Webinar
cart culture: omnichannel wins the cart
with saagar mehta, Chief Growth Officer at PLTFRM
Wednesday | March 25, 2026 | 11 am CT
Today’s consumers think in brands, not channels. Whether they shop at Target, Walmart, Amazon, or DTC, they expect consistency, credibility, and equity wherever they buy. In this conversation, we will break down what actually drives velocity, what retailers care about beyond aesthetics, and why pre-store demand is the difference between staying on shelf and getting cut.
We will explore how winning looks different across retailers, how demand-building tactics should shift by channel, and what it takes to connect DTC, ecommerce, and in-store into one cohesive strategy.
What you’ll learn
Getting on shelf is not the win. Going home with the customer is.
In this edition of Cart Culture, Emily Steele, CEO and Cofounder of Hummingbirds, sits down with Saagar Mehta, Chief Growth Officer at PLTFRM, for a candid fireside chat on what it actually takes to win in retail in 2026 and beyond.
If you are building a CPG brand in today’s market, this session will reframe retail from a distribution play to a demand amplification engine and challenge the outdated beliefs that keep brands stuck on shelf instead of in the cart.
In this conversation, we’ll cover:
🛍️ On Shelf vs. In Cart
What separates brands that simply secure distribution from those that actually drive sell through. The signals consumers need before they ever enter the aisle and how pre-store demand shapes in-store behavior.
📈 The Truth About Velocity and Staying Power
What retailers really care about beyond premium packaging. How quickly brands need to prove movement and the common missteps that get products cut after reset.
🏬 Target vs. Walmart vs. Amazon
How consumer intent shifts across each retailer and what “winning” actually looks like in different environments. Why treating every channel the same is one of the biggest strategic mistakes brands make.
🔗 Connecting DTC, Retail, and Ecommerce
What true omnichannel execution looks like in practice. How creative and messaging should evolve from Instagram to PDP to aisle and what shared measurement actually requires internally.
🚀 The Mindset Shift for 2026 and Beyond
Why retail is not just a distribution strategy but a demand amplification engine. The outdated beliefs brands need to let go of and how to build for pull, not just placement.
🎤 Real World Perspective from the Front Lines
Saagar Mehta’s view from helping brands broker major retail relationships and scale across mass and ecommerce and what it truly takes to meet the consumer wherever they choose to shop.
Who This Webinar Is For
If you are trying to figure out how to win the cart, not just secure distribution, this conversation is for you.
Brand, growth, and marketing leaders navigating retail expansion
CPG and consumer brand teams launching into or scaling within mass
Omnichannel and retail marketers under pressure to connect DTC, ecommerce, and in store
Founders preparing for Target, Walmart, Amazon, & more and wanting to get it right the first time
Teams responsible for velocity, sell through, and staying power post reset
Operators who know retail is competitive and want to build real pull, not just placement
If you believe consumers think in brands, not channels, and you want to meet them wherever they choose to shop, you do not want this secondhand.
About Your Host
Emily Steele, Co-Founder & CEO, Hummingbirds
Emily is building the largest network of everyday creators helping CPG brands drive real-world discovery and retail momentum. Her platform has powered thousands of creator posts across beauty, bev, grocery, wellness, and pet — helping brands earn the trust of everyday shoppers at scale.
Her expertise blends community-driven marketing, hyperlocal activations, and creator-led brand storytelling — making her one of the leading voices reshaping how modern CPG brands grow.
The future of creator marketing isn’t polished influencers.
It’s real people, sharing real products, in the real world.
Emily breaks down the most important creator trends for 2026, shares real brand case studies, unveils campaign ideas, and walks through a behind-the-scenes demo of how top CPG brands scale everyday creator content across cities and retailers.