When ChatGPT launched, most retailers focused on chatbots and customer service. Today, the conversation is much bigger. AI agents are beginning to influence how consumers discover products, compare options, and make purchasing decisions. In this episode of OFFBounds, Paula Macaggi sits down with retail strategist Brandon Rael to explore how agentic commerce is reshaping the customer journey and what retailers need to do to prepare for a future where shopping may start with an AI agent rather than a search engine or brand website.
Together, they discuss why so many companies struggle to move AI initiatives beyond pilot programs, the importance of data and modern technology architectures, and how retailers can balance innovation with operational realities. They also examine the opportunities and risks of AI-powered shopping, the future of personalization, and why physical stores remain a critical part of the commerce ecosystem. If you're trying to understand where retail is heading next, this conversation offers a practical look at one of the most important shifts happening in commerce today.
What is OFFBounds Retail?
OFFBounds is where the world’s retail and commerce leaders go beyond headlines to talk about the decisions, strategies, and ideas shaping the future of the industry.
Every week, Paula Macaggi sits down in person with executives from leading brands, retailers, and technology companies for candid conversations about leadership, innovation, growth, and the realities behind building modern commerce businesses.
More than a traditional interview show, OFFBounds explores the human side of leadership: the risks taken, the lessons learned, the moments of reinvention, and the perspectives that rarely make it into press releases or conference stages.
Recorded in person with premium audio and video production, OFFBounds brings global commerce executives together in conversations designed to inform, challenge, and inspire the next generation of industry leaders.