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PODCAST

Retail Fast Five

Omni Talk Retail

The Omni Talk Retail Fast Five podcast is your weekly dose of retail industry insights and trends in a quick and digestible format. Hosted by industry experts, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga, this podcast delivers the top five news stories each week that are shaping the digital and physical retail landscape. Each episode breaks down the most important developments in retail, from the latest innovations in technology to consumer behavior shifts, emerging market trends, and beyond. Whether you"re a

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All Episodes

04:10

Lightning Round: Ulta Discounts, Andy Garcia &...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/17

The lightning round gets personal as Kelly reveals she'd trade her data to Ulta for holiday discounts (with three sisters and multiple gift exchanges, who can blame her?), Waqas picks "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" as his favorite Andy Garcia film, and the panel mourns the potential disappearance of Italian pasta from US shelves.Plus: middle-aged men are revealed as the biggest holiday spenders, Waqas's dishwasher crisis becomes his entire holiday budget (German vs. Korean appliance

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08:05

Dollar General's AI Leadership Move | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/17

Dollar General has appointed Travis Nixon as SVP of Artificial Intelligence, tasking him with using AI to optimize supply chain, store operations, and merchandising. But how long before every retailer has a Chief AI Officer—and is this even the right approach?Waqas Khan delivers a masterclass on why standalone AI roles may follow the same fate as Chief Digital Officers, most of whom lasted less than two years before the role dissolved. The panel discusses why Dollar General's SVP approach (rather

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07:48

Target's "10-4" Service Controversy | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/17

Target's new "10-4" policy requires employees to smile and wave at customers within 10 feet, and personally greet them within 4 feet. Is this explicit instruction necessary for today's workforce, or a forced, performative approach that signals deeper cultural problems?Former Target store manager Chris Walton shares insider perspective on why this policy reveals how far store culture has declined, while Anne argues that explicit direction is needed for first-time workers entering the retail job

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05:32

Bath & Body Works Scents the Holidays | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/17

Bath & Body Works is bringing Fresh Balsam to Grand Central Terminal, movie theaters, and interactive mall kiosks in what beauty expert Kelly Carey calls "my favorite marketing campaign of the year." But is piping fragrance into public spaces genius brand awareness or an invasive marketing tactic?Kelly breaks down why this campaign is perfectly timed to recapture awareness in a booming fragrance market, while the panel debates the opt-in vs. opt-out question when scent is thrust upon consumers

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09:51

Amazon vs. Perplexity Legal Showdown | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/17

Amazon is suing Perplexity AI over its Comet shopping agent, claiming it "covertly accesses Amazon customer accounts" and interferes with the curated shopping experience Amazon built over decades. But is this defensive move from the e-commerce giant actually a sign of things to come?Waqas Khan from A&M breaks down the technology protocols at stake, why this feels like a classic incumbent vs. disruptor battle, and how advertising revenue is driving Amazon's aggressive response. Chris argues this

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07:33

AI Shopping Hits Critical Mass | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/17

Adobe's October data reveals a game-changing milestone: generative AI traffic is now converting 16% BETTER than traditional sources—a complete 180 from three months ago when AI traffic converted 9% WORSE. This episode breaks down what Kelly Carey and Waqas Khan from the A&M Consumer and Retail Group think retailers need to know about this inflection point. With AI traffic up 1,200% year-over-year and shoppers spending 44% longer on sites when arriving from AI sources, the experts discuss why

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55:32

AI Commerce Surges, Amazon Sues Perplexity & We Are...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/12

In this Retail Fast Five episode, sponsored by theA&M Consumer and Retail Group,Mirakl,Ocampo Capital,Infios, andQuorso, Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton are joined by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group's Managing Director Waqas Khan and Director Kelly Carey to unpack the biggest retail headlines of the week—from the AI commerce inflection point to Amazon's legal battle with Perplexity.With Adobe data revealing that AI-driven traffic now converts 16% better than traditional channels, the panel

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03:10

Lightning Round: Chat GPT Coaching, Sexiest Man Alive...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

The Lightning Round gets wild this week! From a soccer coach using Chat GPT to devise winning defensive strategies, to Jonathan Bailey's Sexiest Man Alive title, to John Lewis offering hand massages for loyalty members, and Carly Rae Jepsen's baby naming dilemma... Chris and Anne tackle the most entertaining retail and culture moments.Plus, hear their personal Chat GPT success stories and debate whether hand massages at a department store would actually drive traffic. It's retail meets pop culture

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03:17

GrubHub Partners with Instacart | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

In a surprising move, GrubHub (owned by Mark Lore's Wonder super app) is partnering with Instacart to enable grocery delivery directly through the GrubHub platform. But this partnership raises major strategic questions: Why would Instacart help a potential future competitor?Chris breaks down the "Greeks bearing gifts" dynamics at play and questions whether this is Mark Lore's chess move toward building the ultimate meal-time super app. Is Instacart making a strategic mistake, or is there a bigger

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04:58

Kroger & Uber Eats Restaurant Integration | Fast Five...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Kroger is making history as the first retailer to integrate restaurant delivery directly into their grocery app through an expanded partnership with Uber Eats. Now customers can order their weekly groceries AND dinner from local restaurants in one seamless experience, with special benefits for Kroger Boost members.Chris and Anne discuss why this integration is brilliant for the subscription wars and predict when Walmart will respond with a similar Door Dash partnership. Is this the future of grocery

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04:43

Mondelēz's $40M AI Advertising Bet | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Mondelēz (maker of Oreo and Chips Ahoy) is investing over $40 million in a custom generative AI tool to slash marketing costs by 30-50% and create TV-ready ads for the 2027 Super Bowl. But is building proprietary AI technology the right move, or should CPG brands partner with specialized providers?Chris and Anne debate whether this massive investment will pay off or become a costly sunk cost trap as AI technology rapidly evolves. Anne shares insights from cutting-edge AI advertising demos that are

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04:11

Starbucks' Billion-Dollar Delivery Business | Fast...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Starbucks just revealed that delivery has become a $1 billion annual business, growing 30% year-over-year—and it's changing everything about how we think about coffee shops. With 40% of delivery orders including food, this massive revenue stream raises critical questions about Brian Nichol's turnaround strategy.Should Starbucks double down on automation and dark cafes, or invest in improving the in-store experience? Chris and Anne debate the future of Starbucks as delivery continues to

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06:15

The Amazonification of Whole Foods | Fast Five Shorts

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/10

Amazon is shaking up Whole Foods with a controversial transformation that has retail experts divided. From robot-powered "ShopBots" in the back room fetching Tide Pods and Pepsi, to a massive 3,800 square foot Amazon Grocery kiosk replacing the coffee shop in Chicago's flagship location, Amazon is testing whether Whole Foods shoppers want mainstream brands alongside their organic kale.Chris and Anne debate whether this move will destroy Whole Foods' brand identity or unlock new value for Amazon's

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39:53

Starbucks $1B Delivery Secret, Oreos In AI & Amazon's...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/05

In this week's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by theA&M Consumer and Retail Group,Mirakl,Ocampo Capital,Infios, andQuorso, Chris and Anne discussed:Amazon's push to add mainstream brands like Pepsi and Doritos to Whole Foods through ShopBots and Amazon Grocery kiosks (Source: Wall Street Journal)Starbucks crossing the $1 billion milestone in annual delivery sales with 30% quarterly growth (Source: CNBC)Mondelez investing $40 million in a generative AI tool to slash marketing costs by

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04:14

Lightning Round: Netflix In Theaters, Hot Santa, NFL...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Chris and Anne tackle the week's quirkiest retail stories: Netflix bringing Stranger Things' finale to theaters, Target's Weirdly Hot Santa returns for year two, Lululemon's NFL licensing sparks more debate, and Red Bull drops a $50 advent calendar. Fast takes, sharp opinions, and laughs from retail's most entertaining podcast duo.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.🔔 Follow for weekly lightning rounds!For the full episode head

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04:48

Amazon's Vision Quest - AI Glasses for Drivers | Fast...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Amazon unveils AI-powered smart glasses designed to help delivery drivers scan packages, navigate, and capture proof of delivery hands-free. Anne sees potential to reduce device overload for field workers, while Chris worries about long-term health implications and potential lawsuits. Is this the future of last-mile delivery or a Hot Shots-style disaster waiting to happen? Learn about the AR overlay technology, current trials, and what questions retailers should be asking.Sponsored by the A&M

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05:23

Will Lululemon’s NFL Partnership Hurt Its Brand In...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Lululemon announces its first-ever licensing deal, partnering with all 32 NFL teams to release officially branded apparel. Anne sees opportunity in solving the women's fan gear problem, while Chris warns it cheapens the brand and signals an identity crisis. Who's right? Plus, debate whether this should have been a college athletics play instead, and whether you'll ever see Viking yoga pants in a Lululemon store near you.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital,

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05:13

Walmart Cracks The Code - RFID Fresh Food Revolution...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Walmart and Avery Dennison achieve what was long considered impossible: RFID sensors that work in high-moisture, cold environments for meat, deli, and bakery departments. Chris and Anne explain why this breakthrough represents a domino effect for the smart store of the future, how it tackles food waste and spoilage, and why it will transform online grocery fulfillment. Plus, learn about the FSMA legislation driving this innovation forward.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl,

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04:05

DoorDash Launches Emergency Food Response Program | ...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

DoorDash launches a game-changing emergency food response program, offering free delivery for food banks and waiving fees for 300,000 SNAP recipient orders amid the government shutdown crisis. Anne and Chris break down why this move demonstrates the power of third-party logistics platforms, signals improving retailer partnerships, and builds customer loyalty that will last for years. Learn how reactive merchandising and doing good creates a competitive advantage.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and

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06:06

Retail's Darkest Day - Amazon & Target Layoffs | Fast...

Retail Fast Five ·

2025/11/03

Amazon eliminates 14,000 corporate roles while Target cuts 1,800 positions in what marks one of the darkest days in recent retail history. Chris and Anne share personal insights from their own experiences, discuss the cultural implications of these moves, and offer advice for affected workers. Is this the beginning of an industry-wide trend driven by AI automation? Plus, learn why Target's CEO messaging raises serious questions about accountability and cultural recovery.Sponsored by the A&M

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230 results

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