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This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed.
Summer can be one of the trickiest seasons for retailers. Inventory needs to move before fall arrives, demand can shift with changing weather patterns and teams are already looking ahead to the next major buying cycle.
In this special bonus episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson sits down with Marie Baldauf-Lenschen, Director of Supplier Network Partnerships at Lightspeed, to discuss how retailers can make smarter inventory, merchandising and purchasing decisions during the critical mid-summer period.
From identifying the metrics that matter most to leveraging AI, storytelling and wholesale data more effectively, Marie shares practical strategies retailers can use to improve sell-through, protect margins and prepare for the busy seasons ahead.
Why retailers should focus on a handful of key metrics (including inventory levels, sales trends and supplier lead times) to make faster, smarter decisions How AI can help reduce manual work and surface actionable insights without replacing human decision-making Why merchandising, storytelling and knowledgeable store associates can improve sell-through without relying on markdowns How tighter connections between wholesale purchasing, inventory management and POS systems can help retailers react faster to demand shifts Why bundling, urgency-based messaging and personalized service often outperform aggressive discounting when inventory starts to slow
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Learn more about Lightspeed’s commerce platform for retailersGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix----
Ready to make smarter inventory, merchandising and buying decisions? Discover how Lightspeed helps retailers streamline operations, manage inventory and stay ahead of changing customer demand at lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail
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Retail media has quickly become one of retail’s most important growth engines, but Ace Hardware is taking a different approach. One that’s built around local ownership, community relevance and real-world customer needs.
In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Molly Hjelm, CVP of RedVest Media, Ace Hardware’s retail media network, about launching a full-funnel RMN in just six months and what makes the co-op retailer uniquely positioned in the space. Molly shares how Ace is leveraging its network of 5,200 independently owned stores, 70 million loyalty members and deep first-party data to create measurable advertising solutions. She also explains how weather-triggered media, retailer-focused advertising tools and localized customer insights are helping brands connect with shoppers at exactly the right moment.
How Ace Hardware launched RedVest Media in just six months by focusing on measurable, full-funnel advertising solutions Why Ace’s co-op structure creates unique opportunities (and challenges) for retail media innovation How weather-triggered advertising helps brands align messaging with real-time customer needs, from snowstorms to hurricane season What makes Retailer Reach, Ace’s retailer-focused advertising platform, different from traditional retail media offerings Why first-party data, in-store relationships and local relevance remain critical as retail media evolves alongside AI and changing consumer behavior
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Learn how RedVest Media helps brands reach Ace Hardware customers through localized, data-driven retail media.Learn more about Ace Hardware and its community-focused retail modelGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
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As AI-generated content floods the internet, shoppers are increasingly looking for something harder to fake: real human opinions.
In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Anna Haffner, Senior Director of Large Customer Sales at Reddit, about how the platform is becoming a powerful force in retail discovery and commerce.
Anna explains why shoppers are turning to Reddit for trusted recommendations; how brands and retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot, Dove and MAC Cosmetics are showing up authentically in community conversations; and why Reddit’s advertising products are evolving to complement the user experience.
Why Reddit has become a trusted discovery channel for shoppers researching products and brands How retailers can participate in Reddit communities without relying on overly polished or disruptive advertising What campaigns from brands like Walmart, MAC, Home Depot and Dove reveal about Reddit’s retail marketing potential How Reddit’s Shopify integration and dynamic product ads are reducing friction for retail advertisers Why human conversation may become even more valuable as AI reshapes product discovery and search
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore Reddit’s advertising tools for retail brandsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -
David’s Bridal may be best known for wedding dresses, but the brand’s next chapter is about something much bigger: becoming a digital platform for the entire wedding journey.
In this episode of Retail Remix, Kate Robertson speaks with Elina Vilk, President and Chief Business Officer of David’s Bridal, about how the 75-year-old brand is transforming from a dress retailer into an AI-powered wedding ecosystem. Elina shares how David’s Bridal is expanding from “aisle to algorithm,” using tools like the AI-powered Pearl Planner to help brides manage the hundreds of decisions behind every wedding and stay within budget, while also growing wholesale, marketplace and commerce partnerships to serve more of the bridal ecosystem.
Why David’s Bridal is expanding beyond dresses to support the full wedding planning journey How expectations toward the modern wedding experience have shifted with added pressures such as social media How the Pearl Planner uses insights from in-store “dream makers” to guide brides through planning tasks Why David’s Bridal now views boutiques, marketplaces and other retailers as partners rather than competitors How wholesale, AI commerce and smaller-format store concepts are shaping the brand’s 2026 growth strategy
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore David’s Bridal’s wedding dresses, planning tools and Pearl platformGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -
For years, fashion brands chased younger consumers online, but Frances Valentine has found its edge by doing the opposite. Building a vibrant, social-first brand experience around women 50 and up.
In this episode of Retail Remix (and the first hosted by new Retail TouchPoints Editor-in-Chief Kate Robertson), Kate sits down with Katherine Brodie, CMO of Frances Valentine, to discuss how the brand is scaling through video-first storytelling, creator-style content and a deeply engaged community built around color, joy and personal connection. Katherine shares how Elyce Arons — who co-founded the brand with her best friend, the late Kate Spade — has become both the face and personality of the brand across social media, why Frances Valentine treats content creation like its own production studio and how the company is balancing digital growth with expanding retail and wholesale partnerships.Key Takeaways
Why Frances Valentine has found major success by focusing on the underserved and highly affluent 50+ female consumer How Elyce Arons’ authentic social presence has become a powerful customer acquisition and engagement engine Why the brand treats social content and video production as a separate, always-on marketing track How Frances Valentine balances owned digital channels with retail stores and wholesale partnerships to deepen loyalty Why Katherine believes today’s marketers need to understand the full business picture — not just impressions and trafficRelated Links
Explore Frances Valentine’s colorful fashion and lifestyle collectionsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints
Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -
DTC success used to hinge on cutting out the middleman. Today, the real growth opportunity is knowing how to show up everywhere customers shop.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Arsalan Rahbarpoor, Founder and CEO of AquaSonic, about how he built an Amazon-native oral care brand that now sells across Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Best Buy and TikTok Shop. Arsalan shares how AquaSonic disrupted a legacy-dominated category with premium design, accessible pricing and a sharper read on consumer demand — and why consistency, packaging and operational planning became critical as the brand expanded into national retail.
Key Takeaways
How AquaSonic identified white space in oral care by combining premium design with accessible pricing; Why launching on Amazon was foundational to AquaSonic’s future multi-channel success; What changed when the digital-native brand expanded into brick-and-mortar;How TikTok Shop creates a different kind of discovery-driven opportunity than Amazon or brick-and-mortar retail; What the success of AquaSonic says about consumers’ increased interest in wellness and their new expectations for the category; and Why AquaSonic is expanding beyond oral care into broader health, wellness and everyday essentials.
Explore AquaSonic’s oral care products and wellness essentialsGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
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In an era of tariff swings, rising costs and AI-powered deal hunting, pricing has become one of the most complex (and consequential) levers in retail.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Revionics’ Matt Pavich about how retailers are using AI-driven pricing to stay competitive without eroding consumer trust. Matt breaks down the difference between dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing, explains why the best retailers use AI to listen more closely to customer behavior rather than exploit it, and shares what guardrails are essential if brands want to move faster on price while still keeping shoppers on their side.
Key Takeaways
Why ongoing disruption, from COVID to inflation to tariffs, has made AI pricing tools a competitive necessity for retailers; Why the healthiest pricing strategies combine proactive planning with the ability to react quickly when the market shifts; The critical distinction between dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing, and why consumers view them very differently; How retailers can use aggregated customer behavior, not personal data, to set smarter prices and promotions; and Why pricing agility, strong guardrails and a healthy dose of curiosity will define the most successful retail organizations in the years ahead.Related Links
Learn more about Revionics and AI-powered retail pricing solutionsRelated reading: Exclusive Q&A: Why Retailers Should Leverage the Power of Dynamic PricingGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
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If you’ve ever stood in the grocery aisle staring at a wall of “clean,” “natural” or “better-for-you” labels and wondered what any of it actually means, you’re not alone.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Anna Vocino — actor, comic, cookbook author and founder of Eat Happy Kitchen — about what it really takes to build a clean-label CPG brand in a market dominated by food giants.
Anna shares how her celiac diagnosis set her on a hunt for better-for-you foods that has evolved into a thriving food business and why breaking into grocery requires far more than a great-tasting product (although that matters). From label confusion and ingredient trickery to slotting pressure, promo costs and the realities of wholesale expansion, this conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to build a mission-driven food brand from the ground up.
How Anna turned her personal health journey into cookbooks, a podcast and the growing CPG brand Eat Happy Kitchen; Why building a clean-label food brand means constantly pushing back against misleading ingredient claims and grocery aisle “trickery”; How to navigate the challenge of not just getting on shelves but staying there by driving trial and managing margin pressure; Why Anna’s direct-to-consumer community remains essential for the brand even as it expands to more than 1,300 retail doors; andWhat Anna’s background in acting and comedy has taught her about pitching, negotiating and surviving the “Walmart wince.”PLUS…Stick around to the end to hear the voice Anna would give one of her best-selling products.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore Eat Happy Kitchen’s sauces, spices and snacksRelated reading- Small Business, Big Ideas: Eat Happy Kitchen’s Recipe for Breaking into a Crowded MarketGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPoints\Subscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
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Most people know Pandora for its iconic charms, but far fewer realize the company is the largest jewelry brand in the world by volume — producing more than 100 million pieces a year.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with David Walmsley, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Pandora, about how the brand is modernizing its business without losing sight of what it really sells: memory, connection and emotion. David shares how Pandora’s Program Phoenix transformation has helped turn around the business, why the company is investing heavily in digital and omnichannel infrastructure, and where AI is starting to unlock value across service, selling, forecasting and product design.Key Takeaways
Why the company focused first on building stronger digital channels and stabilizing store tech before chasing bigger transformation bets; How Pandora is using AI in customer service today, and what the agentic future holds for the company;Why jewelry creates a more emotionally complex AI selling challenge than more functional categories; Where AI may have the biggest long-term impact at Pandora: design, service and operational automation; Why omnichannel success depends on brands — not customers — being the “glue” across digital and physical touchpoints; andHow to avoid the tech pitfall of “platformitis.”
Explore Pandora’s jewelry collections and gifting experienceRelated reading: How Data and Tech Power Jewelry Brand Pandora’s Mission to ‘Give a Voice to People’s Loves’Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
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After years of hype around live shopping in the U.S., Whatnot looks like it might be one of the first companies to truly make the model stick at scale.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Whatnot’s VP of Categories and Expansion Armand Wilson about why the platform’s community-first approach is resonating with Western consumers. Armand explains how Whatnot evolved from a collectibles marketplace built around trust into a live shopping platform spanning hundreds of categories — everything from trading cards to tomahawk steaks — and how live commerce creates a more human, transparent and personalized shopping experience than traditional ecommerce.
Why Whatnot’s model differs from live shopping in China and is built more around community and expertise than mass product pushing; How the platform grew to more than $8 billion in GMV in 2025, doubling year over year; Why trust, transparency and seller expertise are central to the Whatnot’s experience; How the platform’s algorithm blends social engagement signals and purchase intent to surface the right streams to the right buyers; Why categories like beauty and food are opening up new opportunities; What makes a successful Whatnot seller (hint: it has more to do with business fundamentals than a sparkling personality, although that certainly helps); andWhy Armand believes 2026 could be the year live shopping goes mainstream in the U.S.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore live shopping on Whatnot and discover sellers across categoriesRelated reading: Gary V on the Shifting Landscape of Attention and the Death of Don Draper MarketingGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -
If you still think Snapchat is just for teenagers, you may be missing one of the most underappreciated growth channels in digital advertising.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Sidharth Malhotra, Global VP of SMB at Snap, about why Snapchat is becoming an increasingly important platform for small- and mid-sized brands looking to acquire new customers. Sid explains how Snap’s nearly 1 billion-strong user community has matured into a high-spending audience, why the platform’s engagement patterns differ from that of other social channels and how advertisers are using everything from dynamic product ads to AR to drive measurable results.Key Takeaways
How brands are using Snapchat to reach incremental audiences they may not be finding on TikTok or Pinterest; The benefit of the kind of active, “two-thumb” engagement that Snap encourages, as opposed to the passive scrolling on other platforms;Why Snap’s AR capabilities function like a “pocket fitting room” for brands of all sizes; What the “Hot Wheels problem” reveals about the limits of last-click attribution; How AI is helping level the playing field for SMBs, enabling them to “out-execute the Goliaths”; Why he believes chat-based commerce will be the next major frontier in performance marketing; and Important tips for nailing chat-based advertising.
Learn more about Snap’s advertising solutions for brands and retailersRelated reading: L’Oreal Taps Snapchat for AR Hair Color Try-on in Walmart StoresGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix
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With more than 120 million listings and millions of active sellers, Etsy operates one of the most unique marketplaces in retail. But surfacing the right products for the right buyers requires more than algorithms alone.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Mary Andrews, Head of Global Merchandising at Etsy, about how the company balances human insight and instinct with AI-driven discovery to curate a shopping experience that feels both personalized and culturally relevant.
Mary shares how her team identifies emerging trends, translates cultural moments into shopping occasions and uses AI to scale those insights across Etsy’s massive inventory.
How Etsy uses a combination of AI and human curation to translate cultural trends and buyer signals into an ever-changing slate of collections and experiences; Why AI will actually make human merchandisers even more valuable; Insight from Etsy’s early experiments using AI answer engines like ChatGPT and Gemini to expand product discovery; Lessons learned from working alongside Depop’s team of merchandisers, who have their finger on the pulse of Gen Z; How AI personalization is helping to amplify niche interests rather than homogenize the internet; and Why the future merchandiser will spend less time programming products and more time shaping taste and culture.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore Etsy and discover one-of-a-kind products from independent sellersRelated reading: Etsy, Shopify Among Early Partners for Microsoft’s Copilot CheckoutRelated reading: Etsy Debuts Ad Campaign in Bid to ‘Keep Commerce Human’Related reading: Ebay to Acquire Depop Resale Fashion Marketplace from Etsy Get more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -
In the crowded activewear market, Beyond Yoga has built its brand around something deeper than product: comfort, body inclusivity and the belief that wellness should feel good — not unattainable.
In this episode of Retail Remix, Nicole Silberstein speaks with Katie Babineau, CMO of Beyond Yoga, about how the brand has scaled its presence while staying rooted in the values that built its loyal community. From its cult-favorite Spacedye fabric to its long-standing commitment to body inclusivity, Beyond Yoga has focused on building trust with customers rather than chasing short-term trends, even as it evolves following its acquisition by Levi Strauss & Co.Key Takeaways
How Beyond Yoga differentiates itself in the fast-growing premium activewear category; Why the brand’s “progress over perfection” philosophy resonates with today’s wellness-focused consumers; How the Seek Beyond brand platform guides both marketing strategy and internal culture; What the Levi’s acquisition has enabled in terms of infrastructure, scale and speed to market; Why real-life community experiences and brick-and-mortar expansion are central to the brand’s growth strategy; and How social-first storytelling and user-generated content are helping Beyond Yoga build deep, authentic connections with customers.Related Links
Explore Beyond Yoga’s activewear collections and brand storyRelated reading: Beyond Yoga Expands to East Coast with Connecticut Store DebutGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -
AI may be everywhere right now, but for Stitch Fix, it’s been foundational for 15 years.
In this episode of Retail Remix, Nicole Silberstein sits down with Tony Bacos, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Stitch Fix, to explore how the brand blends data science and human instinct to power personalized styling at scale — and how that balance is helping fuel a business turnaround.
Tony shares how Stitch Fix’s recommendation engine has evolved from early algorithms to today’s generative AI tools, including the new Stitch Fix Vision experience that lets clients see themselves in curated outfits. He also explains how AI is enhancing (not replacing) human stylists, from drafting personalized styling notes to enabling real-time stylist chat.
How Stitch Fix blends AI-driven recommendations with input from its thousands of human stylists; How generative AI is improving stylist productivity without sacrificing authenticity; Why bringing stylists “out from behind the curtain” has strengthened customer loyalty; The strategic moves behind Stitch Fix’s recent business turnaround; Why personalization may matter even more as AI reshapes online discovery; and Tony’s take on the ultimate retail question: algorithm or instinct?
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore Stitch Fix’s personalized styling experienceRelated reading: Why Stitch Fix is Focusing on its Human Stylists When Everyone Else is Talking About AIRelated reading: Stitch Fix Returns to Growth as Turnaround Strategy Bears FruitGet more retail industry insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe and catch up on all episodes of Retail Remix -
In less than five years, launching a third-party marketplace has gone from a questionable move to a strategic imperative for many major retailers. Recorded live at NRF 2026, this episode of Retail Remix digs into that shift with Scott Eckert, CEO of the Americas at marketplace operator Mirakl.
Scott explains why retailers are embracing curated marketplaces as an offensive growth strategy — no longer just as a defensive reaction to Amazon — and how brands like Ulta Beauty, Best Buy and Lowe’s are expanding assortment without diluting brand identity.
The conversation also dives into how AI answer engines are reshaping product discovery, and why clean, machine-readable catalog data may soon matter more than traditional SEO. Plus, Scott shares Mirakl’s growing role in retail media and the company’s vision of becoming an orchestration layer across emerging AI-driven commerce channels.
How the proving power of Amazon and, perhaps more importantly, Walmart has completely shifted retailers’ attitude toward online marketplaces;Why retail media and marketplace strategies increasingly go hand in hand;The important role marketplaces will play in the world of AI commerce, when done right;Why product data must be optimized differently for different AI platforms like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic; andThe essential quality of a truly disruptive product or service.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Learn how Mirakl powers enterprise marketplaces and retail mediaRelated reading: Mirakl CEO: Marketplaces are ‘Arming the Rebellion’ of Traditional Retail Against Big TechRelated reading:Best Buy’s New Third-Party Marketplace is Now LiveExplore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26 -
Resale may be having a mainstream moment on the consumer side — but behind the scenes a much larger B2B engine has been quietly evolving for nearly two decades.
Recorded live from the show floor at NRF 2026, this episode of Retail Remix features Nicole Silberstein in conversation with Marcus Shen, CEO of B-Stock, a technology platform and marketplace that helps major brands and retailers efficiently sell excess and returned inventory to a network of small business buyers.
Marcus shares how the resale landscape is shifting, why brands increasingly need tighter control over where their excess inventory lands and how AI is helping both sellers and resellers manage volatility, pricing and profitability. The conversation also explores how inflation and changing consumer attitudes have reduced the stigma around secondhand goods, fueling downstream growth in the resale ecosystem.
How B-Stock connects major retailers and brands with small business resellers to reduce the financial impact of returns and overstock;Why brands now demand more discretion and control over secondary market distribution;How AI is helping normalize messy inventory data and predict resale value;Why volatility in inventory mix makes technology essential in B2B resale; andHow inflation and shifting consumer sentiment are accelerating resale adoption.PLUS Hear about the craziest products Marcus has seen come through the platform recently.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Learn more about how B-Stock powers B2B resale and liquidationRelated reading: A Better Return on Returns: How Data is Redefining B2B Resale StrategiesExplore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26 -
What makes a great store in 2026? Sometimes, it’s not clarity — it’s curiosity.
Recorded live from the show floor at NRF 2026, this episode of Retail Remix features host Nicole Silberstein in conversation with Jack Stratten, Director at Insider Trends and one of the industry’s most well-traveled retail observers. Jack spends his time visiting stores around the world, identifying what works, what doesn’t, and, most importantly, why.
From a wellness-meets-retail concept in Soho to immersive flagships in Paris, Jack breaks down the common thread between standout store experiences: a clear ambition, commitment and, sometimes, a willingness to prioritize discovery over efficiency. The conversation also explores why ecommerce’s continued growth is forcing stores to raise their game — and why legacy department stores are having such a difficult time evolving.
The most interesting new stores you need to check out;Why the best stores succeed by meeting their ambition, not chasing trends;How discovery, trial and serendipity differentiate physical retail from ecommerce;Why Paris (not New York) is the most exciting city for retail experiences right now;How global markets and historic shopping experiences still influence modern store design;Why the growing ubiquity of ecommerce is having a positive effect on store experience;Why department stores are having such a difficult time tapping into their legacy of innovation today; andTravel hacks from someone who travels the world for a living.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore global retail insights and store safaris from Insider TrendsExplore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26 -
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein chats with Meera Bhatia, President and COO of Fabletics, on the strategies powering the brand’s impressive momentum.
Fresh off hitting the $1 billion revenue milestone, Meera breaks down how Fabletics has driven sustained growth through category expansion, measured store growth and a flexible membership model that delivers both value for consumers and predictability for the business. She also shares how AI is being deployed across the organization — from smart fitting rooms and associate coaching to inventory optimization and loyalty-driving personalization.The conversation offers a candid look at how Fabletics is blending fashion, function, value, and technology to stand out in the crowded activewear market and why comfort-forward “lifewear” is shaping what comes next.
How Fabletics scaled past $1 billion in revenue through category, channel and geographic expansion;Why the brand’s membership model drives loyalty, predictability and lower supply chain waste;How physical retail is fueling omnichannel growth, with 120+ stores and more on the way;Inside Fabletics’ AI-powered flagship store, from smart fitting rooms to real-time associate coaching;Why AI is less about replacing fundamentals — and more about delivering them better; andWhat’s next for Fabletics in 2026, including international growth and new category plays.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Explore Fabletics’ latest collections and retail experienceRelated reading: New Fabletics Flagship Brings AI-Powered Operations to Westfield Century CityRelated reading: Fabletics Deploys RFID-Powered Inventory Management SolutionExplore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26 -
AI took center stage at NRF 2026, and few moments underscored its importance more than Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s keynote, where he outlined how shopping is evolving in an increasingly agentic, AI-driven world.
This episode of Retail Remix, recorded live from the show floor, features host Nicole Silberstein in conversation with Anil Jain, who leads Global Strategic Industries at Google Cloud. Anil shares how Google Cloud is working with retailers to reimagine everything from product discovery to post-purchase service and why agentic AI represents a fundamental shift in how consumers will interact with brands.
Why AI is becoming the great equalizer, helping smaller companies compete with limited resources;How AI experiences in general-use platforms like Google Search are upping the ante for everyone, and how to keep up;What multimodal search unlocks when consumers can shop using not just text, but also voice, images and video;Why hyper-personalization is finally within reach after decades of promise;The change management that will be required as AI shifts the way we all work; How Google and its Cloud division are building for this future.
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Related reading: Google Launches Direct Checkout in Search, GeminiLearn how Google Cloud is helping retailers adopt AI at scaleExplore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26 -
This episode is brought to you by Airia.
AI dominated conversations at NRF 2026—but as adoption accelerates, so do the risks. In this Retail Remix Deep Dive bonus episode, host Adam Blair, Editor at Retail TouchPoints, sits down with Kevin Kiley, CEO of AIRIA, to explore how retailers can unlock the promise of AI without exposing themselves to unnecessary vulnerability.
Together, they unpack where AI is delivering real value across retail, from store associate enablement to back-office operations, while also addressing the growing challenges around security, governance, reliability, and ROI. Kevin shares why “AI sprawl” is becoming a serious issue, how model outages and hallucinations can derail critical workflows, and why retailers must avoid locking themselves into a single AI provider.
The conversation also draws parallels to earlier tech shifts like mobile and e-commerce, offering a grounded look at what retailers should prioritize now—and what to be cautious about—as AI moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment.
Why AI is a strong fit across retail functions, from the store floor to legal and supply chainThe hidden risks of agentic AI, including data access, outages, and model driftHow governance, observability, and auditability are becoming non-negotiableWhy flexibility across AI models is critical as capabilities evolve at breakneck speedWhere retailers are seeing the biggest ROI today—from associate training to contract reviewA realistic outlook on AI’s trajectory through 2026, including where hype may cool
Key TakeawaysRelated Links
Learn how AIRIA helps enterprises govern and secure AI deployments:Explore more retail insights and and NRF26 coverage at Retail TouchPointsSubscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26.-----
Discover how Airia’s no-code AI platform empowers retail teams to automate inventory, customer support, and more—without technical expertise. Ready to make AI work for you? Visit airia.com/retailtouchpoints to learn more.
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