Omni Talk Retail

In the latest Women's Retail Collective Podcast Anne Mezzenga sits down with Meijer's Group Vice President, Marketing & Customer Strategy: Retail Media, E-Comm, Own Brand, Data Insights at Meijer Amanda Mcvay You read that title right. Amanda wears a lot of hats and in fact, after 10 years at the company, Meijer created this job just for her. Amanda has diverse experience in everything customer-centric; from buying to product development to gathering consumer insights that have resulted in some of Meijer's most successful marketing initiatives. Amanda shares how she's using her position at Meijer to further develop their storied history of being more than a dependable general merchandise retailer, but a long-standing pillar of the community, and how she plans to use that to keep them defensible against Amazon. Amanda shares her advice for other women working in the retail industry and you'll want to stay until the end to hear who headlines her very own concert. Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

A&M's Jonathan Sharp gets hit with tough questions from Omni Talk Retail, as he shares the most important insights from the A&M Consumer & Retail Group's latest installment of their ongoing Consumer Sentiment Survey in just five minutes! To read the full survey, head here: https://alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/insi... *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Instacart dropped a big bomb recently, devaluing the company while, at the same time, announcing a new “platform” approach to their strategy going forward, and to say Anne and Chris are skeptical of the move, as many of you know, is an understatement. So we are pleased to bring you our latest in depth discussion with 1010data's Chief Product Officer Jonah Ellin about his company's just released comprehensive report surrounding Instacart. In this podcast interview, Chris, Anne, and Jonah discuss: - Instacart’s online market share and growth. - Which retailers make up the lion’s share of Instacart’s revenue. - What has been happening to Instacart's basket size and transaction counts over the past two years. - And, perhaps most importantly, which products the end consumer is using Instacart for the most. Give this podcast a listen and you are sure to come away with more questions than answers when it comes to the risks Instacart could face in the years ahead. To read the report for yourself, head here: https://10da.co/36Cqt3e Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five video, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris and Anne discuss: - Target accepting food stamps online - Farfetch’s investment in Neiman Marcus - JOOR and something called “Automated Attribution” - Kroger giving the restaurant supply business a go down in Texas - And closed with a hot debate over Alexa giving advanced notification on deals There’s all that, plus Lizzo karaoke, how to screw up a burrito, and why we could never bring ourselves to call ourselves, the “Omnichannel Oracles.” To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris and Anne discuss: - Using BNPL at the gas station - Instacart’s downright laughable new strategic positioning - Red Wing Shoes smartly getting ahead of the fit tech curve - Adidas giving Nike a lesson in long-tail marketplace influencer commerce - And close with a “good on ya” to Kath McLay at Sam’s Club for suing BJ’s and protecting the hell out of her scan-and-go turf There’s all that, plus pre-pubescent childhood video game memories, P-Funks, and the vagaries of feed bagging Skittles. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this special Shoptalk edition of the Omni Talk Spotlight Series brought to you through the support of Meta, Anne Mezzenga sits down with DoorDash VP of Global Partnerships to dive deep into the DoorDash headlines the retail world has been buzzing about for the past year including: - The future of DashMart - Express Grocery Delivery with Albertsons Co. - DoorDash Returns Pickup - And an exciting, first-of-its-kind partnership for the delivery provider and a popular East Coast merchant. Anne and Shanna also discuss what merchants and customers can expect from DoorDash in the coming year and how DoorDash plans to continue to grow the business. You do not want to miss this pod from one of the fastest-moving and most innovative companies in the retail industry. For more information on DoorDash head to https://get.doordash.com/en-us For more information on our sponsor Meta head to: https://about.facebook.com/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Lululemon dropped its new shoe line last week, and none of that would have been possible without the help and support of Volumental's proprietary fit data, gleaned from millions upon millions of scans of people's feet. So Omni Talk is pleased to announce that one of the pioneers of fit technology in the shoe industry, Volumental's Chief Marketing Officer Brent Hollowell, joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for this special Shoptalk Edition of their ongoing Spotlight Series brought to you in partnership with Meta. Collectively the three of them discuss: – Why our feet are about so much more than just lengths and widths - How technology, when used correctly, can complement the in-store shoe try on process - And how better fit technology deployed across the industry can improve online conversion and solve one of retail's biggest problems, i.e. online returns It is a conversation designed to fit perfectly around Shoptalk this week (pun very much intended!) Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Food waste, and particularly waste from fresh meats and vegetables, is a continued drag on grocers' bottom lines. So Omni Talk is pleased to announce that Afresh CEO Matt Schwartz joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for a special Shoptalk Edition of the their ongoing Spotlight Series brought to you in partnership with Meta to share how his company plans to help grocers solve this problem. Collectively the three of them discuss: – All the factors that can contribute to better demand forecasting at a localized level - How systematized processes can take the subjectivity out of ordering and arm store employees with even more knowledge and autonomy to their jobs better - And why solving grocery waste goes far beyond just having the best AI algorithms It is a conversation tailor made for a week when all of retail gathers in Vegas, for it checks all the boxes -- profit, tech, and most importantly, sustainability! Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

There is probably no topic more on the mind of retailers than what do with online returns. So Omni Talk is pleased to announce that Narvar CEO Amit Sharma joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for a special Shoptalk Edition of their ongoing Spotlight Series brought to you in partnership with Meta. Collectively the three of them go deep on: – Why returns are now the "first-mile" of a new retail experience - What it takes to pick up returns directly from customers' homes - How a smooth returns process can greatly improve supply chain flexibility and improve overall inventory stock position - And how coordinated return hubs at places like malls make consumers' lives that much easier It is a conversation sure to generate buzz at Shoptalk because the answers Amit provides are just so damn intuitive! Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five video, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris takes a break from 2022 Walton Family Spring Break to join Anne to discuss: - Kohl’s multiple acquisition offers, their potential buyers, and why two wrongs don’t make a right. - Pickup-only grocer Fresh Street doing grocery orders in 30 minutes with no fee and if it’s a model that will stick? - Amazon’s baller move opening their first net-zero carbon emission Fresh store in Seattle. - NVIDIA and Kroger promising to reinvent the grocery experience with AI and digital twins. - And close with Anne’s first-hand review of Lululemon’s new Blissfeel running shoe. There’s all that, plus a cameo from Chris’s childhood Darth Vader toy, and a discussion on why Anne’s greatest Applebees memories can still be realized at their new drive-thrus. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week's Fast Five, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, A&M’s David Ritter and Michael Prendergast joined Chris and Anne as they debated: - All the news out of Starbucks this week, but most specifically its plans to roll out its community store concept to 1,000 locations by 2030. - Who made the bigger waves this week – DoorDash with its returns pilot or Uber hinting at becoming a retailer? -Whether Macy’s website overhaul means anything and if the company has the flexibility in its business model for its associates to become personal stylists. - The latest livestreaming data and major shifts in sales volume coming out of China. - And closed with a look at what Twitter Shops means for the future of social commerce. There’s all that, plus our favorite “chin-fluencer” celebrities, OnlyFans for Chefs, and why we love the idea of Darth Vader providing in-aisle voice assistance while we shop. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Livestreaming is quite the hot topic now that everyone from Walmart to Amazon is doing it which means many of you have likely been asked by your bosses or your boss’s boss to livestream something as part of your 2022 content strategy. So to make sure you avoid the three mistakes so many people make when designing their livestreaming strategy, Omni Talk is pleased to announce that one of the foremost experts in the world of livestreaming and digital content creation, Firework’s Co-Founder and CEO Vincent Yang, joined Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton for the latest installment of their Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series. Collectively the three of them go deep on: - The mistakes brands and retailers are making as they dive into the livestream space - The right way to approach the integration of content and commerce - The shifts retailers should be expecting in the conversion funnel as brands and customers start to adopt livestreaming and content commerce - And, the evolution of customer engagement with brands and how to adequately prepare for the future It is a conversation sure to be in-depth, fun, and, will leave you with a good starting point for that banger of a livestream strategy you’re about to design. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Long have we talked about Visual AI as the most important technology that will shape retail over the next decade. So Omni Talk is pleased to announce that ViSenze Chief Commercial Officer Brendan O'Shaughnessy joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of their Omni Talk Spotlight Series to share his knowledge on the most practical applications of Visual AI in the here and now: Collectively the three of them go deep on Visual AI's value and applicability: - Product recommendation engines - Online catalog enrichment - Visual search - In-store merchandising compliance - Assortment Planning It is a conversation that is a hallmark of what Chris and Anne do best -- i.e. one where they ask the questions most likely on the minds of retail executives to help make sense of what really matters most. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: - Amazon's shrewd move and likely "deke" to close 68 physical stores. - Lululemon finally getting into footwear. - Dollar General trying to become everyone's new local bank. - Walmart's extremely disappointing new fit technology it unveiled this past week. - And close with a look at why Ryan Cohen's letter to the Bed Bath & Beyond Board of Directors may be the coolest thing we have seen in a long time. There's all that, plus Blind Dutchmen, more Sesame Street references, and why ventriloquists don't have podcasts. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Sure, the pandemic has “accelerated digital trends” throughout retail, but what the heck does that phrase really mean? While it is easy to say, it is quite another thing to know what to do about it. So Omni Talk is pleased to announce that Microsoft’s very own Chris Dieringer, Ricardo Belmar, and Sue McMahon and Adobe’s Taylor Schreiner joined Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of their Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series to set the record straight. Collectively the four of them go deep on: - Adobe’s data-driven perspective on the biggest changes coming out of the pandemic - Which changes are here to stay and their resulting impact on pricing, promotions, and media spend - The shift from pre-purchase to post-purchase customer engagement and what it means for returns management and loyalty programming - And, most importantly, the technology and tactics retailers can deploy to stay relevant with their consumers amid all the change. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Buy Now, Pay Later is one of the hottest trends in retail right now, and, while most of the BNPL activity happens online, that is about to change . . . rapidly. Because BNPL is now set to take over physical retail stores, too. To help us understand how fast and just how easy it is to allow retail customers to pay in-store with BNPL, Sezzle’s very own Chris Bixby joined Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of their Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series. Collectively the three of them go deep on: - “Virtual card” solutions - Multi-use vs. single-use cards - BNPL as a form of affiliate marketing for in-store purchases - And, most importantly, just how easy it is to integrate BNPL into your bricks-and-mortar operations (newsflash: if you are already set up for Apple Pay, it is about as easy as it gets) It is a conversation that is in-depth, fun, and, one guaranteed to give you an honest to god, easy and practical way to drive conversion inside your stores. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: - All the new curbside drive up features Target is testing, including ordering Starbucks and taking returns. - Just how big of a leap forward Amazon putting its Just Walk Out technology into Whole Foods really is. - Why Foot Locker expressing concern over its dwindling Nike sales may just be a sign of more bad news to come. - How on earth Kroger entering another market virtually (without stores!!) received as little media coverage as it did this week. - And closed with our thoughts on DoorDash brazenly placing retailers on its marketplace without their knowledge. There's all that, plus Baby Banana Republic, Anne working herself into a lather, and our newest Omni Talk team member who is as Cozy As Fluff. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, A&M's David Brown and Chad Lusk join Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga as they discuss: - Amazon’s gobsmacking first-ever reported ad revenue figures. - Another airport-based convenience retailer, this time a British one, WHSmith, licensing Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” tech in LaGuardia airport. How daft! - Macy’s latest in store partnership that, let’s just say, left us in a bloody twist. - DoorDash charging McDonald’s extra for making its delivery drivers just sit there faffing around while waiting too long for their orders - And 7-Eleven’s new partnership with GrubHub that left me, for one, absolutely flummoxed. There’s all that, plus our favorite handyman jobs around the house and “after-dark” teddy bears. Yes, you read that last sentence right. It is a real thing. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: - Why Domino's new marketing scheme to tip customers $3 for using order pickup is a big fat dud - Aldi's big U.S. store expansion plans - All the recent union troubles brewing at Starbucks - NYC bodegas striking back against the instant delivery companies - And why Simon's new mall ghost kitchen concept solves a very real pain for parents everywhere There's all that, plus Anne's true thoughts on Valentine's Day, the spice of dating life, and one big mea culpa from Chris on his utter inability to correctly abbreviate the state of Arkansas. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

IoT devices in retail increased drastically within recent years, especially as the desire for digital and touchless solutions reached peak demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. And, as a result, while retailers have accelerated their digital transformation deployments at a record pace, all too often we see retailers driving IT purchases faster than IT can keep up, leading to untalked about and unforeseen issues down the road. New Omni Talk Expert, Art Miller, Global Head of Retail IoT at Qualcomm, joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga to discuss what to do in the face of this situation and to ensure insecure technologies don’t open up security holes which could result in breaches, exposure of customer data and negatively impact your brand. Together they explore, through the lens of Electronic Shelf Labels (aka ESLs), how a comprehensive approach to integrated, end-to-end security can: - Lead to more cost effective solutions - Delight your customer - And, help you swiftly adapt to the ever changing needs of your customers All of which should help your CIOs and CTOs sleep better at night, knowing they can have the conversations they need to have with the rest of the C-Suite. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: - Why Walmart's RFID push into home goods is already the front runner for the omnichannel retailing headline of 2022. - All the reasons to be skeptical about Walmart's new store design in Springdale, AR. - Albertsons' continued AI push, this time in its quest to reduce food waste in fresh produce with help from Afresh. - The pluses and minuses of Petco's new Lowe's shop-in-shop partnership. - And, why the WSJ missed out on relaying some key information in its article this week that questioned the profit position underlying the instant delivery trend. There's all that, plus a COVID update from Chris, Anne reminiscing about shipping her pants, drunk father-in-laws who lose their shoes at weddings, and more! To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: - Who wore it better: Amazon Style or Amazon Go in the suburbs? - 7-Eleven's new 30 minutes or less subscription delivery program - Chris's utter distaste for the shareholder activists at Kohl's - Walmart's $400 million investment in vertical farming startup, Plenty - And, Instagram's early test of creator subscriptions There's all that, plus our favorite memories from the Manifest Conference in Las Vegas, an in person review of the new Savage X Fenty store, and Anne trying to recall the brand name of her DTC mattress that she was once hoodwinked into buying. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In our latest Omni Talk Spotlight Series Podcast live from the Manifest Conference in Las Vegas, brought to you in association with 1010data, we are pleased to bring you Delivery Solutions Co-Founders Manil Uppal and Arshaad Mirza. Arshaad and Manil sit down with Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga to discuss what it feels like to be the pioneers of delivery orchestration software. Together, they: – Go into depth about what delivery orchestration means and how it works – Explain the importance of staying flexible in your fulfillment needs as the modern consumer is changing and the rise of instant delivery is at play – And how their track record of success across multiple category verticals and multiple countries sets them up as the one solution provider Anne and Chris believe every retailer needs to meet. Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In our latest Omni Talk Spotlight Series Podcast live from the Manifest Conference in Las Vegas, brought to you in association with 1010data, we are pleased to bring you ECU Worldwide Chief Transformation Officer Philip Blumenthal. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Philip to get his perspective on all things related to shipping products across an ocean. Together, they discuss: – How e-commerce is driving demand for less than container full shipments – Why there are some products consumers are willing to wait more than 2 days to receive – And why Factory-to-Consumer (aka FTC) commerce will only continue to grow in the years ahead Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In our latest Omni Talk Spotlight Series Podcast live from the Manifest Conference in Las Vegas, brought to you in association with 1010data, we are pleased to bring you 1010data CEO Inna Kuznetsova. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Inna to get her insightful and oftentimes hilarious take on why data collaboration holds they key to getting out in front of retail trends. Together, they discuss: – How better supplier and retailer data collaboration can ease supply chain bottlenecks – What categories of business continue to grow amid the pandemic – And why subscription businesses particularly found their niche over the last two years, especially on Amazon *Sponsored Content* Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In our first podcast to kickoff the Manifest Conference, brought to you in association with 1010data, we are pleased to bring you Buyk CEO James Walker. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with James to get his take on what to make of the ultra fast delivery trend. Together, they discuss: - The consumer psychology involved - The importance of private label - Vertical differentiation as the key to profitability - And, why delivery will soon be like turning on your faucet, i.e. something we do and almost take for granted that it is there.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

As part of their Spotlight AI Series from the NVIDIA and Lenovo NRF Innovation Lab, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sat down with Vistry.AI Founder and CEO, Atif Kureishy, to learn how his company is leveraging Ai to improve the overall operations and consumer experience in the QSR industry. In this podcast, Atif does an excellent job of relaying all the different ways QSRs can find benefits from AI, including: - Voice ordering automation at the drive thru - Kitchen production control - Ingredient forecasting to lower waste - And much more, including our shared discussion of what the future of a QSR parking lot looks like! *Sponsored Podcast*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

As part of their Spotlight AI Series from the NVIDIA and Lenovo NRF Innovation Lab, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sat down with Deep North VP of Retail Sales, Tracy Benaman, to learn how her company leverages computer vision AI to observe consumer and employee journeys in a much more objective way than standard consumer or employee surveying. In this podcast, Tracy does an excellent job of relaying all the different aspects of how both journeys can be better understood through computer vision, including: - Dwell times - Line wait times - Fitting room interactions - Backroom operations - And Chris's favorite -- how often the bathrooms should be cleaned! *Sponsored Podcast*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In what had to be one of our favorite podcasts on AI from the NRF Innovation Lab, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sat down with Compass Digital Labs CTO, Scott Wu, to learn how his massive company, the Compass Group, is looking to bring computer-vision based checkout-free retail to food service and the many micro-markets it is opening at an astonishing clip. In this podcast, Scott does an excellent job of relaying all the puts and takes that come with computer vision deployments, including how to view: - New builds vs. retrofits - Cameras vs. sensor fusion - Operating on the edge vs. in the cloud - And much, much more!This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

AI is helping retailers improve business agility in these unprecedented times. Using store analytics, retailers can understand consumer behavior and optimize processes for better shopping experiences and faster, contactless checkout in stores with improved ROI. But knowing where to start is always the big question. So we have brought together a senior retail asset protection executive and a system’s developer to talk about one use case, the deployment of AI in grocery self-checkout, that is already paying big dividends at one of the world’s most innovative grocery retailers. In our latest AI Spotlight podcast, Kroger's Director of Assets Protection, Tom Arigi, and Everseen's VP of Strategy and Growth Initiatives, Alex Siskos, sit down with Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga live from the NRF Innovation Lab to discuss all that it took to rollout an improved AI-based self-checkout experience to roughly 1,700 Kroger stores at an astonishing pace. And, that last sentence alone should give you an idea of the level of success Kroger is already seeing with the initiative! *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the first of our special weeklong Spotlight Series highlighting AI in retail, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga interviewed Anand Muralidaran of NVIDIA and Andi Huels of Lenovo live from the NRF Innovation Lab. Anand is NVIDIA's Head of Global Growth Strategy and AI Business Development for Retail, Consumer Goods, and QSR, and Andi is Lenovo's Head of AI for North America. In other words, they are both two absolute experts on the subject of how retailers are looking at AI in the coming years. Give this podcast a listen, and you will hear which companies Anand and Andi believe are the ones to watch coming out of NRF, where AI will have the biggest retail impact in 2022 (the answer just may surprise you), and why AI has, without a doubt, crossed the chasm from buzzword to an everyday fact of retail life going forward. *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

How to fight online return fraud when all the players don't play by the same rules is a growing problem in retail. And nowhere was this more evident than this past holiday season when the overall rate of e-commerce returns increased and so, too, did the rate of online return fraud. Resident Omni Talk expert and retail commerce protection expert extraordinaire, Signifyd’s SVP of Operations and Corporate Development, Bennett, joined Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga to discuss this very topic and what to do about it. The short-answer -- it takes AI and machine learning to attack the problem in real-time because that is the only solution that will work when the rules of the game are always changing. *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, David Ritter and Jonathan Sharp of A&M join Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga as they discuss: - Walmart's porch delivery program. - Gopuff's overt move into private label. - Who made the bigger move in the checkout-free retail war this week: Aldi or Wakefern? - The relative value of voice-assisted ordering in QSR vs. retail. - And, closed with a discussion on the long-term viability of a new startup that just raised $25 million to help consumers, not Buy Now, but Save Money and Pay Later. There's all that, plus Anne and I mutually patting each other's backs for being named Top 100 retail influencers, edible utensils, and David Ritter's favorite Taco Bell vice. To redeem your $300 discount on the Manifest Conference, visit: manife.st/continue-registrati... To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In a special NRF edition of The Omni Talk Spotlight Series, sponsored by Cleveron, Firework, and Scandit, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Gopuff Co-CEO and Co-Founder Rafael Ilishayev. Gopuff started delivering a hundred or so products to college students back in 2013, today they're delivering over 4,000 SKUs in as little as 15-20 minutes to customers in many major cities in the US and around the world. In this interview, Raf shares Gopuff's bold expansion plans for 2022, releasing another round of their "Put Me On" program for local CPG's and businesses, and further developing their ad network and kitchen concepts. The instant delivery space is going to continue to heat up in the next year, and Gopuff with 75% share of the current instant delivery market in the US will be one you'll want to watch. For more information on Gopuff, head to: https://gopuff.com/go Thanks to Cleveron, Scandit, and Firework for making this episode possible. For more information on Cleveron head to https://cleveron.com/ For more information on Scandit head to https://www.scandit.com/ For more information on Firework head to https://firework.com/us/ **Sponsored Content** Music by Hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In a special NRF edition of The Omni Talk Spotlight Series, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Leap Co-founder and CEO Jared Golden to talk about how his company's proprietary platform helps retailers and brands take the "leap" in licensing the soup to nuts operations of their physical stores. From Mack Weldon to Ashley Stewart, Jared and his team at Leap are launching brands with one store or one hundred stores, offering a full menu of services from point-of-sale management, leasing, and staffing, to full retail tech operations. Leap has deployed nearly 50 stores with over 30 brands, and, in this interview, Jared explains their massive expansion plans in 2022 taking the data they are collecting across brands to build more benefits for retailers and customers. If Jared has his way, we shouldn't be surprised to see Leap take the idea to the Metaverse soon, too. For more information on Leap head to https://www.leapinc.com/ Thanks to Cleveron, Scandit, and Firework for making this episode possible. For more information on Cleveron head to https://cleveron.com/ For more information on Scandit head to https://www.scandit.com/ For more information on Firework head to https://firework.com/us/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In a special NRF edition of The Omni Talk Spotlight Series, sponsored by Cleveron, Firework, and Scandit, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Takeoff CEO and Co-Founder Max Pedró. Takeoff has been making headlines of late, launching an automated microfulfillment center with Jewel-Osco in Chicago this past December. The center allows the grocer to pick, pack, and deliver online orders more efficiently, and do it in a way that expands their bottom line profit. Sound too good to be true? It's not. Find out how your store could be just one basketball-court-sized microfulfillment center away from thriving in the future of online grocery commerce. For more information on Takeoff, head to: https://www.takeoff.com/ Thanks to Cleveron, Scandit, and Firework for making this episode possible. For more information on Cleveron head to https://cleveron.com/ For more information on Scandit head to https://www.scandit.com/ For more information on Firework head to https://firework.com/us/ **Sponsored Content** Music by Hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In a special NRF edition of The Omni Talk Spotlight Series, sponsored by Cleveron, Firework, and Scandit, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Firework President & Chief Business Officer Jason Holland. When many retailers come to the Firework team, it's because they're interested in replicating the on-site live streaming applications Firework's has created for companies like Albertsons and The Fresh Market, but what Anne and Chris discover in this interview is that's only just a part of an effective shoppable video content strategy. Jason explains how the team at Firework is laying the groundwork for the future of shoppable content right from your favorite retailers' own sites and apps, allowing seamless shopping and checkout experiences, while, at the same time, helping retailers to build a background of customer data that will help them continue to provide the richest, most highly engaging shopping experiences as consumers move into Web 3.0 and beyond. For more information on Firework, head to: https://firework.com/us/ Thanks to Cleveron, Scandit, and Firework for making this episode possible. For more information on Cleveron head to https://cleveron.com/ For more information on Scandit head to https://www.scandit.com/ For more information on Firework head to https://firework.com/us/ **Sponsored Content**This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga hotly debate even more topics than normal, including: - Who had the cooler board appointee this week? Meta with DoorDash's CEO? Or Shopify with Instacart's? - Whether the Yeezy Gap and Balenciaga partnership will amount to a hill of beans. - If there is anything at all to read from a supposedly leaked Shopify patent on in-store traffic monitoring. - Why TikTok broadening its consumer reach by way of its new Atmosphere partnership is so important within the context of video commerce. - And, close with a pointed discussion about why autonomous delivery robots at the Cincinnati airport may be the wrong next step to solve a real consumer pain point. There's all that, plus my likely lone Arizona Cardinals playoff plug of the season, our salute to Bob Saget, and why I would like to get "sequentially stable" with Tom Brady. To redeem your $300 discount on the Manifest Conference, visit: manife.st/continue-registrati... To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Retail store employees are drowning in workload like never before with very few tools to help them survive. And, as a result, so much of their day is wasted on less impactful actions and convoluted processes that oftentimes get clouded and more confused by the actions of management from the top down. Omni Talk Expert Quorso CEO Julian Mills once again joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of the Omni Talk Ask an Expert Series to delve into one simple answer that may hold the key to solving the issue — making the District Manager's life simpler, easier, and more efficient. Together they discussed how Agile Store Management principles deployed at the District Manager level, specifically, can help to: - Simplify, speed up, and better engage store-level employees - The exact recipe for success (exception management, prioritization, planning, and the recording of workflows week-on-week) - And the 3 Stage Process to help you, the retailer, put everything into action as quickly as possible All of which results in a District Manager more equipped and more engaged to lead his or her team with powerful insights and data as the guide. For more information on Quorso, head to https://quorso.com/ Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Discuss why moldy cheese isn't the only thing that smells in Walmart's in-home fridge delivery plans. (Minute: 3:33) - Talk about why Bed Bath & Beyond's rapidly declining registry business shouldn't be a surprise at all since it, too, is rooted in the same strategic flaw I recently wrote about in Forbes. (Minute: 9:14) - Shine light on a cool new startup, Leap, that is helping Pea in the Pod reopen stores. (Minute: 13:19) - Applaud DoorDash's decision to require every employee to complete one delivery per month and also examine if there are other retailers that could benefit from a similar approach. (Minute: 16:39) - And close with a look at the real reason why Albertsons' new AI salad bars are cool, and it has nothing to do with AI. (Minute: 22:16) There's all that, plus a salute to the folks in Superior, CO, Anne's favorite Topps trading card from the 1980s, and what I would do with $200,000 worth of stolen butter. To redeem your $300 discount on the Manifest Conference, visit: manife.st/continue-registrati... To learn more about Microsoft, visit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/retail/microsoft-cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: https://sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Women's Retail Collective Podcast, Anne Mezzenga sits down with Fanatics Chief Strategic Retail Officer Gina De Caro Sprenger. Gina is like no other woman in retail we've interviewed. She wanted to work in this industry so badly, she applied (and was hired) for a job operating the elevator at a luxury department store at age 14! She definitely made her way to the top floor. From running the entire home business for Target to her current role leading the retail store efforts for every sports team franchise under the sun. Listen to Gina's entire career story and stay until the end to hear about how she became a member of the "Church Choir." Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Yes, you read that right. Best Buy recently cut a hole in the front of one of its stores and installed lockers to enable a 24/7 pickup experience for their customers. And that's just the beginning. After trialing the new Best Buy lockers (in this video https://youtu.be/O7KLj7sUhIU), Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga had to find out how this revolutionary new retail experience came to be, so they got the locker company's President, Luxer One's very own Josh Middlebrooks, to join them for the latest edition of their Omni Talk Spotlight Series. In this episode, Josh, Chris, and Anne discuss how Best Buy and Luxer One went from wild idea to successful multi-store implementation, the overwhelming response from customers and Best Buy associates, and the role lockers like this might play in future store footprints. For more information about Luxer One head to https://www.luxerone.com/ To see a live demo of the pilot head here: https://youtu.be/O7KLj7sUhIU **Sponsored Content** Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Takeoff and the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, our good friends Kristin Kohler Burrows and David Ritter stop by to help Chris and Anne hand out this year’s Omni Talk 2021 Retail Awards! Categories up for grabs include: - Retailer of the Year - Retail CEO of the Year - Retail Technology of the Year - Most Overhyped Technology of the Year - Retail Headline of the Year - Best New Retail Partnership of the Year - And, much, much more! To redeem your $300 discount on the Manifest Conference, visit: https://manife.st/continue-registrati... To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: https://alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: http://www.takeoff.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

When people hear the word “scanning,” some immediately think of a scanner in the checkout lane or a barcode reader in an app, but there are many use cases for scanning technology, especially as retailers gear up for the changes ahead in 2022. In our latest Spotlight Series Omni Talk's Anne Mezzenga sat down with Scandit VP of Product, CTO & Co-Founder Christian Floerkemeier to discuss how retailers can implement scanning tech to simplify store operations, like picking and packing online orders, to scanning ID's for compliant alcohol delivery. For more on Scandit, head to www.Scandit.com Music by hooksounds.com **Sponsored Content**This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Omni Talk Spotlight Series, Anne Mezzenga sits down with ciValue VP of Marketing Pearl Lieberman to talk about Retail Media Networks and why many retailers and brands already have all the data they need to get them started. In this episode, Pearl and Anne discuss: - How ciValue helps retailers deploy machine learning and AI to supply pertinent and organized data for brand partners - Why brands and retailers must prioritize the development of their data into Retail Media Networks and how to start. - How sharing customer data can help retailers remain defensible against increasingly popular DTC brand strategies. - Why the partnerships brands and retailers are forming now will help them prepare for the metaverse and other future retail marketing efforts. For more on ciValue, head to https://civalue.com/ Music by hooksounds.com **Sponsored Content**This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Takeoff, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, and Attentive, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Examine Jewel-Osco's new microfulfillment partnership with Takeoff. - Question the activist pushing for a Kohl's e-commerce spinoff. - Put marketplaces square in our sights as one of the most overhyped tech trends of 2021, following Giant Food's plan to build one. - Discuss what DoorDash's announcement of instant delivery in NYC means for the last-mile delivery landscape. - And close with the rant to end all rants on why Wayfair will never succeed in opening up physical retail stores as long as Niraj Shah is at the helm. There's all that, plus what Anne would name her hedge fund, dames, and the great Amy's Kitchen debate -- i.e. frozen enchilada or frozen burrito? To redeem your $300 discount on the Manifest Conference, visit: https://manife.st/continue-registrati... To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: https://alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Attentive, visit: www.attentivemobile.com/omnitalk Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

“Smash and Grab” robberies at several retailers stole the headlines during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but the real concern for retailers should be the significant increase in digital “smash and grabs” as fraud spikes with the growing number of “card not present” and online transactions. In the latest edition of The Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series, Signifyd SVP of Operations and Corporate Development Bennett joins Anne Mezzenga to discuss this and more, including Signifyd’s latest Pulse report outlining fraud data during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2021. In this episode they cover: - How retailers should prepare for fraud during peak holiday traffic - New areas for fraud monitoring as store experiences get more high tech, from scan-and-go to contactless payments - In times of supply chain shortages, how retailers can make sure their limited number of products get into the hands of their best customers - The importance of investing in tech like machine learning to maintain security, speed, and customer satisfaction in as many transactions as possible For more information, head to Signifyd.com, and for access to their weekly reports, including the one discussed in this episode on Black Friday and Cyber Monday head to signifyd.com/pulse. Music by hooksounds.com **Sponsored Content**This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

There is quite possibly no trend hotter right now than the Buy Now, Pay Later space. So Omni Talk invited Sezzle’s very own Paul Paradis to join Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of their Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series. Collectively the three of them explore: - The history and origin of Buy Now, Pay Later - The categories and demographics that tend to use BNPL the most - How the BNPL adoption curve is shifting to in-store payments - And what we can expect during the holidays and going forward into next year Pretty soon BNPL providers will be on the tips of everyone’s tongues just like Visa and Mastercard, and this interview will give you a good sense of just how fast that is likely to happen! Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Takeoff, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, and Attentive, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: – Discuss what to make, if anything, of the retail sales results from the past week. – Laud Macy’s for its Thanksgiving Day parade NFT play. – Temper our expectations surrounding the new Toys R Us store that is opening soon at the American Dream shopping mall. – Curiously explore the intersection of online warehouse club shopping and grocery shopping through the lens of Boxed’s latest acquisition. – And close by offering our take on the slew of smash and grab robberies besieging retail right now. There’s all that, plus a cool new video demonstration of how to shop multiple retailers online at the Mall of America all in one cart, a shameless Urban Rooster Shop plug, and a debate over the sexiest toy store mascot of all-time! To watch the MOA demo,, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE2Z8... To visit Urban Rooster Shop, visit: https://urbanroostershop.com/ To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: https://alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Attentive, visit: www.attentivemobile.com/omnitalk Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Takeoff, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, and Attentive, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Discuss the dangers of Sainsbury opening a checkout-free store in London that leverages Amazon's "Just Walk Out" technology. - Extol the many virtues of a combo Amazon Go and Starbucks store. - Are happy and somewhat skeptical of the news that Target plans to close permanently on Thanksgiving. - Throw patio umbrella shade at Best Buy for acquiring Yardbird. - And, finish with a look at whether Kroger offering Google maps pickup at 2,000 stores across the country is cool or just PR sizzle. There's all that, plus how not to pick a lock, vacuuming in VR, and a salute to the A-Team's Howling Mad Murdock, Dwight Schultz. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Attentive, visit: www.attentivemobile.com/omnitalk Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy