Setting the Stage at PRC 2025

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In the weeks leading up to PRC 2025, one question kept surfacing:

Are Indian retailers ready to put AI into practice—not just talk about it?

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That question shaped how we showed up at this year’s Phygital Retail Convention, held on May 7–8 at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. As one of India’s key forums for retail and commerce, PRC brings together CXOs, marketers, developers, mall operators, and tech enablers to exchange ideas and evaluate what’s next.

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Fynd returned as the Omnichannel Partner for the third year in a row. But this time, we did more than show solutions—we challenged the narrative.

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Our launch of the AI in Retail – India Phygital Report 2025, in collaboration with PwC and IMAGES Group, was the first AI-readiness benchmark built specifically for Indian retail. It wasn’t just another whitepaper. It gave leaders a way to measure how prepared they are to apply AI across operations, and where the biggest gaps lie.

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What set us apart at PRC was not just what we showcased, but how. Instead of concepts, we focused on working demos. Instead of vague AI promises, we anchored every conversation in real outcomes—faster launches, leaner operations, and better customer journeys.

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That clarity resonated. Conversations quickly moved past “what’s possible” to “what can we start today?”

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What retailers were really talking about

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At our booth, leaders shared specific challenges and explored practical ideas. Some patterns were unmistakable:

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• Brands are beyond exploration. They’re building.

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• Business outcomes matter—faster launches, better margins, smarter journeys.

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• CXOs want frameworks for measuring and maturing AI adoption.

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• Non-retail players like mall operators and logistics firms are actively shaping tech adoption.

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One message came through strongly: AI is ready. And so are retailers. We created a live, interactive experience to demonstrate what applied AI can actually do for brands right now.

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Beyond the headlines, here’s what really stood out.

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Inside Fynd’s AI stack for retail

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Our showcase focused on solving everyday retail problems. No jargon. Just live demos showing how AI simplifies discovery, fulfillment, and time to market.

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Design to shelf, faster

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We showed how brands can compress the collection lifecycle — planning, designing, and sourcing — into a faster, more intelligent workflow powered by insights and automation. A smarter way to stay ahead of trends and seasonal windows.

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Try design automation in action

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Smart cataloging, in seconds

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Retailers explored how catalog content — from names and descriptions to attributes — can be generated at scale with AI, helping teams go live on marketplaces and D2C platforms in record time.

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Generate your first AI catalog now

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Visuals that convert

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With no need for photoshoots or model coordination, brands discovered how to generate styled product images, flat lays, and mannequin visuals instantly, reducing cost while elevating quality.

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Get AI-powered product shots

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Smarter product discovery

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We demonstrated how intelligent storefronts can transform browsing into buying. Think contextual ranking, predictive search, and merchandising that adapts to customer intent in real time.

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Explore personalized storefronts

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AR try-ons for immersive shopping

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Visitors tested virtual try-ons across beauty and accessories, experiencing how AR can help shoppers make better purchase decisions, while bringing fun and confidence into the buying journey.

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Test virtual try-ons for your products

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Smarter deliveries with AI-powered TMS

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With our transport management engine, brands saw how to optimize deliveries through automated routing, better partner allocation, and real-time visibility — a key enabler of efficient post-purchase experiences.

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Optimize your fulfillment with TMS

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Workflow automation, without engineering bandwidth

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With our work automation solution–Boltic, we demonstrated how business teams can automate processes, from catalog syncs to order updates, without relying on developer resources. It’s speed and control, on demand.

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Create your first Boltic workflow

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Commerce conversations that convert

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We brought to life our conversational agent that helps shoppers with discovery, product advice, and post-purchase support, driving both conversion and satisfaction across channels.

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Meet your next sales agent (it’s AI-powered)

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Each product sparked one key conversation: How fast can we start using this?

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Highlights from the show floor

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Despite disruptions in attendance due to geopolitical challenges, PRC 2025 was packed with conversations and future-focused insights. From the mainstage to one-on-one discussions, here’s what captured the attention of India’s retail leaders:

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We took centre stage with a powerful conversation on AI-led transformation

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Our fireside chat featuring Salman Saudagar, COO, Fynd and Ravi Kapoor, partner and leader, PwC India drew sharp focus on the practical shifts AI is enabling across retail. From eliminating planning guesswork to accelerating time-to-shelf and delivering intelligent, connected customer journeys — this session captured how AI is no longer a future bet, but the foundation of modern retail strategy. The response? Resounding agreement: retailers are ready to move from experimentation to execution.

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Other standout sessions and themes included:

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India’s retail boom needs more than just digital

Sessions like “The Infinite Leap” and “Frontlines of the Infinite” highlighted India’s trillion-dollar retail trajectory and the demand for strategies that blend digital speed with local context. Tier 2 & 3 markets, homegrown brands, and omnichannel scale were recurring themes—underscoring the need for agile, inclusive, and phygital models.

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Customer journeys are getting more connected

Panels on “Infinite Experience” and “Infinite Commerce” explored how retailers are stitching together physical and digital touchpoints into unified, intuitive journeys. Smart POS systems, AI-based personalisation, and connected fulfillment were among the solutions being actively evaluated by top brands.

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Unified commerce is the new north star

Retailers are rethinking backend infrastructure to support integrated, scalable growth. From inventory visibility and demand forecasting to automated checkout and immersive in-store tech, PRC made it clear that connected systems, not disconnected pilots, will define the next retail era.

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CXOs are embracing agility and experimentation

Sessions like “The COO Agenda”, “Retail Tech.NXT Open House”, and “Infinite Footprints” highlighted a renewed urgency among leaders to test, pivot, and prioritise fast, data-driven decision-making—especially when it comes to store formats, tech rollouts, and expansion models.

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Rethinking Retail for the AI Age

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PRC 2025 proved that AI in retail is no longer a distant vision—it’s today’s competitive edge. But if there’s one clear learning for retailers, it’s this: the next leap won’t come from selective automation, but from intelligent orchestration.

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The conversations we had confirmed that—while many retailers have made strides in consumer-facing AI, the bigger opportunity lies upstream: in building self-optimising operations, adaptive fulfillment, and connected product ecosystems.

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This shift calls for a mindset change—from fragmented pilots to integrated, outcome-led execution. From adopting AI as a tool, to embedding it as a foundation.

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So, what’s next for retail leaders?

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• Re-evaluate where your biggest frictions are—not just for customers, but for your teams and systems.

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• Align around business outcomes, not just tech capabilities.

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• Start with clean, connected data—and build from there.

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• Choose tools that integrate, learn, and improve with you—not just automate in isolation.

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If you’ve been rethinking how to move quicker, operate leaner, and serve your customers better — now’s the time.

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We’re happy to pick up where we left off at PRC, or start fresh with your team.

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Download the AI in Retail – India Phygital Report 2025

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Book a walkthrough with our team

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Let’s build what’s next — together.