Shop Talk Las Vegas, one of the most important annual events for the retail industry, took place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre from 25th to 27th March. With participants from across the ecosystem — such as retailers, brands, startups, technology companies, investors, and analysts—the conference aimed to draw interest from all areas of retail, with a special emphasis on what being customer-centric really means in today’s retail reality.
While a customer-centric approach has always been an integral part of retail philosophy, the conference highlighted how new digital innovations are changing the ways brands generate engagement, communicate brand value, extend hospitality and experiential shopping, and convey purpose in the digital and physical realms of retail.
In this article, we highlight three key takeaways from this highly anticipated event to help you stay up to date with the latest retail innovations.
Key Takeaways from Shop Talk Las Vegas 2025
1. AI-Powered Retail
The most far-reaching news at Shop Talk 2025 is the state of AI technologies and their impact on the retail ecosystem. According to retail tech analysts, the majority of retailers now use some form of generative AI to enhance customer experience, given that Gen AI is expected to unearth between $240 billion and $390 billion in economic value for retailers—equivalent to an industry margin increase of about 1.2 to 1.9 percentage points (McKinsey & Company, 2024).
From product recommendations to an entirely AI-enabled shopping journey, AI-focused discussions at Shop Talk centred on the transformation of front-end processes in retail. Fendi’s Mario Graniel demonstrated this concept through their "AI Brand Guardian" system, which ensures a consistent brand expression across point-of-sale touchpoints. Sean Scott, VP & GM of Consumer Shopping at Google, stated in his keynote: “We’re seeing AI shift from being a back-end efficiency tool to becoming the orchestrator of the entire customer experience.”
2. Value Transparency Revolution
The conference provided insights into significant changes taking place regarding how brands communicate value to increasingly savvy consumers. It was a recurrent theme explored in multiple sessions within the track "Maximising Shopper Value," complemented by outstanding case studies from value-based retailers such as Primark and Back Market.
Kevin Tulip, President US at Primark, explained the "Transparent Value Chain" programme, whereby customers can see the complete journey of product value from manufacturing to store shelf. "Today’s value-conscious consumer doesn’t just want low prices—they want to understand how those prices are achieved ethically," said Tulip.
Findings reveal that companies that have actively implemented value transparency have seen customer loyalty rise, on average, by 27% among younger shoppers.
3. Retail Media Networks
This year, Shop Talk introduced The New Market, a dedicated track on the evolving attention economy and the future of marketing. Shop Talk 2025’s premier marketing trend was the unstoppable surge of retail media networks: advertising platforms owned and operated by retailers, allowing brands to promote their offerings on retailers’ websites, apps, and other digital channels.
Lisa Valentino, President of Ads at Best Buy, revealed that their network now accounts for 18% of total company revenues, marking a huge shift in retail business models. "Retail media is no longer an add-on business: it’s becoming core to how retailers monetise their customer relationships," Valentino said.
The discussion entitled "Retail Media Unfiltered: Brand Marketers Weigh In" showed that, on average, major consumer packaged goods companies now allocate 25% of their digital marketing budgets to retail media platforms. Mike Glaser, VP of Commerce Media at PepsiCo, stated that retail media delivered a return on investment 3.2 times better than traditional digital advertising channels.
Retail media networks now capture 28% of all digital advertising expenditure in the UK, according to eMarketer’s Sarah Marsano, who moderated the panel. Such a drastic shift from traditional channels signifies a transformation in marketing, with even the fundamentals of retail economics likely to evolve.
What do we think in summary?
Shop Talk Las Vegas 2025 reinforced the message that winning brands are those that use technology to bring consumers closer to their value streams—hospitality, brand value, inspiration, and purpose—to make shopping experiences truly matter.
Insights from Shop Talk Las Vegas will undoubtedly shape much of retail strategy this year as brands and retailers adapt their technological capabilities while maintaining a genuine human connection in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Don’t miss the next edition of Shop Talk, taking place from 2nd to 4th June 2025 in Barcelona. Stay ahead of the latest retail trends—sign up for our LinkedIn newsletter today for exclusive industry insights delivered monthly.
