Retail is no longer about being everywhere; it’s about being where it matters. In the 30th episode of Point of Purchase by geekspeak Commerce, host Tricia Williams celebrates a milestone with returning guest Chris Parsons, a longtime retail executive whose career spans giants like Walmart, Newegg, and Home Hardware. As Chris gears up for the release of his new book, Retail Rewired, this conversation dives deep into what it truly means to connect with customers in today’s omnichannel landscape.
Watch the full episode here, or read on to learn about key takeaways from the conversation.
Omnichannel: More Than a Buzzword
Omnichannel has become one of retail’s most overused (and misunderstood) terms but Chris gives it new life. Rather than seeing it as a checklist of digital touchpoints, he challenges brands to think of it as a continuous conversation with their audience. “Just because you’ve put together a marketing calendar and assigned dollars… if you’re listening to your customers, you have to go to where they are,” he says. That might mean TikTok today and Pinterest tomorrow. The brands that win are the ones that listen first and strategize second. Tricia builds on this, noting that true omnichannel success is about harmony. It’s not just about being present across platforms but about ensuring those platforms feel unified, intentional, and seamless for the customer.
The Retail Trinity: Where Content, Community, and Commerce Intersect
So how do you build a retail experience customers care about? Chris introduces the “Retail Trinity”: content, community, and commerce – in that order.
He explains, “If you’re doing [content] right, customers will start to engage… and that’s where community really starts to happen.” It’s a domino effect. Authentic content leads to organic community building, and only then does meaningful commerce follow. Yet, Chris warns that many brands misfire by pumping out content for content’s sake. Without value or intention, it becomes noise not strategy. This framework forces retailers to slow down and re-evaluate: Are we speaking with customers, or at them?
Going Local to Win Big
Zooming out doesn’t always reveal the whole picture. That’s a lesson Chris learned deeply during his time at Home Hardware, which is why he is passionate about hyper-local marketing. “We really do drive our seasonal calendar and all of these kind of biases based on Ontario,” he says, “versus understanding… do you feel tone-deaf in those other communities?” Instead of defaulting to national campaigns, Chris encourages retailers to think from the sidewalk up, creating messaging and experiences tailored to the neighborhoods they serve. Hyper-local isn’t just tactical but also emotional. “They weren’t just a store,” he says of Home Hardware dealers. “They were someone where if you had a leaky faucet… you knew the dealer’s name.”
Retail Media: The New Shelf Space
Retail media has exploded, and with it, so have the opportunities and pitfalls. Chris refers to it as “the new shelf space,” where brands must now compete for digital real estate the way they once fought for eye-level placement in store.
But this new space comes with caveats. “You definitely don’t want to go out and have another supplier… buy the advertising space that’s available [next to your product],” he warns. Without alignment between retail media and core marketing strategy, brands risk diluting their message, or worse, handing it over to the competition.
Chris stresses the need for a seamless, data-driven approach that considers everything from inventory flow to ad placement integrity. Without that, “you could just be collecting dollars and adding no value to your own business or the partners.”
Data, Loyalty, and Digital Belonging
With third-party cookies disappearing, Chris argues that first-party data is more than a backup plan; it’s the foundation of modern retail. But data alone isn’t loyalty. “I just challenge [retailers] on what they’re doing to actually foster a relationship with those customers that are already there.”
He suggests looking beyond discounts and points, experimenting with digital status tools like meme coins or collectible NFTs. “It’s a status. It’s a feeling of belonging,” he says. Retailers who tap into emotional loyalty will outperform those clinging to transactional models. In his eyes, loyalty is built by anticipating needs, not just rewarding purchases. Whether it’s helping customers load groceries or using AI to prompt forgotten items at self-checkout, it’s about creating meaningful moments not just efficient ones.
AI and the Future of Content Strategy
Artificial intelligence isn’t a threat to content strategy, it’s the compass. Chris underscores that consumers are clicking fewer Google links and instead relying on AI-powered tools for answers, research, and even purchase decisions. “You’re going to have to write in a manner that these AI agents are picking up your content.”
For retailers, this means rethinking not just what they publish but how it’s structured. From “top 10” lists to review roundups, content must be built for discoverability by machines and resonance with humans. And with AI’s ability to quickly adapt tone, language, and reading level, brands can now tailor their messaging with unprecedented precision.
Chase the Truth, Not the Trend
In an age obsessed with the next big thing, Chris leaves us with a reminder: real innovation starts with listening. “We all want to chase the new trend… but we’re missing out where the customers are. We need to do that by chasing the truth.”
That truth lies in reviews, ratings, customer service conversations, and store-level insights. As he notes, legendary Walmart founder Sam Walton built an empire not by guessing but by walking the floor, asking questions, and acting on what he heard. Retailers who embrace this mindset: data-backed, community-rooted, and emotionally driven, will not only future-proof their businesses but build ones that people are proud to belong to.
Final Thoughts
Chris Parsons reminds us that retail isn’t about keeping up but about staying connected. Whether you’re exploring retail media, first-party data, or omnichannel experiences, the principles are the same: listen deeply, show up meaningfully, and always, always put the customer at the center.
To hear the full conversation and more practical insights from Chris, tune in to the 30th episode of Point of Purchase by geekspeak Commerce. And keep an eye out for his upcoming book Retail Rewired, hitting shelves this August.