Omni Talk Retail

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by Takeoff and the A&M Consumer & Retail Group Anne Mezzenga and guest hosts Mohit Mohal and Hemant Kalbag of the Alvarez & Marsal Consumer & Retail Group discuss: -Target’s and Walmart’s banner Q2 earnings and what, if anything stands in their way. -If Allbirds has all the right stuff to become a competitive and successful player in the activewear space, or if this pre-IPO move will have them wishing they stuck to the soft and sweat-wicking shoes that they’re good at. -Giant Eagle becoming the first grocery chain to accept Venmo and Paypal payments in stores and how they might be grooming customers for more GetGo cashier-less experiences beyond the convenience store. -If Instagram’s move into ads will get a "like "or a "swipe" from consumers and how brands have to carefully think about their approach to this shiny penny of social commerce. -Ikea’s new scan-and-go concept store in Shanghai and while Hemant and Anne are ready to visit tomorrow, why Mohit may not be joining them just yet. The crew wraps up the pod debating how much they’d be willing to pay (and how long they’d wait) for 7-Eleven alcohol delivery, the retailer that should be next to test Taco Bell’s 4 lane drive-thru, and who they’re trusting with their IT services: Walmart or Best Buy. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: http://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: http://www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by Takeoff and the A&M Consumer & Retail Group Anne Mezzenga and guest host James Cook Americas Director of Retail Research for JLL and host of the podcast Where We Buy discuss: -Kroger and Kitchen United’s ghost kitchen partnership allowing picky families everywhere to each order a different restaurant meal and the week’s fill-in groceries in one trip. -No more waiting In lines for click and collect pickup or, more importantly, to make returns for Marks & Spencer customers and how long it’s going to take US retailers to adopt the tech. -Whether Wolverine will have better luck than most of the footwear companies before them acquiring apparel brand Sweaty Betty and if athleisure will stay hot when we return to work. -Square’s Afterpay acquisition and the best bets for how BNPL providers can try to differentiate themselves in the growing roster of players. -The “influencer” vs. “creator” debate and what it’ll mean when brands shift their TV budgets to the EMCEE e-comm stores of Tik-Tok stars. While on the topic, Anne and James also discuss the brand James is best suited to be an influencer/creator for, the number of beers James is likely to get from a Corona-distributing vending machine that only accepts orders using the perfect Spanish dialect, and the side hustle they plan to start outside the Harry Potter experience in New York. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: http://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: http://www.takeoff.com/ You can find James Cook's podcast Where We Buy here: https://wherewebuy.show/ and YouTube Channel for Everything We Know About Retail here: Everythingweknow.showThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series Anne Mezzenga sits down with Lowes Foods E-commerce VP Chad Petersen to hear about the strategy they're putting together for the next year in grocery. Lowes Foods is no stranger to online grocery ordering, they've been doing it since 1997, but as Chad explains, like many regional grocery chains, they are experimenting with the right mix of resource allocation for in-store pickup vs. delivery and owned vs third party services for picking, packing, and last-mile. Chad breaks down the successes and opportunities they've had throughout the pandemic, especially as they welcome customers back to the store experience they're so well known for. (The entire staff does a chicken dance each time hot, fresh, chicken comes out to the deli seen here: https://youtu.be/KwpFHxJTnIo) They close with Chad's advice for other grocers as they approach the "shiny pennies" of grocery innovation and the daily headlines from new players offering delivery in minutes to full fulfillment. You can find out more about Chad and Lowes Foods at https://www.lowesfoods.com/contactThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by Takeoff and the A&M Consumer & Retail Group Anne Mezzenga and guest host Najla Kayyem of Pacific Retail Capital Partners discuss: -Twitter, better late than never, finally enabling shopping in-app and exposing a large and diverse audience to the concept of social commerce. -Shopify widely sharing the increased revenues merchants using Shop Pay, their BNPL feature, have seen but keeping the word on merchant processing fees for this service closer to the faux fur vest. -StockX adding the booming business of beauty to the drop, partnering with Revlon and Megan Thee Stallion for a limited make-up release and the untapped potential in the beauty resale market. -Requirements for the best “Urbanurbs” the hottest new thing in real estate development and the developer, Mark Toro, who plans to buy up every dead mall and office park in the Sunbelt to create more of them. -Netflix opening its first physical store and the flywheel created when established direct-to-consumer brands and content creators become merchants. Anne and Najla also confess their love for discontinued Bath & Body Works scents, play “real hard seltzer name or not,” find out what product would be forever stored in Najla’s blockchain of purchases should Amazon pull the trigger on crypto, and finally they debate which is the more ridiculous NFT: Charmin Non-Fungible Toilet Paper or Pringles Digital Flavored CryptoCrisp. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: http://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: http://www.takeoff.com/ You can follow Najla Kayyem EVP of Pacific Retail Capital Partners on Instagram and LinkedIn at @najlakayyemThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, and Takeoff Anne Mezzenga and guest hosts David Ritter and Kristin Kohler Burrows of the A&M Consumer & Retail Group discuss: -Uber announcing partnerships with both Albertsons and Costco sending the Fast Five team into a debate about what this means for the grocery delivery ecosystem and grocers moving away from Instacart -Foxtrot’s ambitious expansion plans and some ideas on how they should consider differentiating themselves in their new markets, from deploying checkout-free tech to going all-in on Momofuku-led concepts. -The nuance in the stream of recent cashier-less checkout headlines, including the latest two stores from AiFi at Morrisons and Loop Neighborhood Stores, and what retailers should be considering when exploring these initiatives. -thredUP’s Resale-As-A-Service (RAAS) 360 commerce platform debuting with Madewell this week and A&M’s expert advice for retailers trying to figure out their own resale strategy. -Bite Ninja blowing up Anne’s LinkedIn DM’s and also revolutionizing the QSR labor industry with a platform that allows gig workers to take orders remotely at the drive-thru. The team also talked about Ulta opening in Target, increasing its one-stop-shop allure, and resulting in a poll of the most random collection of products the team has purchased in one trip to a big box store. Hint: It includes 50 lbs of crawfish, chocolate chips, and reading glasses. All that plus the Olympic squads Dave and Kristin wish they could join in Tokyo this week. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail Kristin can be reached at: [email protected] David can be reached at: [email protected] To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Sunny Jiang started at then startup EyeBuyDirect right out of university as a financial controller. Like many of her coworkers at the online eyewear retailer, she has remained with the company almost 15 years later. Unlike many of her coworkers, after many successes, she made her way from finance controller to leading the entire company as CEO and President in 2017. Sunny attributes her success leading EyeBuyDirect and the over three million customers they serve to her dedication to leading by example, and it’s clear after listening to the story of her climb to CEO that she’s done a tremendous job of that. In this podcast, Anne Mezzenga and Sunny Jiang discuss Sunny’s future plans for EyeBuyDirect as she takes the brand into new geographies and expands their online presence of white label and designer brands into a marketplace of 3rd party brands to meet the evolving needs of their customers. Long-time listeners know you’ll have to stay to the end to find out who attends Sunny’s very own concert and this one has some new names you’ll definitely want to add to your playlist after listening. Thanks to Parcel Pending for making this podcast series possible. You can find out more about Parcel Pending at ParcelPending.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, and Takeoff Anne Mezzenga and guest host Forrester VP and Principal Analyst Sucharita Kodali discuss: -Instacart’s powerhouse move, bringing over yet another Facebook Exec, Fidji Simo, to be the company’s CEO and what this indicates for the direction company may be headed in. -Why Sam’s Club adding Scan & Ship is so much more than a new app feature and may open them up to an entirely new consumer. -Apple’s new Apple Pay Later platform unlocking interest-free installment payments for all Apple Pay users and how it could take BNPL mainstream. -7-Eleven’s rollout of mobile checkout to 3,000 stores and Sucharita’s suggestions for retailers when dealing with Big Tech in rolling out these initiatives. -Asos opening up Nordstrom to the international market with their new co-owned brands and future partnership. Anne and Sucharita also talk about everything else they’d rather eat before trying Kraft Mac & Cheese Ice Cream, a Sucharita-inspired line of sneakers for Porsche, and what they’d be wearing to an after-party at “Disco Kroger” had it not shut down this past week. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ You can follow Sucharita Kodali here: https://twitter.com/smulpuruThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, and Takeoff Anne Mezzenga and returning guest host Steve Dennis: -Dive into Dollar General’s big announcements they’re getting into healthcare and expanding fresh produce to 10,000+ stores including many in USDA-deemed food deserts. -Tap Steve’s luxury retail experience for his analysis on Bloomingdale’s new off-mall concept, Bloomie’s. -Discuss Brookfield’s and Simon Property Group’s investments in hospitality company C3 which will replace mall food courts with C3's ghost kitchens this year. -Talk John Lewis moving from retailer to real estate mogul with plans to build 10,000 rental homes on their property and above Waitrose Supermarkets -Gush over Glossier’s new $80M investment and plans for global store expansion Steve and Anne wrap up the podcast agreeing on which retailer has the most to gain from selling product live on Love Island and disagreeing on who would win should an epic space battle occur between Branson and Bezos in the coming weeks. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Steve and his Remarkable Retail book and podcast head to https://stevenpdennis.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this Omni Talk Ask An Expert Interview, Anne Mezzenga sits down with Yair Holtzer VP of Business Development at Trigo to talk about Artificial Intelligence Computer Vision (AICV). The AICV space is heating up with retailers across the globe piloting checkout-free retail stores of all sizes and in this interview, Anne gets Yair’s expert opinion on how retailers can best approach scaling this technology. Trigo has learned this strategy first hand over the course of the last three years as one of the early AICV companies on the scene conducting live pilots with Tesco, and now Rewe Group out of Germany. Yair elegantly explains why Trigo chose to launch with their European partners, what they’ve learned as they increase store size and add unique item types like self-dispensing beverages, tobacco, and alcohol, and how it’s prepared them as they start to take on the US market in the coming months. For more information on Trigo, head to trigo.tech **Sponsored Content**This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and BrightSign, Anne Mezzenga and returning guest host Oliver Banks: -Recap rather muted Prime Day results, how the event compares to Singles Day, and what Amazon can do to keep their holiday hopping. -Laud Nordstrom and Indochino for making one of the smartest partnership moves to bring GenZ and Millennials back to the department store. -Geek out over the expansion of Alibaba’s Store X concept and wonder if Costco will take the hint and get on the in-store tech train. -Contemplate the potential suitors (including Amazon) for Morrisons Supermarkets in the UK and what it could mean for Amazon Fresh UK domination. -Get their 92-year-old grandmothers on board with Marks & Spencer’s new on-demand video experts. They also cover important topics like which 80’s and 90’s product most deserves a reboot and whether Will Smith, one of the backers of the new Target DTC brand, Jinx, skews more rapper or actor. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about BrightSign, visit: www.brightsign.biz To join Anne Mezzenga and Oliver Banks at the Retail Transformation Live event, sign up here: https://retailtransformation.live/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

"You know great omnichannel retailing when you don’t see it." Omni Talk’s Chris Walton is joined by Sam’s Club Chief Technology Officer Vinod Bidarkoppa in this special edition of the Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series to share how his team has triumphed during this pandemic year, consistently putting out best-in-class examples of true omnichannel retailing. Vinod was brought on to the Walmart team to lead a “$65 billion dollar startup” also known as Sam’s Club, and in just under two years, has led the warehouse club as they continue to build the “Product” of the Sam’s Club experience. The strategy, as Vinod explains, is not in some kiosk or mobile app, but rather in the utilization of technology that the customer doesn’t even see like optimizing legacy OMS and POS so that you have a single view of your customer and can, in turn, provide a seamless shopping experience for them. Vinod shares what they’ve learned from programs like Sam’s Club Concierge, Scan-and-Go, and Sam’s Club Now and how they're applying that to the fulfillment side of the businesses as they take on their newest Innovation Fulfillment Center project in Paris, California. All this, plus what still lies ahead for Sam's Club this year and we guarantee you’ll want to stay until the end to find out what he has to say.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and BrightSign, Anne Mezzenga and guest hosts David Ritter and Mohit Mohal of the Alvarez & Marsal Consumer & Retail Group: -Debate, that’s right, I said debate, the significance of Amazon opening a full-size Amazon Fresh autonomous grocery store. -Discuss the required execution necessary for Lowes Foods office locker delivery to be as successful as Anne wants it to be. -Determine just how much a container ship costs and the strategies expert retail consultants would put into place if they were Home Depot. -Decide if there’s enough traffic to Express, J.Crew, and Urban Outfitters websites to make third-party sellers and customers stay. -Dig Brookfield's move to bring 1,000 gaming rooms to their malls in an attempt to drive more traffic. We also discover how Anne's days working the sweet corn stand relate to Home Depot's supply chain issues and end with unanimous agreement on the greatest Eminem song of all time. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about BrightSign, visit: www.brightsign.bizThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Sepideh Burkett knew at an early age that she was ready to take on big things. At 17, she left her family in Dubai with a one-way ticket to the US to start work on her engineering degree. After being "beaten into submission" by calculus, those plans changed and she followed in the family's footsteps and decided to make the pivot to pharmacy school. Now, you're probably thinking, this is a retail podcast, right? Yes. That's what makes Sepideh's story so unique. After years of running the pharmacy and health and wellness business for Walmart, Sepideh took the leap into full-on store operations for the retail giant where she saw many years of success which she attributes to her start in pharmacy thinking of those she served as patients, not just customers. Now Sepideh is at The GIANT Company where she's the Division VP leading stores teams as they get up and out of a challenging pandemic year and on to serving customers with all they've learned in the last 12+ months. Sepideh's story is an inspiring one, especially her final advice for young women entering the retail industry. This podcast is sponsored by Parcel Pending. For more information visit ParcelPending.com 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 Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and BrightSign, Anne Mezzenga and guest host Carl Boutet: -Discuss their admiration for Walmart’s newest plan to plus up Walmart+ with free prescriptions for members. -Talk GNC making ultra Ulta moves setting up shop in 4,000+ Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. Remember to scan-and-go that protein, bro! -Discover Carl Boutet’s love of bin shopping for beans, now available at Quicklotz. -Loathe Instagram forcing them to call influencers “creators” and review new plans to pay creators for the goods they review on Reels. -Point out all that’s still ahead for retailers who just figured out how to do online fulfillment in a pandemic as it relates to the Roblox and PacSun partnership. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about BrightSign, visit: www.brightsign.biz To get your own copy of The Great Acceleration. The Race to Retail Resilience. By Carl Boutet, visit: https://payhip.com/b/VgdPThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Did you know 58% of consumers never return after making an initial purchase? And that is because loyalty is fast and fleeting, especially in today’s complex and competitive eCommerce environment. Only focusing on a consumer's linear path-to-purchase risks losing sight of all the activity that happens after a purchase is made. The best predictors of what a consumer may do next lie within his or her online activity, not just from search to purchase but also in what happens beyond the purchase as well. In this live recording of our Ask An Expert interview, Omni Talk’s Chris Walton sat down with 1010data’s Vice President of Marketing Frank Riva to understand just how significantly the digital consumer decision journey has changed and why the traditional “path-to-purchase” approach needs to extend beyond the phrase itself and instead address a more complete journey across an entire interconnected and complex system. For the Infinity Loop Visual, head here: https://1010data.com/insights-platform/market-intelligence/retail-brand-intelligence/ecommerce-suite/ If you like what you learn in this interview (and with Prime Day just days away) be sure to check out 1010data’s Prime Day Primer here: https://bit.ly/3iyWHjd Everything you need to know in one report. For more information about 1010data, head to 1010data.com. **Sponsored Content**This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and BrightSign, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Discuss what the new Walmart and Gap partnership means for a brand they both love so much (and would come out of retirement for). - Explain why there is so much more nuance to the long-term discussion about Instacart than what the pundits are relaying with all their pithy comments on social media. - Debate whether Sheetz taking Bitcoin is a smart experiment. - Both get resale exasperation talking Etsy and its new Depop acquisition. - And, finally, drop it like the hot they never were, talking about Instagram's new feature that lets you shop exclusive product drops from multiple brands all at once. There's all that, plus they argue invisible art, frightened turtles, and the sorest part of their overworked Crossfit bodies, while turning it up to 11 just for loyal listener Lee Sherwood-Esmond. Because we know she is listening. Thank you to her and to all of you for making Omni Talk a continued success and a reflection of our personalities. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about BrightSign, visit: www.brightsign.bizThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

As NetElixir CEO and Founder Udayan Bose says, Chief Marketing Officers and e-commerce marketing teams have been running on a treadmill at 10 mph since the pandemic began. And, now just when they don't need another wrench thrown into things, iOS updates have eliminated third-party cookies, turning up the heat and forcing them to come up with new ways to attract customers. In fact, according to a NetElixir study, 80% of the brands and retailers they surveyed were so busy trying to stay on top of day-to-day work that they haven’t even started to think about how to restructure their campaigns for the cookie-less world. In this podcast, Anne Mezzenga and Udayan Bose discuss how NetElixir is helping brands and retailers develop solid first-party data collection strategies that leverage NetElixir's proprietary platform. Bose shares how the NetElixir platform takes a different approach, using machine learning to identify, with 65% confidence, customers who will return to your site 2-3 times after their first purchase, and how to create a digital marketing strategy to reach them from the start. Head to NetElixir.com for more information, and if you’re a brand or retailer in that 80% and in need of some fast help, you won’t want to miss NetElixir's FREE Connect The Dots conference on June 10, 2021. Sign up here: https://www.netelixir.com/events/connecting-the-dots-driving-change-through-innovation/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=omnitalk&utm_content=ctd&utm_campaign=CTD_06_2021 *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and Manhattan Associates, A&M's Kristin Kohler Burrows and Chad Lusk stop by to discuss all the week's top retail news with Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga. Together they debate: - The likely impacts of Amazon's MGM acquisition. - The first-ever antitrust suit brought against Amazon and why it feels like the Attorney General of Washington, D.C. may have a case. - 10 minute delivery and the new startup, Gorillas, coming to NYC. - Kroger taking Ocado to new heights and where it doesn't have stores in Florida - And, why in the world Wilson Sporting Goods thinks it should open up physical stores. There's all that, plus lake beer, James Bond casting, and one of the toughest put you on the spot questions for first-timer Chad in the history of the show! To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To read Chris Walton's write up of this week's Manhattan Momentum Connect Conference, click here: https://omnitalk.blog/2021/05/27/momentum-connect-21-why-theres-theres-no-difference-between-purgatory-and-hell-when-talking-cloud-commerce/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

A few years ago, Adam Siegel came to Omni Talk and said he was leaving his position at RILA to found a startup he believed could revolutionize resale by giving brands a new way for their existing customers to resell the products they had previously purchased from them online and in an intuitive way. Intrigued by the simplicity of the idea as Adam described it, Anne and Chris asked that Adam keep in touch, and lo and behold almost two years later that startup, Recurate, has just secured $3.25 million to bring Adam's concept to life. In this podcast, Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton interview Adam about Recurate, how it enables peer-to-peer resale on brands' own e-commerce sites, and how it plans to help brands form longer-lasting relationships with their customers all the way through discovery, purchase, resale, and repurchase. If you are a brand or retailer contemplating getting into resale, listening to this podcast could be the best move you make all year. *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series interview, Chris Walton speaks with Quorso Founder and CEO Julian Mills about the latest trends in agile store management theory and practice. Agile store management, first introduced to the Omni Talk audience back in the summer of 2020, is the idea that retail operations, particularly at the store level, can be managed similar to how software is created, i.e. with a quick, iterative mindset that is all about coordinated testing and learning to deliver the most meaningful results. Quorso and Julian are leading experts in the field when it comes to adapting this concept to retail, and, in this interview, Chris explores with Julian what the practice of applying this methodology means on the ground for those running retail stores. Together they discuss: - Where the idea of "agile" comes from (minute 3:45) - The right blend of analytics and UX to make it all happen (10:00) - What companies are ready for culturally (13:55) - Why running stores is also an incredibly localized business (20:00) - Why in-stocks may not be a retailer's biggest problem (24:00) - And how small long-tail changes, just like in e-commerce, can add up to huge impacts over time (26:00) Chris also enjoyed the conversation so much that we also plan to have Julian back again in the late summer to talk even more about the next phases of what this trend could look like. Stay tuned! To learn more about Quorso's Agile Store Labs Report, head here: https://quorso.com/agile-stores-lab-report-retails-agile-in-action/ *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and Manhattan Associates, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga debate: - Target's billion dollar plus move into alcohol delivery and what CEO Brian Cornell likely wears to the gym twice a day. - Amazon Go Grocery's rebranding to Amazon Fresh and what it heralds for the future (hint: it's more than you think). - Google and Shopify's new partnership and whether it will amount to a hill of beans. - The rumors that the RealReal is planning to create its own private label line. - And we close with a discussion about retail startup CAMP's latest innovation that lets 3 year-olds shop online for toys with their 1% parents' money. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Manhattan Associates Momentum Connect Conference, visit: https://www.manh.com/en-gb/events/momentum?utm_campaign=21-01-global-all-multiproducts-paidmedia-Influencer&utm_content=Momentum&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=click-through&utm_term=INFLUENCER21This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In 2020, Adeptmind made headlines with plans to make Centennial Mall properties fully shoppable online, and just last month this plan became a reality. Consumers can now shop over 2.0 million skus across a bevy of retailers at Centennial’s MainPlace mall for both delivery and pickup. That's 2.0 million plus skus online, from a mall, for delivery and pickup -- a massive milestone and achievement in mall-based retailing. We first spotlighted Adeptmind in a podcast interview last year, and now Chris Walton brings Adeptmind Managing Director, Jesse Michael, back for a second time as part of our Ask An Expert interview series to talk about how Jesse and Adeptmind have made it all happen. Together Chris and Jesse discuss all the do's and don'ts around making malls shoppable online, including POS and OMS integrations, handling returns, and, of course, coordinating fast delivery. Everyone is talking about making malls shoppable online right now, and there is a ton of smoke and mirrors out there about how to get it all done. This interview gives it to you straight. To see MainPlace mall in action, head here: https://shopnow.shopmainplacemall.com/ *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and Manhattan Associates, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga talk: – The reportedly leaked memo that confirms our long held suspicions surrounding Walmart's tenuous hold on its grocery market share in the face of third-party marketplaces and Amazon. – Why in the hell it is that eBay suddenly seems cool again. – The long legs of Dick's Sporting Goods new off-price concept. – Tanger Outlets and its Fillogic partnership and why, even though the concept is cool, it could be the wrong starting point. – And Circle K's new $5.99 per month coffee subscription that Anne somehow loves despite being Death Valley low on the same idea from Panera last year. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Manhattan Associates Momentum Connect Conference, visit: https://www.manh.com/en-gb/events/momentum?utm_campaign=21-01-global-all-multiproducts-paidmedia-Influencer&utm_content=Momentum&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=click-through&utm_term=INFLUENCER21This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

If you’ve ever considered a career in management consulting or had a question about the consulting industry, this interview is a must-listen. Anne Mezzenga sits down with Patrica Hong, a 20-year management consultant veteran and Partner at the Alvarez & Marsal Consumer and Retail Group. Patricia got into consulting thinking she’d get some early career experience and the opportunity to move to the US to get her MBA and then move onto other career opportunities. Little did she know, several years later, that she would leave consulting, come back, and still be doing it today. Patricia provides her insights on the skills it takes to succeed as a consultant and how to accept situations when you find you don’t have all the answers, like, for example, when helping a company manage their business through a pandemic. Patricia even closes the conversation sharing the number one thing on which, consultant or not, no one should ever compromise. Sponsored by Parcel Pending by Quadient (parcelpending.com) Music by hooksounds.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Anne Mezzenga is joined by CEO and President of Athleta, Mary Beth Laughton. Since Mary Beth became CEO of Athleta, Athleta has become a billion-dollar brand, rolled out inclusive sizing chain-wide, and made several pivots to provide a full omnichannel experience for their customers as they worked and worked out from home during the pandemic. Mary Beth’s career in retail started early on at the Tasty Freeze in Chicago, where she went above and beyond at an early age, asking to re-configure menu boards and craft an even more perfect cone. Her ambition and success continued through her professional career, which saw her hold positions at McKinsey, launch the DTC side of Nike’s business, run e-commerce for Sephora, and finally in her current role leading the team at Athleta. Through it all, Mary Beth says her key to success is being proactive in her career, and she shares some tips on how to do that along with advice on making personal and professional career decisions, creating best in class omnichannel retail experiences, and how to prepare yourself and your teams for the next generation of retail. Sponsored by Parcel Pending by Quadient (parcelpending.com) 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 Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and Manhattan Associates, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga head to the Kellogg School of Management to talk: – This year's list of the Top 10 Online Retailers and what it tells us about the future of retail. – Walmart's "ladder theory" defense against a $15 minimum wage. – The Macy's kerfuffle over its scan-and-go mobile app and what it says about Jeff Gennette's leadership and technology overall within retail experience design. – Who stands to win and who stands to lose from Instacart's brilliant move to become the online SNAP redemption clearinghouse for a bevy of new grocers. – And what SoFi's new cryptocurrency rewards program says about loyalty, asset transferability, and today's youth. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Manhattan Associates Momentum Connect Conference, visit: https://www.manh-momentum.com/event/2900e153-e818-4d29-8aa7-08ece92093ad/summaryThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, Takeoff, and Manhattan Associates, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga talk: – Walmart removing its in-store pickup towers and how the announcement, despite the headlines, is about way more than robotics. – Gopuff nabbing a 20 year Amazon veteran to head up operations after its latest $1 billion financing round. – The hilarious Amazon vs. Walmart battle over cool sounding in-home delivery PR. For the record, Amazon wins hands down, and I make no bones about it, calling in-home fridge delivery one of the worst ideas Walmart has had in the past five years. – Instagram's new marketplace to connect creators and brands. – And why a new Harry Potter store in NYC highlights everything that is right about physical retail, even though it really has nothing to do with retail. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Manhattan Associates Momentum Connect Conference, visit: https://www.manh-momentum.com/event/2900e153-e818-4d29-8aa7-08ece92093ad/summaryThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern go back to the 1990s and talk: – Lululemon getting into resale (and some of the watch outs it should consider) – Why Amazon's new hair salons are about way more than hair - What Taco Bell's digital-only store in NYC means for our ever-growing fear of a WALL-E future - AiFi's new camera-only checkout free implementation with Choice Market - And why Amazon's new home delivery installation program is way cooler than anyone probably thinks on first blush. Plus, it is Emma the Intern's last show so we send her off in style with pictures of Chris and Anne from 1998 and put her through her own "How Gen X are You?" quiz. This week's episode is a whole lot of Abercrombie & Fitch, frosted tips, and a little Savage Garden thrown in for good measure. Truly, madly, deeply it is. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

NielsenIQ recently unveiled its new Omnishopper solution to enhance the industry’s understanding of omnishopping consumer behavior across the U.S. marketplace. In the latest edition of their Omni Talk Spotlight Series, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss the launch with Liz Buchanan and Natalie Williams of NielsenIQ and learn how the new Omnishopper solution works, what it does, and why it enhances the overall insights retailers and CPGs can glean from how today's shopper is actually shopping. For NielsenIQ, the solution also marks the first stage of a multi-pronged product release, focused on bringing accurate omni-intelligence to the global stage. And, for retailers and CPGs, it just may also mark one of the biggest changes in the "history of category management," which is not a statement to take lightly, either. Retail is changing fast and how we talk about performance across the channels and by market just may be the most central question of all going forward. This interview is another Omni Talk exclusive you won't want to miss! *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern, along with special guest hosts Kristin Kohler Burrows and David Ritter: – Discuss what Harry's $155 million investment round means for its future and the future of CPGs. – Exchange barbs about Best Buy's new subscription program, Best Buy Beta. – Grade Starbucks' new reusable cup pilot on a scale only Starbucks drinkers will love. – Highlight why Nordstrom's market strategy would be even cooler if Macy's and Kohl's started drinking from the same Kool-Aid. – And anxiously and unanimously await the day when rumored Amazon discount electronics and home goods stores are actually a reality. There’s all that and more in this week’s episode, including our favorite Arquette, the Pointer Sisters, and how many HBS grads its takes to record a podcast. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Omni Talk Live Production -- You Can't Spell Autonomous Shopping Without AI -- Chris Walton goes deep on the subject of AI and autonomous shopping with executives from NVIDIA, Dell Technologies, and AWM Smart Shelf who know their stuff as well as anyone. Azita Matin (NVIDIA's VP & GM, AI for Retail & CPG), Trey McMillian (Dell Technology's GM for Retail), and Kevin Howard (AWM Smart Shelf CEO) all join Chris for a lively and frank discussion on what we can all expect in the world of autonomous shopping over the next few years. Together they discuss and predict: - That key retailers will be rolling out more autonomous shopping pilots in the next 6 to 12 months (8:25) - Why autonomous shopping is a "natural evolution of human nature" (11:00) - How AI frees up employees time for value added tasks (14:44) - The nuances between autonomous shopping and autonomous operations (15:50) - The importance of GPUs in autonomous shopping (28:50) - Why the path to autonomous shopping doesn't have to be linear -- i.e. self-checkout machines, scan-and-go, smart carts, then fully autonomous (35:42) - The insanity of retailers trying to go this alone with their own home grown solutions (40:18) - And, that fully autonomous shopping could be the norm within 3 years (45:16) Yes, you heard that last point here first -- 3 years! That is the timeline by which three AI executives all believe that we can expect the major retail players in the world to deploy fully autonomous shopping at scale. Sign us up! We are all in!This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern: – Take sides on the landlord vs. retailer sales calculation debate – Discuss how far is too far in Nike's distribution pullback efforts – Forecast out the impact on retail workers of increased demand for warehousing space – Fantasize about other Restoration Hardware-like retail and hospitality mashups – And, go in some of the strangest directions imaginable talking about whether Tinder commerce could become a big thing There's all that and more in this week's episode, including Charles in Charge references, Quorso mugs, and the sultry sounds of posh acronyms. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern talk: – Albertsons rolling out more microfulfillment centers – Fabletics' store expansion plans and its unique position in the athleisure market – Dollar General's new Popshelf concept and some mind blowing statistics from Nielsen that might make you think the concept is going to be quite successful – Amazon's new NFL deal, its push to sell products on Amazon Music, and how social commerce now seems like a small scale and pedestrian idea – And, what's cooler about 7-Eleven's new concept store -- that it has a drive-thru or that it also serves frozen margaritas? Will leave the last one for you to decide. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

For the latest episode of Omni Talk’s new Ask An Expert Interview Series for 2021, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga interview Kristin Kohler Burrows and David Ritter of the A&M Consumer and Retail Group. David and Kristin love retail, have great backgrounds as both operators and consultants (Kristin in shoes and David in the Army), and both share our Omni Talk passion for great debate as a path to the right answers. Every week they put us on the spot with tough questions about the future of retail in our weekly Omni Talk Fast Five podcast. In this episode, Chris and Anne turn the tables on them and put them to test and ask them to share their thoughts as experts on the future of retail and what matters most, right now. Together the four of them discuss: – The issues facing various categories of retail – Inventory management and assortment planning, especially in grocery – Digital marketplace partnerships and the impact on in-store experiences – The move to microfulfillment and overall grocery profitability -- CPG's going direct-to-consumer (and the lessons they can take from the footwear industry) -- Anne's favorite topic du jour, revenge spending, and jumping feet first into the latest seasonal trends -- And, the two trends to which retailers should be paying more attention but are not (sustainability and China) Listen to this podcast, and one thing will stand out — Kristin and David have pretty sound thoughts around how to work smarter and not harder as retailers. And, for those keeping score at home, their combined Millennial score was about a 33 to 35. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

“Be Mission Driven.” That's the theme of this podcast. Chris Rupp’s mission is to use technology to make life more convenient for people, and you’ll hear all about how she achieves that goal in this latest episode of the Women's Retail Collective podcast with Anne Mezzenga. You may know Chris from her time leading the development of Amazon Prime or her current role as the Chief Digital and Customer Officer of Albertsons Companies, but did you know that she is also responsible for tractors having cupholders? True story. Give this podcast a listen, and you will get the full rundown of Chris’s career. From her early days as an associate buyer, manually writing orders for coordinated pantsuits at L.S. Ayers Department Store, to running all of hardlines for Amazon on Day 2 of her job there, to her latest success launching a pilot of cutting edge pickup kiosks for Albertsons. Special thanks to Parcel Pending by Quadient for their support of this episode of the Women's Retail Collective Podcast Series. To learn more about Parcel Pending by Quadient, visit www.ParcelPending.com.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern discuss: – Amazon's plan to rollout Amazon Fresh to 28 more stores, while also testing "Just Walk Out" tech at full scale – Walmart's curbside sampling program and all the amazing ways to think about the value it creates – The decision by Adidas to cut back wholesale distribution, open bigger stores, and push its business to 50% DTC – Whether Walmart hiring Brandon Maxwell as its new creative director for its upscale fashion lines matters one iota – And, why Amazon's nationwide rollout of Amazon Care could signal tough times ahead for Walmart's physical healthcare strategy Plus, Anne introduces Chris to the wonderful world of OB-GYN product placement, while Chris tries to set new marks for Omni Talk alliteration. This week's episode is as sharp, sidesplitting, and speedy as ever! To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern talk: – Walmart's brilliant one-stop strategy move to roll out ghost kitchens in Canada – Costco's appallingly slow rollout of curbside pickup – Bed Bath & Beyond's risky private label strategy – The long-term implications of Drest, the new fashion styling game – And, why Disney's decision to close down stores is a shrewd omnichannel move To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Spotlight Series, sponsored by 1010data, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga interview Wes Schroll, Founder and CEO Fetch Rewards. "Adulting," as Wes puts it, and living on his own during college, Wes couldn't understand why retailers and brands asked consumers to jump through so many hoops to earn loyalty rewards. So, he set out to do something about it. For his final business school assignment in his Sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin, Wes created what has now become Fetch Rewards. Soon after, he began pitching his business plan in startup competitions throughout the country and ultimately earned $185K in seed money. Today, Fetch is now rumored to be worth almost $1.5 billion. Free to consumers, Fetch Rewards app users take a photo of their receipts and then earn Fetch Rewards points from over 450 brands and retailers participating in the platform. On average, Fetch Rewards' 7 million active users scan over 20 receipts per month! Users get rewarded for shopping, and brands generate more loyalty for their products. It's a win-win or 1 + 1 = 3 situation all around, and it also gives brands and retailers a tremendous longitudinal view into the shopping habits of their customers both online and in store. Wes and Fetch Rewards are even able to see how digital incentives impact store purchasing behavior. No panel data required. The whole concept is about intuitive as it gets, and all the more reason to stop what you are doing, give the podcast a listen, and see what you may have been missing. Chris even downloaded the app right in the middle of the interview.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Spotlight Series, sponsored by 1010data, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga interview Caper CEO Lindon Gao hot off his company's new smart cart pilot implementation with Kroger (see video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=burdDUj6f6w). Much has been said over the great smart cart debate of 2021, with Chris at one time even calling it the dashboard GPS of the retail industry, but is he now warming up to the idea? Maybe. Just maybe . . . at least in the right use cases. Together with Lindon, Chris and Anne pressure test what they know and don't know about the concept, like: - How the shopping cart is one of the few controlled environments within a grocery store - How carts, small trolleys, or even countertop devices may be much more palatable for small mom and pop operations to digest than cameras in ceilings or sensors in shelves - And, also how a myriad of operational use cases could still spring from the whole idea, like monitoring shelf inventory, regardless of whether consumers end up using smart carts to shop or not. Chris still may not be ready to put the cart before the horse (i.e. full computer vision AI), but one thing will be abundantly clear after listening to this interview -- the smart cart is going to be a central figure in the checkout-free revolution debate for years to come. After all, Kroger is kind of a big deal.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Spotlight Series, sponsored by 1010data, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga interview Eric Tribe, Chief Marketplace Officer Flashfood. Did you know 30-40% of all food ends up in a landfill? That is the origin story behind Flashfood, the fast growing startup whose technology helps to solve the problems of food waste and of getting affordable food to people who need it the most. Eric discusses with Chris and Anne how the Flashfood app works as a marketplace for discounted grocery store items that may soon go out of date and would otherwise be thrown away. When users open the Flashfood app, they can see the soon-to-be-discarded food available at their local grocery stores, buy the food through the app, and then go to the store to pick it up. And the app works with local grocers without requiring any integrations to their POS and OMS systems as well! Yes, Chris really had a hard time believing that one too, but it is true. It's also why Meijer rolled out the concept to 250 stores in just 4 weeks. Give this podcast a listen and you will be wishing, as Anne does, that this app was available in your local market, not just for you but because it feels like the right thing for all grocers to do.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Spotlight Series, sponsored by 1010data, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga interview Tim Rowland, CEO of Badger Technologies, and Peter Veloz, CEO UltraViolet Devices Inc. (or UVDI for short). Coming off the success of its robotics implementations with Stop & Shop, the Giant Company, and Woodman's last year, Tim and Badger Technologies have now set their sights on developing robots that can also disinfect store shelves and products in response to COVID-19. Together with UVDI, Badger's robots will soon be able to disinfect grocery stores with UVC light wave technology, a practice that has long been used in our nation's hospitals. So, now, instead of grocery store employees having to clean aisle after aisle and risk their own health and safety, robots may soon be able to take on this task for them. Overall, it is yet another case of a win-win application for robotics in retail or, as Peter likes to say, one that exemplifies the four D's of where robotics will have their earliest successes -- i.e. eliminating the dirty, dull, dangerous, and difficult jobs that no one ever wants to do. *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern talk: – Target's murky yet still enviable competitive position heading into 2021 – One of the all-time biggest exec gaffes in history at Nike – Amazon Go coming to London – Albertsons actually going away from owned online deliveries in favor of third-parties – And, a fun story about a robot named Smiley that sells candy while you shop. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest episode of Omni Talk’s Ask An Expert Interview Series for 2021, Chris Walton interviews Jonah Ellin, Chief Product Officer at 1010data. There is no question that 2020 was a transformative year for grocery. Consumer behavior changed, and retailers changed in response, but which of these changes are here to stay is still an important and outstanding question. So, with all that said, Chris went right to the data and asked Jonah to share his company's latest report on the state of the grocery industry for 2021. Together Chris and Jonah discuss: - The raw growth in online grocery across 2020 - The lingering power of Instacart even after stay-at-home orders have ceased - The new normal level of curbside pickup across retailers, especially the warehouse clubs - And, why the old ways of looking at grocery performance, e.g. market share and sales over LY, may no longer be enough to understand where the puck is headed next. Give this podcast a listen and one thing will become 100% clear -- curbside pickup and Instacart aren't going away anytime soon, if at all. We have reached a new normal, and the grocery winners and losers will be determined by those who embrace this new world as opposed to those who continue to cling to operating models of the past. To read the full 2021 State of Grocery Report in full, head to Omni Talk: https://omnitalk.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021_1010Data_StateofGrocery_Report_Final.pdf *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

"Take The Leap" is the theme of this podcast, and no one has done that better than Kelly Kowal, Chief Platform Officer at Farfetch. Kelly didn't casually enter into a retail career, she dove into one. With courage and a "can-do" attitude, she began a journey in e-commerce running digital marketing at eBags.com. At the time, e-commerce was new to Kelly, so when she didn't know the acronyms people were using in the weekly status meetings, she showed up to the office at 5 AM before anyone else arrived, did her research, and figured it out. This persistence and determination took her to London and to her current role as Chief Platform Officer of Farfetch. In this podcast, Kelly shares her career story and how she and her team professionally and personally weathered the pandemic, all while refining and expanding the offerings Farfetch plans to bring to market in the coming year. You won't want to miss this interview, and be sure to stay until the end when Anne and Kelly plan their next retail conference concert escapades. Thanks to our sponsor, Parcel Pending. For more information about Parcel pending, visit ParcelPending.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern talk: – The absolute explosion in online grocery, particularly curbside pickup and third-party delivery – What to make of the rumor that Instacart is investigating warehouse automation (hint: it is not as nefarious as many people would want you to believe) – TikTok's new seller marketplace – Why Walmart's new BigCommerce partnership sounds cool but is really a big snore – And, just how ludicrous Kohl's activist investors sound when you look under the covers There's all that and more in this week's episode, including Brits pretending to be Brits in Farrelly Brothers' movies. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest episode of the Omni Talk Spotlight Series, Indy Guha, Chief Marketing Officer at Signifyd, joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga to discuss the topic of fraud prevention and how to think about it not as a cost reduction activity but as a revenue generating opportunity. Together, Chris, Anne, and Indy go deep on all the ways fraud can impact the consumer shopping experience across the entire purchase funnel, from e-commerce transactions to even the final proof point in the buy online, pickup in-store process. The podcast is another great example of how network effects across data capture can make life simpler and easier for retailers, with big and quick upside. There's of course savings from manual processing costs and better fraud detection overall, but most importantly the data can also lead to better precision in understanding which digital orders are actually revenue retailers should want to earn. Of all the interviews Chris and Anne have completed over the last few years, this one is quite possibly the easiest, fastest, and most impactful win (it only takes weeks to implement!) at which every retailer should take a look right now. Plus, the anecdote of how fraudsters use Zillow data to game the system will blow your mind. To learn more about unlocking more revenue by streamlining the payments and risk management process, visit www.signifyd.com *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern discuss: – The latest statistics on and the now burning platform that is Walmart+ – Victoria's Secret getting back into swimwear – Poshmark getting into the pets business – Amazon's acquisition of Selz – And, P&G's off-the-wall plans to open Old Spice barbershops (seriously, WTF?) It's another podcast for the ages and one chock-full of 80's references, including Remington Steele, Cagney & Lacey, with even a little Evan and Seth from Superbad and a debate on the appropriate swimwear for Generation X sprinkled in for good measure. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

For the latest episode of Omni Talk’s new Ask An Expert Interview Series for 2021, Chris Walton interviews Kevin Swanwick, Vice President Store Solutions at Manhattan Associates. The correlative relationship between service and margin is a fundamental axiom in business, and yet retail companies often overlook this relationship in evaluating what technologies are right for them. The flashiest answers may not be the best answers and could depend on whether your business is designed to move many units at low margin or designed for high touch service with lower turn and a higher product margin per unit sold. In this episode, Chris and Kevin explore this topic in depth and through the lens of point-of-sale technology to shine a light on all the different nuances involved in technology decision-making. Together Chris and Kevin discuss: - What it means to be an order-centric retailer vs. a customer-centric retailer (and what it implies for technology) - Why cloud commerce is essential for both setups - Which retail experiences are more suited for self-service scan-and-go style checkout versus others - And, which cloud commerce system is the most integral piece of a retailer's omnichannel engine Listen to this podcast, and one thing will stand out -- the future of in-store retail experiences will look very different from one retailer to another. No one size will fit all. Rather, the right answers will depend on who you are as a brand and how your business model actually works. *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern discuss: -- Instacart's ever-growing dominance across 25,000+ stores across America -- Target coyly and quietly building out its own same-day marketplace with brands that neither Amazon nor Walmart may carry -- Walmart hitting another snag on its quest for TikTok -- Walgreens and Uber's new partnership on free rides for vaccinations -- And, what in the world Kohl's may be thinking with its new Eddie Bauer partnership. Flannels, cords, and fleece. We have it all in this week's show, including growing CEO adoration for Emma the Intern and Anne's utter inability to make her own Mount Rushmore of crushes without it getting tawdry. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by A&M Consumer & Retail Group and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern discuss: – Asos purchasing TopShop – Imagr's new checkout-free implementation in Japan and the ongoing debate on smart carts – The latest last-mile developments from Instacart and Uber – Lego making its own version of Tik Tok for kids – And, Jeff Bezos leaving Amazon and his legacies that will endure All that, plus Chris shares his latest Ginsburg update and extols the unassailable virtues of Tom Brady, while Anne and Chris also sing Natalie Imbruglia's one-hit wonder for Emma the Intern who has no idea what they are doing. Let's just say, this week's episode is all good and all bad at the same time. To view the video of the Imagr installation, click here: https://omnitalk.blog/2021/02/01/spotlight-series-live-demo-of-imagrs-new-checkout-free-installation-in-japan/ To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.linkedin.com/in/david-ritter/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy