Marybeth Hays

Marybeth Hays, a former Walmart merchant executive and esteemed board advisor, dives into the transformation of retail merchandising. She discusses the shift to unified online and in-store responsibilities, allowing merchants to become true category experts. Real-time data is changing the game, and new technologies like RFID and AI-driven shelf intelligence are helping retailers better understand customer behavior. Marybeth also shares a fascinating Blue Moon beer story to highlight unexpected product pairings, while addressing the historical tension between merchants and operators.