Episode 113

AI Is Transforming Retail

Published on: 8th September, 2026

AI is changing the way retailers present products, understand customers, and create digital shopping experiences.

In this episode of The Backstory on Marketing and AI, we explore how AI and Marketing are transforming retail through digital merchandising, temporal merchandising, social merchandising, and smarter customer decision-making.

The conversation begins with the evolution of e-commerce and the challenges facing brick-and-mortar retailers. Many retail activities remain highly manual, creating opportunities for intelligent automation.

A central topic is ROPO, or research online and purchase offline. Shoppers frequently research products online before visiting a physical store. This makes the retailer's website an important marketing tool and a second front door.

The discussion then explores digital merchandising and product relevance. AI can enrich product information with stronger titles, descriptions, metadata, imagery, and contextual information.

Temporal merchandising takes this further by adapting products to seasons and events. The same product can become relevant for different occasions throughout the year.

Social merchandising provides another opportunity. Retailers already create valuable videos and social content. AI can identify products featured within those videos and connect the content directly to product pages.

This approach turns short-lived social posts into lasting product-level assets.

The episode also explores temporal commerce and how it differs from agentic commerce. Agentic systems can automate repetitive purchasing decisions. Temporal commerce focuses on timing and context while keeping the final decision with the customer.

AI enabled Market Research can support these strategies by helping businesses understand customer interests, preferences, and behavioral signals.

The broader lesson is important. AI should not simply push customers toward the cheapest option. It should help people make better decisions based on relevance, context, and value.

The future of retail will combine intelligent technology with human expertise. AI can amplify what great retailers already know about their customers and products.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

ProRelevant Newsletter Opt-in

Thank you, you have been subscribed.

Listen for free

Show artwork for The Backstory on Marketing and AI

About the Podcast

The Backstory on Marketing and AI
with Guy Powell
Dive deep into the dynamic marketing realm in the digital age with The Backstory on Marketing and AI, hosted by Guy Powell, the visionary President of ProRelevant Marketing Solutions. This enlightening podcast is your gateway to understanding the intricate interplay between data-driven marketing strategies and cutting-edge AI technologies.

Each episode brings to the table candid and insightful conversations with some of the industry's most influential leaders and analytics experts. They share their valuable perspectives and experiences on how to navigate the ever-evolving marketing landscape successfully. As a listener, you will be able to discover the most current trends shaping the marketing world and learn innovative ways to leverage AI to elevate your brand's presence and impact.

The Backstory on Marketing and AI is an indispensable resource for anyone involved in marketing, from executives managing to proactive marketers. Whether you're an executive overseeing a hefty advertising budget or a marketer at the forefront of a growing brand, this podcast is your resource for staying ahead in the competitive marketing world.

Tune in on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and be part of the pivotal discussions defining the future of marketing. Don't miss out on this chance to revolutionize your approach to marketing and AI. Subscribe today and begin becoming a more informed and strategic marketer. For more information, visit www.prorelevant.com.

Typical questions discussed in this podcast:
How is AI transforming traditional marketing strategies?
What is the role of data analytics in understanding consumer behavior?
What are the best practices for integrating AI into your marketing campaigns?
What is the future of personalized and content marketing with AI?
What are some AI success stories and case studies: Brands leading the way in AI marketing?
How can we best overcome challenges in adopting AI technologies for marketing?
How can we measure the ROI of AI-based marketing initiatives?
How can we build a customer journey map leveraging AI insights?
How can we maintain privacy, data protection and cyber security in the age of AI marketing.
How can we build a skilled team to leverage AI in marketing?
What is AI's influence on social media marketing strategies?
What is the right balance between AI automation and the human touch in marketing?
What are the limits of using AI to support Chatbots?
How can young marketers leverage AI in their careers?

Topics Discussed:
AI Marketing
Data Analytics
Predictive Analytics
Brand Strategies
AI Ethics
Creative Advertising
Marketing ROI
Customer Journey
Content Marketing
Chatbots
Data Privacy
Social Media Strategies
Small Business Marketing
Prompt design and engineering

Main Questions:
What is the difference between ChatGPT and Bard?
How can Canva be used for image development?
What is a Large Learning Model (LLM)?

Testimonials:
In this fun and easy read, Guy provides a roadmap on how you can navigate through today's choppy waters and come out on the other side with a successful, metrics-based marketing campaign.
Jamie Turner, Author, Adjunct Instructor, Speaker, and Consultant

Guy does a great job of outlining marketing strategies adopted during the pandemic through some very insightful case studies and is a must-have for marketers.
Sonia Serrao, Senior Director, Brand Marketing at Tarkett

Sign up now for more episodes.