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Retail is at a crossroads. With economic uncertainty, customer expectations at an all-time high, and a flood of AI-powered tools hitting the market, brands are struggling to cut through the noise and stay relevant.
Jason Grunberg, Chief Marketing Officer at Bluecore, understands this challenge better than most. Speaking at eTail, he broke down how AI is changing the retail landscape—not as a buzzword, but as a fundamental driver of smarter marketing, better inventory management, and more meaningful customer connections.
Grunberg, whose background spans leadership roles at Sailthru and now Bluecore, has seen firsthand how retailers have spent decades optimizing for conversion rather than actual shopping experiences. AI, he argues, can finally make digital the most valuable part of a retailer’s strategy—not just a transaction machine, but an actual destination.
Cutting Through the Noise: The Retail Tech Overload
The retail tech landscape is overwhelming. "It’s a mess," says Grunberg. "Tens of thousands of martech solutions. Hundreds of thousands across retail. Buyers are drowning in options, and everyone is talking AI—but not everyone is delivering results."
The key challenge? Retailers aren’t just looking for more technology; they’re looking for better technology. They need tools that actually help them acquire, retain, and grow their customers—not just add complexity.
That’s where Bluecore is positioning itself: AI not for the sake of AI, but AI that drives real business outcomes.
AI Beyond the Hype: Real Results with Alby
Bluecore is already delivering real-world impact with their AI shopping assistant, Alby, which has shown tangible results, including:
1.5% increase in PDP (Product Detail Page) revenue
6.2% engagement from PDP traffic
Credits: https://www.alby.com/
But getting there wasn’t instant. Alby evolved over multiple years, moving from early chatbot and search features into an embedded AI assistant that actively influences customer behavior.
"We’ve learned that AI isn’t just about automation—it’s about enabling retailers to move at a pace they never could before," says Grunberg.
Credits: https://www.alby.com/
Beyond Transactions: How AI is Changing the Role of Digital
For decades, e-commerce has been built around conversion optimization—pushing customers toward checkout as quickly as possible. But what if AI could make shopping an experience, not just a transaction?
"Retailers have been optimizing for conversion rather than embracing the act of shopping," Grunberg explains. "Digital has never been as valuable as physical stores, but AI can change that. It can make digital the most important part of a retailer’s asset mix."
Instead of just sending promotional emails and hoping customers return, AI predicts behavior, personalizes experiences, and makes digital feel as engaging as an in-store visit.
This is where Bluecore is focusing: Using AI to power high-value, customer-first experiences that go beyond just driving the next sale.
Economic Pressures & AI’s Role in Smarter Inventory Management
Retailers are facing economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, and shifting customer loyalty. AI is becoming a critical tool for not just selling products, but ensuring retailers are making the right products in the first place.
"Retailers still struggle with who’s going to buy again and how often," says Grunberg. "I was talking to Chanel, and they said 98% of their revenue comes from just 2% of customers. That’s crazy. AI can help retailers predict what to produce, what to stock, and how to move inventory at the highest margin possible."
This shift isn’t just about reducing waste—it’s about optimizing inventory and supply chains based on actual customer demand, not guesswork.
Bluecore’s Internal AI Strategy: ‘Demo Day’ & Experimentation
AI isn’t just shaping Bluecore’s products—it’s shaping the way the company operates internally.
Unlike many executives who ignore cold outreach, Grunberg has a unique approach to discovering new AI innovations: he runs a monthly ‘Demo Day.’
"I block half a day a month just for demos," he says. "I open all those cold sales emails, and the ones that catch my eye, I invite them to ‘Demo Day.’ They get 25 minutes—no pre-qualifying. Just show me what you’ve got."
It’s a brilliantly simple approach to staying ahead of the AI curve—keeping Bluecore at the cutting edge while cutting through vendor hype.
Retailers can no longer afford to treat AI as just another tech feature—it’s becoming a core driver of business growth, customer engagement, and operational efficiency.
From the evolution of Alby to AI-driven inventory insights, Bluecore is showing how AI can make digital the most valuable part of a retailer’s business.
The challenge now? Retailers must move beyond the hype and start embedding AI where it actually matters. As Grunberg puts it:
"AI isn’t just about automation—it’s about enabling retailers to move at a pace they never could before. Digital has the potential to become a retailer’s most valuable asset, even more than physical stores.”
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