Omni Talk Retail

This segment on the Retail Fast Five podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Infios, Clear Demand, and Ocampo Capital, dives into Walmart's dark store pilot program.Walmart is testing dark stores in Dallas for faster online fulfillment, with plans for Bentonville. Chris calls it a smart defensive and offensive move that could eliminate out-of-stocks online, while Anne questions whether this accelerates competition with Amazon and what Target's response will be.🔔 Subscribe for weekly retail insights!For the full episode head here: https://youtu.be/-J5sCVAKsfQ#walmart #darkstores #retailtech #onlinefulfillment #ecommerce #retailautomation #omnichannel #warehouseinnovationThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this 5 Insightful Minutes episode, gStore by GregyOrange’s General Manager Troy Sewek joins Omni Talk to share his tried-and-true tips on tech for the world’s smartest stores.From RFID foundations to computer vision innovations, Troy breaks down what technology is truly critical for retailers facing market uncertainty, how to build smart store pilots that actually change behavior (not just showcase tech), and why the future is all about orchestration — where all your store systems work together like a central nervous system. If you’ve ever wondered what smart store tech is worth adopting and how to implement it fast, this episode is for you.🔑 Topics covered:Critical tech stack for agile retail operations (RFID, computer vision, predictive alerts)How to layer new technology on existing systems without throwing away investmentsSmart store pilot strategies that deliver results in 60-90 daysWhy behavior-changing labs beat tech showcases every timeThe orchestration era: How merchandising, inventory, staffing and fulfillment uniteReal solutions for mass retailers with mixed RFID environments🎧 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights!#smartstores #retailtech #RFID #computervision #omnitalk #retailinnovation #storeoperations #retailpodcast #gstore #retailexecution #smartretailMusic by hooksounds.comSponsored ContentThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, Chris and Anne discussed:Walmart testing dark stores (Source)Wegmans piloting Instacart’s smart carts (Source)Target exploring factory-direct shipping models similar to Shein and Temu (Source)Hibbett’s launch of a kid-focused app and website (Source)Starbucks retooling its hiring process for baristas (Source)And gStore from GreyOrange’s General Manager, Troy Siwek stopped by for 5 Insightful Minutes to give us the lowdown on what technologies he thinks retailers should be evaluating for their next generation of smart stores.There’s all that, plus alien bodies, AI mode, the Bezos wedding, and Arnold Schwarzenegger movie rankings.You can give this week’s Fast Five retail news roundup a listen by clicking above or on the platform of your choice below:P.S. Be sure to check out all our other podcasts from the past week here, too: https://omnitalk.blog/category/podcast/P.P.S. Also be sure to check out our podcast rankings on Apple Podcasts and on FeedspotMusic by hooksounds.com#RetailNews #WalmartDarkStores #InstacartSmartCarts #RetailTech #TargetFactoryDirect #RetailPodcast #OmniTalk #StarbucksHiring #HibbettKids #RetailInnovation #GroceryTech #RetailStrategyThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Omni Talk sits down with Krystina Gustafson, co-founder of RetailClub and former Shoptalk content chief, to talk about the new AI Deep Dive Retreat launching this September in Huntington Beach. In this candid conversation, Krystina explains how RetailClub is reinventing the retail event experience—ditching the booths and buzzwords in favor of real conversations, collaborative learning, and hands-on AI training.🔥 What to expect:– A sneak peek into RetailClub’s first AI-focused retreat– How the team behind Shoptalk is flipping the traditional conference model– Who should attend: From AI curious to retail change-makers– Why now is the moment for building an AI-native retail community– And how retailers and brands can attend for free and get up to $1,250 in travel reimbursement!📅 Registration deadline: August 22🌐 Learn more: https://retailclub.comMusic by hooksounds.com#RetailClub #aiinretail #retailinnovation #omnitalk #RetailRetreat #retailleadership #generativeai #RetailEvents*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 the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, our rapid-fire lightning round covers the week's quirkiest retail stories: Ollipop's 5-cent VIP boxes, Jimmy John's steamy romance novel promotion, Unilever acquiring Dr. Squatch, and Tombstone's wild French fry crust pizza experiment.Timestamps:32:19 - Ollipop Amazon partnership32:53 - Jimmy John romance audiobook34:54 - Dr Squatch acquisition35:34 - Tombstone French fry pizzaCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#RetailNews #FoodInnovation #BrandMarketing #ConsumerTrends #LightningRoundThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, Amazon is testing aggressive grocery bundling by showing 100+ food items during regular checkout flows. We analyze whether this interstitial approach can change deeply ingrained shopping habits and why Walmart has a massive advantage in the grocery recommendation game.Timestamps:29:28 - Bundling strategy details30:08 - Intent vs behavior mismatch31:03 - Walmart's positioning advantage31:43 - Recommendation engine comparisonCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#AmazonGrocery #GroceryDelivery #OnlineGrocery #AmazonFresh #RetailStrategyThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, conservative grocery giant H-E-B surprises everyone by piloting autonomous delivery robots in Austin with Avride. We break down why this 1-mile radius test makes sense for this location but question whether robot delivery can scale beyond urban experiments.Timestamps:25:12 - H-E-B robot pilot details26:21 - Why this location works27:07 - Scaling challenges27:45 - "Garminized" prediction28:56 - Partnership speculationCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#HEB #AutonomousDelivery #GroceryRobots #RetailInnovation #LastMileDeliveryThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, we discuss how Walmart is revolutionizing store operations with AI tools that cut shift planning from 90 to 30 minutes. We analyze why overnight stocking is the perfect testing ground for retail AI and how this technology could transform workforce productivity across thousands of stores.Timestamps:15:17 - AI tool announcement15:53 - Why overnight logistics matters16:34 - Team lead time savings17:29 - Execution vs data interpretation18:22 - Revenue impact potentialCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#Walmart #RetailAI #StoreOperations #RetailTechnology #WorkforceEfficiencyThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, we deep dive into Whatnot, the live streaming shopping app that hit $3B in sales selling trading cards, sneakers, and collectibles. We explore whether this QVC-meets-Twitch model can expand beyond niche markets and why video commerce is finally taking off in America.Timestamps:8:28 - What is Whatnot?9:47 - US vs China video commerce10:44 - Niche vs mass market potential13:05 - eBay 2.0 comparison14:30 - Platform distribution challengesCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#Whatnot #LiveShopping #VideoCommerce #CollectiblesTrading #SocialCommerce #LiveStreamingThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, we break down the massive $1.77B merger between SpartanNash and C&S Wholesale Grocers that will service 10,000+ retail locations. We analyze why wholesale consolidation is accelerating and what it means for independent grocers fighting against Walmart and Kroger's dominance.Timestamps:5:28 - Merger announcement details6:09 - Why scale matters in wholesale7:11 - Pressure on independent grocers7:51 - Can this stop big retailer market grab?Catch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#Grocery #retailnews #SpartanNash #WholesaleGrocers #RetailConsolidation #IndependentGrocersThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy