In this solo ShopTalk fall recap, Mariah breaks down the two themes that ruled the floor: AI everywhere and an uncompromising focus on customer experience. From post-purchase retention wins to why real-time analytics actually means to-the-second data, she shares five deeper takeaways you can put to work now. Hear what Wayfair revealed about promo-driven traffic vs. non-promo sales, why the U.S. Polo Assn. is leaning into live-streaming marketplaces, Hydrow’s candid take on “pivots,” and Gary Vaynerchuk’s advice to double down on high-view creative. Mariah also spotlights standout activations and partners from the show, plus brand goodies and tools she’s excited to try next.

Highlights:

• AI as the headline act, with practical CX use cases across retail and DTC

• Post-purchase retention matters because it grows revenue without extra CAC

• Real-time means real-time: inventory and marketing decisions need second-level data

• Live selling is rising; learn it before your competitors do

• UGC > brand hype: let customers sell the story for you

Shoutouts include Wayfair, U.S. Polo Assn., Hydrow, Shopify, Attentive, Smile.io, Ampee, Insider, Tightly, Purple Dot, Dotdigital, and more, plus ShopTalk’s immersive on-site experiences that made networking actually fun.