Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show

Beyond the storefront: ARKI keynote explores future of autonomous commerce

Linda Johansen-James, founder and CEO of International Retail Group, will keynote, "Retail Without Walls: The Rise of Autonomous Commerce," at the upcoming Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show.

Image: Connect Media

October 5, 2026 by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

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A retail transaction can take place in an airport concourse, a hotel lobby or a shopping center without a traditional storefront. But how can brands make those purchases feel like part of a consistent customer experience?

That question will take center stage when Linda Johansen-James, founder and CEO of International Retail Group, presents "Retail Without Walls: The Rise of Autonomous Commerce" at the Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show. The keynote is scheduled for 5:10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, in Miami Beach, Florida. The session is being sponsored by Connected Technology Solutions.

Johansen-James will examine how automated retail fits into a broader shopping journey, with an emphasis on extending a brand's reach while maintaining customer relationships. Johansen-James will discuss opportunities involving automation, artificial intelligence and personalization across retail, airports, hospitality and shopping centers. Attendees can expect strategies for combining convenient transactions with experiences that encourage customers to return.

For operators evaluating their next deployment, the topic invites a useful shift in perspective. Choosing equipment is one decision. Determining where it belongs, which products it should offer and how customers will get help requires a wider view of the business. A machine's ability to complete a transaction is only one part of the experience surrounding it.

Johansen-James brings experience with both staffed and automated formats. She previously helped lead American Kiosk Management, whose operations included more than 600 staffed locations, 1,000 automated stores and 1,800 employees across North America, Australia and New Zealand. The company stated it generated $1.7 billion in revenue under her leadership.

Her consulting firm works on brand launches, site selection, experiential design, sales training, staffing and store management. That background provides a practical connection between the technology behind unattended commerce and the decisions involved in bringing a retail concept to market.

The keynote offers retailers, property owners and automated retail operators an opportunity to consider their projects from the shopper's perspective. Is the offer clear? Does the location serve a real need? Can a customer resolve a problem easily? Those questions can help frame discussions about expansion and customer loyalty.

The Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show runs Dec. 14-16 and covers kiosks, vending machines, micro markets and other self-service formats. Alongside educational sessions, the event offers opportunities to see technologies and connect with industry professionals.

For businesses considering how to reach customers beyond conventional stores, Johansen-James' keynote promises a timely discussion of the operational choices and customer relationships behind autonomous commerce.

View the session and registration information here.

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About Richard Slawsky

In addition to writing, Slawsky serves as an adjunct professor of Communication at the University of Louisville and other local colleges. He holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Communication from the University of Louisville and is a member of Mensa and the National Communication Association.

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