In this Retail Technology Spotlight episode, Amy Vener, Global Retail & Consumer Goods Marketing Director for Commercial Cloud & AI at Microsoft, joins Omni Talk to unpack the main takeaways from NRF and where retailers should focus next as agentic commerce moves from theory to execution.

Drawing on her experience across Walmart, Pinterest, and Microsoft, Amy shares how retailers are shifting away from AI hype and toward real, measurable outcomes. From conversational shopping agents and merchandising insights to connected stores and cultural readiness, this episode breaks down how retailers can drive real return on intelligence in 2026 and beyond.

If you’re trying to figure out where AI fits into your merchandising, marketing, store operations, or supply chain strategy (and how to start without boiling the ocean), this conversation is for you.

Key Topics covered:

• 00:03:08 – Why “what problem are you trying to solve?” still matters more than the tech

• 00:07:34 – Agentic commerce use cases across marketing, merchandising, and operations

• 00:15:50 – How conversational data is influencing assortment and product development

• 00:10:01 – The role of connected stores and digital twins in retail decision-making

• 00:09:09 / 00:19:58 – Lessons from brands like Estée Lauder, Ralph Lauren, and Coca-Cola

• 00:23:07 – Why culture and team readiness are critical to AI adoption

• 00:25:42 – How retailers should engage Microsoft to drive faster business impact

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

#retailtech #retailAI #agenticcommerce #connectedstore #Microsoft #NRF #retailinnovation #omnitalk #retailpodcast #digitaltransformation

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Specialty retailers keep asking us: handheld scanners or overhead readers? So we settled it the only way we know how: with a knockdown, dragout debate between two RFID experts.

In this Retail Technology Spotlight, Anne Mezzenga moderates as Madalynn Lauria (Team Handheld) and Pareiya Gupta (Team Overhead) from GreyOrange make their cases for the best RFID solution. From proving ROI on a tight budget to cutting inventory counts from hours to minutes, this conversation tackles the real questions retailers are wrestling with as they decide how to track inventory in 2026.

The verdict? It's not as simple as picking a side. Whether you're testing RFID for the first time or scaling across hundreds of stores, the right answer depends on your velocity, your budget, and what you're actually trying to solve. But one thing's clear: manual counts and mystery stockrooms aren't going to cut it anymore.

Key Topics covered:

• How to test RFID with minimal budget and staff

• Cutting inventory counts from hours to under 20 minutes

• Why some retailers are going hybrid (overhead + handheld)

• Real-time shrink visibility and where product actually disappears

• Tracking TikTok trends and moving inventory between stores in hours

• The smart fitting room problem nobody talks about

Music by hooksounds.com

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#RFID #retailtech #inventorymanagement #omnitalk #retailinnovation #smartretail #retailpodcast #omnichannelretail #retailoperations #supplychain

In this Retail Technology Spotlight Series episode, Doron Hazan, Director of Data, Product, and AI at Wiliot, joins Omni Talk to discuss the concept of "physical AI" and how it ultimately improve retail operations from the ground up.

From ambient IoT sensors to real-time inventory intelligence, Doron breaks down how battery-free Bluetooth pixels are creating self-aware supply chains, how retailers can start small and scale strategically, and why the future of retail operations is about connecting physical things to AI-powered decision engines.

If you've ever wondered what happens when IoT meets artificial intelligence in real-world stores (who hasn't), this episode is for you.

🔑 Topics covered:

- The difference between digital AI and physical AI

- How ambient IoT creates invisible operational improvements

- Why battery-free Bluetooth sensors are changing retail visibility

- Real-world impact on freshness, inventory accuracy, and customer experience

- The platform approach to scaling physical AI solutions

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Link to Doron's blog post: www.wiliot.com/why-your-ai-agent…tead#news-content

#physicalai #retailtech #ambientiot #wiliot #omnitalk #smartretail #retailinnovation #inventorymanagement #supplychain #retailpodcast

Music by hooksounds.com

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