Thoughts on day one:
Day one of Shoptalk saw thousands of retailers gathering to shape the future of the industry and soak up insights from the biggest names in retail.
One of the key themes of day one?
Consumers are more discerning than ever.
The brands that truly stand out are solving a real pain point, delivering quality and reliability at great value. While this seems obvious, many brands struggle to deliver all three of these simultaneously.
Consumer advocacy is crucial to validate authenticity.
Consumers are trusting real voices and user-generated content (UGC) over brand messaging. SharkNinja’s Mark Barrocas shared that over 90% of the brand’s December content was UGC—a testament to the power of consumer advocacy. Companies like Duel Tech are helping brands harness UGC effectively.
Retail media is the new media.
Andrew Lipsman emphasised that brands need to expand their retail media strategies beyond the store itself to include off-site and in-store, where foot traffic rivals traditional TV audiences.
The missing conversation? ROI.
Among lots of discussions around the importance of building customer relationships, brand storytelling and experiential retail—there was little focus on return on investment (ROI) or return on capital employed (ROCE). Given the current macro headwinds, brands need to balance innovation and measurable business impact.
AI is not replacing people—yet.
New AI-enabled tech is an enabler for efficiency, creativity and customer experience, as long as it is integrated thoughtfully. Kim Waldmann highlighted that AI should be seen as part of a holistic strategy rather than a standalone solution.
Thoughts on day two:
Day two brought a sharper focus on social listening, consumer advocacy, experimentation and authentic advocacy.
Social listening is now a must-have for engaging Gen Z.
Engaging with Gen Z requires brands to be both:
Proactive: Driving conversations by pushing ideas into social channels, shaping discourse and controlling the narrative.
Reactive: Brands must stay agile and actively participate in real-time social conversations to jump on emerging trends!
Don’t underestimate the power of experimentation and customer testing in product development.
The best brands adopt a test-and-learn approach and see how people will respond to a prototype, a great way of doing this is putting it on Indiegogo and let people “vote with their wallets.” A prime example of this is GE’s sourdough sidekick, which first launched on Indiegogo.
Your store associates are an untapped marketing force.
Retailers are beginning to recognise the immense value in tapping into the knowledge of their frontline employees. Unlike shiny TV adverts with paid TV talent, employee-driven content feels authentic, builds trust and ultimately delivers better performance.
Day Three:
Shoptalk 2025 ended with: focus, innovation and the future of in-store experiences.
Staying in your lane can be a competitive advantage.
Kat Cole, CEO of supplement brand AG1, shared how critical it has been to focus on product quality and consistency and having faith that customers will respond. In a highly competitive wellness market, AG1 has resisted the temptation to diversify too quickly—staying true to its vision and drive for quality which has certainly paid off.
The ‘Great Summarisation’ is reshaping content strategy.
Brands spend millions on content every year, from emails and direct messages to blogs and articles. As platforms like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Apple’s native email summarisation change how users consume information, brands need to rethink their approach to content marketing. The key question discussed at Shoptalk was this:
How much of the content brands invest in is actually being read by human eyes?
Brands will need to adapt by prioritising concise, impactful and AI-optimised content strategies to ensure visibility.
Store performance is back in the spotlight.
Physical retail is making a comeback as normal shopping habits return, meaning brands are putting in more effort to create incredible store experiences to tempt a new generation of shopper into stores.
We had the pleasure of meeting two early-stage technologies providing solutions in the space:
Wayvee Analytics – a real-time customer satisfaction analytics solution which surfaces on-shelf problems to brands instantly, all without compromising customer privacy.
Site Bionics – a digital twin solution which helps brands understand how consumers move through and interact with their stores.
Our insights from Shoptalk Las Vegas 2025 show that retail’s future lies in a blend of connecting with the human customer, data-driven strategy and seamless omnichannel experiences.
Interested in learning more? We’re always asking if there’s a better way — for businesses to grow, create change through technology, and achieve more meaningful success. Drop me a note to see how we can help!
