Podcast Summary: The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®

Episode #802: eTail's Lena Moriarty on E-commerce in the Year Ahead
Date: January 23, 2026
Guest: Lena Moriarty, Head of Marketing at eTail

Overview

This episode explores the evolving landscape of e-commerce, focusing on the seismic shifts driven by AI—with a special emphasis on agentic AI (AI agents acting on behalf of customers)—and what it means for brands, marketers, and the broader retail community in 2026. Host Greg Kihlström and guest Lena Moriarty (eTail) reflect on key trends fresh from NRF 2026, preview the upcoming eTail Palm Springs event, and provide practical advice for marketing leaders seeking to harness new technologies to build customer value. The conversation also dives into content creation, the rise of the creator economy, changing measurement models, and the importance of authenticity and transparency.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Rise of Agentic AI and Shifting Definitions of “Customer”

• What is Agentic AI?

  • AI agents are increasingly empowered to act on behalf of customers, moving beyond basic task automation to more complex, human-like engagement and decision-making.
  • Lena: "Agility requires not just adapting to new technologies, but fundamentally rethinking the customer journey. When those technologies change the very definition of a customer, it demands a proactive stance on what's next rather than a reactive one." [00:49]

• Industry Race for AI Dominance:

  • Major tech players (Google, OpenAI, Anthropic) are jockeying to become the household name for AI agents, aiming for brand verbs like “Google it” or “ChatGPT it” to enter common parlance.
  • Lena: "There's even an arms race...for who will become the household name for the word Google it. I think that you're seeing people use the word just 'ChatGPT it' and I think that Google wants that with Gemini. Claude is wanting some of that space." [06:46]

2. Key Themes from NRF 2026 & Real-World Applications

• Agentic AI as the Dominant Conversation:

  • Lena notes a pronounced shift at NRF away from simple AI task automation toward smarter, agentic implementations, with open conversations about adoption challenges.
  • Significant difference noted between the “trillions” invested in AI and the “billions” in revenue currently generated, highlighting a gap between investment and ROI. [04:14]

• The Creator Economy & Social Commerce:

  • The creator economy, particularly its intersection with social and live commerce, is projected to grow exponentially by 2027.
  • Expect more discussions and strategies around harnessing creator-driven content for retail.

3. Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption

• Adoption Barriers:

  • Many marketers still struggle with moving from basic AI task automation (e.g., writing copy, optimizing SKUs) to more integrated, second-nature AI utilization.
  • There is a pronounced knowledge gap between what AI can do today and what most organizations are achieving.
  • Lena: "I believe that a lot of people will inflate where they are, but that's why it's great to hear from the best...talking exactly about how they're using AI. And this is how we're saving money by doing X, Y and Z." [07:51]

• The Human Factor:

  • Despite AI’s advances, Lena strongly maintains that effective AI requires human expertise and oversight.
  • Lena: "AI is really nothing...without human power in the background. There is still some sort of human ability, human, you know, maneuvering." [15:42]

4. Practical AI in E-commerce Today

• Tangible AI Use Cases:
  • Automating and optimizing SKU and product description pages with custom AI.
  • Personalization at scale, backend automations, AI-generated content, and support for influencer content distribution via tools like StoryTap.
  • Lena: "What I think that I'm seeing the most retailers and ecommerce experts adopt it is things like optimizing SKU pages and making sure that all of your description pages…are matching up...which is still very task oriented." [12:24]

5. Navigating Agent-to-Agent Commerce and Shifting Measurement Paradigms

• Agentic Commerce:

  • More consumers are relying on AI assistants for shopping; brands must become more sophisticated to keep up.
  • The rise of agentic commerce means some consumers may outpace brands in their AI adoption and usage.
  • Lena: "A lot of brands are not necessarily prepared for this next level of automated shopping assistance because...it takes someone almost having a full time job to sit there and learn to conquer that." [15:42]

• Evolving Measurement and KPIs:

  • The funnel is “half dead”—classic KPIs are harder to track as buyers move across channels, use AI agents, and shop in more complex customer journeys.
  • Marketers must move beyond traditional ROI metrics and embrace adaptive, multi-touch measurement strategies.
  • Lena: "The funnel is a little bit more dead, except the basic principles still apply. So it's like, you know, half dead or whatever... typical KPIs are going to be harder to follow because you're going to have people bouncing around channels like crazy." [18:22]

6. Leadership, Investment, and Proving ROI

• Strategic Technology Investments:
  • Leaders face pressure from boards to invest in AI but must methodically define KPIs and success metrics before selecting new platforms.
  • Explicit communication with tech providers about expectations and goals is vital.
  • Lena: "Break down what you are looking for to the actual tech provider and...explicitly outline what are our KPIs...and how can that best fit into our current business model?" [20:53]

7. The Human Side of Community and Learning

• Networking & Authenticity at eTail:
  • eTail Palm Springs is described as a “family reunion” for the industry, where meaningful, organic conversations drive learning and innovation.
  • Lena values the warmth, openness, and ease of networking, seeing it as a vital feature for both new and repeat attendees.
  • Lena: "It really is a family reunion...you're just smiling at every corner and able to connect with someone new or old, or a friendly face from LinkedIn at every corner." [22:43]

8. Looking Ahead: Transparency, Emerging Channels, and Staying Agile

• Transparency & Authenticity:

  • A growing consumer demand for brand authenticity and clear communication; consumers remain apprehensive over how brands use AI.
  • Lena: "Brands that are taking a step and thinking ahead ... taking a lead on transparency and authenticity come out on top." [24:12]

• Non-Traditional Social Channels:

  • Predictions that Substack, Pinterest, and new emerging platforms will take center stage over more traditional channels like TikTok and Instagram.
  • Lena: "We're going to be talking way more about non-traditional social channels like Substack and Pinterest..." [25:12]

• Personal Professional Agility:

  • Lena highlights the importance of continuous learning, especially through reading thought leadership on platforms like Substack to go in-depth beyond short-form content.
  • Lena: "I'm a big substack girl...Just a little newsletter to keep everyone on the on the ball and constantly Be smarter or something is what it's going to be called." [25:33]

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On agentic AI changing everything:
  "Agility requires not just adapting to new technologies, but fundamentally rethinking the customer journey. When those technologies change the very definition of a customer, it demands a proactive stance on what's next rather than a reactive one." — Greg Kihlström [00:49]

• The AI brand race:
  "There's even an arms race...for who will become the household name for the word Google it. I think that you're seeing people use the word just 'ChatGPT it'..." — Lena Moriarty [06:46]

• On self-awareness in AI adoption:
  "A lot of people will inflate where they are, but that's why it's great to hear from the best...talking exactly about how they're using AI." — Lena Moriarty [07:51]

• On human-AI collaboration:
  "AI is really nothing...without human power in the background. There is still some sort of human ability, human, you know, maneuvering." — Lena Moriarty [15:42]

• On measurement in a post-funnel era:
  "...the funnel is a little bit more dead, except the basic principles still apply. So it's like, you know, half dead or whatever..." — Lena Moriarty [18:22]

• On transparency as the differentiator:
  "Brands that are taking a step and thinking ahead … taking a lead on transparency and authenticity come out on top." — Lena Moriarty [24:12]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [00:49] – Greg introduces the concept of AI agents as customers and sets up the theme.
• [04:10] – Lena on NRF 2026’s dominant themes: agentic AI, investment vs. revenue, creator economy growth.
• [06:46] – Discussion of the “arms race” for the next household AI brand name.
• [07:51] – How eTail Palm Springs is addressing key industry themes with focused AI and social commerce tracks.
• [12:24] – Tangible, real-world AI applications in ecommerce today.
• [15:42] – The coming challenges and opportunities of agent-to-agent commerce in retail.
• [18:22] – Rethinking KPIs and measurement in a rapidly shifting, multi-channel AI environment.
• [20:53] – Lena’s advice for leaders proving ROI on tech investments.
• [22:43] – The value of community and networking at eTail events.
• [24:12] – Lena’s prediction for the year ahead: growing demand for transparency and authenticity.
• [25:12] – Emerging importance of non-traditional social channels.
• [25:33] – Staying agile by learning through Substack and long-form content.

Summary Takeaways

• Agentic AI is redefining both the customer journey and marketing’s role: as AI agents transact on behalf of customers, brands must adapt both technology and mindset.
• Investment in AI is outpacing measurable returns, and smart adopters focus on pragmatic use cases and internal education.
• Measurement models must move beyond the classic funnel to embrace complex, AI-powered journeys and new social and commerce channels.
• Human oversight and transparency are more critical than ever for brands to maintain trust and authenticity in a rapidly automating world.
• Networking and continuous learning, especially at events like eTail and on platforms like Substack, are vital tools for staying agile.

For more information:

• Follow Lena Moriarty and eTail for updates on the upcoming eTail Palm Springs event.
• Subscribe to The Agile Brand for ongoing expert insights on Martech, AI, and Customer Experience.