Omni Talk Retail

In the latest Omni Talk Spotlight Series, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Justin Corbell, VP Business Development Scandit, to discuss the future of scan-and-go checkout-free retail and the future of in-store operations. Scandit recently raised $80 million in its latest funding round and is a company that nearly all retailers and CPG companies should have on their watch lists. In this podcast, you will learn: - Why not all barcode scanning is created equal (both for employees and customers) - How to think about the dynamics of a scan-and-go implementation - Why scan-and-go generally means less contact, bigger baskets, and happier customers - And, where and how augmented reality actually makes real sense for retailers. Another must listen amid this crazy pandemic! To learn more about Scandit, visit: https://www.scandit.com/ *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

There were almost too many headlines for this week's Omni Talk Fast Five! Prime Day is official, Walmart and Levi's have new store designs, and Poshmark is going public -- but none of these stories even made it into the top five. No, in this week's episode, sponsored by FastSensor and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern instead turn their attention to how studies are showing that 11% of Americans may have already signed up for Walmart+, how Alibaba is taking a page from Costco and Sam's Club's book, how in the world Instacart keeps signing up retailers like Sephora and Bed Bath & Beyond, why Kroger is now downsizing its latest Ocado implementation, and also why paying with their palms at Amazon Go is something all three of them desperately want to do. All in all, as Chris's grandpa used to say, this week's episode is a real humdinger. And, its Emma the Intern's birthday! To learn more about FastSensor, visit: www.fastsensor.com/retail-promo To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

When it comes to the evolution of the mall, Jill Renslow has seen it all. Jill has spent 23 years at Mall of America leading the national institution through many transformations and partnerships to continue to make it a one-of-a-kind shopping and entertainment destination. In this podcast, Jill shares with Anne Mezzenga a few of her most remarkable experiences along her journey, including how she and her team are tackling mall operations during a pandemic. They discuss what's going to bring people to malls in the future and how Jill has sought out partnerships with everyone from Nickelodeon to neighborhood shop-in-shops to ensure Mall of America visitors have something new and delightful to capture their imaginations each and every time they visit. Jill also shares what's still left on her career bucket list and, of course, her A+ lineup for her own concert as well.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Chris Walton interviews Sam's Club Chief Product Officer Eddie Garcia about Sam's Club's new Scan & Go at the pump functionality, along with all the other innovations Sam's Club has introduced over the past six months, like concierge shopping for seniors, curbside pickup, and shipping from store.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Shoptalk CEO Anil Aggarwal talks about the origin of Shoptalk, the state of the retail industry, and the next marquee event. Anil also gives a master class on innovation and disruption theory, emphasizing the importance of putting product first and making tough decisions. It's a firsthand account from someone who eats what he cooks and isn't afraid of innovation.

In this week's Fast Five, sponsored by FastSensor and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern discuss more feel good stories in one week than they can ever remember. They talk Mall of America dedicating retail space to local Minneapolis businesses disrupted by the pandemic and the social unrest following the killing of George Floyd, the first-ever Jeff Bezos Academy preschool for students from low income families, Walmart's Plus Up marketing campaign, GOAT's latest $100 million Series E funding round, and the mall operator Centennial's brilliant move to create an online marketplace for all its tenants this upcoming October. It is an episode guaranteed to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy and maybe even a little nostalgic for 80's movies featuring animatronic ducks. To learn more about FastSensor, visit: https://www.fastsensor.com/retail-promo To learn more about Takeoff, visit: https://www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In her latest Women's Retail Collective Podcast, Anne Mezzenga interviews Alison Hahn about her career and the lessons she has learned from working at some of the biggest specialty retailers in the world, like Sephora and Gap. Alison shares her career story that began in the training program at Bamberger's (which would become Macy's New Jersey)and that eventually led to her current role at Sephora leading merchandising decisions for one of the largest beauty brands in the world. Anne and Alison also cover the impact the pandemic has had on the beauty industry and how Sephora has pivoted its strategies in response. Alison also shares some great advice for those early in their merchandising and retail careers. "This job is a lot of balancing art and science, but a huge part of it is instinct," she tell us. There are so many lessons to be learned in this one, including Alison's recipe for a perfect summer concert.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 FastSensor and Takeoff, Chris Walton, Anne Mezzenga, and Emma the Intern break down Apple's big fitness subscription news, Sam's Club's Scan & Go at the pump, Amazon suburban warehouses and its new luxury play, and poke a little much needed fun at made up retail holidays and all the PR hype around the newest one -- 10/10. To learn more about FastSensor, visit: https://www.fastsensor.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: https://www.takeoff.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Julian Mills, CEO of Quorso, sits down with Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest edition of their Omni Talk Spotlight Series, the series that highlights the people, the companies, and the technologies changing the future of retail. Quorso first caught Omni Talk's attention a few months ago, right when the pandemic hit. As former store-level and HQ-level retail executives, Chris and Anne have always wondered if there were better ways for both sides of a retail organization to connect and to optimize performance around clearer priorities, and COVID-19 has only brought that question to the forefront even more. While many decisions in retail get made by the loudest voices in the room or just trickle down from the top, they could and should, especially during a crisis, come from all directions and be prioritized around what matters most, iteratively, over time. In reality, as Julian elucidates, retail management, especially at the store level, should be no different from agile software development. It is just that retailers have never had the tools to help them run a store in this manner before. Julian shares how Quorso's weekly performance platform works, how it prioritizes decisions, and how it helps leaders drive accountability and personal attachment through real-time metrics monitoring and feedback down through every level of an organization. This just may be the most important retail technology podcast of the entire pandemic or at least one that will get you thinking differently. For, without leadership, accountability, and shared goals, not even the best of the best technology matters. *Sponsored Content*This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In their latest Omni Talk Spotlight Series interview, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga chat with FIT:MATCH Founder and CEO Haniff Brown. Haniff shares his unique background and inspiration for FIT:MATCH, a startup that is making waves in the virtual try-on space. With implementations already in the books at a number of Brookfield Properties' sites, Haniff and his team are attempting to change the way consumers shop for clothes. Walk into any one of their virtual fitting rooms and within moments consumers can expect to have a detailed view of their fit and body type as well as understand what products are right for them across a myriad of apparel retailers. This podcast will challenge your thinking about everything from online personalization to what the roles and looks of physical stores and fitting rooms may actually be in the future.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy