Retail Technology Spotlight Series

Omni Talk Retail

Omni Talk Retail's Chris Walton sits down with the people and the companies building the technologies that will shape the future of retail.

  1. AI Is Finally Coming for One of Retail's Most Broken Jobs And It's About Time | Spotlight Series

    5 DAYS AGO

    AI Is Finally Coming for One of Retail's Most Broken Jobs And It's About Time | Spotlight Series

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight episode, Jeff Fish, co-CEO of Intelo.ai, and Noah Herschman, Head of Merchandise Strategy at Intello AI, join Omni Talk to tackle one of retail's most persistently under-teched problems: merchandise planning and allocation. From spreadsheet-driven chaos to agentic AI, Jeff and Noah break down why merchandise planning has been left behind by technology for nearly 30 years, how AI is finally changing that, and what retailers can actually do right now to drive real results — including a 47% reduction in stockouts and a 42% reduction in broken sizes. If you've ever wondered whether AI can finally make life better for merchandise planners, allocators, and buyers, this episode is for you. 🔑 Topics covered: Why merchandise planning has been "under-teched" for decadesThe art vs. science balance that makes AI transformation so hard — and so valuableHow agentic AI and agent-to-agent protocols are changing real-time planning collaborationWhy inventory rebalancing and size curve optimization are low-hanging fruit for luxury and specialty retailersHow Intelo.ai deploys in as little as three weeks — and what results look like 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! #retailai #merchandiseplanning #retailtech #agenticai #omnitalk #supplychain #retailinnovation #inventoryoptimization #Inteloai #retailpodcast

    36 min
  2. How AI Can Tell You WHERE to Use AI in Your Retail Operations With Duvo CEO Tomáš Čupr

    30 MAR

    How AI Can Tell You WHERE to Use AI in Your Retail Operations With Duvo CEO Tomáš Čupr

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, Chris Walton sits down with duvo.ai CEO Tomáš Čupr to explore one of the most mind-bending ideas in AI today: not just how AI can improve retail operations, but how it can actually identify what in your operations should be improved in the first place. Drawing on Tomáš Čupr’s experience building Rohlik Group, a $1.5B+ pan-European e-grocer, and now leading duvo.ai, the conversation dives deep into the messy reality of retail operations, including fragmented systems, manual processes, and the hidden gaps leaders don’t even realize exist. From agentic process mapping and Duvo Clarity to autonomous operations and the future of hybrid human and AI teams, this episode challenges conventional thinking around digital transformation and offers a practical look at what it really takes to operationalize AI at scale. If you’re trying to understand where AI fits into your organization, how to uncover inefficiencies, or how to move beyond pilot purgatory into real execution, this conversation delivers a fresh and highly actionable perspective. Key Topics Covered: • 00:00:45 – Why AI should identify problems, not just solve them • 00:03:02 – Tomáš Čupr’s background building Rohlik Group • 00:04:51 – The origin of duvo.ai and challenges with retail automation • 00:07:50 – Why retail operations are too messy for traditional AI approaches • 00:11:07 – The reality that most leaders don’t actually know their own processes • 00:14:32 – Agentic process mapping and Duvo Clarity explained • 00:19:41 – How AI analyzes workflows and recommends improvements • 00:23:26 – Real-world examples including missed supplier follow-ups and margin leakage • 00:25:56 – Automating should-cost analysis across every SKU • 00:29:10 – The rise of self-improving, feedback-loop-driven retail systems • 00:33:20 – The future role of retail leaders managing agents, not just people • 00:41:28 – Why AI-native retailers could outpace legacy competitors • 00:44:57 – Where to start with AI: process first, not data 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts. P.S. See our past 8 years of wonderful Spotlight Series podcast guests, featuring roughly 200 movers and shakers in retail, by clicking here: omnitalk.blog/category/spotlight-series-podcast/ #retailtech #retailAI #agenticAI #autonomousretail #processmapping #digitaltransformation #omnitalk #retailpodcast *Sponsored Content*

    48 min
  3. The First Real-Time Grocery Price Comparison App? Inside Grocery Dealz’ National Expansion

    24 FEB

    The First Real-Time Grocery Price Comparison App? Inside Grocery Dealz’ National Expansion

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode from Omni Talk Retail, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga welcome back Grocery Dealz co-CEOs Matt Goynes and Micheal Waldroup to unpack the rapid national expansion of their real-time grocery price comparison app. Now live in 40 states, Grocery Dealz enables consumers to compare grocery prices across retailers in real time before they shop and even push their lists directly into Instacart for delivery. The conversation dives into how the platform works, how pricing data is sourced, why retailers are paying attention, and what price transparency means for the future of grocery. From over-the-counter medicine and alcohol price swings to retail media monetization and API partnerships, this episode explores how comparison shopping could reshape consumer behavior... just as it did in travel and gas. With grocery bills rivaling plane tickets in weekly spend, is price transparency the next major retail disruption? Key Topics Covered: •What Grocery Dealz is and why it exists •The 3-step user experience: search, substitute, compare •Categories covered beyond center store (including OTC meds & alcohol) •How real-time grocery pricing data is sourced •Retailers’ response to price transparency •The Instacart integration and delivery convenience factor •How Grocery Dealz makes money (affiliate + retail media model) •Consumer adoption metrics and time spent in app •What’s coming next: live coupons and national growth •Can price comparison truly change grocery shopping behavior? Connect with the Guests: Matt Goynes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-goynes-65921368/ Micheal Waldroup: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheal-waldroup-3a74b82b7/ #retailtech #grocerytech #pricetransparency #retailmedia #ecommerce #omnichannel #retailinnovation #retailpodcast #OmniTalkRetail

    26 min
  4. Why Your Retail AI Strategy Is Probably Wrong (And How to Fix It)

    9 FEB

    Why Your Retail AI Strategy Is Probably Wrong (And How to Fix It)

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, Chris Walton sits down with Experion Technologies' Mahesh Vijayaraghavan (VP of Retail & Consumer Goods) and Siraj Alimohamed (Global Head of Data & AI) to cut through the AI hype. From platform-first strategies to the pilot fatigue epidemic, Mahesh and Siraj break down why AI is overhyped at the dashboard level but underappreciated where it matters most, i.e. in 6 a.m. inventory decisions and real-time store operations. Learn why building AI like a muscle beats treating it like a project, how to escape automation chaos, and why your digital experience is about to become your biggest competitive advantage. 🔑 Topics covered: Why AI is overhyped but underimplemented in retailPlatform-first approach vs. endless pilot programsInternal efficiency gains vs. consumer-facing AI investmentsProcess optimization before automation (avoid the 30-40% fat)How digital experience becomes differentiation in the AI eraAgentic AI that acts within guardrails, not just recommendsThe reinvestment strategy: internal savings to customer benefits 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! #retailai #retailtech #omnitalk #digitalexperience #agenticai #retailinnovation #aiimplementation #experiontechnologies #retailpodcast #supplychain

    37 min
  5. Agentic Commerce At NRF & The Real AI Takeaways Microsoft Thinks Retailers Need Now

    19 JAN

    Agentic Commerce At NRF & The Real AI Takeaways Microsoft Thinks Retailers Need Now

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight episode, Amy Vener, Global Retail & Consumer Goods Marketing Director for Commercial Cloud & AI at Microsoft, joins Omni Talk to unpack the main takeaways from NRF and where retailers should focus next as agentic commerce moves from theory to execution. Drawing on her experience across Walmart, Pinterest, and Microsoft, Amy shares how retailers are shifting away from AI hype and toward real, measurable outcomes. From conversational shopping agents and merchandising insights to connected stores and cultural readiness, this episode breaks down how retailers can drive real return on intelligence in 2026 and beyond. If you’re trying to figure out where AI fits into your merchandising, marketing, store operations, or supply chain strategy (and how to start without boiling the ocean), this conversation is for you. Key Topics covered: • 00:03:08 – Why “what problem are you trying to solve?” still matters more than the tech • 00:07:34 – Agentic commerce use cases across marketing, merchandising, and operations • 00:15:50 – How conversational data is influencing assortment and product development • 00:10:01 – The role of connected stores and digital twins in retail decision-making • 00:09:09 / 00:19:58 – Lessons from brands like Estée Lauder, Ralph Lauren, and Coca-Cola • 00:23:07 – Why culture and team readiness are critical to AI adoption • 00:25:42 – How retailers should engage Microsoft to drive faster business impact 🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts. #retailtech #retailAI #agenticcommerce #connectedstore #Microsoft #NRF #retailinnovation #omnitalk #retailpodcast #digitaltransformation Sponsored Content

    28 min
  6. Handheld vs. Overhead RFID Debate: The Final Countdown For More Exact Inventory Counts

    15/12/2025

    Handheld vs. Overhead RFID Debate: The Final Countdown For More Exact Inventory Counts

    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

    38 min
  7. Physical AI: What It Is & How IoT Will Combine With AI To Make Retail Operations Self-Aware

    09/12/2025

    Physical AI: What It Is & How IoT Will Combine With AI To Make Retail Operations Self-Aware

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, Doron Hazan, Director of Data, Product, and AI at Wiliot, joins Omni Talk to discuss the concept of "physical AI" and how it ultimately improve retail operations from the ground up. From ambient IoT sensors to real-time inventory intelligence, Doron breaks down how battery-free Bluetooth pixels are creating self-aware supply chains, how retailers can start small and scale strategically, and why the future of retail operations is about connecting physical things to AI-powered decision engines. If you've ever wondered what happens when IoT meets artificial intelligence in real-world stores (who hasn't), this episode is for you. 🔑 Topics covered: - The difference between digital AI and physical AI - How ambient IoT creates invisible operational improvements - Why battery-free Bluetooth sensors are changing retail visibility - Real-world impact on freshness, inventory accuracy, and customer experience - The platform approach to scaling physical AI solutions 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! Link to Doron's blog post: www.wiliot.com/why-your-ai-agent…tead#news-content #physicalai #retailtech #ambientiot #wiliot #omnitalk #smartretail #retailinnovation #inventorymanagement #supplychain #retailpodcast Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

    23 min
  8. How Wiliot's Nationwide Walmart Rollout Could Prevent Millions In Food Waste

    10/11/2025

    How Wiliot's Nationwide Walmart Rollout Could Prevent Millions In Food Waste

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight episode, Nick Matthews, VP of Solutions and Architecture at Wiliot, joins Omni Talk to reveal how Walmart is deploying Bluetooth-enabled IoT technology across all 4,600 U.S. stores and 40 distribution centers. From wireless energy-harvesting tags to real-time pallet tracking, Nick breaks down how Wiliot's ambient IoT technology is reducing food waste by tens of millions of pounds, improving inventory accuracy, and improvingg store operations without requiring associates to change their workflow. If you've ever wondered how retailers are solving the "where is my product?" problem at scale (who hasn't?), then this episode is for you. 🔑 Topics covered: How Wiliot's BLE pixels work and differ from RFID technologyWalmart's nationwide deployment strategy and infrastructure requirementsReal-time alerts that prevent inventory discrepancies and cold chain breaksFood waste reduction projections for 2026The concept of "Physical AI" and its retail applicationsROI benefits from inventory accuracy to FSMA compliance 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! #retailtech #walmart #IoT #supplychain #inventorymanagement #retailinnovation #foodwaste #omnitalk #bluetoothtechnology #physicalAI #retailpodcast Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

    25 min
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Omni Talk Retail's Chris Walton sits down with the people and the companies building the technologies that will shape the future of retail.

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