Takeaways from Shoptalk 2025: AI in retail, Waymo driverless cars and local small retail vs. big business
I’m grateful for the invitation from Shoptalk for myself and a newsXpress colleague, Anthony, to attend Shoptalk 2025 in Las Vegas a week ago. Here is a video of us discussing some takeaways from the conference and trade show.
Whether you’re a retailer, a tech enthusiast, or just curious about where shopping is headed, this video offers a glimpse into the future. It highlights the importance of personalisation, the rise of AI, and the enduring need for unique, engaging customer experiences in an ever-changing landscape.
What you’ll discover:
- The Buzz Around Personalisation: Learn how brands are using personalised merchandise, like hats, jewellry, and bags, to create engaging experience.
- TikTok’s Unique Approach: See how TikTok created a standout, personal experience for attendees amidst the trade show buzz.
- AI’s Growing Role: Explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on retail, from personalised ads to tools that help small businesses analyse data and even generate blog posts. Is AI a disruption? The video delves into this question. Side note: it was great to realise that what Tower Systems offers in terms of Ai tools in its newsagency software is well advanced in this space.
- Rethinking the Retail Environment: Discover how simple changes, like rearranging a supermarket’s biscuit aisle, can significantly impact sales and why constant change is key for small retailers.
- Beyond the Trade Show: Hear about unique experiences like Martha Stewart’s tranquil Las Vegas restaurant and the surprisingly reliable Waymo driverless cars, connecting these to growing trust in AI.
- The Power of Experience: Get inspired by a visit to a unique garden centre offering live music and local vendors, reinforcing the importance of creating fun, memorable customer journeys.
I appreciate not everyone can get time away from their business to learn and reflect. I am grateful to be able to do this. While the video does not get into some very cool competitive-edge learnings, we did try and provide actionable value for those who watch it.
Shoptalk is a crazy event: around 10,000 retail and tech/retail attendees and 900+ suppliers. There were conference sessions, one-on-one meetings, trade show presentations and plenty more. Being invited by Shoptalk made the event low cost for us. This did not dilute the value we are extracting from it though. Already there are some retail changes we have made.