Retail Fast Five

This week we come to you live from Las Vegas at Groceryshop 2026. Omni Talk contributor and the host of GrocerTalk, Ben Miller, joins me for this week's Fast Five, recorded right from the trade show floor in the Vusion podcast studio, built specifically for us by our friends there. Harps Food Stores just named its first-ever Director of AI Strategy and Innovation, promoting a homegrown meat and se...

This week we come to you live from Las Vegas at Groceryshop 2026. Omni Talk contributor and the host of GrocerTalk, Ben Miller, joins me for this week's Fast Five, recorded right from the trade show floor in the Vusion podcast studio, built specifically for us by our friends there. Costco is now available nationwide on both DoorDash and Uber Eats, giving members another way to get same-day deliver...

This week we come to you live from Las Vegas at Groceryshop 2026. Omni Talk contributor and the host of GrocerTalk, Ben Miller, joins me for this week's Fast Five, recorded right from the trade show floor in the Vusion podcast studio, built specifically for us by our friends there. Walmart+ just added CITGO to its Gas Savings benefit, growing the program from 13,000 to more than 17,000 participati...

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group , Mirakl , Ocampo Capital , Quorso , Veloq , and R&S Logistics , Chris Walton is joined by Omni Talk contributor and GrocerTalk host Ben Miller for another round of Fast Five fun, recorded live from the Vusion podcast studio at Groceryshop 2026 in Las Vegas. This week, Walmart fills up, Costco deliver...

It’s lightning round time, and Chris Walton and guest host Josh Hahn tackle some of life's most pressing questions, from choosing whether Sports Authority or Meijer prepared Josh better for recruiting, to the exact AI superpower Chris wishes he had for his morning routine. Plus, they debate the best QSR to add to Walmart's restaurant tab and establish a non-negotiable rule for airport etiquette. ▶...

Kroger has trimmed its full-year same-store sales outlook even as digital e-commerce and retail media continue to see strong double-digit growth. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn discuss the state of traditional grocery and what shrinking sales forecasts mean when digital layers are the primary bright spots. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/089y7s8PKCE

SKIMS has teamed up with DoorDash for its first-ever on-demand delivery partnership, making thousands of styles available from select U.S. stores in under an hour. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn discuss whether instant delivery helps or hurts a brand whose entire appeal has been built around exclusivity and hype. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/089y7s8PKCE

Amazon has significantly expanded its Prime Video shopping features, growing its "Shop the Show" tool from 1,300 titles to more than 8,000 while adding new visual search capabilities. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn discuss whether shoppable TV is finally reaching scale or if it risks ruining the core entertainment experience. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/089y7s8PKCE

Macy’s has posted its fifth consecutive quarter of comparable-sales growth, beating Wall Street estimates and raising its full-year guidance as CEO Tony Spring's turnaround strategy takes hold. Chris Walton and Josh Hahn discuss whether it's finally time to plant the victory flag at Macy's, or if there is still too much heavy lifting left to do on the core brand. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episod...

Walmart has added Papa Johns to Walmart Express Delivery, making it the first national restaurant brand fulfilled entirely from locations outside of Walmart stores. Chris Walton and guest host Josh Hahn discuss whether Walmart’s latest move is a clever way to bring customers into the app more often, or if they are solving a need that consumers never actually asked for. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five...

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group , Mirakl , Ocampo Capital , Quorso , Veloq , and R&S Logistics , Chris Walton is joined by J Recruiting’s Josh Hahn for another round of Fast Five fun, recorded from Chris’s very tiny Paris hotel room across the street from NRF Europe. This week’s episode can best be summed up as . . . better ingredie...

It’s lightning round time, and Chris Walton and Shelley Huff are making some very important decisions, from their Super Bowl picks to choosing between Genie and Samantha and naming the Adam Sandler movie they’d keep forever. Plus, one very specific wish involving a dog that may or may not be possible. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/x4hGqvRTilY

Sprouts has named Nick Konat as its next CEO, with the leadership transition set to take effect in January 2027. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss what Konat should focus on as he takes the reins, from staying disciplined on the retailer’s existing strategy to executing the roadmap already in motion. The big question: Does Sprouts need a new strategy, or simply a new leader to execute the one...

Sephora is testing monthly exclusive product drops on TikTok Shop, giving the beauty retailer another way to create demand and build community around new products. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss how TikTok Shop differs from Amazon, and why the platform may be more valuable for creating demand than simply capturing it. The big question: Can TikTok Shop turn product drops into a repeatable re...

Costco has quietly shut down Costco Next, its member-only online marketplace that connected shoppers with products from outside brands. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss why Costco’s club model may not translate neatly to a marketplace business, and what the move says about where Costco wants to focus its digital strategy. The big question: Does Costco really need a marketplace when its core m...

Ulta is facing backlash over its use of Flock Safety’s automated license plate reader technology, raising bigger questions about transparency, communication, and how retailers handle technology that can impact their customers. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss whether the bigger problem is the technology itself or the way Ulta communicated its use of it. The big question: When retailers use co...

Amazon is bringing back its digital grocery pop-up for Labor Day, but the bigger question is what these short-term grocery pushes actually accomplish for the retailer. Chris Walton and Shelley Huff discuss whether Amazon’s grocery pop-ups are a smart way to build share and stay top of mind, or just another temporary promotion in an increasingly crowded grocery market. The big question: Is Amazon b...

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group , Mirakl , Ocampo Capital , Quorso , Veloq , and R&S Logistics , Shelley Huff is back again, joining Chris Walton for another round of Fast Five fun. The former Serta Simmons CEO and Walmart executive, now CEO and Co-Founder of the Interval, joins Chris to discuss: • Amazon’s latest limited-time groce...

Chris Walton and Ben Miller put Michael Prendergast and Ken Davidson on the Fast Five lightning round hot seat, covering everything from Super Bowl predictions and favorite types of pie to the return of Cole Trickle in a Days of Thunder sequel. Plus, Ken reveals the one and only tattoo he would ever get. ▶️ Watch the full Fast Five episode here: https://youtu.be/NXUUmuwrX2Q

Amazon is reportedly exploring Project Tetromino, an internal initiative aimed at building fully automated delivery stations and bringing even more robotics into the last mile. The Fast Five crew discusses whether full automation is inevitable, how quickly Amazon could make it happen, and why the company appears hesitant to publicly own its automation ambitions. Because when Amazon already has mor...

Stripe believes the traditional online checkout page is on its way out as AI agents and agentic commerce begin to reshape how consumers shop. Michael Prendergast, Ken Davidson, Ben Miller, and Chris Walton discuss what happens when the purchasing process becomes increasingly machine-led, from eliminating friction and clicks to completely rethinking promotions, pricing, and how retailers compete fo...

Sur La Table has entered the resale game with Second Servings, a new peer-to-peer marketplace for kitchenware, home goods, and dining products. The Fast Five crew debates whether the marketplace is a smart, low-lift opportunity or simply a distraction that won't generate enough traffic to move the needle. And after taking a closer look at the platform, Ben Miller raises another interesting questio...

Target is launching Target Beauty Studio with more than 1,600 products from 90 brands, including more than two-thirds that are brand new to Target. But can this new beauty destination successfully fill the space left behind by Ulta? Chris Walton, Ben Miller, Michael Prendergast, and Ken Davidson debate whether Target's future in beauty depends on finding the next big brands, creating the right ass...

Walmart is expanding its restaurant delivery ambitions beyond the Subway locations inside its stores, and the Fast Five crew thinks this could become much more than just a grocery delivery add-on. Ken Davidson sees it primarily as a logical bolt-on, while Michael Prendergast, Ben Miller, and Chris Walton argue Walmart's massive store footprint, delivery density, and potential drone capabilities co...

In this week’s Omni Talk 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 Michael Prendergast and Ken Davidson of the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, along with Ben Miller, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of GrocerTalk, to discuss: • Walmart’s plans to expand restaurant delivery bey...