Costco's Executive Hours: The Data Is In | Fast Five Shorts

Are you ready for commerce without websites? In this Omni Talk Expert Series conversation, hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Jon Cleaver (CTO, Sportshoes.com) and Malte Ubl (CTO, Vercel) to explore how composable architecture and AI are reshaping retail's future.Jon shares the inside story of Sportshoes.com's aggressive 7-month website transformation... moving from a frustrating monolithic system to a flexible, composable stack. Malte reveals how modern infrastructure makes it possible to scale from zero to 100,000 compute instances instantly, and why retailers must think API-first to survive the agentic commerce revolution.Key topics covered:• Why composable commerce beats monolithic systems for AI readiness• How to transform your website in 7 months (and keep your job)• The real cost of AI in retail and how to manage it• Why your website won't disappear... but how customers will use it will• Starting your agentic AI experiments with logged-in customers• The critical role of product data enrichment for AI discoveryWhether you're a CTO evaluating your tech stack or a merchant trying to understand where retail is heading, this conversation delivers practical insights you can act on today.#RetailTech #ComposableCommerce #AgenticAI #Ecommerce #RetailInnovation #APIFirst #DigitalTransformation*Sponsored Content*This 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, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Chris and Anne discussed:Amazon launching a “price-conscious” grocery brand with most products under $5 (Source)PayPal tying 5% cash back to BNPL purchases (Source)Bed Bath & Beyond’s plans to launch a nationwide franchise system (Source)Shipt’s new chat to cart feature with Perplexity (Source)Shein making its first permanent move into physical retail (Source)And this month’s OmniStar award, in partnership with Quorso, goes to Prabash Coswatte, Chief Operating Officer at Heritage Grocers, for the true omnichannel approach he’s bringing to running a grocery chain across four distinct banners!There’s all that, plus why Chris calls Bed Bath’s franchise plan “the single dumbest idea in the history of this show,” whether Anne would eat Frank’s Red Hot gummy bears, and the surprising stat about BNPL usage for fresh grocery products.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 FeedspotMusic by hooksounds.com#RetailNews #AmazonGrocery #PayPalBNPL #BedBathBeyond #ShiptAI #SheinStores #RetailPodcast #OmniTalk #RetailTech #RetailInnovation #Franchising #ChatToCartThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, John Mabe, Product Manager at Dematic, joins Omni Talk to break down the real applications of AI in warehouse operations—separating the hype from what's actually working today. From optimization algorithms to computer vision systems and LLM-powered insights, John explains the three distinct categories of warehouse AI and where each one stands in terms of real-world deployment. Learn why the smallest players struggle to adopt AI, how humanoid robots are closer than you think, and why the "lights out warehouse" might follow a logical path we can already see unfolding.🔑 Topics covered:The three categories of warehouse AI: Optimization, Vision & Perception, and LLMsWhy optimization AI is proven but underutilized by smaller playersHow computer vision is preventing costly downstream errors todayThe realistic timeline for humanoid robots at scale (hint: it's sooner than you think)Why LLMs might be the fastest-deploying AI tool in the warehouseThe crawl-walk-run approach to AI agents running warehouse operations🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights!#warehouseai #retailtech #supplychain #automation #dematic #omnitalk #robotics #computervision #LLM #warehouseautomation #retailpodcastThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This lightning round segment from the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, covers the fun and quirky stories of the week!Topics include:• Mountain Dew's new "Dirty" cream soda targeting Gen Z and the dirty soda trend• Vegas transportation debate: Taxi or Uber? (Chris and Anne weigh in from Grocery Shop)• Chinese public toilets requiring QR code scans and ad viewing for toilet paper access• Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's divorce after 19 years... who hits the dating pool first?Plus birthday shoutouts to Brie Larson, Beck Bennett, and the legendary Julie Andrews turning 90!🔔 Subscribe for weekly retail fun!For the full episode head here#DirtySoda #MountainDew #VegasTravel #PopCulture #RetailNews #LightningRound #GenZTrends #NicoleKidmanThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This segment from the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, explores DoorDash's launch of "Going Out"... adding restaurant reservations and in-store rewards to its app.Chris declares DoorDash the one app he couldn't live without and says these features make it even stickier. Users can now book tables, earn DoorDash credits for reservations, and redeem exclusive in-store offers... all without leaving the app. Anne argues this is as close to a full-service super app as America will get, though she warns the experience needs to be seamless (no manual codes or barcodes like the Groupon days).Both hosts see huge potential for restaurants to drive traffic and for DoorDash to cement itself as the go-to utility for all commerce experiences, from delivery to dining out.🔔 Subscribe for tech and retail insights!For the full episode head here#DoorDash #RestaurantReservations #GoingOut #SuperApp #FoodDelivery #RestaurantTech #LoyaltyPrograms #DiningExperience #RetailInnovationThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This segment from the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, covers Sprouts Farmers Market's announcement to open 20 in-store Klatch Coffee cafes across Southern California.Anne explains why this move is perfectly aligned with Sprouts' destination shopping experience... customers who visit Sprouts are in a different mindset, taking time to discover new products and consult with specialized staff. Adding locally-sourced, independent brand coffee creates an elevated experience similar to getting champagne at a department storeChris highlights that Sprouts has massive "dry powder" for growth: they're only in 24 states, just launched their loyalty program, operate an optimized smaller store format, and now add coffee shops as another traffic driver. When shoppers linger with coffee, basket sizes increase... making this a savvy operations play.🔔 Subscribe for grocery retail insights!For the full episode head here#Sprouts #SproutsFarmersMarket #KlatchCoffee #GroceryInnovation #RetailExperience #CustomerExperience #GroceryTrends #JackSinclairThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This segment from the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, examines Amazon's decision to close all 19 Fresh grocery stores in the UK.Chris argues this confirms that grocery is incredibly hard to disrupt and that Amazon can't win on freshness, price, or experience without the necessary scale. He predicts Amazon Fresh in the US is "dead on arrival" and questions whether Amazon is making similar mistakes with Whole Foods by moving away from the "Whole Paycheck" premium positioning.Anne agrees that competitors like Sprouts, Lidl, and Aldi are beating Amazon at their own game with better distribution, fresher products, and lower prices. However, both hosts wonder if Amazon's pivot to online grocery could eventually win in a future where automated fulfillment becomes cheaper than in-store operations.🔔 Subscribe for retail strategy insights!For the full episode head here#AmazonFresh #UKGrocery #WholeFoods #GroceryRetail #RetailStrategy #AmazonGrocery #Lidl #Aldi #Sprouts #OnlineGroceryThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This segment from the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, analyzes early data from Costco's executive membership early access hours.Since implementing the extra hour of shopping from 9-10am, Placer AI data shows visits are shifting earlier, trips are becoming more efficient (30-45 minutes vs 45-60 minutes), and congestion during peak hours has decreased. Anne argues this transforms Costco from a once-a-week stock-up trip into a quick daily errand destination for millennials and young families, while Chris calls it a masterclass in operations management.With no additional staff required and executive members willing to pay for the perk, is this one of the smartest retail moves of 2025? Could this become the airport lounge problem where everyone upgrades? Chris and Anne break down the implications.🔔 Subscribe for weekly retail insights!For the full episode head here#Costco #ExecutiveMembership #RetailStrategy #GroceryShopping #PlacerAI #RetailOperations #CustomerExperience #RetailInnovationThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

This segment from the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, explores OpenAI's game-changing announcement: ChatGPT Instant Checkout.Users can now purchase items directly from Etsy sellers and over 1 million Shopify merchants without ever leaving ChatGPT. Chris and Anne debate whether retailers should embrace or block bot traffic, discuss the implications for traditional e-commerce funnels, and explore what "GEO optimization" means in an agentic AI world. With Etsy stock jumping 16% and Shopify up 6%, this feature could reshape how consumers discover and buy products forever.Is this the Google of 2025? Will retailers prepare for agentic shopping experiences or get left behind? Tune in for expert analysis on the biggest e-commerce shift in years.🔔 Subscribe for more retail insights!For the full episode head here#openai #ChatGPT #InstantCheckout #Etsy #Shopify #EcommerceTrends #AIinRetail #AgenticAI #RetailTech #ConversationalCommerceThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Omni Talk’s Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga join Groceryshop’s Rocquan Lucas and Ben Miller for the official key takeaways session live from the state at Groceryshop 2025, covering the biggest themes, surprising data points, and provocative predictions from the show.In this comprehensive recap session recorded live on the final day of Groceryshop 2025, the panel share and discuss:The Changing Consumer: Health-conscious shopping reached unprecedented levels at this year’s show. Sessions on GLP-1 medications, functional foods, and better-for-you products were packed as retailers and brands grapple with how dietary preferences and wellness trends are reshaping shopping behavior and store formats. Learn why companies like Danone and Chobani are winning with health positioning and how this impacts everything from loyalty programs to main shop destination decisions.Agentic AI & Trust: AI has moved from hype to practical application. Discover how consumer trust in AI recommendations is evolving, why the shift from SEO to generative engine optimization (GEO) matters, and what it means for investment in earned and shared media over paid channels. Walmart’s mission-based homepage and the role of AI in transforming entire customer experiences take center stage.In-Store Efficiency & Operations: The panel reveals why operational technology delivers the strongest ROI right now. From inventory visibility and shelf intelligence to electronic shelf labels and reducing associate workload, learn which technologies are making stores more productive and why the focus has shifted to backend operations before customer-facing innovations.Digital Demand Creation: Explore the evolution of how brands create awareness and drive purchases through creators, influencers, and content strategies. Understand the balance between planned campaigns and opportunistic viral response, plus why mental availability matters as much as physical availability in today’s grocery landscape.Retail Media Evolution: Enter the “Age of Reckoning” for retail media in grocery. Learn why successful networks must activate both stores and online, move beyond just converting trade spend to capturing brand dollars, and deliver full-funnel experiences rather than just lower-funnel conversion.Automation Economics & Future Predictions: Ocado CEO Tim Steiner’s provocative question sparked debate: Will automated warehouses eventually be cheaper to operate than hypermarkets? The panel discusses this prediction, third-party delivery marketplace dependencies, and whether the industry can afford to be wrong about the future of automation.Practical Challenges: Technology integration pain points, the need for vendor consolidation, macro-economic headwinds including cautious consumers and declining units, plus the importance of associate tool UX for Gen Z employee retention.Key Topics: Groceryshop 2025 recap, health-conscious consumer trends, agentic AI adoption, retail media networks, in-store technology, warehouse automation, digital marketing, influencer strategies, operational efficiency, technology integration, workforce technologySubscribe for comprehensive grocery and retail industry insights!Music by hooksounds.com#GroceryShop2025 #AgenticAI #GLP1 #RetailMedia #GroceryTech #HealthConsciousShopping #AutomationThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy