I walked NRF’s Retail’s Big Show through two lenses: as a local independent retailer, and as someone who founded a POS software company in the 1980s specifically to serve that community.
I enjoyed the energy of the floor and the sessions, including the AI deep-dives at the Snowflake Stage. But for a conference dedicated to retail, there were an awful lot of non-retailers telling retailers how to run their businesses. The marketing spin was in overdrive, desperate to sound “empathetic” to capture attention. In exhibition halls loaded with that much hype, it becomes hard to hear anything at all.
Too often, I found myself listening to noise and hearing nothing.
AI is the pitch of the moment, but asking a specific question at a booth rarely yielded a meaningful answer. Too many reps have mastered the jargon but haven’t touched the facts. Interestingly, I saw several companies pitching “new” AI tools that we at Tower Systems actually delivered a couple of years ago. It’s a good reminder that we are still ahead in this space.
On one of the days, I walked the halls specifically looking for “neighborhood,” “local,” or “independent” retail. I couldn’t find it. The floor was dominated by tech giants spending millions in pursuit of the next enterprise deal. I suspect the “local” pitch was missing because winning those customers is hard work. It’s done store-by-store, requiring specialised tools tailored to the unique way independents actually operate.
Reflecting on the show through my retailer eyes—informed by my own shop, several e-commerce sites, and a marketing group of 190 independent retailers—it’s clear that national chains are betting on tech to “manufacture” a better customer experience. They seem to think smarter tech and AI can replace genuine engagement.
They’ve forgotten that retail is personal. AI is no replacement for the authenticity of a local shop. That’s our competitive advantage.
I have plenty more thoughts, but they are commercially valuable and best shared elsewhere. Trips like this are valuable in seeing what others are doing, even though they may be chasing different customers to us.
Have a good weekend.
Mark Fletcher
M | 0418 321 338 E | mark@towersystems.com.au
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