The ways in which consumers are discovering brands and products online is evolving. Artificial intelligence-powered search is reshaping how consumers discover products, traditional SEO playbooks are being rewritten to account for generative engine optimization (GEO), and the metrics retailers have relied on for years are no longer telling the full story. Meanwhile, true personalization has shifted from a nice-to-have into a foundational customer expectation.

This panel discussion from Total Retail Tech, held Sept. 14-16 in Dallas, explored how retailers can optimize for AI-driven discovery alongside traditional search, how personalization at scale is being unlocked through real-time data and AI, and why key performance indicators like clickthrough rate and sessions are giving way to more meaningful signals of engagement.

The panel discussion featured leaders from across the retail industry, including Scott Devlin, chief information officer, The Vitamin Shoppe; Kaitlin Hutchinson, senior vice president, e-commerce, Authentic Brands Group; Kristen Stewart, senior vice president, growth, Silver Jeans Co.; Stacey Warshaw, head of digital marketing and e-commerce, LoveShackFancy; and moderator Pat Connolly, Americas lead for customer growth strategy, Accenture Song.