Belk's Omnichannel Journey

In his keynote presentation yesterday at the National Retail Federation's Big Show in New York City, Tim Belk, chairman and CEO of Belk, spoke of the company's transition from a department store chain in the Southeast into an omnichannel business that's growing beyond its 16-state store footprint.

Belk identified three characteristics of its customers before embarking on this omnichannel mission: they prefer modern brands over traditional ones; they're looking for a more compelling in-store shopping experience; and they want the ability to engage with the brand in multiple channels.