Omni Talk Retail

In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Silk, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: Walmart Accepting Curbside Returns This Holiday For the full episode head here: https://omnitalk.blog/2022/09/29/fast-five-video-walmarts-curbside-overreach-sephoras-same-day-subscription-krogers-new-e-cart/

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Silk, Chris and Anne go deep on: - Walmart’s (quite aggressive) plans to roll out curbside returns to all stores for the holidays - Sephora’s new $49 same-day delivery subscription and the bad news it bodes for Instacart - Kroger’s latest e-cart pilot with BrightDrop that leverages a moveable cart for self-service order pickup - Trigo’s new EasyStock platform which is a smart way for retailers to dip their toes into the coming computer vision world - And closed with a look at IKEA’s new partnership with Tesco that allows customers to pick up their IKEA goods within Tesco’s parking lots There’s all that, plus Trader Joe’s hoarding, the best food to fry in an air fryer, and where “No, I am your father” ranks in a list of all-time great movie quotes. Music by hooksounds.com

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Every retailer goes into the year thinking that their strategies are the right ones, so Omni Talk Retail has asked Placer.ai’s VP of Marketing Ethan Chernofsky to break down how the biggest retail strategy bets of the year look to be playing out for the next installment of their Ask An Expert Podcast Series. Kohl’s and Sephora? Amazon Fresh? Retail Media Networks? Which bets will they cover? And what will Placer.ai’s data say about them? You will just have to listen to find out. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In this special OmniStars edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, brought to you in partnership with Quorso, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Dilip Kumar, Amazon's current VP of Amazon Web Services Applications and the former VP of Amazon Physical Retail and Technology, to discuss how Just Walk Out technology came to be and where it is going next. Together they discuss: - Dilip's lessons learned since the beginning of the Just Walk Out journey - His approach to physical vs. digital-only innovation - The origin story of the Amazon One palm payment system - And, most importantly, the shared belief across Amazon that no solution is ever final Music by hooksounds.com

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In this special OmniStars edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, brought to you in partnership with Quorso, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Raghu Mahadevan, the Chief Digital Officer at 7-Eleven, to discuss how he and his team continue to set the bar for convenience store innovation. Together they discuss: - The purposefully broad scope of Raghu's role at 7-Eleven - How Raghu determines the right omnichannel priorities - The ongoing feedback loop with 7-Eleven stores - And, most importantly, where Raghu and 7-Eleven plan to take things next Music by hooksounds.com

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Silk, Chris and Anne: - Discuss the significance of Amazon’s record number of Prime sign ups during its - Thursday night NFL broadcast last week - Shower praise on Walmart for its new livestreaming efforts with Firework - Get right and steamy mad about Instacart’s Connected Stores platform hokum - Love Lowe’s decision to create digital twins of its stores with NVIDIA - And, mark this day down folks, also close with a second salute to Walmart for its plans to offer customer checking accounts There’s all that, plus witchy women, Anne singing Kanye, and the difference between “extra dirty” and “filthy.” Music by hooksounds.com

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Microsoft's Lisa Griego and Ricardo Belmar join Chris and Anne to kickoff Omni Talk Retail's special Groceryshop Spotlight Podcast Series and to highlight the key trends they see shaping grocery over the next year. Together they discuss: - Retail Media Networks - Data centricity - Pricing management - Frictionless checkout - Digital Shelf Optimization - And much more! Stay to the end, and you will even hear Lisa's sleeper pick for the biggest grocery tech trend of 2023! Brought to you in partnership with Microsoft

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In this special Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight series, Cooler Screens Chief Revenue Officer Lindell Bennett and Microsoft's Director of Industry Solutions for Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods Robin Laylin join Chris and Anne to discuss how every grocer's cooler and freezer doors can be turned into a bona fide weapon within one's retail media network. Together they discuss: - Digitizing a grocer's understanding of the physical store - How in-store digital media can be easily tied into one's retail media network - And how and why digital media on cooler and freezer doors can also be used to drive center store purchases Brought to you in partnership with Microsoft

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In this special Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight series, Flintfox's Chief Innovation & Marketing Officer Cath Brands and Microsoft's Director of Worldwide Retail and Consumer Goods Partner Strategy Sue McMahon join Chris and Anne to discuss the massive technological opportunity that exists for CPGs to scale their pricing execution and negotiations. Together they discuss: - Why inflation is driving a focus on cost control and profit maximization - How technology can improve bottom line profit by better tracking and affecting price levels across multiple retailers - And how companies like Coca-Cola are empowering their teams with in-the-moment understanding and autonomy during their negotiation processes with retailers Brought to you in partnership with Microsoft

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In this special Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight series, Blue Yonder's Senior Director of Solutions Strategy Erin Halka and Microsoft’s Director of Retail and Consumer Goods Paula Beckel join Chris and Anne to discuss the next generation order management capabilities required to succeed in this new era of omnichannel retailing. Together they discuss: - How inventory visibility is impacted across every level of a retail operation, from the warehouse to in store planograms to what is available on an e-commerce website - Why having accurate inventory upfront in the purchase journey, on every product detail page, is essential - And why a proper functioning cloud-based order management system is perhaps the most important foundational technology in which grocers should invest Brought to you in partnership with Microsoft

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In this special Groceryshop edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight series, Amperity's Head of Product Solutions Matt Hallett and Microsoft’s Sr. Director of Business Strategy for Worldwide Retail & Consumer Goods Mike Edmonds join Chris and Anne to discuss how technology can help to clean every grocer's messy consumer data and thereby bring even more power to one's retail media network. Together they discuss: - Why customer data is so messy to begin with - How clean data can improve your marketing ROI with your customers and CPG partners - And why a focus on clean data can help grocers to take an "eat what you cook" approach to measuring the impact of their retail media network initiatives Brought to you in partnership with Microsoft

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and and Silk, A&M’s David Ritter and Mohit Mohal joined Anne and Chris to discuss: - Starbucks’ efforts to load balance online orders at its stores. - The long-term impact of Nike’s new, more sustainable fabric, Forward. - Wegmans calling it quits on scan-and-go mobile shopping. - The value of Pier 1’s owner throwing Tuesday Morning a lifeline. - And closed with a saucy roundabout on Target’s new FAO Schwarz partnership. There’s all that, plus buying iPhones while intoxicated, Super Bowl halftime nostalgia, and asking Alexa for tips on how to get gum out of a kid's hair. Music by hooksounds.com

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Meta made big headlines back in April when it opened its first physical retail store. So Eduardo Cruz, Director Meta Store Global Operations, joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of their Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series to give his insider perspective on what the Meta Store is really all about. Collectively the three of them go deep on: - The design and layout of the store - The overarching goal of the store itself - Consumer reception thus far - And, most importantly, his lessons learned since the Meta Store opened It is a conversation sure to break from retail convention. After all, they will be talking about showcasing the metaverse in the physical world. There’s a lot to wrap one’s head around in that statement alone! Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In this latest episode of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, 1010data's VP of Marketing Frank Riva gives Chris and Anne a sneak peek into their soon-to-be-released report on Instacart’s performance for the first half of 2022 and the data will blow your mind! You'll hear: Estimates of Instacart's total growth so far in 2022 How Instacart's share at big retailers like H-E-B, Sam's Club, and Costco has shifted What Instacart's relative basket size is compared to a direct e-commerce order from the aforementioned retailers And we are bringing it all to you right before Groceryshop, so you can let it sink in and help inform your opinions about where Instacart and third-party delivery are headed next! You can also pre-register to receive 1010data's Instacart report by clicking here: https://info.1010data.com/SEP2022-GAIAR-InstacartSpotlight.html?utm_source=omnitalk&utm_medium=outbound&utm_campaign=SEP2022-GAIAR-InstacartSpotlight.html Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In this special OmniStars edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, brought to you in partnership with Quorso, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Tractor Supply Company EVP and Chief Supply Chain Officer Colin Yankee to discuss how his company continues to deliver great omnichannel results and financial returns that far outpace its peers. Together they discuss: - How he defines omnichannel retailing - His lessons learned around supply chain coming out of the pandemic - How he envisions the future of supply chain forecasting - And how Tractor Supply thinks about every aspect of their operations, particularly down to the field level, as they continue to set an aggressive pace for innovation Music by hooksounds.com

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In this latest episode of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, Accelerate360's Chief Data Officer Liz Roche joins Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga to discuss the keys to differentiating content across a Retail Media Network. Together the three of them discuss: - How to unlock additional advertising inventory in one's Retail Media Network - A first-party data approach to content creation - And why "content authority" will always win out in the long-run Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Silk, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss: - All their lessons learned from the many months of turmoil at Bed Bath & Beyond - The reports of Instagram moving away from social commerce - Disney+ going the other direction and getting into in-app commerce by the end of 2022 - The big push into resale events by Dick’s Sporting Goods - And Instacart’s utterly perplexing acquisition spree that saw it acquire two companies in the span of just six days. There’s all that, plus a new hairstyle for Anne, the one thing we wish Starbucks had but doesn’t, and the vagaries of marital scheduling coordination. Music by hooksounds.com

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In this latest episode of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, Cleveron Co-Founder Indrek Oolup returns to discuss with Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga the ins and outs of installing a fully functional parcel robot for package pickup at one of Zara's busiest locations -- it's new flagship store in Madrid. Together the three of them discuss: - The skinny on the 402 robot (i.e. the official name of the robot) - What it took to coordinate the robot into the architectural design of the building - The early lessons from the implementation since Zara's flagship opening in April Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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Quorso CEO Julian Mills joins Chris and Anne to kickoff this year's OmniStars Spotlight Podcast Series. Together they discuss: - Why Quorso and Omni Talk Retail created the award - What inspires Julian and the team at Quorso in recognizing great omnichannel operations - And, perhaps most importantly, how the idea of asking our OmniStars to "pay it forward" in their podcast interviews came to be. Music by hooksounds.com

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In this special OmniStars of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, brought to you in partnership with Quorso, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Best Buy's EVP and Chief Customer Officer Allison Peterson to discuss what her role entails and how she aims to keep Best Buy on the cutting edge of omnichannel retailing. Together they discuss: - The premise behind the role of Chief Customer Officer - Digital vs. physical store innovation - The role of field and store leaders in helping Best Buy to transform Music by hooksounds.com

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In this special OmniStars of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, brought to you in partnership with Quorso, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Walgreens VP of Digital Commerce and Omnichannel Stefanie Kruse to discuss what it takes to help a pharmacy retailer like Walgreens continue to meet rising consumer expectations around service. Together they discuss: - The rollout of nationwide 2 hr delivery from Walgreens - The unique omnichannel dynamics of pharmacy operations - The evolving nature of the store employee's day-to-day work within a Walgreens store Music by hooksounds.com

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In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Spotlight Series, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss next generation warehouse fulfillment and automation with KNAPP VP Sales Consultancy, Bill Stenger. Together they discuss: - KNAPP's role in Walmart's new next generation fulfillment center plans - The market for centralized vs. decentralized automated warehousing solutions - The changing consumer preferences coming out of the pandemic and how they are shaping last mile innovation. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Groceryshop, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Shared mutual distaste for Walmart’s new rewards program for Walmart+ members - Were somewhat split on Bloomingdales second “Bloomie’s” store - Discussed what the Meta and Jio WhatsApp partnership in India could mean for the future of text commerce in the U.S. - Questioned what again seems like a desperate IPO-incented move by Instacart to get into big and bulky delivery - And closed with a look at Ulta’s new in-store merchandising strategy There’s all that, plus Lily Tomlin, Panera tuna, and Anne’s favorite pumpkin-shaped memories. Music by hooksounds.com

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Groceryshop, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Did some massive Peloton pontification around their recent Amazon news - Looked long and hard at whether Apple is talking out of both sides of its mouth when it comes to advertising and privacy - Praised Gap for its own “frenemy” supplier platform approach - Discussed Walmart’s latest acquisition of gig delivery management platform, Delivery Drivers Inc. - And closed with some deep introspection around checkout-free retailing based on Tesco expanding its autonomous GetGo store concept. There’s all that, plus “fav” or “fave,” Lisa Frank Trapper Keepers, and where Anne stands on flat top sheets. Music by hooksounds.com

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Supply chain. Supply chain. Supply chain. The topic is certainly top of mind of late, but what about it is really on the minds of your average retail executive? So Omni Talk is pleased to announce that Microsoft’s Director of Retail & Consumer Insights Paula Beckel and Blue Yonder’s Corporate VP of Global Retail Industry Strategies Shannon Wu-Lebron joined Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of the Omni Talk Retail Ask An Expert Series to answer that very question. Is it forecasting? Staffing? Inventory accuracy? Mounting online fraud? Heck, even supply chain’s role in the organization overall? It is a conversation that they promise will get to the heart of the real issues at play. *Sponsored Content*

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Groceryshop, A&M’s David Brown and Abhinav Chandra joined Anne and Chris to discuss: - Their big takeaways from this week’s earnings announcements - Whether Walmart executives were boasting way too much about their new - Paramount+ streaming partnership - The rumors of Ahold Delhaize acquiring Albertsons and its two private jets - Facebook partnering up with DoorDash for Marketplace deliveries - And closed with a debate on whether QuikTrip should be partnering with Amazon for its latest checkout-free store in Tulsa There’s all that, plus retail lobsters, Eminem freestyling, and their last Subway sandwich orders. Music by hooksounds.com

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Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Alviere CEO Yuval Brisker to understand why it is only a matter of time before embedded finance, i.e. the idea of retailers becoming their own banks, takes the retail industry by storm. Music by HookSounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In today’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Groceryshop, Chris Walton and Mezzenga: - Question whether Walmart partnering with a streaming service will do anything to boost Walmart+ subscriptions (short answer: no) - Blast Kohl’s for the hubris it is showing in its new self-pickup rollout - Debate the merits of mall-based retailers using Amazon to fulfill same-day orders - Call for an immediate halt to Walmart’s new “General Store” initiative out of respect for all the people at Walmart that were just laid off - And close with a look at 7-Eleven’s reported acquisition of Skipcart There’s all that, plus Roomba Cheez-It AI, 3-D printed food, and something the Brits call, “Pound Town.” To redeem our discount to Manifest, click here: https://manife.st/continue-registration/?couponCode=MANIFEST_2023_PARTNER&refId=OmniTalk&utm_source=Omni+Talk&utm_medium=Manifest+Partner&utm_campaign=Register+Partner+ Music by hoooksounds.com

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Omni Talk Retail, in partnership with Talkdesk, welcomed Chris McShane, the Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Serta Simmons, and Amber Scott, the VP of Customer Experience at Serta Simmons, to provide their expert opinions on how to think about the future of customer service and loyalty. Collectively the four of them go deep on: – How changing consumer expectations around service have impacted retail and, particularly, the mattress industry. – What they each think are the key ingredients to great customer service in 2022 and beyond. – How they think about channel prioritization in the scope of providing great customer service. – Which technologies they would most prioritize within their organizations to improve their levels of customer service. – And, most importantly, close with a discussion of what they both envision the future of retail customer service to look like 10 to 15 years from now. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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Signifyd's SVP of Operations and Corporate Development, Bennett, gets hit with the tough questions from Omni Talk Retail, as he shares the most important insights from his company's newly released State of Commerce Report for 2022 in just five minutes! For more information on Signifyd, and to get the report, head here: https://www.signifyd.com/state-of-commerce-report-2022/?utm_channel=Paid&utm_medium=content_syndication&utm_source=Red-Archer&utm_campaign=WW_WEB_State-of-Commerce-Report-2022 Music by HookSounds.com **Sponsored Content**

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In today's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Groceryshop, A&M’s Hemant Kalbag and Jonathan Sharp joined Anne and Chris to discuss - All the stats and figures from Prime Day - Whether Macy’s taking Toys R Us to all stores will have any real long-term significance - Kroger’s plans to expand its Boost membership program nationwide - The big (some might say massive) revelation from a Google exec that 40% of young people are using social media apps over Google to search for restaurants - And closed with a thoughtful critique of the WSJ’s report that Amazon has been “considering” exiting its private label business There’s all that, plus male beauty routines, sporting event must-haves, and contaminated Skittles. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ To register for Groceryshop, head to www.groceryshop.com Plus, check out our Top 10 ranking in Feedspot’s 60 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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In today's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, Sezzle, and Groceryshop, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Praised Walmart for their purchase of 4,500 electric delivery vehicles from Canoo. - Examined all the reasons why Amazon is still investing in smart carts and is now planning to roll out the Dash Cart to Whole Foods. - Discussed why retailers, like Walmart and others, should and should not participate in Prime Day. - Gave Costco mad props for its June sales performance and its unbending will on hot dog pricing. - And closed with a deep look into what Gopuff's recent layoffs could tell us about the state of instant delivery. There’s all that, plus "deloading," college lacrosse smells, and Anne's favorite schmear. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ To register for Groceryshop, head to www.groceryshop.com Plus, check out our Top 10 ranking in Feedspot’s 60 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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Inflation is impacting retail business across the board, from gasoline to groceries, and historically the go-to solution has been to cut costs wherever you can, but perhaps there’s an alternative? In Omni Talk Retail’s latest Spotlight Series, Anne Mezzenga explores with Upside’s VP of Retail Tyler Renaghan how retailers should take this time as an opportunity to grow revenue, instead of cutting costs to battle inflationary pressures. In this interview Anne and Tyler discuss: - How retailers can shift their focus from large awareness campaigns to more personalized offers to bring in new customers. - The bottom-line benefits of creating loyalty programs that allow customers to directly deposit savings from shopping in stores into their bank accounts, requiring no funny money, games, or vouchers. - Leveraging technology partners who can operate on top of your existing ecosystem without requiring additional labor or additional POS or tech integrations. Tyler and Anne discuss all this and more, and it is a conversation sure to open your mind and leave you thinking about entirely new ways to approach your strategy amid inflationary pressures. For more information on Upside, head to https://www.upside.com/ Music By hooksounds.com **Sponsored Content**

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In today's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discussed: - The aftermath of Kohl’s proposed deal with the Franchise Group falling through - The curious case of what look like egregious share buybacks at Bed Bath & Beyond - TikTok reportedly getting out of livestream commerce in the U.S. and the U.K. - Ulta Beauty’s new pop-up inside of Allure’s SoHo store - And closed with a look at Amazon’s baller, no-risk move to invest in Grubhub There’s all that, plus Jello cake, ripstop pants, and kickboxing classes with Minka Kelly. To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our Top 10 ranking in Feedspot’s 60 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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In today's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Took another victory lap on their long held position that Mark Tritton’s tenure at Bed Bath & Beyond would be short-lived. - Highlighted the importance of Trigo’s second autonomous grocery store implementation with Rewe in Berlin, which places it squarely in the lead as the “non-Amazon” option in the battle for checkout-free grocery retailing. - Lauded Amazon for rolling out a new analytics platform for CPGs that works off its own “Just Walk Out” technology. - Praised Gap for doing something every retailer should do – i.e. invest in lab stores. - And closed with a question about just how far up the leadership ladder Walmart’s FTC troubles over money transfers could go. There’s all that, plus muscle biopsies, fake tanning on a budget, and Anne’s new favorite alcoholic beverage that can only be described as a “Hot Mezz.” To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our Top 10 ranking in Feedspot’s 60 Top Retail Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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Cannes, one of the biggest events for marketers around the world, just held its annual festival doling out awards to the best and brightest in the industry and Omni Talk Retail is bringing you a full recap, minus the super yachts, of course. Omni Talk Retail asked Firework’s Chief Revenue Officer Jeff Lucas to provide a recap, and more importantly, his advice for retail marketers on making Cannes-worthy creative for the latest installment of our Live Ask An Expert Series on LinkedIn. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga probed Jeff on: - Why retailers and brands should have Cannes on their radar - The top trends coming out of Cannes and how to put them into action in your organization - Why more-and-more awards are going to big impact initiatives with lesser investment and how livestreaming can help - Emerging platforms and entertainment commerce *Sponsored Content* It is a conversation sure to open your mind and leave you thinking about entirely new ways to produce content in an affordable and effective way.

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In today's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga had a blast: - Taking a victory lap on Amazon’s price positioning in Amazon Fresh stores. - Opening our minds to GNC's new food delivery service. - Lauding Simon, after slagging it last week, for something it is calling “Simon Search.” - Sounding alarm bells (that likely only our loyal Omni Talk fans will hear) on Amazon’s second Style store that is coming soon to Columbus, OH. - And closed with a right proper debate on how cool Walmart's partnership with Roku really is. There’s all that, plus favorite vacation drinks, the last time Anne took down a full box of Kraft Mac & Cheese, and the over/under on how many angry gun toting residents will actually shoot down Amazon's drones. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, A&M's Chad Lusk and Truett Horne join Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga to debate: - The significance of Walmart's new automated fulfillment centers - Target's recent earnings warning - Simon's new "National Outlet Shopping Day" - Sam's Club charging regular old Sam's Club members for curbside pickup - And Amazon trying to one-up Walmart with its own drone announcement this week There's all that, plus racy review reads, fancy airport bottled water, and tacos with Kevin Durant. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Talkdesk's VP Global Industry Strategy for Retail & Consumer Goods and fellow Top 100 Retail Influencer Shannon Flanagan. Together the three of them discuss: - The role of retailers to provide great product and great service - The dwindling use of the "secret shop" - Creating experiences that make your customers happy, when pre-purchase customer service is now just as important as post-purchase service - How navigating 10 screens to handle a customer service issue is absolutely untenable - And, why real-time cloud-based solutions that drive better customer service are now a bona fide weapon of brand differentiation Music by hooksounds.com

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In today's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton went deep on: - Dollar General’s self-checkout only pilot - Brookfield and Sephora’s new “curbcierge” service - UPS acquiring Delivery Solutions - Tortoise’s remote-controlled store on wheels at the Mall of America - And closed with a look at Old Navy’s decision to cut back on its more inclusive sizing strategy There’s all that, plus burrito tape, dining out in the Metaverse, and hurling sweet treats to defile priceless works of art. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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In today's take no prisoners Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton: - Give their very early take on Amazon's new Amazon Style store. - Lambast Walmart from the high heavens for its drone announcement this week. - Laud Firework for its recent $150 million investment round, as it continues to push the boundaries and lead the way in livestream commerce. - Question whether Wayfair chose the right brand with which to debut its latest physical store concept. - And discuss whether the Nordstrom and Trunk Club marriage was doomed from the start. There's all that, plus pre-show fights, Pepsi in your pepperoni, and the pure testosterone that is Jon Hamm selling Yeti mugs. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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Livestreaming, and specifically Firework, was the #1 hot topic coming out of Shoptalk this year. So Omni Talk Retail invited Firework CEO and Co-Founder Vincent Yang back to provide his mid-year report on the state of livestreaming across retail for the latest installment of our Ask An Expert Series. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga get Vincent’s thoughts on: - What changes he is seeing in retailers’ approaches to livestreaming - Whether retailers are heeding his past advice of streaming on their own platforms, shying away from overproduction, and leveraging their store associates for authenticity - Where he thinks the industry and Firework are headed next - And what he and his company plan to do with the $150 million dollars they just raised It is a conversation sure to blow your mind and leave you thinking about entirely new ways to localize your in-store and digital experiences around the communities they serve.

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In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Video Series, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Signifyd’s CMO Indy Guha to learn all they can about the latest fiendish effort being used to defraud consumers, aka Account Takeover (or ATO, if you are in the know). Together they discuss: The rise of e-commerce and the increasing strain placed on fraud prevention What account takeover is and why it is so much more sinister than just using someone’s credit card number And why a networked approach may be the only way to solve the problem To access Signifyd’s pulse reports, head here: http://www.signifyd.com/ecommerce-pul... Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In today's episode of the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, David Ritter and Michael Simoncic join Chris and Anne to discuss: What to make of Target and Walmart’s earnings this week How warm and fuzzy we should feel about Instacart’s IPO plans Whether Peloton planning to sell through third-party retailers for the first time ever makes strategic sense Why Zara’s move to charge U.K. customers for returns feels like a stick now but could be more of a carrot in the long-run And closed with a pragmatic take on Walmart’s effort to lure college graduates into stores with promises of $200K salaries. There’s all that, plus Mexican Pizzas, instant delivery at Disneyland, and ketchup secrets. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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Amid the ever-increasing omnichannel nature of our retail experiences, it can be difficult to know how best to solve customer issues when they arise. It isn’t as simple as just having great person-to-person customer service anymore. So Omni Talk is pleased to announce that Talkdesk’s Genesis Miranda Longo, Head of Industry Marketing for Retail and Consumer Goods, and Antonio Gonzalez, Head of Industries Research & Insights, join Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for the latest installment of their Omni Talk Ask An Expert Series to provide their expert opinions on how to think about the future of customer service and loyalty. Collectively the four of them go deep on: – The main drivers of customer loyalty (the answers could surprise you) – How these drivers differ by generation – What these differences imply for our retail contact centers and their employees – And, most importantly, how to transform our contact centers from the cost centers they were in the past into bona fide revenue generating functions that drive long-term value It is a conversation sure to shed light on issues you didn’t even know existed and to challenge your thinking about best practices, and one that will leave you with a greater sense of urgency around investing in customer service, the right way. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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What devices in your store could be working harder for you? That is the question we posed to Scandit CTO and Co-Founder Christian Floerkemeier in our latest Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series Podcast. Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss with Christian: - How everything from an iPhone to a floor scrubber can become a smart data capturing device within a retail store - Tackling hiring and training challenges by capturing smart data on an employee's own or company provided mobile device - Removing mundane work from the employee's plate so they can focus on more important tasks - And dramatically improving inventory visibility and with improved ROI and customer satisfaction Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In the latest edition of the Omni Talk Retail Spotlight Series, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Rafay's CEO Haseeb Budhani and HP's VP of Retail and Industry Solutions Cory McElroy to dive deep into the topic of what it takes to scale computer vision implementations across thousands of store locations. Together they discuss: - How computer vision has moved from a "science project" to a business necessity - In what areas retailers are most interested in applying computer vision - The issues that arise with implementations, particularly around finding the skilled people to do the work onsite - And why being able to manage Kubernetes from the cloud could help to solve many of the problems retailers could face For more information on Rafay, head here: https://rafay.co/ Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content*

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In today's special Wednesday edition of the Omni Talk Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Discuss why IKEA's new store investment plans show just how smart of retailer IKEA is. - Laud Unilever for its bold move to deploy mobile ice cream stores with Robomart. - Grow skeptical of Adidas's all-in move with Foot Locker. - Debate whether Sweetgreen's new digital order pickup-only store is something more QSRs should try (and, newsflash, but Chris concedes the argument to Anne on this one). - And, close with an exploratory look at Starbucks and its digital future. There's all that, plus Kanye's latest video drop for Gap, what pairs best with Grey Poupon wine, and whether all jumpsuits should be beltless. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga: - Had a split opinion on Publix's new nano-fulfillment partnership with Instacart. - Both extolled the virtues of the one-stop shop and H-E-B's newest store concept down in Texas. - Praised Verizon for going all-in on 24/7 pickup lockers. - Tipped our caps to Target for once again getting omnichannel retail tech right, as evidenced by their recent pilot of a robot that gives $8 manicures in-store. - And closed with a discussion of what Victoria's Secret selling on Amazon portends for the future and why Chris, specifically, thinks it is a pill that more mall-based retailers should just up and swallow. There's all that, plus the latest review read-a-loud, Anne's pining for 21 Jump Street, and Chris Walton's long obsession with frosted tips. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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In this week’s Fast Five podcast, sponsored by Microsoft, the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Takeoff, and Sezzle, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga had a ball discussing: - Amazon’s newest suburban store Amazon Go concept, replete with made-to-order food, and whether it could one day soon evolve into “the gas station of the future.” - A really interesting new store concept from online retailer MorningSave down in Texas that promises to meld the beauty of the online treasure hunt with in-store retailing. - Meta’s new “Meta store,” which is so meta, in and of itself, they couldn’t control themselves. - An idea coming out of American Eagle, called the “frenemy network,” which encourages apparel retailers to come together to share the costs of fulfillment. - And closed with a look at Buy with Prime and what it means for Amazon, consumers, and Shopify. There’s all that, plus hands-free beer buying, airline layovers in San Jose, and douches to rival Steff from Pretty in Pink. To learn more about Microsoft, visit: www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/r…cloud-for-retail To learn more about the A&M Consumer & Retail Group, visit: www.alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/ To learn more about Takeoff, visit: www.takeoff.com/ To learn more about Sezzle, visit: www.sezzle.com/ Plus, check out our ranking in Feedspot’s 45 Top Retail Podcasts: blog.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/ Music by hooksounds.com

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