Episodes

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: Walmart launches Scenario, a new under-$25 women's fashion brand taking over shelf space from Time and Tru, as the retailer leans on fashion to offset its weakest comp sales growth in six years. Ann Taylor debuts "This Is Ann," its first major marketing campaign since 2017, as parent company KnitWell Group looks to reconnect the heritage ...

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: Walmart reverses years of resistance and will finally accept Apple Pay and Google Pay at Walmart and Sam's Club stores starting August 24th. Ross Stores posts a blowout Q2, with comps up 10% and earnings up 68%, while rival TJX's Marmaxx division managed just 1% comp growth. Home Depot rolls out three-hour express delivery nationwide, us...

Chris Walton puts Jenn Hahn in the Fast Five lightning round, covering everything from Stella Lefty and back-to-school shopping to Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, fantasy football picks, and plenty more retail-free fun. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/VL3Q373gkfY This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

TikTok Shop is reportedly testing a paid Shop Plus membership that could offer free shipping, discounts, and coupons as the platform looks to keep shoppers from leaving for Amazon. Chris Walton and Jenn Hahn discuss whether TikTok’s rapid growth and social-first shopping experience could make Shop Plus a genuine threat to Amazon’s ecosystem. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/VL3Q373gkfY This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - http...

Amazon says more than 350 million shoppers have used Alexa for shopping over the past year, with active users nearly doubling and customer interactions increasing fivefold. Chris Walton and Jenn Hahn discuss whether Amazon is best positioned to move AI shopping beyond discovery and recommendations into actual purchasing and transactions. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/VL3Q373gkfY This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://...

Ahold Delhaize USA is expanding its Savings Station discount kiosks to every Giant Food location, giving shoppers a physical way to access digital coupons, personalized offers, and loyalty rewards in-store. Chris Walton and Jenn Hahn discuss whether kiosks can still bridge the gap between physical grocery shopping and digital personalization in 2026. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/VL3Q373gkfY This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podco...

Best Buy’s incoming CEO says the retailer’s path to growth starts with smaller-format stores that can reach markets its traditional big-box locations cannot. Chris Walton and Jenn Hahn debate whether smaller stores can improve productivity and expand Best Buy’s footprint or whether the math makes meaningful long-term growth too difficult. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/VL3Q373gkfY This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https:/...

Kroger has named Nate Faust, a former Walmart and Jet.com executive, as its first chief e-commerce officer, creating a new leadership role focused exclusively on its digital business. Chris Walton and Jenn Hahn debate whether the move signals a smart investment in Kroger’s e-commerce growth or an organizational step backward from the industry’s broader push toward omnichannel retail. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/VL3Q373gkfY This podcast uses the following third-p...

Retailers are racing to deploy AI, but what happens when your newest employee knows everything except how your business works? In this edition of 5 Insightful Minutes, Arber Sejdiji, Founder & CEO of Zenline AI, joins Omni Talk to explain why the key to making agentic AI work in merchandising may come down to one thing: context. Arber explains why AI agents are like highly educated employees on day one, capable and intelligent but unfamiliar with a company’s processes, products, terminology, an...

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: Target raises its fiscal-year outlook for the second time this year, with comp sales up 3.8% on traffic gains, though part of the earnings boost comes from a one-time tariff refund. Amazon plans to expand Prime Air drone delivery to nearly 500 cities and towns by year's end, a sixfold jump as it races Walmart and DoorDash for last-mile sp...

In this week's OmniTalk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Quorso, Veloq, and R&S Logistics, Chris Walton was joined by Jenn Hahn of J Recruiting Services to discuss: • Kroger's appointment of Nate Faust as its first-ever Chief E-Commerce Officer, and whether creating a dedicated e-commerce leadership role signals Kroger is doubling down on digital or falling behind the industry's move toward omnichannel. (Source) • Best Buy's plan to grow...

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: Home Depot beat Wall Street estimates and reaffirmed its full-year guidance. Foot Locker and Nike opened The Crenshaw Rec, a first-of-its-kind community-hub retail concept in South LA. DoorDash added Barnes & Noble, Carter's, and Kohl's to its platform ahead of back-to-school season. The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Fee...

Welcome to GrocerTalk! In this launch episode, sponsored by Instacart Enterprise, Portager, and Vusion, Ben Miller is joined by Omni Talk President & CEO Chris Walton to unpack the news stories from global grocery this week that we believe are worth paying attention to. This week, they discuss: • Couche-Tard’s US$8.7bn bid for Żabka, and what it signals about the future of convenience retail. (Source) • Kroger combining grocery and prescription deliveries, with Instacart, and what’s next for ...

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: J.C. Penney launches a "Retail Rejuvenation" campaign taking direct aim at off-price retailers like TJX, Ross, and Burlington. Walmart+ adds free photo prints, fee-free Money Center transactions, and tire repair/road hazard perks to its membership. Buc-ee's eyes its first Iowa location, pursuing a 20-acre site in Urbandale near Des Moine...

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: A New York City bill backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani would force Amazon to directly employ thousands of contract delivery couriers, threatening its low-cost delivery model. Walmart begins installing Symbotic's first SymMicro fulfillment system inside a live store, advancing its back-of-store automation push. Primark opens its 46th U.S. st...

Chris Walton puts Josh Hahn in the Fast Five lightning round, covering everything from National Tequila Day and Shark Week to John Cena's hair transplants, America's best fast-food fries, and plenty more retail-free fun. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/_GsTHL9DBYA This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Albertsons is restructuring its business through its new ACI Edge initiative while lowering its financial outlook for the year. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn discuss whether centralizing merchandising and operations is the right move, why regional grocers face mounting competitive pressure, and what Albertsons must do to remain relevant in today's grocery landscape. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/_GsTHL9DBYA This podcast uses the following third-party services for ana...

Hy-Vee has rolled out 30-minute pickup and delivery across all of its stores with its new "Get It Faster" service. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn debate whether ultra-fast grocery fulfillment is still a competitive advantage or simply the new baseline as Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers continue raising customer expectations. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/_GsTHL9DBYA This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/...

U.S. grocery unit sales declined for the fifth consecutive month, raising new questions about the long-term health of the grocery industry. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn discuss what's driving the slowdown, from inflation and SNAP changes to GLP-1 medications, online grocery, and shifting consumer shopping habits. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/_GsTHL9DBYA This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

David's Bridal has launched a new outlet shop-in-shop concept, combining discounted dresses with its traditional bridal shopping experience. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn debate whether luxury and value can successfully coexist under one roof, why bridal retail is different from traditional apparel, and how thoughtful merchandising could make this concept a winner. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/_GsTHL9DBYA This podcast uses the following third-party services for anal...

Gap Inc. is expanding its creator affiliate program to employees across Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta, allowing staff to earn commissions by becoming brand influencers. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn discuss why employees may be a brand's most authentic creators, how retailers can scale employee-generated content, and whether this could become the future of retail marketing. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/_GsTHL9DBYA This podcast uses the following third-...

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: Ahold Delhaize USA partners with Pear Commerce to connect shoppable recipes and product discovery directly to online carts across Food Lion, GIANT, Giant Food, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop. Kroger rolls out a new AI Shopping Assistant across its banners, letting shoppers plan meals, build carts by budget and diet, and turn a photo or URL in...

In this week's OmniTalk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Quorso, Veloq, and R&S Logistics, Chris Walton was joined by Josh Hahn, Director of Growth at J Recruiting Services and former retail executive at Meijer and Sports Authority, to discuss: • Gap Inc.'s decision to pay its own employees to become brand influencers, and whether retailers should empower their merchants and store associates to become the authentic faces of their brands. ...

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by R&S Logistics, Duvo and Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses: US Customs officials conduct spot inspections on China-linked factories in Vietnam, stoking fears of a wider tariff crackdown. Instacart brings its AI-powered Caper smart trolleys to the UK for the first time, launching with Morrisons in Preston. TikTok reportedly tests TikTok Shop Plus, an Amazon Prime-style membership program with free...