The Retail Razor: Data Blades

S2E7 Greg Buzek Breaks Down Shelf Intelligence - Computer Vision, RFID, and the Network Nobody's Talking About Every retailer says they're investing in shelf intelligence. Cameras, smart shelves, electronic shelf labels, computer vision, RFID, autonomous robots. The investment list has been the same for three years running. So why are only 9.1% of retailers actually running current computer vision, and only 12.2% running current ESLs? In this episode of Data Blades, Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden sit down with Greg Buzek, President and Founder of IHL Group, to unpack the brand-new 2026 Retail Transformation Study: How Retail Leaders Outperform. It's the largest annual survey of retail technology leaders in the industry, and Greg's team interviewed more than 400 brands to build it. The data tells a story the industry hasn't fully reckoned with yet. Shelf intelligence applications in retail are not a hardware problem. The cameras are everywhere. The ESLs are on the shelves. The RFID tags are in the boxes. What's missing is the network, the edge compute, and the architectural roadmap to actually turn all of that hardware into intelligence. Greg walks through every layer of the modern shelf intelligence stack, the order he'd deploy it in if he were sitting in a retail CIO's chair this year, and the specific ROI numbers that separate the retailers winning at shelf intelligence from the ones still talking about it. In This Episode, You’ll Learn:What shelf intelligence actually means in 2026 and why the definition has expanded beyond "the manager walking the aisles" Why the network is the deciding factor for every shelf intelligence deployment, regardless of which sensors you choose How RFID sales winners outperform peers by 6.5x, and why Walmart is now tagging items under a dollar Why computer vision deployment is still under 10% across retail, and the hidden reason most pilots stall The controversial story behind electronic shelf labels, COVID, and the union pushback that's happening right now How facial recognition reduces theft by 74%, and the cultural reasons it has not gone mainstream in the US Why 80% of grocery SKUs sell less than one unit a week, and what that means for shelf intelligence and assortment strategy Greg's recommended deployment order for retail CIOs: network first, then edge, then ESLs, then RFID, then computer vision Resource LinksHow Retail Leaders Outperform - https://www.ihlservices.com/product/how-retail-leaders-outperform/Shelf Intelligence Report - https://www.ihlservices.com/product/shelf-intelligence-report-rebuilding-retail-relationships-through-automation/Adapt or Be Outpaced - https://www.ihlservices.com/product/adapt-or-be-outpaced-tech-imperative-for-retails-midmarket/Fixing Inventory Distortion - https://www.ihlservices.com/product/fixing-inventory-distortion-whos-winning-whos-failing-whats-working/Closing the Execution Gap - https://www.ihlservices.com/product/closing-the-execution-gap/Support Our SponsorsThis Episode is Brought to You By RetailClub.Join 2,000 retail leaders at RetailClub AI Festival, September 22–24 in Huntington Beach. Dive deep into how AI is reshaping retail while soaking up the sun at a fully outdoor, beachside venue. Decision-makers from retailers and brands can attend with free tickets and up to $1,250 in travel reimbursement. Head to retailclub.com to learn more. https://retailclub.com/retail-razor-podcastSubscribe & FollowDon't forget to like and subscribe to The Retail Razor: Data Blades for more episodes on customer experience, retail marketing, AI in retail, and data‑driven transformation!Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utubeAbout Our GuestsGreg Buzek. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbuzek/IHL Group. https://www.ihlservices.com/ RetailROI. https://www.retailroi.orgGreg Buzek is the Founder, President and Principal Analyst of IHL Group, one of the most respected retail technology research firms in the world. IHL's annual Retail Transformation Study is the largest survey of retail technology leaders in the industry, covering more than 400 brands across every retail segment. Greg is also the founder of Retail Orphan Initiative (Retail ROI), which this week surpassed $6 million in total grants to help children around the world through the industry's Super Saturday campaign. Noted by RIS News as one of the Top 10 Influentials in Retail and the National Retail Federation as one of “The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future“, he has a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from The Ohio State University, and 30 years of experience in retail market analysis, business planning, product development, and consulting with Fortune 500 companies. He is also a member of the Top 100 Retail Influencers from RETHINK Retail.Chapters(00:00) Teaser(00:46) Show Intro(03:45) Welcome Greg Buzek!(06:04) What Shelf Intelligence Means(08:51) ESLs and Union Pushback(09:38) RFID Wins for Inventory(13:14) Computer Vision and Robots(16:00) Facial Recognition Debate(19:22) ROI and Winner Benchmarks(23:31) Customer Expectations and Stockouts(26:11) Inventory Accuracy Crisis(26:50) Shelf Intelligence Value(29:44) Fashion Returns Problem(32:18) Grocery SKU Overload(37:56) Vendor Managed Compliance(40:16) Butter Stock Club(41:46) CIO Roadmap to Scale(47:46) Show CloseAbout your HostsHelping you cut through the clutter in retail data insights:Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voice for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Thought Leader in Retail, a Top 25 Thought Leader in AGI and Careers, a Top 50 Thought Leader in Agentic AIand Management, and a Top 100 Thought Leader in Digital Transformation and Transformation. Thinkers 360 also named him a Top Digital Voice for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformationand the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft.Casey Golden, is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T, and CEO of Luxlock. She is a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2026, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, Casey is obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer and is slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! MusicIncludes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.

S1:E2 Economic Waves: How Price Hikes Transform Shopping Trends Welcome to another Retail Razor: Data Blades episode, where we discuss how rising prices are affecting shopper behavior with Georgina Nelson, CEO of TruRating. Georgina shares data showing significant consumer insights: 63% of U.S. consumers are driving less due to high gas prices, 60% are cooking more at home, and 74% are using shopping lists—reflecting increased spending discipline. We also explore how retailers can turn these challenges into opportunities by enhancing customer experience and building loyalty. Hosted by Ricardo Belmar and Casey Golden, tune in for valuable insights and strategies to navigate the current economic landscape. Don't forget to like and subscribe to The Retail Razor: Data Blades for more episodes on customer experience, retail marketing, AI in retail, and data‑driven transformation!Subscribe to the Retail Razor Podcast Network: https://retailrazor.com/Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://retailrazor.substack.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://go.retailrazor.com/utubeChapters: (00:00) Show Intro(01:12) Georgina Nelson - How Rising Prices Are Impacting Shopping Habits(05:43) Show CloseMeet your hosts, helping you cut through the clutter in retail & retail tech:Ricardo Belmar is an NRF Top Retail Voice for 2025 and a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2021 – 2026. Thinkers 360 has named him a Top 10 Thought Leader in Retail, a Top 25 Thought Leader in AGI and Careers, a Top 50 Thought Leader in Agentic AIand Management, and a Top 100 Thought Leader in Digital Transformation and Transformation. Thinkers 360 also named him a Top Digital Voice for 2024 and 2025. He is an advisory council member at George Mason University’s Center for Retail Transformationand the Retail Cloud Alliance. He was most recently the partner marketing leader for retail & consumer goods in the Americas at Microsoft. Casey Golden, is the North America Leader for Retail & Consumer Goods at CI&T, and CEO of Luxlock. She is a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert from 2023 - 2026, and Retail Cloud Alliance advisory council member. After a career on the fashion and supply chain technology side of the business, Casey is obsessed with the customer relationship between the brand and the consumer and is slaying franken-stacks and building retail tech! Includes music provided by imunobeats.com, featuring Tech Lore from the album Beat Hype, written by Heston Mimms, published by Imuno.