DoorDash Does Waymo, Wayfair Opens A New Store & A Marketplace Of Marketplaces Emerges | Fast Five

In this Retail Fast Five episode, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Anne Mezzenga and Chris Walton are joined by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group's Managing Director Waqas Khan and Director Kelly Carey to unpack the biggest retail headlines of the week—from the AI commerce inflection point to Amazon's legal battle with Perplexity.With Adobe data revealing that AI-driven traffic now converts 16% better than traditional channels, the panel breaks down what this seismic shift means for retailers, why Amazon is fighting back against agentic shopping, and whether Target's new "10-4" service policy will actually work. Plus: Bath & Body Works' genius scent marketing play and the truth about Chief AI Officer roles.🔑 Topics covered:The AI commerce inflection point: Why generative AI traffic is now converting better (Source)Amazon vs. Perplexity: The battle for first product search (Source)Bath & Body Works' experiential scent campaign across Grand Central and movie theaters (Source)Target's controversial 10-4 customer service policy and what it reveals about retail culture (Source)Why Chief AI Officer roles may follow the same path as Chief Digital Officers (Source)🎧 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more retail tech insights!#retailai #generativeai #retailtech #omnitalk #ecommerce #amazonvsperplexity #targetretail #aicommerce #retailinnovation #retailpodcast #bathandbodyworks #agenticaiMusic by hooksounds.com

12 Nov 55min

The Lightning Round gets wild this week! From a soccer coach using Chat GPT to devise winning defensive strategies, to Jonathan Bailey's Sexiest Man Alive title, to John Lewis offering hand massages for loyalty members, and Carly Rae Jepsen's baby naming dilemma... Chris and Anne tackle the most entertaining retail and culture moments.Plus, hear their personal Chat GPT success stories and debate whether hand massages at a department store would actually drive traffic. It's retail meets pop culture in the best way possible!Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.For the full episode head here#chatgpt #AIcoaching #jonathanbailey #sexiestmanalive #johnlewis #loyaltyprograms #carlyraejepsen #retailculture #customerexperience #lightninground

10 Nov 3min

In a surprising move, GrubHub (owned by Mark Lore's Wonder super app) is partnering with Instacart to enable grocery delivery directly through the GrubHub platform. But this partnership raises major strategic questions: Why would Instacart help a potential future competitor?Chris breaks down the "Greeks bearing gifts" dynamics at play and questions whether this is Mark Lore's chess move toward building the ultimate meal-time super app. Is Instacart making a strategic mistake, or is there a bigger play happening behind the scenes?Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.For the full episode head here#grubhub #instacart #marklore #wonder #deliverypartnership #grocerydelivery #whitelabel #thirdpartydelivery #retailstrategy #mealplanning

10 Nov 3min

Kroger is making history as the first retailer to integrate restaurant delivery directly into their grocery app through an expanded partnership with Uber Eats. Now customers can order their weekly groceries AND dinner from local restaurants in one seamless experience, with special benefits for Kroger Boost members.Chris and Anne discuss why this integration is brilliant for the subscription wars and predict when Walmart will respond with a similar Door Dash partnership. Is this the future of grocery shopping?Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.For the full episode head here#kroger #ubereats #grocerydelivery #restaurantdelivery #krogerboost #subscriptionservices #omnichannel #retailinnovation #fooddelivery #seamlessshopping

10 Nov 4min

Mondelēz (maker of Oreo and Chips Ahoy) is investing over $40 million in a custom generative AI tool to slash marketing costs by 30-50% and create TV-ready ads for the 2027 Super Bowl. But is building proprietary AI technology the right move, or should CPG brands partner with specialized providers?Chris and Anne debate whether this massive investment will pay off or become a costly sunk cost trap as AI technology rapidly evolves. Anne shares insights from cutting-edge AI advertising demos that are already creating human-likenesses in commercials.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.For the full episode head here#mondelez #generativeAI #aimarketing #cpginnovation #accenture #marketingautomation #oreo #advertisingtechnology #aicommercials #retailtech

10 Nov 4min

Starbucks just revealed that delivery has become a $1 billion annual business, growing 30% year-over-year—and it's changing everything about how we think about coffee shops. With 40% of delivery orders including food, this massive revenue stream raises critical questions about Brian Nichol's turnaround strategy.Should Starbucks double down on automation and dark cafes, or invest in improving the in-store experience? Chris and Anne debate the future of Starbucks as delivery continues to explode.Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.For the full episode head here#starbucks #coffeedelivery #brianniccol #starbucksstrategy #deliveryservices #ghostkitchens #coffeeshop #retailstrategy #automation #mobilepickup

10 Nov 4min

Amazon is shaking up Whole Foods with a controversial transformation that has retail experts divided. From robot-powered "ShopBots" in the back room fetching Tide Pods and Pepsi, to a massive 3,800 square foot Amazon Grocery kiosk replacing the coffee shop in Chicago's flagship location, Amazon is testing whether Whole Foods shoppers want mainstream brands alongside their organic kale.Chris and Anne debate whether this move will destroy Whole Foods' brand identity or unlock new value for Amazon's delivery business. Is this the future of grocery, or a mistake that will alienate Whole Foods' core customers?Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.For the full episode head here#amazon #wholefoods #groceryrobots #retailtech #amazongrocery #grocerydelivery #retailinnovation #shopbots #organicgrocery #mainstreambrands

10 Nov 6min

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's push to add mainstream brands like Pepsi and Doritos to Whole Foods through ShopBots and Amazon Grocery kiosks (Source: Wall Street Journal)Starbucks crossing the $1 billion milestone in annual delivery sales with 30% quarterly growth (Source: CNBC)Mondelez investing $40 million in a generative AI tool to slash marketing costs by 30-50% (Source: Reuters)Kroger expanding its Uber Eats partnership to integrate restaurant delivery directly into the Kroger app across 2,600+ stores (Source: Chain Store Age)Grubhub partnering with Instacart to offer grocery delivery through its platform nationwide (Source: Supermarket News)And this month, Chris and Anne handed out the OmniStar Award in partnership with Quorso to Justin Weinstein, EVP and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Giant Eagle, for leading the 95-year-old retailer's bold $100 million "Because It Matters" brand positioning.There's all that, plus a debate on whether AI-generated ads are the future, why ordering dinner through your grocery app makes perfect sense, and whether hand massages would get Chris into John Lewis for holiday shopping.Music by hooksounds.com#RetailNews #WholeFoods #StarbucksDelivery #RetailTech #GenerativeAI #KrogerUberEats #RetailPodcast #OmniTalk #Mondelez #GrubhubInstacart #RetailInnovation #CoffeeDelivery

5 Nov 39min