Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Bridging to the Future: How Conversational AI Prepares Retailers for Agentic Systems
June 3, 2025 at 10:58 am

Retailers are under growing pressure to automate customer interactions and deliver faster, more responsive service. Agentic artificial intelligence, a new class of AI tools that can act independently and adapt to real-time signals, offers the opportunity to improve customer experience (CX) without constant human oversight. However, many brands still operate with systems and budgets tied…

Why Personalization is the Key to Winning Over Gen Z Shoppers
May 28, 2025 at 8:11 pm

Today’s younger shoppers expect more than just a product. They want an experience tailored to their preferences and values. Personalization has become the key to capturing their attention and ensuring their loyalty. Brands that understand this can create a deeper connection and stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Shopping Habits That Reflect New Expectations…

Beyond the Brief: How Agencies Drive Strategic Growth for Retailers
May 28, 2025 at 6:02 pm

In this episode of Total Retail Tech Insights, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Megan McDonagh, chief marketing officer at Wpromote, a top independent marketing agency that challenges convention to accelerate growth for brands. Listen in as McDonagh provides an overview of Wpromote and her career background (1:00), the wide variety of industries the agency serves (3:40),…

How Agentic AI and Human Collaboration Are Enhancing CX
May 27, 2025 at 7:17 pm

There's a reason artificial intelligence is increasingly common — it simplifies processes, improves performance, creates growth opportunities, and drives results. Agentic AI is the next wave of technology innovation that’s sweeping across a variety of industries, including retail. From use as sales agents to personalized shopping assistants to automated checkout, agentic AI is redefining the…

How AI is Revolutionizing Product Information Management for Modern Retail
May 26, 2025 at 12:55 pm

In the ever-evolving world of retail, where digital experiences increasingly define brand perception and customer loyalty, the efficiency and intelligence of your product information management (PIM) system can be a game-changer. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic tool — it’s here, reshaping how retailers manage, enrich and present product data across channels. Curious…

Transforming Retail: What to Consider Before Deploying AI Agents
May 19, 2025 at 1:35 pm

Imagine a customer support agent who never sleeps, learns faster than any employee, and can juggle dozens of complex tasks at once. Sounds like science fiction, right? It’s not. Welcome to the world of agentic artificial intelligence — a new frontier in retail innovation. AI was a major theme at the NRF Big Show this…

AI is Already Changing Retail — and There’s No Turning Back
May 19, 2025 at 12:40 pm

What was once the stuff of the silver screen ("Minority Report," anyone?) is now shaping everyday decisions. Artificial intelligence is becoming a cornerstone of modern retail, almost by stealth — and its adoption shows no sign of slowing. New research from Apply Digital, surveying senior leaders across the sector, shows that retail has moved decisively…

An AI Handshake for Sustained Customer Loyalty
May 12, 2025 at 12:34 pm

A recent survey revealed compelling insights on what business leaders expect from artificial intelligence (AI) in customer engagement. Sixty-seven percent looked to AI for faster information, 62 percent to reduce wait times, 53 percent for improved data accuracy, 42 percent to create consistent experiences, and 41 percent for personalized responses. They say all roads lead…

Is Agentic AI Actually Helpful for E-Commerce or Just More Hype?
May 7, 2025 at 3:51 pm

Another Shoptalk has come and gone. As usual, we saw one topic garnering more attention than almost every other one combined. For 2025, that topic was agentic artificial intelligence. It’s been the topic du jour ever since, and for good reason — the tech is legitimately moving forward as rapidly as I’ve ever seen. However,…

The AI Advantage: 3 Ways AI is Reshaping Checkout Experiences for SMBs
May 7, 2025 at 11:19 am

Checkout is no longer just the final step in a transaction — it’s where customers decide if they’ll return. And increasingly, it’s where artificial intelligence (AI) is raising the bar. Whether you run a neighborhood boutique or a growing e-commerce brand, AI is transforming the checkout experience from a routine transaction into a powerful competitive…