H-E-B Tests Grocery Robots: Innovation or the Next Garmin Dash-Mounted GPS?
In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, conservative grocery giant H-E-B surprises everyone by piloting autonomous delivery robots in Austin with Avride. We break down why this 1-mile radius test makes sense for this location but question whether robot delivery can scale beyond urban experiments.Timestamps:25:12 - H-E-B robot pilot details26:21 - Why this location works27:07 - Scaling challenges27:45 - "Garminized" prediction28:56 - Partnership speculationCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#HEB #AutonomousDelivery #GroceryRobots #RetailInnovation #LastMileDelivery
30 Jun 4min
Walmart's New AI Saves Managers 60 Minutes Per Shift
In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, we discuss how Walmart is revolutionizing store operations with AI tools that cut shift planning from 90 to 30 minutes. We analyze why overnight stocking is the perfect testing ground for retail AI and how this technology could transform workforce productivity across thousands of stores.Timestamps:15:17 - AI tool announcement15:53 - Why overnight logistics matters16:34 - Team lead time savings17:29 - Execution vs data interpretation18:22 - Revenue impact potentialCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#Walmart #RetailAI #StoreOperations #RetailTechnology #WorkforceEfficiency
30 Jun 4min
Inside Whatnot: The Secret $5B Live Shopping Empire
In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, we deep dive into Whatnot, the live streaming shopping app that hit $3B in sales selling trading cards, sneakers, and collectibles. We explore whether this QVC-meets-Twitch model can expand beyond niche markets and why video commerce is finally taking off in America.Timestamps:8:28 - What is Whatnot?9:47 - US vs China video commerce10:44 - Niche vs mass market potential13:05 - eBay 2.0 comparison14:30 - Platform distribution challengesCatch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#Whatnot #LiveShopping #VideoCommerce #CollectiblesTrading #SocialCommerce #LiveStreaming
30 Jun 6min
$1.77B Grocery Mega-Merger: SpartanNash & C&S Unite
In this week's Fast Five Podcast, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, we break down the massive $1.77B merger between SpartanNash and C&S Wholesale Grocers that will service 10,000+ retail locations. We analyze why wholesale consolidation is accelerating and what it means for independent grocers fighting against Walmart and Kroger's dominance.Timestamps:5:28 - Merger announcement details6:09 - Why scale matters in wholesale7:11 - Pressure on independent grocers7:51 - Can this stop big retailer market grab?Catch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/3lsaTBvBuMs#Grocery #retailnews #SpartanNash #WholesaleGrocers #RetailConsolidation #IndependentGrocers
30 Jun 2min
Walmart, Whatnot & WTF Is H-E-B Doing With Robots?
In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Simbe, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and ClearDemand, Chris and Anne discussed:SpartanNash’s merger with C&S Wholesale Grocers (Source)Whatnot, the $5 billion shopping app you probably haven’t heard of (Source)Walmart equipping its store associates with mobile AI tools (Source)H-E-B piloting autonomous deliveries in Austin, TX (Source)Amazon testing tighter grocery bundling for same-day deliveries (Source)And AWS’s Daniele Stroppa also dropped by to help us hand out a new award we are giving out each month in partnership with AWS, and we are calling it the Retail Startup of the MonthThere’s all that, plus french fry pizza, steamy romance novels, and whether Chris prefers bar soap or body wash in the shower.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 Apple Podcasts and on FeedspotMusic by hooksounds.com#RetailNews #WalmartAI #WhatnotApp #RetailTech #GroceryDelivery #RetailPodcast #OmniTalk #AmazonGrocery #LivestreamShopping #RetailInnovation #SpartanNash #Botify
25 Jun 38min
Lightning Round: Costco Brisket, Corvette Dreams & Cheerios Chaos
Ever wonder what retail experts actually buy at Costco or what cars they dream about driving? This lightning round reveals the personal side of our A&M retail gurus, from brisket smoking tips to the shocking number of Cheerios varieties on shelves. Brought to you by A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Simbe, Infios, Clear Demand, and Ocampo Capital.For the full episode, head here: https://youtu.be/vjOmUkH_Vhw?si=9f8KlsQw8yUdPqan#cheerios #corvettes #costco
21 Jun 5min
The Costco Gas Station Experience You've Always Wanted Is Finally Here
Costco is finally building standalone gas stations to solve their infamous parking lot congestion while expanding member benefits beyond the warehouse. This economics 101 supply-and-demand solution could be the competitive edge Costco needs against Sam's Club and Walmart. Presented by A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Simbe, Infios, Clear Demand, and Ocampo Capital.For the full episode, head here: https://youtu.be/vjOmUkH_Vhw?si=9f8KlsQw8yUdPqan#costco #costcogas #gas
21 Jun 4min
Albertsons' Digital Display Gamble: Retail Media Gold Mine or Expensive Mistake?
Albertsons is betting big on digital displays throughout their stores, but grocery retail has a terrible track record with digital advertising execution. Our experts clash over whether this retail media investment will drive meaningful ROI or become another expensive digital billboard failure. Powered by A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Simbe, Infios, Clear Demand, and Ocampo Capital.For the full episode, head here: https://youtu.be/vjOmUkH_Vhw?si=9f8KlsQw8yUdPqan#albertsons #retailmedia
21 Jun 8min
