The World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin just wrapped, and the message is clear: Retail isn't just changing; it's being completely re-engineered. From AI-managed stores in San Francisco to the emotional science behind private labels in Italy, the industry is entering its "Third Wave." In this recap, we’ve curated the…
Would you let an AI agent decide what goes in your suitcase? Shelley Huff shares a game-changing AI use case she discovered at the World Retail Congress: using agents to build a perfect packing list based on luggage dimensions and destination style. Chris and Shelley discuss why they still have…
Who is the greatest Wildcat in the history of Arizona basketball? As a proud alum, Shelley Huff doesn't hesitate—it is Steve Kerr "before now and always." From watching him play in Tucson as a kid to his legendary coaching career with the Golden State Warriors, Shelley makes her case for…
When you land in Arizona, where is the first place you go to eat? Chris Walton and Shelley Huff swap their favorite local spots, from classic brunch at TC Eggington's to the legendary pizza seen in Breaking Bad. Whether you are in Phoenix or Tempe, these are the local favorites…
What exactly is a Currywurst? Chris Walton puts guest Shelley Huff on the spot to define this iconic German street food in five words or less. From "curry adjacency" to the debate over tomatoey ketchup bases, see if this retail leadership duo can crack the code on one of Europe’s…
Walmart is leveraging its 4,600 stores to offer same day fulfillment for marketplace sellers, but is it enough to take down Amazon? Shelley Huff and Chris Walton dive into the "practical limitations" of using retail backrooms as shipping hubs. From inventory orchestration to the trust gap, find out why Walmart's…
Is Dairy Queen getting too far ahead of the hype, or is drive-thru AI finally ready? Chris Walton shares his personal experience using the new voice AI at his local DQ every Tuesday. From crystal clear audio to faster service and better food quality, find out why removing the "operational…
After closing every corporate store in 2025, Party City has returned with a massive "shop-in-shop" rollout inside 700+ Staples locations. But is this a genius move or a retail disaster in the making? Shelley Huff breaks down why this partnership hinges on high-margin items like balloons and personalization—and why low-velocity…
Is finance experience enough to lead a retail giant? With the news of Corie Barry stepping down at Best Buy, the debate is heating up. While Barry led the company through some of its most "tumultuous" years, some of the recent moves—like patio furniture and mattresses—have raised eyebrows. Chris and…
What can we actually learn from an AI-run store? Shelley Huff joins Omni Talk to explain why the real "AI revolution" is happening in the operational layers like planning and allocation. It is a world where buyers negotiate the price and AI handles the rest. Watch to see which shopping…
This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Lightning Round segment closes out the show with rapid-fire questions, unexpected takes, and a few laughs. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff debate the greatest Arizona Wildcat of all time, react to Berlin’s famous Currywurst, discuss trusting AI with packing lists and payments, and swap…
This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Walmart’s reported pilot using stores as fulfillment hubs for marketplace orders. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff debate whether Walmart’s massive store footprint can truly challenge Amazon’s logistics advantage and what this could mean for retail media, marketplace growth, and same-day delivery expectations.…
This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Dairy Queen’s expansion of voice AI ordering technology at the drive-thru. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss why this may be one of the best real-world applications of AI in retail so far and how it could improve both customer experience and…
This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Party City’s return through a new partnership with Staples stores nationwide. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff break down the operational challenges behind the strategy, including inventory, personalization, and whether Party City can compete against Amazon and Walmart. They also debate whether this…
This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Best Buy’s CEO transition as Corie Barry steps down and longtime executive Jason Bonfig takes over. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss why operational retail experience matters more than ever and whether Best Buy’s recent strategy moves have missed the mark. They…
This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Luna, the AI agent now running a real retail store in San Francisco. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff break down what AI-managed retail could mean for merchandising, operations, leadership, and the future of middle management in retail. Along the way, they discuss…
In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso and Veloq, Chris Walton and special guest Shelley Huff, former CEO of Serta Simmons Bedding, former Walmart executive, and current co-founder of The Interval community, discussed: Recorded from opposite…
In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin, Chris Walton sits down with Romain Roulleau, Group Digital & Ecommerce Director at Kingfisher, to unpack how one of Europe’s largest home improvement retailers plans to grow ecommerce from 21% to 30% of total sales.…
In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin, Chris Walton sits down with Judith McKenna, the former CEO of Walmart International and current Board Member at Delta Air Lines and Unilever, to discuss leadership, frontline retail culture, board governance, and how AI is…
In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin, Chris Walton speaks with Brian Tilzer, former CTO and CDO of Best Buy and current Board Member at Signet Jewelers, about why AI represents retail’s “third major technology wave” and what retailers can learn from…
In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin, Chris Walton connects with Tim Steiner, CEO of Ocado, to discuss the rapidly evolving future of grocery ecommerce, fulfillment, and retail automation. Drawing from Ocado’s work with retailers across global markets, Tim explains why grocery…
In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin, Chris Walton reconnects with Jose Gomez, Chief Development Officer at ETAM, to discuss how the global lingerie and fashion retailer approaches international expansion, franchise strategy, and navigating today’s nonstop retail disruption. With nearly two decades…
In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin, Chris Walton speaks with Malin Andrée, Global Retail Industry Leader at EY, and Steven Bailey, Americas Retail Leader at EY Studio+, about how AI could fundamentally reshape the future of retail over the next decade.…
In this Omni Talk Retail interview, recorded live from day two of World Retail Congress 2026 in Berlin, Chris Walton talks with Andreas von Paleske, CEO of Naivas, about scaling one of East Africa’s fastest-growing grocery retailers while balancing operational discipline, employee development, and technology transformation. Drawing from his background…