Technology

At the Total Retail Tech conference earlier this month in Denver, generative artificial intelligence was a theme of ongoing conversation. From keynote presentations and panel discussions on stage to peer group sessions and one-to-one meetings off stage, attendees were buzzing about generative AI and its current and future impact on their work and the organizations…

Artificial intelligence is no stranger to the retail industry. Amazon.com was an early adopter of AI, leveraging it more than two decades ago to provide online shoppers with fairly rudimentary product recommendations. The use of AI in retail has advanced substantially since then and is now an important staple for brands’ e-commerce technology stacks, driving…

REI, a leading seller of outdoor apparel and equipment, has a unique co-op business model that includes a quadruple bottom line. The retailer closely monitors and reports on the health of the business, as well as the health of its employees, its co-op members, and society at large. That quadruple bottom line and company mission, different…

Rising inflation and changing marketplace trends are among the key concerns of retailers around the U.S., as shoppers not only display unprecedented behaviors but also watch every dollar they spend. This makes it even more difficult for businesses in this space to create compelling marketing campaigns that drive conversions and increase loyalty Shopper Behavior in…

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Joe Keenan and Kristina Stidham report from last week's Total Retail Tech event in Denver. They discuss Total Retail’s latest research report, the 2023 Retail Technology Report: An Analysis of Trends, Buying Behaviors, and Future Opportunities. Keenan dives into top trends from the report survey data, including how…

In today’s highly competitive retail market, customer loyalty is often a pivotal driver of business success. So much so that studies have shown that increasing customer retention rates by just 5 percent can boost profits up to 95 percent. However, gone are the days of one-size-fits-all loyalty programs that offer the same rewards and incentives…

For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), assimilating artificial intelligence (AI) into their everyday operations seems overwhelming, which creates hesitancy to its widespread adoption. A combined study by Deloitte and Stanford University discovered that 25 percent of smaller businesses currently use AI in chatbots, predictive analytics, and marketing automation. In comparison, there's a 40 percent adoption…

In today's rapidly evolving retail landscape, adaptability is key. Retailers must stay ahead of changing market dynamics and shifting consumer behaviors to remain competitive. To achieve this, they require robust and flexible retail systems that can seamlessly adapt and scale. This is where composable architectures come into play, offering a transformative solution that empowers the…

Annual online retail sales now number in the trillions of dollars — and yet, a large majority of customers’ shopping carts (70 percent on desktop, 85 percent on mobile) are abandoned each year. Brands have optimized and personalized nearly every stage of the customer journey, with one (glaring) exception: the final, and most crucial, step. The…

If you were to sit and watch a video of your customers browsing your store, you would undoubtedly see a mix of those who know exactly what they want and can intuitively find it, combined with a sea of shoppers baffled by the array of products offered. Shopping is meant to be a comfortable and…