Retail Technology Spotlight Series

Omni Talk Retail

Omni Talk Retail Hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with the people and the companies building technology that will shape the future of retail.

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

    JAN 19

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

    12/15/2025

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

    12/09/2025

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

    11/10/2025

    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
  5. Inside Amazon's Social Commerce Strategy With Julie Haleluk & Wayne Purboo | Spotlight Series

    11/05/2025

    Inside Amazon's Social Commerce Strategy With Julie Haleluk & Wayne Purboo | Spotlight Series

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, Julie Haleluk, Global Head of Growth at Amazon Shopping Video, and Wayne Purboo, VP of Amazon Advertising and Amazon Shoppable Video, join Omni Talk to reveal the future of social commerce and how AI is transforming the way we shop. From the evolution of shoppable video to agentic commerce, Julie and Wayne break down why social commerce isn't going away, how to measure video content beyond the live moment, and why brands need to clean up their data NOW before AI agents start shopping for customers. If you've ever wondered what's next in retail video and social commerce, this episode is for you. 🔑 Topics covered: How AI is reshaping the customer journey without replacing human connectionThe difference between social commerce and emerging agentic commerceWhy video content lowers return rates and drives purchase confidenceHow to measure attribution across the evolving customer touchpoint journeyWhat brands must do to prepare for AI agents shopping on behalf of customersWhy Shop the Show on Prime Video is changing second-screen shopping Want to get tickets to SoCom? Head to SoCom.live now to register! 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! Want to get tickets to SoCom? Head to SoCom.live now to register! #socialcommerce #amazonlive #shoppablevideo #retailai #ecommerce #omnitalk #retailtech #agenticcommerce #videcommerce #retailinnovation #amazonadvertising #retailpodcast Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

    32 min
  6. How Grocery Dealz Is Building the "Gas Buddy for Groceries" With AI-Powered Price Comparison

    10/27/2025

    How Grocery Dealz Is Building the "Gas Buddy for Groceries" With AI-Powered Price Comparison

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, Matt Goynes, co-founder and co-CEO of Grocery Dealz, joins Omni Talk to reveal how a Texas startup is improving grocery shopping with AI-powered price comparison. From fighting inflation fatigue to building transparent marketplaces, Matt breaks down how Grocery Dealz is becoming the "Gas Buddy for groceries," why price transparency is finally possible now, and how AI enables seamless product matching across hundreds of stores. If you've ever wondered how much you could save by switching stores or how retailers can compete in a transparent pricing world, this episode is for you. 🔑 Topics covered: How Grocery Dealz compares prices across hundreds of grocery storesWhy now is the perfect time for grocery price transparencyThe AI behind product matching and substitutionBuilding a B2B marketplace for retailers and CPG brandsWhy retailers are embracing (not fighting) price comparisonDefensibility against ChatGPT and AI-powered shopping search 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! #grocerydealz #grocerypricing #retailai #pricetransparency #grocerytech #omnitalk #retailinnovation #agentic #smartretail #retailpodcast #groceryapp #inflationfighting *Sponsored Content*

    26 min
  7. The Now, Next & Future Of AI's Impact On Warehouse Operations With Dematic's John Mabe

    10/07/2025

    The Now, Next & Future Of AI's Impact On Warehouse Operations With Dematic's John Mabe

    In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, John Mabe, Product Manager at Dematic, joins Omni Talk to break down the real applications of AI in warehouse operations—separating the hype from what's actually working today. From optimization algorithms to computer vision systems and LLM-powered insights, John explains the three distinct categories of warehouse AI and where each one stands in terms of real-world deployment. Learn why the smallest players struggle to adopt AI, how humanoid robots are closer than you think, and why the "lights out warehouse" might follow a logical path we can already see unfolding. 🔑 Topics covered: The three categories of warehouse AI: Optimization, Vision & Perception, and LLMsWhy optimization AI is proven but underutilized by smaller playersHow computer vision is preventing costly downstream errors todayThe realistic timeline for humanoid robots at scale (hint: it's sooner than you think)Why LLMs might be the fastest-deploying AI tool in the warehouseThe crawl-walk-run approach to AI agents running warehouse operations 🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights! #warehouseai #retailtech #supplychain #automation #dematic #omnitalk #robotics #computervision #LLM #warehouseautomation #retailpodcast

    24 min
  8. Inside RetailClub: A Bold New Vision for AI and Retail

    07/01/2025

    Inside RetailClub: A Bold New Vision for AI and Retail

    Omni Talk sits down with Krystina Gustafson, co-founder of RetailClub and former Shoptalk content chief, to talk about the new AI Deep Dive Retreat launching this September in Huntington Beach. In this candid conversation, Krystina explains how RetailClub is reinventing the retail event experience—ditching the booths and buzzwords in favor of real conversations, collaborative learning, and hands-on AI training. 🔥 What to expect: – A sneak peek into RetailClub’s first AI-focused retreat – How the team behind Shoptalk is flipping the traditional conference model – Who should attend: From AI curious to retail change-makers – Why now is the moment for building an AI-native retail community – And how retailers and brands can attend for free and get up to $1,250 in travel reimbursement! 📅 Registration deadline: August 22 🌐 Learn more: https://retailclub.com Music by hooksounds.com #RetailClub #aiinretail #retailinnovation #omnitalk #RetailRetreat #retailleadership #generativeai #RetailEvents *Sponsored Content*

    14 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

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Omni Talk Retail Hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with the people and the companies building technology that will shape the future of retail.

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