RETHINK RETAIL

RETHINK Retail
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

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. How Retail Innovation Is Shaping Grocery Operations in 2026

    2d 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
  2. How to Win with RFID: Master the Intelligent Store

    4d ago

    How to Win with RFID: Master the Intelligent Store

    The Intelligent Store: Revolutionizing Fashion with RFID Real-time item visibility is the ultimate cornerstone of modern customer service. Drew Ehlers from Zebra and Matt Redwood of Diebold Nixdorf sit down with Top Retail Expert Marshall Kay to unpack the massive scale of RFID adoption. Inside the Episode: - Eliminating Audits: Moving to 99 percent stock accuracy to end painful annual manual counts. - Empowering Staff: Changing associates from task drivers into active customer experience providers. - Securing Returns: Using unique serial numbers to stop cross-store return fraud on high-rate items. - Fixed Infrastructure: The industry shift from handheld section scanning to always-on overhead systems. Stop counting inventory manually. Start running an intelligent network. Listen the Full Episode.

    20 min
  3. The Retail Shift: From AI to Lived Experience

    Jun 18

    The Retail Shift: From AI to Lived Experience

    In an era of AI-driven information overload, consumers are moving away from pure search queries and toward trusted, human-centered proof. “People want answers that are grounded in human experience.” David Trencher, Managing Director of Reddit (UK & EMEA), sat down with Lavina Suthenthiran to break down how consumer trust is actively shifting away from polished brand messaging and moving toward peer-to-peer validation. According to Trencher, AI and search may be the start of the journey, but they do not guarantee action. In fact, 60% of US users search for products with AI, and half of them go directly to Reddit to verify results. Inside the episode: - Why traditional retail funnels are failing: Learn how purchase intent now forms in community spaces long before a consumer hits a brand site - How brands must redefine marketing success: Discover why you need to look beyond last-click attribution to find where decisions are actually made - Why community participation must replace community control: Find out how to navigate digital spaces that actively reject polished corporate messaging Metrics, creative, and insights still matter, but the real question is: Are you part of the journey before the last click? Listen to the full episode above to find out.

    13 min
  4. Preserving Human Ownership: The Key to Measurable AI Success in Retail

    Jun 15

    Preserving Human Ownership: The Key to Measurable AI Success in Retail

    As retailers scale AI across their operations, a clear picture is emerging of exactly where automation elevates the business and consumer experience, and where it creates friction. For Eyebuydirect, success came by optimizing technology to enhance human ownership and streamline pain points throughout the buyer's journey. In this episode, Eyebuydirect CEO and President Sunny Jiang sits down with Jeremy Goldman to break down how her team approaches AI as an employee-enablement engine. They discuss everything from deploying the technology across customer service and engineering to developing an AI-powered prescription scanner that solves a massive user friction point, driving higher conversion and deeper customer engagement. Inside the Episode: - Why AI should support people rather than replace accountability, ensuring teams continue to steer the business - Why curiosity, experimentation, and adaptability matter far more than surface-level enthusiasm when driving tech adoption - How Eyebuydirect's prescription scanner successfully solved a clear customer problem while tangibly improving engagement and conversion Listen above to discover practical strategies on how to successfully embed AI into your workflows.

    21 min
  5. AI in Retail: Operational Enabler, Not a Strategy

    Jun 12

    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
  6. AI Is Changing How We Shop. Are Retailers Ready?

    Jun 10

    AI Is Changing How We Shop. Are Retailers Ready?

    “Ultimately, it's the people that determine the success or the failure of technology, not the technology itself.” The latest report by Arktic Fox and Six Degrees dives deep into why brands and retailers will only win in retail media, personalization, and AI if they pair rising investment with stronger data foundations and better product content. Teresa Sperti, Director at Arktic Fox, sits down with Jeremy Goldman to discuss how achieving these results ultimately requires credible measurement alongside teams capable of turning technology into execution. Inside the episode: - Why brands are shifting away from marketing to humans and moving towards optimizing for AI-driven discovery and decision-making - How brands can shift their tech approach toward loyalty and personalization - Why retailers need to invest in eCommerce and stronger digital shelf capability to defend share and improve performance - Why brands must better prepare their talent, as companies are currently buying technology faster than they are building the organizational skills to run it Don't let your technology investments outpace your team's capabilities. Listen to the full podcast episode above to bridge the execution gap.

    27 min
  7. Beekman 1802: Beating Content Slop with Creative AI

    Jun 8

    Beekman 1802: Beating Content Slop with Creative AI

    In an already competitive market, Beekman 1802 is maintaining steady growth through human connection and is using AI to do it. David Baker, Chief Revenue Officer at Beekman 1802, sits down with Jeremy Goldman to discuss how his team is cutting through industry traffic and content using human creativity and emotional brand building. "AI is not coming for our jobs. People who know how to use AI will come for the people who don't know how to use AI.” Inside the Episode: - Ruthless Inventory: Why you need to avoid the micro-trend trap, and double down on what your customers are loyal to. - Operational Simplification: How reducing SKU count freed up working capital, eased vendor management, and improved store planning, without sacrificing brand identity - Getting Creative with AI: How to position your tech into a ‘red-teaming’ approach to aggressively stress-test ideas, name options, and look for vulnerabilities before any capital is deployed - Keeping AI Out of Creative: How to establish market differentiation amid the influx of AI-generated content - Stop letting tech run your creative. Start using it to clear out the daily clutter so your team has the breathing room to stand out. Catch the full conversation and more inside the episode.

    16 min
  8. Build for Omnichannel Success: Partnerships, AI, & Clean Data

    Jun 5

    Build for Omnichannel Success: Partnerships, AI, & Clean Data

    As the path to purchase continues to splinter over multiplying channels, brands need to be everywhere their customers are. Suzy Davidkhanian, Vice President of Retail Insights at eMarketer, sits down with Jeremy Goldman to discuss why long-term retail success depends on a multichannel model and durable partnerships, despite the rise of generative AI. Inside the Episode: - The Omnichannel Business Model: Why the direct-to-consumer approach is no longer sustainable as a standalone business model - Creating Strong Partnerships: Why brands should evaluate partners based on shared values and audience alignment, focusing on building long-term equity rather than short-term sales spikes - Practical Impact of AI Shopping: How AI and predictive technology will automate routine reorders, shifting where ad dollars are spent rather than destroying them - Clean Data as the Foundation: Why true personalization and relevance are impossible without a solid data foundation AI is a powerful tool, but without a clean, focused retail operation, technology alone cannot salvage a broken strategy. 🎧 Listen to the full episode.

    17 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    RETHINK Retail
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    RETHINK RETAIL

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