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. B2B AI Secrets: How RS Group and Rezolve Ai Scale

    1H AGO

    B2B AI Secrets: How RS Group and Rezolve Ai Scale

    B2B commerce is built on a foundation of extreme complexity. When a part fails in a 100 million dollar machine, the customer needs a solution, not just a search result. Carl Holt, Director of Digital Product and Transformation at RS Group plc, sits down with Howe Gu, Group SVP, Customers and Partners at Rezolve AI, and Evan Burgess, Global Sales Director at Rezolve AI. They discuss the leap from legacy search engines to agentic commerce. Inside the Episode: - 99 Percent Rule Reduction: The automation strategy that allowed RS Group to replace 30,000 manual rules with an AI product platform. - Natural Language Moats: Why engineers are moving toward "plain English" problem solving to bypass technical jargon. - Predictive Fulfillment: A look at the future of IoT sensors and AI agents that order spare parts before a machine actually breaks. - Agent-to-Agent Commerce: How to build digital experiences for the AI agents that will soon be shopping on behalf of global organizations. Value is not found in the catalog size. It is found in the speed of the solution.

    21 min
  2. Insights from eTail Toronto 2026 (Part 1)

    2D AGO

    Insights from eTail Toronto 2026 (Part 1)

    We’re live from the floor of eTail Toronto 2026! In the first half of our special two-part coverage, we’re digging past the buzzwords to find out what is actually driving retail innovation in 2026. Host Jeremy Goldman sits down with three industry leaders to discuss everything from boardroom AI mandates to the digital rebellion of the next generation of consumers. Featured in this episode: - Dave Stevens (CTO, Groupe Dynamite): How to achieve "10x the CX" by stripping away AI noise and focusing on exposure therapy for internal teams. - Stacey DeSantis (Content Marketing Manager, Home Hardware): Solving the "Chicken Parm problem" by prioritizing authenticity and getting to the point fast for AI search. - Paul Briggs (Principal Analyst, EMARKETER): The data behind the Canadian market, from last mile delivery hurdles to the future of automated grocery replenishment. Whether you’re a CTO drafting a tech strategy or a marketer fighting for authenticity, this episode is packed with real-world takeaways you can use today. Listen now and keep an ear out for Part 2 coming soon!

    40 min
  3. How Australian Retailers Are Rethinking Store Systems

    4D AGO

    How Australian Retailers Are Rethinking Store Systems

    Automation and Openness: Lessons from the Australian Frontline Australia has a 20-year head start on the self-service revolution. Kristie Longhurst from Diebold Nixdorf and Top Retail Expert Nick Harbaugh discuss why automation is the only viable answer to the global labor crisis and rising operational costs. Inside the Episode: - The Demographic Surprise: Why the elderly are embracing self-checkout while millennial men remain the most hesitant group. - Gentle Loss Prevention: Using AI for suggestive shrink reduction that preserves the customer relationship instead of creating friction. - The Economic Catalyst: How Australia’s unique cash-handling model is forcing a massive shift toward 30-lane self-service footprints. - The Death of Lock-in: Why an open, API-driven foundation is now the primary requirement for retail scalability. Stop fighting for labor. Start building a flexible, open-tech foundation.

    9 min
  4. Precision as the New Competitive Advantage: Inside the Next Frontier of Grocery Operations

    4D AGO

    Precision as the New Competitive Advantage: Inside the Next Frontier of Grocery Operations

    Shrinking margins, labor shortages, and the complexity of omni-channel fulfillment are putting unprecedented pressure on grocery and convenience retailers. On the latest RETHINK Retail Podcast, recorded live at EuroShop, Renee Hartmann, Top Retail Expert, sits down with Zsuzsa Hordai of SPAR International and Aidan Mittra of OrderGrid to unpack these operational pressures, and what they demand from retailers next. KEY TAKEAWAYS - Margins and workforce are the defining pressures: Declining profits and difficulty retaining staff at every level of the organization remain the industry's most urgent challenges. - Technology should amplify people, not replace them: The best implementations automate low-value tasks so associates can focus on customer engagement and high-value work. - Real-time data drives better decisions: Moving beyond lagging back-office systems gives retailers the visibility to act on out-of-stocks, expiring inventory, and margin risks before they escalate. - Out-of-stocks damage more than revenue: In an omni-channel world, stockouts erode customer trust and long-term loyalty. - Practical automation is already here: Computer vision, RFID, and human-in-the-loop systems are being deployed today to improve shelf availability and operational efficiency. This episode explores how a real-time data foundation can reduce friction for shoppers and staff alike, and position the physical store as a driver of lasting growth.

    19 min
  5. Agentic AI: The Realization Phase of Retail Commerce

    6D AGO

    Agentic AI: The Realization Phase of Retail Commerce

    Beyond Vanilla AI: The Era of Agentic Commerce The retail industry has moved past experimentation. We are now in the realization phase where AI agents deliver frictionless, store-like expertise to digital channels. Vic Miles from Microsoft and Crispin Lowery of Rezolve AI join Jeremy Goldman to discuss why the early adopter advantage is now a requirement for brand survival. Key Discussion Points: - The Expertise Bridge: How agents bring the nuance of an in-store associate to the digital checkout. - The Tesla Analogy: Why retail tech is shifting from rigid engineering to fluid, software-first experiences. - Personalization as a Killer App: Using AI to move from broad demographics to solving singular problems for individual shoppers. - Choosing the Right Foundation: Why no-hallucination platforms and transparent brand voice control are the new vendor table stakes. Stop managing metrics. Start mastering the human experience.

    21 min
  6. Crate & Barrel: Store Design for Digital Shoppers

    MAY 2

    Crate & Barrel: Store Design for Digital Shoppers

    Store design used to be about defining a set path for the customer. Today, it is about providing a flexible canvas. Crate and Barrel's VP of Store Design, Nicholas Effler joins Top Retail Expert Cynthia Ortiz to discuss how Crate & Barrel balances historic architecture with the high-tech expectations of the modern shopper. Inside the Episode: - Digital Echoes: How the pace of app-scrolling translates to physical shopping behavior. - Associate Centricity: Why clearing out menial tasks through design is the fastest way to boost sales performance. - Right-Sizing the Fleet: The transition from homogenous 40,000 square foot "cathedrals" to contextual, localized footprints. - Architectural Restraint: The discipline required to modernise historic buildings without losing their soul. Stop building static spaces. Start designing for the fluid shopper.

    20 min
  7. Digital Joy: Hershey’s Strategy for Retail Design

    MAY 1

    Digital Joy: Hershey’s Strategy for Retail Design

    Retail design is at a crossroads. As customer expectations rise, physical stores must offer more than just products: they must deliver animation, meaning, and connection. Steve Calhoun and Andy Hunt, from The Hershey Company, join Top Retail Expert Elisa Servais to discuss how Hershey’s uses technology to amplify nostalgia and joy without overstimulating the shopper. Inside the Episode: - The Digital Interface: Moving beyond multichannel silos to make the mobile phone an integral part of the store journey. - The AR Sandbox: Using spatial computing and AR to field-test "blue sky" merchandising concepts before they hit the sales floor. - Inclusive Innovation: Why Hershey’s implements "calm hours" at Chocolate World to accommodate neurodivergent visitors. - The Invisible Tool: Ensuring technology serves the "moment of goodness" rather than distracting from the brand markers. Stop building stores. Start designing experiences.

    22 min
  8. The Future of Food and Grocery: Trends, Technology & Global Best Practices

    APR 30

    The Future of Food and Grocery: Trends, Technology & Global Best Practices

    On the latest RETHINK Retail Podcast, host Toby Pickard of the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) sits down with Aidan Mittra, Co-founder of OrderGrid. They explore how real-time inventory technology is transforming store efficiency, supply chain management, and the future of grocery retail. KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Location and expiry awareness is now essential: Retailers need to know exactly where items are and whether they are sellable, not just whether they exist in the system. - A real-time data layer connects the dots: Bridging ERP and POS systems gives retailers full visibility across the front of house and back room. - Better data means better orchestration: Precise item location reduces picker search time, improves staff deployment, and enables automated replenishment. - Hybrid fulfillment is redefining store design: OrderGrid's patented approach blends traditional retail with a micro-fulfillment dark store component, dramatically reducing picking times. - Emerging technologies are raising the bar: RFID, 2D barcodes, and computer vision are set to transform expiry traceability and strengthen sustainability across the supply chain. - The hyper-connected store is within reach: AI-empowered physical retail spaces are creating better experiences for staff and shoppers through improved availability and operational transparency. This episode explores how a clean, real-time data foundation positions retailers to compete in an increasingly connected grocery landscape.

    22 min
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4.9
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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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