Welcome to this week’s edition of the RETHINK Retail newsletter!
RETHINK Retail
RETHINK Retail explores the evolution of retail in today’s connected world. Retail: podcasts, insights, research.
September 13th, 2025
Catch up on everything from engaging webinars to updates on must-attend retail events in our latest edition.
Retail Voices by NRF 2026 nominations are NOW OPEN!
Recognize the innovators shaping retail’s future & celebrate Leadership, Innovation, and Impact!
Who Can Be Nominated? Find out how you can nominate and elevate the voices that matter in retail bellow.
WEBINAR SERIES — IDEAS IN ACTION
Why Leading Retailers Are Betting on Connected Store Technology
⚡ The Future of Retail Starts Now.
Top retailers are already unlocking growth with platform-driven innovation. Join our exclusive webinar to learn the strategies and success stories defining the next era of retail.
📅 September 25 | 10:00 AM ET
The Hybrid Shopper Playbook: How to Win in Grocery’s New Era
🍎 Shopping Just Got Smarter. Are You Ready?
Shoppers expect seamless convenience—online, curbside, and in-store. Deliver it today, or get left behind.
📅 October 7 | 12:00 PM ET
Smart Retail Starts Here: Unlocking the Power of Item-Level Data
📊 Smart Retail Starts Here: Turn Data into Profit
Omnichannel growth is exciting—but it also means higher costs, tighter margins, tougher customers, and data scattered across every channel.
📅 October 14 | 12:00 PM ET
Innovation That’s Working in Grocery Today
🚀 NEW DATE BUT THE SAME ENTHUSIASM
Join our live webinar to learn how leading grocers are modernizing operations and elevating shopper experiences, without massive overhauls.
Hosted by RETHINK Retail & Diebold Nixdorf
📅 November 13 | 10:30 AM ET
FEATURED EVENTS — MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Groceryshop 2025 - 🚨 Final Price Break 🚨
Groceryshop 2025 is just weeks away, lock in your spot before prices rise this week!
📅 Sept 28 – Oct 1, 2025 |📍 Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Why attend?
Top AI Leaders 2026
AI isn’t a buzzword anymore, it’s the driving force behind retail’s biggest leaps in innovation, efficiency, and customer experience.
Leading the charge are the trailblazers redefining what’s possible, setting the standard for how we shop, buy, and connect in 2026 and beyond.
🚀 Today’s the day!
Join us on today, September 12th from 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET for Candid Conversations: Virtual Mixer.
An afternoon of insights, networking, and thought leadership with top retail experts.
Sponsored By: Cognizant, Microsoft, T-Mobile
Shoptalk Fall 2025
📅 Shoptalk Fall | Chicago | Sept 17–19, 2025
This fall, retail’s must-attend event returns to Chicago. Connect with decision-makers, hear from world-class speakers, and accelerate growth through curated meetings—, right in the heart of the city.
GRL Dinners during Shoptalk Fall @ Moody Tongue
September 16 | 6:00 - 9:00 PM (Sponsored by: Shopify & Accenture)
September 18 | 6:00 - 9:00 PM (Sponsored by: AWIN)
🎉 Celebrate the Season with Us!
Join an exclusive evening for retailers, network, mingle, and get inspired in a lively, relaxed setting.
Why Attend?
Sponsored by: Diebold Nixdorf, Birdzi, ProductWind, NielsenIQ, Jivox, Fluent & Doss
RETAILERS & BRANDS - Don’t Miss the Discount Code: - 31%
🚀 Big Ideas. Real Impact. Meaningful Connections.
GRL Dinner during Groceryshop - September 30 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM ET
Sponsored by: Kyndryl
NEW PODCAST EPISODES — VOICES WORTH HEARING
Inside Groceryshop 2025 with Rocquan Lucas
Host Matt Mueller & Rocquan Lucas, VP of Content at Groceryshop, share key Insights:
📧 SEND YOUR STORIES TO: catarina.santos@rethink.industries
SHARP ARTICLES, BIG IDEAS, AND SMART PERSPECTIVES — WHAT TO READ NOW
The Art & Science of Demand Sensing
Margins are tighter than ever. Demand swings are harder to predict.
But retailers using AI-driven demand sensing are pulling ahead, making sharper buy plans, speeding up allocations, and unlocking higher profits.
Syrup Tech’s latest report reveals how top brands are doing it, and how you can, too.
🚶 Amazon Go tried to remove people. 🦉 Duolingo leaned into them.
As Rui Joaquim from Vaibe points out, automation can trim costs, but it doesn’t build engagement.
Duolingo’s genius is creating habits people want to repeat. That’s the lesson retail needs if it wants lasting loyalty—from both employees and customers.
Meet the TRE: Barney Stacher
Get to know RETHINK Retail’s Top Retail Experts through the “Meet the TRE” Q&A series! Dive in to learn about a member of the thought leader community and follow their work and insights across our content and their social channels.
The D60 List – Tomorrow’s Leaders Driving Brands of Today
RETHINK Retail is proud to support our partners at The Lead as they unveil The D60 NEXT List a brand-new recognition honoring the next generation of brand leaders driving innovation, technology adoption, and customer experience across the consumer landscape.
VIDEOS YOU CAN'T MISS — HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
Shoptalk Fall 2025: Blending Magic and Science in Retail
Highlights include: