Watch How Smaller Retailers Can Compete in the Age of AI and Generative Search
Video Summary
In this webinar highlight, Gary Hawkins asks Lori Schafer how smaller and regional retailers can compete with industry giants like Amazon and Walmart as AI and data investments accelerate.
Lori explains why grocers must bring ecommerce data in-house, unify store and digital experiences, and prepare for a world where large language models (LLMs) power product discovery. With the right data foundation, smaller players can compete head-to-head in generative search and win customer attention.
Key Takeaways
Outsourcing ecommerce to third parties will soon be obsolete — retailers need to own their data
Unified data across in-store and online channels is essential for customer understanding and omnichannel success
Search is shifting away from tags and keywords toward large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Perplexity
Smaller and regional grocers can compete with retail giants if they optimize their data for LLM-driven search
Generative search already enables consumers to compare product availability and prices in real time
Video Transcript
Gary Hawkins: Historically, smaller retailers have been considered more nimble, even if they lack the financial resources of giants like Amazon or Walmart. But today, technology and innovation are resource-intensive. With the biggest players investing heavily in data and AI, how can smaller retailers keep up? What does this mean for the future of the industry?
Lori Schafer: Right now, most grocers still outsource their online shopping platforms to third parties. That has to change — retailers must bring ecommerce data back inside. From an omnichannel perspective, you can’t truly understand your customer unless you’re using the same data across both stores and digital.
Executives need to set the tone from the top, because this shift is happening fast. Consumers are no longer searching by tagged data. They’re using large language models — whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, or Google Gemini. If your product data and content are structured correctly, those models will surface your offers directly to consumers.
I encourage everyone to test this. Ask a large language model: “Where can I buy a 12-ounce Coca-Cola nearby at the best price?” You’ll be surprised by what it already delivers. That’s where consumer behavior is heading.
So, grocers — especially smaller, regional players — need to work backward from this reality. If you get your data optimized for generative search, you have just as much opportunity as the giants to be discovered and chosen.