Ram Iyer

Although the industry conversation around AI isn't new, this year marked a shift from discussing the potential of the technology to showcasing business use cases of how brands are harnessing the power of AI solutions to increase customer satisfaction and streamline operations. Here are three key takeaways from Shoptalk 2024 centered around how AI-first search and product discovery technology is enabling retailers to reach desired business outcomes. #artificialintelligence #searchoptimization #cro #omnichannelretail #retailinnovation

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Manish and I had a fantastic time 🤝 exchanging insights on #customercentricity, the real essence of #omnichannel from both retail and brand viewpoints, the evolution of JBP into Joint Value Creation, and the urgent need to embrace #retailmedia effectively 📈. Thank you, David Feinleib, for hosting us! 🙏 We hope your audience finds value in our perspectives 🎯. #CustomerCentricity #Omnichannel #Retail #BrandStrategy #JointValueCreation #RetailMedia #IndustryInsights

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Familiar with the store-within-a-store model in retail partnerships? Retailers are now venturing beyond traditional collaborations to explore unique partnerships across industries. Will these unconventional alliances boost business growth or deter customers? #retail #strategicpartnerships #growth #leadership

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AI has become a central focus for businesses across all sectors, as organizations recognize its potential to drive innovation and competitive advantage. Integrating AI into business operations can enhance decision-making processes, automate routine tasks, and unlock new revenue streams. Companies are increasingly investing in AI to improve customer experiences, streamline operations, and develop new products and services. As AI becomes more prevalent, it's imperative for businesses to build powerful AI strategies that align with their goals and address ethical and governance challenges. Ensuring that AI initiatives are transparent, fair, and accountable will be essential for maintaining trust and maximizing the benefits of this transformative technology. #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessInnovation #AIIntegration

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Retail Media Network Basics At A Glance At the Path to Purchase Institute, we've curated all the essential retail media intel, terms, and definitions you need to know. Whether you're new to retail media or looking to refresh your knowledge, this article is packed with valuable resources to help you stay ahead of the curve. Take a look and get up to speed on the latest in retail media. #RetailMedia #Marketing #P2PI #membership #MediaTrends https://lnkd.in/eS4Jnid8

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Retail is being reinvented. New business models, channel expansion, and shopper expectations continue to change the landscape. These three areas redefine industry rules and relationships—transforming the path to purchase in the process. #retailinnovation #retailtransformation #retail #retailcareers

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Imagine seated next to a stalwart of the retail industry - very unassuming and modest - on a cross-country flight and having a fascinating conversation on the journey. That's exactly what happened with me a couple of weeks ago. While I won't disclose the name of this leader or their company for ethical reasons, I think the summary of this conversation is worth listening to, especially if you're keen to understand the thought process of retail boards around #GenerativeAI. #TheRetailTales #TRT #Consumer #RetailAI #BoardQueries‍‍‍‍‍‍

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Open-source AI has the potential to revolutionize the tech industry, but it also presents unique challenges, especially around definitions and standards. The lack of a unified definition can lead to inconsistencies in development and application, impacting everything from security to interoperability. Establishing clear guidelines and collaborative frameworks will be essential to harness the full benefits of open-source AI while mitigating associated risks. #OpenSourceAI #TechIndustry #AIStandards

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Reel 2: Let's Talk Retail Podcast with Barada Sahu A fundamental driver of growth for brands and retailers lies in the profound understanding of consumers. This realization underscores the pivotal role of consumer insights in shaping strategies that foster engagement and loyalty. By meticulously analyzing consumer behaviours, preferences, and content interactions, brands can curate personalized experiences that resonate with their target audience. This consumer-centric approach serves as the cornerstone for establishing a compelling consumer journey on digital marketplaces. By catering to consumers' preferences and delivering tailored content, brands can cultivate ongoing engagement and loyalty. The ability to anticipate consumer needs and preferences enables brands to not only showcase relevant products but also provide enticing offers and promotions. At the heart of this strategy is a commitment to understanding and meeting the evolving demands of consumers. By leveraging consumer insights to inform every aspect of the brand experience, from content creation to product offerings, brands can establish meaningful connections with their audience and drive sustained growth in the competitive online landscape. Listen to the complete conversation with Barada Sahu on: Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gB_fBf9p Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gNbGmD9r mason #consumerinsights #growthstrategy #marketplaceexpertise #unifiedcommerce #retail #letstalkretail #innovation #hyperpersonal #personalization #customerjourney #genai #nextgen

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The rise of AI search engines has sparked both fascination and concern. While these tools offer advanced capabilities, they also present risks in terms of reliability and bias. As users increasingly rely on AI for information, it’s essential to maintain a critical eye and verify sources independently. Trust in AI should be balanced with human judgment to ensure accurate and unbiased information dissemination. #AISearch #TechTrust #InformationAccuracy

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While LLMs have revolutionized how we interact with AI, their application goes beyond simple conversation. They are being used to enhance customer service, automate content generation, and efficiently provide insights from large datasets. The key to leveraging LLMs effectively lies in understanding their limitations—such as the need for human oversight to prevent inaccuracies—and combining them with other solutions. #LLM #AI #Automation #BusinessTransformation #Innovation

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I’ve avoided this conversation in an attempt to remain an unbiased co-host but as we approach season 4; who am I kidding. If you follow me, I am biased and been talking about taking a unified approach since 2011. I am passionately biased that the only way to futureproof your business is to go back to the foundational framework of your techstack and rebuild for a unified commerce experience. Supply chain, on demand manufacturing, circularity, sustainable forecasting, customer experience, clienteling, experience management, AI, IoT, rfid, web3, AR, VR, holograms, nanotech receivers, blockchain authentication. Tune in with us for our first Unified Commerce Conversation on the Retail Razor 🏷 Razor podcast. It’s only a shopper journey to the person not living it. Otherwise, it’s life and you’re either winning as a brand by providing value or taking value away with friction. Experiences should compound, if a customer has to start from scratch each time you are degrading value from every interaction. Without a unified system and approach to your business, creating compounded experiences is impossible. Essentially, the backbone of our commerce thesis when building a new foundational infrastructure for luxury brands.

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🚀 The Future of Retail Technology: Are We Ready for the Next Leap? 🚀 In today’s fast-paced retail landscape, technology plays a crucial role as a differentiator rather than just an enabler. The evolution from AI-driven insights to seamless omnichannel experiences is happening rapidly. The pressing question remains: Are our systems evolving quickly enough to meet new consumer demands? 🛍️ Customer-Centric Experiences Consumers today seek personalized, real-time, and frictionless shopping experiences. Retailers leading the way have embraced: - AI-powered recommendation engines - Augmented reality for immersive online shopping - Unified commerce platforms that merge online and in-store experiences seamlessly ⚙️ Agile Business Systems for Agility Technology isn't just about improving customer experience; it's also about creating agile, responsive business systems. The top players are integrating: - Cloud-based POS systems for scalability - Real-time inventory tracking for enhanced demand forecasting - AI and machine learning for smarter supply chain and operational efficiency 🔑 Key to Success: Implementation & Adoption Merely adopting the latest technology is only part of the equation. Success hinges on how well it's implemented and adopted across the organization. Key considerations include: - Workforce readiness to leverage cutting-edge systems - Alignment of business systems with the digital transformation strategy - Effective measurement of KPIs to ensure a return on tech investments 💡 Conclusion: Retail Technology is No Longer Optional The retail champions of tomorrow will be those embracing innovative technology, aligning it with a clear strategy, and ensuring their teams are equipped to execute effectively. What tech innovations are you prioritizing to stay ahead of the curve? 👇 Share your thoughts below. Let’s continue the conversation on how tech is reshaping retail! #RetailTech #DigitalTransformation #BusinessSystems #AIInRetail #Omnichannel #FutureOfRetail

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If there's one thing that retail leaders must realize with respect to GenAI - it's this. #GenAI is not just an optimization tool - it should not be limited to that. It's a catalyst for growth! Retailers MUST embrace this technology not just to improve what they already do, but to reimagine and elevate their entire business model - To create a smarter, more responsive, and more resilient organization for the future. Excited to share the latest episode of The Retail Tales (#TRT) podcast which goes into more depth on this topic.   Tune in to know more! #TheRetailTales #Consumer #GenerativeAI #Top5Applications #GameChanger

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Walmart is benefiting from a flywheel effect driven by three major trends. Firstly, inflation is attracting more customers to the retailer as they seek refuge from high prices elsewhere. Walmart aims to remain a low-price option for customers during inflationary periods. Secondly, the growing number of customers shopping online allows Walmart to lower the relative cost of offering goods and services, particularly through densification and efficient delivery. Additionally, customers who order online and pick up in-store often make additional purchases, resulting in negligible fulfillment costs. Lastly, Walmart reinvests the savings from lower costs into price cuts, with around 7,000 items currently being offered at reduced prices. These strategies, combined with improvements in the store fleet and merchandising, attract more customers and create a cycle of success. This approach is particularly effective during uncertain times in the consumer economy. #walmart #flywheeleffect #inflation #onlinebusiness #reducedprices

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“hyper-personalized, convenient, and engaging shopping experiences”. At NewEcom.ai, we empower e-commerce businesses to deliver hyper-personalized shopping experiences that not only engage customers but also drive higher conversion rates and order values. Like industry leaders, we help you offer convenient, data-driven interactions that stand out. #AIcommerce #conversationalcommerce #GenAI #NewEcom #AIpersonalization Frédéric Lévy Cyril Reinhard Sylvere Azoulai Davide Moro Æthos Shopify Adobe Salesforce Commerce Cloud

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From Spark to Scalability: My Tech Journey of Empowerment They say purpose is a guiding star, illuminating the path we take. While mine wasn't always a straight shot, it was fueled by a deep desire to make a positive difference, especially in the world of retail technology. The journey wasn't without its challenges. There were times of head-scratching moments, those "how can we make this work better?" hurdles that stretched my problem-solving muscles. But within those moments, I discovered a hidden strength – an unwavering determination to persevere, learn from every obstacle, and build something truly remarkable. This tenacity propelled me towards incredible opportunities. Back in my days at RentTheRunway.com I found myself on a team with a revolutionary vision: making the dream a reality. It was a strategic leap, and I dove headfirst into making it a success. Witnessing what I built transform the business, propelling it to a billion-dollar valuation, was a moment of pure, exhilarating accomplishment. Seeing the impact of our work on such a grand scale ignited a fire within me. Since then, in the last 14 years, I have sold my company to QVC, led QVC's digital business, led 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, INC. as their CTO, and recently, I had the privilege of contributing my expertise to a world-renowned brand like Tory Burch. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the entire Tory Burch team for the incredible learning experience and the opportunity to contribute. It was a fantastic learning curve, but sometimes, the most empowering journeys lie outside familiar territory. Throughout my career, one thread has remained constant: my unwavering belief in technology's potential to empower. Whether it's helping businesses reach new audiences or fostering personal growth through meaningful work, that's the spark that drives me forward. Now, I'm embarking on a new adventure, one that allows me to focus even more on this driving force. I'm excited to see where this path leads, using my skills and hard-earned experience to create positive change and empower others on a global scale. This story is just beginning. I'm eager to share the next exciting chapter with you all! Keep an eye on this space!!! #technology #techleader #careerdevelopment #entrepreneur #leadership

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For years, technology has been reshaping the workforce. But instead of fearing it, especially as we age, what if we considered the opportunities it could bring? Recent studies suggest that AI and automation could actually extend the careers of older workers by reducing physical demands and allowing them to focus on their strengths. Flexible work arrangements, like remote work, combined with new tech, can empower workers 50-plus to stay in their jobs longer, which benefits them and the economy. See how we can embrace this shift and reap the benefits: a more inclusive, experienced, and diverse workforce. Let's not fear the future; let's shape it. #AI #Automation #FutureOfWork #Inclusion #OlderWorkers

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