Omni Talk Retail Most Overhyped Technology - What Failed to Deliver? | Fast Five Shorts
Dec 13, 2025
Chad Lusk, a retail and consumer sector advisor from A&M Consumer and Retail Group, joins the discussion on the most overhyped retail technologies. They dive into the misleading rollout of SmartCarts and questionable ROI claims. Despite the buzz, Chad highlights that agentic AI commerce is moving too fast for its own good, citing Target's hasty ChatGPT integration as an example of poor strategy. The trio concludes that retailers should slow down, prioritize testing, and make informed decisions before fully embracing these technologies.
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SmartCart Pilots Were Small And Misleading
- Anne describes grocers testing smart carts with very small fleets, often under 20 units.
- She warns headlines implying large deployments mislead retailers about real ROI and scale.
Prioritize Quick-Return In-Store Tech
- Anne urges retailers to prioritize transparent pricing and electronic shelf labels over expensive cart installs.
- She recommends investing in in-store robotics and shelf-view tech that return quicker ROI.
Agentic AI Is Ahead Of Practical Impact
- Chad calls consumer-facing agentic AI commerce overhyped because adoption and impact lag the hype.
- He sees a sprint from Q1 intrigue to Q4 executive panic that outpaces practical readiness.