain into a third-party logistics platform; DoorDash expanding grocery access with Snap/EBT payments across 2,700 Kroger locations; Goody Goody Liquor testing robotic QR code-driven fulfillment in Dallas05:50 — Loyalty & Pricing: Academy Sports scaling AI pricing tools across 300+ stores for local markdown optimization; Bed Bath & Beyond unifying rewards with Bilt across its home portfolio; Dick's Sporting Goods relaunching credit card with 10% back in rewards06:00 — Media & Engagement: Dollar General + Kable unifying on-site and off-site ad inventory for full-funnel approach; Disney/Hulu launching immersive gesture-controlled digital storefronts; Kohl's rolling out conversational AI gift finder on Google Cloud06:25 — Operations & Security: Asda piloting vending machines for high-theft items; Boot Barn deploying Aptos One mobile POS across 500+ stores for omnichannel agility; Little Caesars automating conversational phone orders with AI07:00 — Section 3: Your Next Steps — The Core Reality Check07:15 — Visit ihlservices.com for the full narrative, 40+ case studies, and detailed strategies07:30 — Closing Thought: Full Report & Case Studies: Visit ihlservices.com for the complete narrative, 40+ real-world case studies, data, and strategiesUpcoming Webinar: How Top Retailers are Winning on Shrink, May 19 at 11 AM ET. Register at ihlservices.comSubscribe: Don't miss the next Retail Reality Check. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

    8 min

  2. MAY 1

    AI Meets the Physical Store

    The physical store is having a moment, and it has nothing to do with the experiential retail concepts consultants have been pitching for a decade. According to IHL Group's Greg Busick, what is happening in retail right now is a genuine operational transformation driven by artificial intelligence. (c:100) Physical store footprints are being rebuilt around AI, and the retailers moving fastest are creating competitive advantages that compound every quarter. The data behind this shift is striking. Retail leaders have increased store IT spend by 52% over a five-year timeline, compared to just 9% growth among laggards. (c:100) AI now accounts for 15% of total retail IT spend and that figure is growing at 27% annually. (c:100) This episode walks through exactly where that investment is going, who is executing, and what the widening execution gap means for retailers still on the sidelines. This episode covers four categories of AI-driven store transformation: the execution gap in physical retail investment, AI tools going directly into the hands of store associates, automation that bypasses traditional labor constraints, and a rapid-fire round of industry deployments across retail, food service, and hospitality. Whether you run stores or advise those who do, this explainer delivers a ground-level view of what AI-powered retail looks like in practice today. In This Episode, You'll Discover: Why retail leaders have outpaced laggards by 43 percentage points in store IT investment over five years and what that gap means going forward How Walmart's 650-store remodel program integrates digital touchpoints alongside wider aisles and upgraded pharmacies, and why physical and digital investment are now the same strategy How Matalan's Toshiba POS rollout was shaped by the fact that more than 70% of their shoppers choose to self-scan in-store, making checkout speed a top priority Why retailers who modernize to mobile POS software see a 49% sales growth advantage and what that means for technology investment decisions How Ace Hardware's "Hey ARMA" AI assistant, deployed across more than 2,300 stores, puts real-time product knowledge directly in associates' hands at the moment of customer interaction How Home Depot replaced phone tree menus with Google Cloud Gemini voice AI, resolving customer calls four times faster while freeing up associates for in-store service How White Castle's 1,000 Crave & Go automated kiosks extend the brand into hospitals and college campuses with no per-location labor costs How Kroger's 2D barcode rollout across 1,230 stores accelerates checkout and enables automated expiration date tracking simultaneously 1:00 — IHL's Greg Buzek on the physical store's operational transformation moment 1:15 — Section 1: The Execution Gap — retail leader vs. laggard IT spend data 2:00 — Walmart's 650-store remodel: wider aisles, pharmacies, and digital touchpoints 2:30 — Matalan's Toshiba POS rollout and the self-scan majority finding 3:00 — The 49% sales growth advantage tied to modernized POS and mobile POS software 3:15 — Section 2: Tech in the Aisles — AI at the point of customer interaction 3:20 — Ace Hardware's "Hey ARMA" AI assistant across 2,300+ stores 3:50 — The 59% sales growth premium tied to associate-facing technology 4:00 — Home Depot's Google Cloud Gemini voice AI: 4x faster call resolution 4:30 — Section 3: Automation Everywhere 4:35 — White Castle's 1,000 Crave & Go automated kiosks 5:00 — Kroger's 2D barcode rollout across 1,230 stores 5:30 — Section 4: Industry Lightning Round 5:30 — Circle K EV charging, Little Caesars drone delivery, Superdrug digital shelf labels 5:45 — DoorDash/Empire, LL Bean, Batteries Plus, Papa John's AI ordering agent 6:00 — Hyatt, Instacart, Uber Eats, Sam's Club, Hershey, Chow Tai Fook 6:30 — Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Etsy, and Gap in Google Gemini 7:00 — Closing thought: Is your tech stack closing the execution gap or widening it? 7:30 — CTA: Full narrativ

    8 min

  3. APR 30

    AI Powered Supply Chains

    Retail supply chains have spent decades playing defense. Reacting to stockouts, scrambling through peak seasons, patching problems after the fact. AI is ending that era. In this episode of Retail Reality Check, IHL Group breaks down how the shift from reactive to predictive supply chain management is generating real, measurable results for retailers across grocery, beauty, furniture, foodservice, and global e-commerce. From Albertsons reporting a 10% increase in basket size using Google Cloud's Conversational Commerce AI, to Biyoute Trading maintaining 98% on-shelf availability through Chinese New Year using RELEX Solutions , the proof points are stacking up fast. This episode covers four segments: the predictive supply chain revolution, AI in customer experience, smarter store operations, and the state of unified omnichannel commerce. The episode also previews IHL Group's upcoming webinar, "The CFO's Guide to Visual Intelligence," scheduled for May 19th at 11:00 AM Eastern , on treating loss prevention technology as an EBITDA driver rather than a security cost. How Albertsons achieved a 10% increase in basket size using AI-powered search built on Google Cloud's Conversational Commerce agent and OpenAI How Biyoute Trading hit 98% on-shelf availability during Chinese New Year using RELEX Solutions Why RELEX Solutions is becoming a universal platform across grocers, beauty retailers, beverage distributors, and furniture chains How Macy's built and launched the "Ask Macy's" AI shopping concierge in just four weeks using Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience How Ann Summers cut staff safety incidents by 42% using body-worn cameras from Reveal Media Why Sobeys is investing $51 million in electronic shelf labels across 300-350 stores, while Walmart has already deployed them in roughly 2,300 U.S. locations How Dooney & Burke's platform migration from Salesforce Commerce Cloud to Shopify illustrates the unified commerce shift happening across retail 0:00 — Introduction: The shift from reactive to predictive supply chains 0:22 — Webinar preview: "The CFO's Guide to Visual Intelligence," May 19th 0:38 — Episode roadmap: predictive revolution, customer experience, store ops, e-commerce 0:55 — The predictive revolution: Why AI is putting retailers on offense 1:12 — Albertsons: 10% basket size increase with Google Cloud AI search and OpenAI assistant 1:54 — CEO Susan Morris on the Albertsons step-change vision 2:13 — RELEX Solutions and the global supply chain movement 2:35 — Biyoute Trading: 98% on-shelf availability during Chinese New Year 2:56 — RELEX across retail segments: Douglas, Forever Cheese, GEPP/PepsiCo bottler, POCO 3:17 — Lightning Round 1: AI in customer experience 3:34 — Macy's "Ask Macy's" concierge built in four weeks with Gemini Enterprise 3:55 — Little Caesars ChatGPT ordering and Dairy Queen voice AI in the drive-thru 4:15 — Lightning Round 2: Smarter store operations 4:15 — Sobeys' $51M electronic shelf label rollout; Walmart's 2,300-store deployment 4:38 — Eagle Stop automated fuel pricing; Heron Foods wireless headsets; Ann Summers body cams 5:00 — Lightning Round 3: Omnichannel and e-commerce 5:21 — Bauhaus shipping 750,000 orders from stores using nShift 5:21 — Dooney & Burke migrating from Salesforce to Shopify 5:39 — Jenni Kayne launching DTC shipping to 18 countries 5:39 — Big picture takeaway: AI is no longer optional in retail 6:17 — Visit ihlservices.com for the full narrative and 40+ case studies IHL Group Resources: Full newsletter: ihlservices.com Webinar: "The CFO's Guide to Visual Intelligence," May 19th, 11:00 AM Eastern

    7 min

  4. APR 17

    POS Modernization Arms Race

    #POSModernization #RetailTechnology #RetailTransformation "Retailers defending legacy POS are defending a position the market has already moved past," Greg Buzek, IHL President. That's the through-line of this week's Retail Reality Check. POS modernization has shifted from IT backlog to full arms race, and this week gave us three headline examples at three different scales. Pilot signed a five-year deal with NCR Voyix to deploy the Voyix Commerce Platform across 900-plus locations serving 1.2 million customers daily . Papa Johns is tearing out a 20-year-old in-house POS and replacing it with PAR's POS and PAR OPS across 3,200 stores, with rollout running through 2027 . Huck's Market, operated by Martin & Bayley, Inc., is rolling Tote's AI-native POS platform to 135 Midwest stores after a launch in Carmi, Illinois, with full deployment expected by year-end . The 2026 IHL Retail Transformation Study backs up what the headlines show. 42% of retailers now list POS infrastructure refresh as a top priority . 80% of SMB retailers rank POS refresh as their number one tech priority . Retail leaders dedicate 52% of IT budget to innovation, while laggards manage just 24% . Leaders are 92% more likely than laggards to have already modernized POS and mPOS software to microservices architecture . The lightning round covers American Express backing AI agent purchases, David's Bridal on Shopify Agentic Storefronts inside ChatGPT and Copilot, Birch Coffee on Square's unified platform, Bubbakoo's Burritos with Bikky, Tapestry on Cordial across five regions, Campari Group's SAP Cloud ERP go-live, Tesco and Adobe on Clubcard, and Better Trading in China hitting 89% forecast accuracy and 98%+ on-shelf availability with Relex . Pilot committed to NCR Voyix for five years across 900-plus locations, future-proofing fuel and convenience checkout for 1.2 million daily customers Papa Johns chose velocity over legacy control, replacing a 20-year-old in-house POS with PAR across 3,200 stores through 2027 Huck's Market is leapfrogging incremental upgrades with an AI-native POS rollout to 135 stores 42% of retailers list POS infrastructure refresh as a top 2026 priority, per the 2026 IHL Retail Transformation Study 80% of SMB retailers rank POS refresh as their #1 technology priority Retail leaders put 52% of IT budget into innovation versus 24% for laggards Leaders are 92% more likely to have modernized POS to microservices architecture, enabling feature releases in weeks instead of year-long cycles 0:00 Welcome to Retail Reality Check and the POS arms race framing 0:22 Sponsor spotlight: North America POS/mPOS Software Share tracker, 184+ ISVs 0:44 Greg Busick's take: defending legacy POS is defending lost ground 1:02 Pilot signs NCR Voyix across 900-plus locations, 1.2 million daily customers 1:24 Papa Johns replaces 20-year-old POS with PAR across 3,200 stores 1:45 Huck's Market deploys Tote's AI-native POS to 135 stores 2:07 2026 IHL Retail Transformation Study: 42% of retailers prioritize POS refresh 2:50 Exponential advantage: 52% vs 24% innovation budget allocation 3:12 Leaders 92% more likely to have modernized to microservices 3:30 80% of SMB retailers rank POS refresh as #1 priority 3:50 Lightning round: Amex AI agent purchase protection, David's Bridal on Shopify Agentic Storefronts, Birch Coffee on Square, Bubbakoo's Burritos with Bikky, Tapestry on Cordial, Campari on SAP, Tesco with Adobe, Better Trading with Relex 5:47 Closing takeaway: the gap is now a chasm, platforms chosen today define winners for the next decade

    7 min

  5. APR 10

    The Infrastructure Arms Race in Retail

    Retail's technology divide has never been more visible. According to IHL Group's 2026 Retail Transformation Study, retailers in food, drug, convenience, and mass merchandise sectors have increased enterprise-level IT spending by 42% since the pandemic. Store-level spending has climbed 39% alongside it. The message from IHL's President Greg Buzik cuts straight to it: "If your infrastructure conversation is still centered on keeping the lights on, you are already falling behind." This episode unpacks what that gap looks like in practice, and why it compounds every quarter. In this week's Retail Reality Check, we break down the full-stack infrastructure investment wave reshaping who wins in retail, covering backend platform overhauls through front-of-store checkout speed records. You'll hear how retailers like Wingstop, Shake Shack, and Amer Sports are making bet-the-company platform plays, what microservices architecture actually means for your POS strategy, and why leaders are 141% more likely to be current on self-checkout technology. The episode closes with a rapid-fire lightning round covering seven major tech deployments announced this week, from AWG's $110 million Symbotic warehouse deal to DoorDash's drone delivery expansion in metro Atlanta. IHL Group research drives the analytical backbone of this episode. All data points on retail IT investment, innovation budget allocation, microservices adoption, and self-checkout performance gaps come directly from IHL's 2026 Retail Transformation Study. For more news, context, and over 40 case studies, visit ihlservices.com. 0:00: Introduction and episode overview: the infrastructure arms race 0:28: AI Pulse webinar replay mention and resource callout 0:49: IHL President Greg Buzik quote: keeping the lights on is no longer enough 1:08: IHL data: 42% enterprise IT spending increase and 39% store-level climb since the pandemic 1:48: All-in platform plays: Wingstop (AWS), Shake Shack (Project Catalyst), Amer Sports ($400M SAP) 2:29: Leaders spending 28% more on innovation vs. maintenance; the widening gap 2:47: Microservices architecture explained; leaders 92% more likely to have made the POS shift 3:27: Infrastructure in the real world: checkout speed and associate intelligence 3:47: Costco sub-10-second checkout; Carrefour ChatGPT grocery planning; Loop Genie AI agent 4:26: Why leaders are 141% more likely to be current on self-checkout tech 4:47: Lightning round: seven major retail tech deployments 4:50: AWG $110M Symbotic warehouse automation 5:00: Domino's AI Pizza Tracker with GPS 5:09: Taco John's Presto Voice AI in 40+ drive-throughs 5:22: Ahold Delhaize Pay by Bank with Fiserv 5:33: Hormel touchless AI forecasting (Spam, Skippy, Planters) 5:45: DoorDash Wing drone delivery in metro Atlanta 5:53: AllSaints replaces spreadsheets with AI-native merchandising platform 6:14: Central question every retailer must answer right now 6:32: Where to go deeper: ihlservices.com 6:45: Closing Research & Data: IHL Group 2026 Retail Transformation Study: cited throughout for enterprise IT spending data, innovation budget allocation, microservices adoption rates, and self-checkout performance gaps (ihlservices.com) AI Pulse Webinar Replay: recent AI deployments in retail, practical workflows and demos (ihlservices.com)

    7 min

  6. APR 2

    Modernizing Retail: The Store as a Crosschannel Revenue Engine

    Physical stores are no longer just places to ring up transactions. The smartest retailers are transforming them into data-driven revenue engines, and the results are impossible to ignore. This episode of Retail Reality Check breaks down the specific AI deployments producing measurable bottom-line gains right now. From Tecovas generating a 9.6% revenue lift with AI-managed product categories to Macy's "Ask Macy's" chatbot driving 4.75x higher spend per shopper , the evidence is clear: store modernization is no longer optional. The episode also explores how Lowe's Mylow Companion app is handling a million questions a week across 1,700 stores and delivering a 300 basis point improvement in net promoter scores. Beyond the deep dives, a rapid-fire lightning round covers autonomous stores at Circa Resort, AI-powered meal planning at Harps Food Stores, same-day fashion delivery via DoorDash, Aldi's smart cart pilots, hybrid checkout at Scotmid Co-op, RFID-powered operations at Groupe Dynamite's London flagship, and Amazon's expanding no-box return network. Why cash actually costs retailers 15.5% of sales once labor, transport, and shrinkage are factored in, compared to roughly 3% for card processing How Tecovas achieved a 9.6% revenue lift and a 2% in-stock improvement using AI-managed inventory categories The three-part AI strategy behind Tecovas' "radical hospitality" model: predictive allocation, event-driven staffing, and the Boot Runner program How Lowe's Mylow Companion app delivers project-level expertise to 250,000 associates, producing a 300 basis point NPS gain Why Macy's "Ask Macy's" chatbot users spend 4.75x more than non-users, and what drives that conversion lift The rapid expansion of autonomous retail, same-day delivery, hybrid checkout, and RFID-enabled store formats across multiple segments Why modernizing your store technology is now an existential priority rather than a back-burner project Timestamps 0:45 — The hidden cost of legacy systems and why cash costs 15.5% of sales (IHL Group research) 1:50 — Tecovas and "radical hospitality" powered by AI 2:30 — Tecovas results: 9.6% revenue lift in AI-managed categories 2:50 — Tecovas' three-part AI strategy: Invent.AI, Lookout, and Boot Runner 3:30 — Deep Dive: Lowe's Mylow Companion and the challenge of project-level expertise 4:00 — Lowe's results: 300 basis point NPS improvement, ~1 million questions per week 4:30 — Deep Dive: Macy's "Ask Macy's" chatbot powered by Google Gemini 5:00 — Macy's results: 4.75x higher shopper spend 5:45 — Lightning Round: Industry-wide innovations 6:00 — Circa Resort autonomous smart store 6:10 — Harps Food Stores AI meal planning assistant 6:20 — DoorDash same-day fashion delivery (Urban Outfitters, Steve Madden) 6:30 — Aldi e-commerce revamp and smart cart pilots 6:40 — Scotmid Co-op hybrid checkout rollout 6:50 — Groupe Dynamite's London flagship with RFID and mobile checkout 7:00 — Amazon adds 1,500+ FedEx locations for no-box returns 7:15 — Closing: Is your tech stack a cost center or a competitive advantage? 7:35 — JustAskGreg.ai ad read Companies & Technology: Tecovas — Western lifestyle retailer using Invent.AI, Lookout, and Boot Runner Lowe's — Mylow Companion AI associate tool Macy's — "Ask Macy's" chatbot powered by Google Gemini Circa Resort & Casino — VenHub autonomous smart store Harps Food Stores — SmartMeals AI shopping assistant via Breez AI / AWG DoorDash — Same-day delivery partnerships with Urban Outfitters, Steve Madden, Dolce Vita, Rally House Aldi U.S. — Instacart Storefront Pro e-commerce and Caper Cart smart carts Scotmid Co-op — 4POS hybrid checkout solution Groupe Dynamite / Garage Clothing — Manhattan Associates mobile checkout and RFID on Oxford Street Amazon — FedEx Office no-box return expansion Connect with IHL Group: Website: ⁠https://www.ihlservices.com⁠ JustAskGreg.ai: ⁠https://justaskgreg.ai⁠ LinkedIn: IHL Group Newsletter: Retail Reality Check at ihlservices.com/newsletter

    9 min

  7. MAR 26

    The Dawn of Agentic Retail and Autonomous Commerce

    Retail Reality Check | IHL Group AI in retail has moved past the hype. In this episode of Retail Reality Check, IHL Group breaks down the most compelling proof yet that artificial intelligence is hardening into real strategy across the entire retail spectrum. From Oracle Retail's CrossTalk summit and the data foundation principles that make AI possible, to AI-powered shoe fitting, return fraud prevention, autonomous delivery bots, and in-store robotics, this episode covers more than a dozen live deployments across major retailers and brands. If you want to know where retail technology is actually going and who is already there, this is your briefing. [00:00:00] Welcome to the Retail Reality Check — AI is finally moving beyond buzz [00:00:38] Is AI still hype or is it reshaping how we shop? [00:01:00] Oracle Retail CrossTalk: Breaking down walls between retail, restaurants, and hospitality [00:01:38] "Bad data is why we can't have nice things" — Kroger's Elizabeth Pharo on the data foundation [00:01:57] Oracle's three-layer AI strategy: Predictive, Generative, and Agentic AI [00:02:16] Real results: Vans' $35M revenue boost and Mr. Price Group's processing breakthrough [00:03:01] Aetrex Fit AI: 3D foot scanning delivers 2 million shoe recommendations across 500+ stores [00:03:41] Everlane uses AI to catch return fraud and saves $30,000 a month [00:04:21] Gap x Google: Shop directly inside Gemini AI — a first for e-commerce [00:04:39] Lightning Round — Delivery & Fulfillment: DoorDash robots, FedEx hyperlocal, Footlocker on-demand [00:05:03] Decathlon deploys robot armies in seven European warehouses to double order output [00:05:23] In-Store Innovation: Autonomous store in Vegas, Puma's AI concierge, and smart shelf labels [00:06:03] Final Lightning Round: Costco personalized media, Friar Tux virtual try-on, Peet's Barista AI [00:07:00] Wrap-Up: AI is automating checkouts, personalizing fit, fighting fraud, and coaching employees For the full narrative with 40+ case studies, visit www.ihlservices.com Access proprietary retail research and forecasts at JustAskGreg.ai

    9 min

  8. MAR 20

    AI in Action: From Personalization to Operations

    IHL Retail AI Pulse Webinar, March 26, 2026 (⁠https://www.ihlservices.com/ihl-retail-ai-pulse-webinar/⁠) The pilot era is over. Retailers who are truly winning in 2026 are not testing AI — they are running it as core operational infrastructure, every day, at scale. In this episode of Retail Reality Check, we cut through the hype and look at exactly what that means in practice: a million monthly AI inquiries at Lowe's, a 22% basket lift at Associated Wholesale Grocers, $470 million in a single quarter driven by Costco's AI recommendation carousels, and Amazon using predictive AI to place inventory before you even know you need it. IHL Group research backs every claim: retailers actively using AI in order fulfillment are seeing 7x higher sales growth than those lagging behind. This episode walks through five major case studies — Lowe's Mylow, AWG SmartMeals, Amazon Same-Day AI, Boggi Milano RFID, and Costco's e-commerce personalization — and then covers a lightning round of the week's biggest retail tech moves. Whether you are a retail executive benchmarking your AI maturity or a technology vendor looking to understand where deployment is actually happening, this episode gives you the real picture. The show is produced in partnership with IHL Group, the research and advisory firm whose data underpins the analysis. If this episode resonates, IHL's Retail AI Pulse Webinar on March 26th goes even deeper into real-world deployments and repeatable AI workflows for corporate retail teams. Why the 7x sales growth gap between AI-operating retailers and AI-lagging retailers is widening — not narrowing How Lowe's Mylow handles 1 million monthly inquiries by tailoring responses to DIY customers vs. professional contractors Why AWG's SmartMeals AI platform delivered a 22% basket size lift and 72% loyalty signup increase across member stores How Amazon's predictive AI inventory placement is what actually makes 1-hour delivery operationally viable Why Boggi Milano's jump from 90% to 99% inventory accuracy using Zebra RFID is a tipping point for their AI restocking system How Costco's AI-powered recommendation carousels drove over $470 million in online sales in a single quarter The key question every retailer needs to answer: are you truly operating with AI, or are you still just piloting? 0:00 — Introduction: The pilot era is over — AI is now a daily operating requirement 0:22 — IHL's Retail AI Pulse Webinar preview (March 26) 0:47 — Greg Buzek quote: "AI is becoming a basic requirement just to compete" 1:00 — IHL data: retailers using AI in fulfillment see 7x higher sales growth 1:28 — Case Study 1: Lowe's Mylow — 1 million monthly inquiries, tailored to DIY vs. Pro 2:00 — Case Study 2: AWG SmartMeals — 22% basket lift, 72% loyalty signup increase 2:29 — Case Study 3: Amazon — predictive AI inventory placement powers 1-hour delivery 3:00 — Case Study 4: Boggi Milano + Zebra RFID — 90% to 99% inventory accuracy 3:47 — Case Study 5: Costco — $470M in one quarter from AI recommendation carousels 4:14 — Lightning Round: Aldi, Papa Johns, Grubhub, Levi's, Dine Brands, Co-op 5:00 — Lightning Round continued: Instacart + Nvidia, Hilton, Perry Ellis, Nestlé, Dollar General 5:42 — Closing theme: Operating with AI vs. still just piloting 6:00 — CTA: Visit ihlservices.com for 40+ case studies Resources Mentioned in This Episode Research & Data: IHL Group Retail AI Research — 7x sales growth finding for AI-enabled fulfillment retailers (ihlservices.com)

    8 min
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About

The Retail Reality Check is a podcast from IHL Group that looks at the news for technology installs as well as other interesting research affecting retail, hospitality and consumer goods industries.

Information

  • Creator
    IHL Group
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © IHL Group
  • Show Website
    Retail's Reality Check