Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast artwork

Will AI Be a Gift-Giving Hero or Retail Headache? | Reimagining Retail

Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast · with Sky Canaves, Arielle Feger · September 16, 2026 · 21 min

Summary

This episode explores the critical role AI will play in the upcoming holiday shopping season, drawing insights from back-to-school trends. It delves into how retailers can leverage AI for enhanced personalization, gift discovery, digital marketing, and operational efficiency, while also addressing potential challenges like data privacy and algorithmic bias. The discussion provides actionable recommendations for optimizing digital marketing and customer experience strategies before the holiday rush.

Key takeaways

Themes

ai & automationretail & omnichanneldtc strategyconversion & cro

Topics covered

ai in retailholiday shopping strategypersonalization with aidigital marketing with airetail operations automationcustomer experience aiback-to-school trendsalgorithmic bias in aidata privacy in aipredictive analytics for retail

Episode description

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what back-to-school tells us about the holiday shopper, ways AI could show up during holiday shopping, and one holiday change retailers still have time to make to their digital marketing, promotional, or customer-experience strategy. Tune in for a discussion featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Senior Analyst Arielle Feger. Get more insights like these with our free, industry-leading newsletters covering advertising, marketing, and commerce. Sign up at emarketer.com/newsletters Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/emarketer/For sponsorship opportunities contact us: advertising@emarketer.comFor more information visit: https://www.emarketer.com/advertise/Have questions or just want to say hi? Drop us a line at podcast@emarketer.com For a transcript of this episode click here: https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-how-david-s-bridal-helps-with-entire-wedding-journey-reimagining-retail © 2026 EMARKETER Verve is a global ad solution that helps brands, agencies, and publishers activate consumer intent in real-time across platforms. Learn more at https://verve.com/verve-intelligence/

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Frequently asked about this episode

What does this episode say about ai & automation?
Analyze back-to-school shopping trends as a predictive indicator for holiday consumer behavior and purchasing patterns.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Implement AI-powered tools for personalized gift recommendations, leveraging customer data to enhance product discovery and conversion during peak seasons.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Utilize AI to optimize backend retail operations, including inventory management, supply chain logistics, and customer service automation for improved efficiency.
What does this episode say about conversion & cro?
Refine digital marketing campaigns with AI for more targeted promotions, optimized ad spend, and predictive demand forecasting ahead of major sales events.
What does this episode say about ai & automation?
Address potential AI implementation challenges such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and integration complexities to ensure a smooth holiday season rollout.

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