On the latest episode of The Retail Tea Break Podcast, I’m joined by Miya Knights, author of The Future of Shopping: Using Digital, Data and AI to Win with Customers.

With 27 years’ experience across retail technology as an analyst, editor, author and consultant, Miya brings a practical perspective to how technology is reshaping retail. We explore how retailers can use digital, data and AI to better understand and serve their customers, without losing sight of the fundamentals of great retail.

We discuss:

• Needs, missions and journeys – understanding what customers are really trying to achieve.
• Technology with purpose – putting business needs before technology.
• Connecting digital and physical retail – creating better experiences across channels.
• The intelligent store – using data, sensors and AI to enhance physical retail.
• Keeping retail human – where people add value in an increasingly automated world.
• The Golden Quarter and what comes next – pricing, promotions, retention and stronger customer relationships.

This is a fascinating conversation about where retail is heading and what shouldn’t change along the way.

Grab a cup of tea and listen in!

Purchase The Future of Shopping and use the code KOGAN25: https://www.koganpage.com/marketing-communications/the-future-of-shopping-9781398627925

Read the latest from Retail technology Magazine

What happens when AI starts influencing how customers discover and choose products?

In this special episode of The Retail Tea Break Podcast, recorded live at MACH X Amsterdam, Melissa Moore is joined by Pratyush Sinha, Senior Director and Head of Responsible AI at Decathlon.

They explore how AI agents are changing product discovery, why trust remains important in the customer journey, and what retailers need to consider as these technologies develop.

They discuss:

• How AI is changing product discovery

• Responsible AI, governance and guardrails

• Protecting the relationship between brand and customer

• Why retailers may need their own AI “concierge”

• What a more personalised e-commerce experience could look like

Could the future of online retail mean every customer having their own digital shopping concierge?

This episode of The Retail Tea Break podcast is supported by MACH Alliance, find out more https://machalliance.org/

What does it take to bring a challenger brand into an established retail category and more importantly, get customers to notice it on the shelf?

In this episode of The Retail Tea Break, I’m joined by Kate Doyle, founder of EcoKinly, an Irish brand bringing reusable alternatives to the baby and family care market. After almost four years of building the business direct-to-consumer, Kate is now taking EcoKinly into retail, scaling across supermarkets, pharmacies, baby retail and leisure.

Kate shares her journey from financial services and entrepreneurship into the world of retail, and what she’s learning as a founder navigating buyers, listings, logistics and the all-important challenge of driving customer pull-through once a product reaches the shelf.

During our conversation, we explore:

• Finding the gap on the retail shelf
• Educating store teams to drive sales
• The power of packaging, POS and FSDUs
• Moving from getting listed to scaling
• Building brand recognition and trust
• Learning by listening to customers face-to-face
• The Pregnancy and Baby Fair in Dublin

We also look to the future of retail, including the opportunities around reusable and refillable products, the potential impact of AI on consumer decision-making, and what’s next for EcoKinly as the brand continues to grow.

This episode of The Retail Tea Break podcast is supported by International Retail magazine, check out the latest edition here: International Retail Magazine!!! The Retail Insiders Guide

EcoKinly: EcoKinly Award Winning Irish Brand | Designed for life. Made to last.