Episodes

  • Could ChatGPT Replace Google Search Ads? | Fast Five Shorts

    Could ChatGPT Replace Google Search Ads? | Fast Five Shorts
    May 15 2026
    This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores OpenAI officially launching its ChatGPT Ads Manager and what it could mean for the future of digital advertising. Chris Walton and Kathryn Mazza discuss why AI-powered search advertising may become a major threat to traditional search engines, how retailers should approach testing the platform, and why brands can’t afford to ignore ChatGPT’s growing influence on consumer behavior. They also debate whether advertisers could eventually pay to influence AI-generated answers and what that might mean for trust in AI search. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/W5Ei9Mjru4c #OpenAI #ChatGPT #AIAdvertising #RetailMedia #DigitalAdvertising #RetailTechnology
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    7 mins
  • Amazon Pharmacy’s GLP-1 Expansion Is a Huge Deal | Fast Five Shorts

    Amazon Pharmacy’s GLP-1 Expansion Is a Huge Deal | Fast Five Shorts
    May 15 2026
    This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Amazon Pharmacy expanding same-day delivery access for GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic-related treatments, across thousands of cities. Chris Walton and Kathryn Mazza discuss why GLP-1 medications could dramatically reshape grocery shopping habits, pharmacy traffic, and consumer behavior across retail. They also explain why retailers are increasingly paying attention to how health trends influence spending patterns and store visits. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/W5Ei9Mjru4c #AmazonPharmacy #Ozempic #GLP1 #RetailNews #Pharmacy #RetailInnovation #Healthcare #RetailTechnology #FastFive #OmniTalkRetail
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    6 mins
  • Target Is Betting Big on Creators Right Now | Fast Five Shorts

    Target Is Betting Big on Creators Right Now | Fast Five Shorts
    May 15 2026
    This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Target’s launch of two new creator programs and what it says about the future of creator commerce in retail. Chris Walton and Kathryn Mazza discuss why retailers are investing more heavily in influencers and creators, whether Target is late to the trend, and how social media is reshaping customer loyalty and discovery. They also debate whether creator-driven marketing can actually rebuild emotional connection with younger consumers. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/W5Ei9Mjru4c #Target #CreatorEconomy #InfluencerMarketing #RetailMarketing #RetailNews #SocialCommerce #RetailTechnology #FastFive #OmniTalkRetail #DigitalMarketing
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    7 mins
  • Lightning Round: Travel Disasters, Des Moines & Podcast Dreams | Fast Five Shorts

    Lightning Round: Travel Disasters, Des Moines & Podcast Dreams | Fast Five Shorts
    May 15 2026
    This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five Lightning Round segment closes out the show with rapid-fire questions, chaotic travel stories, and some very spirited retail debates. Chris Walton and Kathryn Mazza discuss creator loyalty, dream podcast guests, unexpected Des Moines growth, bizarre airport behavior, and whether Target’s latest moves deserve praise or criticism. There’s also plenty of laughs along the way, including travel horror stories, strong opinions about brand love, and one especially heated Target argument. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/W5Ei9Mjru4c #LightningRound #Target #RetailNews #PodcastClips #RetailMedia #CreatorEconomy #RetailTechnology #FastFive #OmniTalkRetail #TravelStories
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    6 mins
  • Dollar General Is Quietly Building an Ad Powerhouse | Fast Five Shorts

    Dollar General Is Quietly Building an Ad Powerhouse | Fast Five Shorts
    May 15 2026
    This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Dollar General combining its on-site, off-site, and in-store media capabilities into one connected retail media ecosystem. Chris Walton and Kathryn Mazza discuss why retail media continues to explode, how Dollar General’s scale gives it a unique advantage, and why advertisers are increasingly looking beyond Amazon and Walmart. They also explain why connected retail media networks could become one of the biggest growth opportunities in retail. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/W5Ei9Mjru4c #DollarGeneral #RetailMedia #Advertising #RetailInnovation #RetailNews #DigitalMarketing #RetailTechnology #FastFive #OmniTalkRetail #RetailStrategy
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    7 mins
  • Audible Opened a Store With No Books… Seriously | Fast Five Shorts

    Audible Opened a Store With No Books… Seriously | Fast Five Shorts
    May 15 2026
    This Omni Talk Retail Fast Five segment explores Audible’s new “bookless bookstore” concept opening in New York City. Chris Walton and Kathryn Mazza discuss why experiential retail continues to grow, how immersive audio experiences could reshape physical retail, and why retailers are searching for new ways to create emotional connection with shoppers. They also debate whether concepts like this are the future of stores or simply experiential marketing experiments. ⏩ Tune in for the full episode here: https://youtu.be/W5Ei9Mjru4c #Audible #ExperientialRetail #RetailInnovation #Bookstore #RetailDesign #CustomerExperience #RetailNews #FastFive #OmniTalkRetail #RetailTrends
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    5 mins
  • To Automate, Or Not To Automate, That Is The Question | Ask An Expert

    To Automate, Or Not To Automate, That Is The Question | Ask An Expert
    May 14 2026
    Warehouse automation promises major gains in efficiency, accuracy, and labor optimization, but the reality inside fulfillment centers is often far more complicated than the sales pitch. In this Omni Talk Ask An Expert episode, host Chris Walton sits down with Blake Neal, Director of Business Development at TGW North America, to unpack what actually separates successful automation projects from expensive operational headaches. Drawing from years of experience designing and implementing automated warehouse systems, Blake shares practical insights on everything from robotics and fixed automation to labor planning, throughput expectations, and the hidden operational challenges retailers often underestimate. Together, Chris and Blake explore why collaboration, realistic planning, and organizational readiness matter just as much as the technology itself. Key topics covered: • What caused warehouse automation adoption to slow after the COVID-era boom • Why the first question every retailer should answer before automating is simply: “Why?” • The difference between mobile robotics and fixed automation systems — and when each makes sense • How labor shortages, throughput demands, and storage density drive automation ROI • Why automation projects rarely hit full throughput on day one • The operational and cultural challenges that derail automation implementations • How retailers should think about seasonality and designing for peak demand • Why oddly shaped products and low-volume operations may not be good automation candidates • The hidden infrastructure issues retailers overlook, including warehouse floor requirements •How TGW approaches collaboration, onboarding, and operator training during implementations • Why communication and pressure-testing assumptions are critical before signing any automation contract Whether you’re evaluating robotics, scaling fulfillment operations, or trying to understand where automation actually delivers value, this conversation offers practical guidance for supply chain leaders navigating one of retail’s biggest investment categories. Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content* #WarehouseAutomation #SupplyChain #RetailTech #Robotics #Fulfillment #Logistics #WarehouseManagement #Automation #DistributionCenters #RetailOperations #Intralogistics #TGW
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    34 mins
  • ChatGPT Wants Your Ad Dollars, DG Goes Full Funnel & Audible Opens A Bookless Bookstore | Fast Five

    ChatGPT Wants Your Ad Dollars, DG Goes Full Funnel & Audible Opens A Bookless Bookstore | Fast Five
    May 13 2026
    In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Quorso and Veloq, Chris Walton and special guest Kathryn Mazza, former Chief Marketing Officer at Hy-Vee, former President of RedMedia, and now Chief Growth Officer at Barrow’s Connected Store, discussed: • OpenAI officially launching its ChatGPT Ads Manager and what the platform’s push into advertising means for Google, Meta, and the future of search-based marketing: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/openai-solidifies-ad-platform-ambitions-with-chatgpt-ads-manager/819801/ • Target debuting two new creator programs and whether the retailer is strategically rebuilding brand love or simply arriving late to the creator commerce era: https://chainstoreage.com/target-launches-two-new-creator-programs • Dollar General integrating its on-site, off-site, and in-store retail media capabilities into one connected advertising ecosystem and why it could become a major unlock for brands and media buyers: https://chainstoreage.com/dollar-general-unifies-onsite-and-offsite-ad-inventory-access • Audible opening a “bookless bookstore” in New York City featuring audiobook discovery lounges, storytellers, and immersive listening experiences designed to rethink physical retail: https://www.usaToday.com/story/entertainment/books/2026/05/01/audible-story-house-bookless-bookstore/89776169007/ • Amazon Pharmacy expanding same-day delivery for the Ozempic pill to thousands of cities and why GLP-1 medications may dramatically reshape pharmacy, grocery, and retail traffic patterns: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260506335808/en/Amazon-Pharmacy-Expands-Access-to-New-Ozempic-Pill-via-Same-Day-Delivery-Kiosks There’s all that, plus airport security horror stories, bizarre travel behavior, Des Moines growth surprises, dream podcast guests, creator loyalty debates, and one very spirited Target argument. Music by hooksounds.com
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    53 mins