Technology

QVC Debuts on YouTube TV
February 1, 2021 at 5:00 pm

Quarate Retail Group's QVC last week made its debut on YouTube TV, a live TV streaming service with more than 3 million subscribers. YouTube TV is available across smart TVs, streaming media players, smartphone apps, tablets, computers, game consoles, and smart displays. QVC is currently the only livestream shopping channel on  YouTube TV, according to Quarte Retail. It now joins YouTube TV’s lineup of…

Connected Inventory 2021: The Future of Retail is Already Here
January 27, 2021 at 2:28 pm

Brick-and-mortar stores were already evolving before the global pandemic accelerated the shift to e-commerce. More than ever, customers know what they need and are going directly to a store that has it, either to buy it or pick it up having ordered online. This consumer behavior makes inventory visibility more important than ever for retailers.…

The Key Trends for Retail and E-Commerce in 2021
January 27, 2021 at 12:52 pm

As we begin a new year, it's a good time to take a look at what lies ahead for retailers and online merchants. While COVID-19 brought many retailers to the breaking point in 2020, it also accelerated retail technology trends that had already been infiltrating the industry over the years. Here are some of the…

How New Tech is Transforming the Retail Supply Chain
January 26, 2021 at 12:54 pm

While e-commerce sales were expected to reach $4.2 trillion by the end of 2020, a big part of that money goes to waste due to inefficient processes. Items get damaged, remain unsold, and end up in landfills, not to mention high return rates that have skyrocketed and are expected to reach a whopping $550 billion…

Customer Feedback Accelerated the Launch of Chewy's Virtual Vet Service
January 20, 2021 at 7:25 pm

Online pet supplies retailer Chewy.com revealed customer feedback was a primary reason the company accelerated its plans to launch a virtual vet service, CNBC reported. CEO Sumit Singh explained during an keynote presentation at the NRF Big Show this week that even though the business was years away from rolling out the program, calls to Chewy's…

Tech Trends for 2021: The Future of Retail
January 14, 2021 at 4:18 pm

While we've entered a new world of commerce, there’s no question that retailers are ready for any challenge that comes their way in the year ahead. When the COVID-19 global pandemic temporarily closed shop doors, retailers became experts in adapting. They quickly implemented digital tools and new ways of selling, all without the luxury of…

How AI Can Help Retailers Thrive in 2021 and Beyond
January 12, 2021 at 8:57 pm

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers are poised to bring in a great deal of revenue through their e-commerce platforms. Not only can artificial intelligence (AI) effectively help keep e-commerce stores up-and-running during peak shopping seasons and thereafter, but it can also provide effective sales recommendations and timely automated customer support.  Use AI to Automate…

Planning in a Pandemic: How AI-Powered Analytics Can Help Retailers Today
January 11, 2021 at 10:10 pm

Consumption and shopping behaviors have changed dramatically, leaving retailers with a challenging and dynamic planning process ahead — months after the start of the pandemic. Further complicating things, historical data is losing relevance, and it’s unclear which new behaviors will stick. Retailers must now juggle hundreds of constantly changing variables and answer questions like: With…

What’s in Store for Retail in 2021
January 11, 2021 at 9:41 pm

The retail industry was massively disrupted with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Stores were shuttered and consumers had no choice but to make online purchases for items deemed non-essential. For primarily store-based retailers, this seismic shift was a major reality check, and in the most extreme cases, led to permanent closures and…

Consider a New Application for AI in Retail 
January 4, 2021 at 12:31 pm

When someone asks “what does artificial intelligence (AI) do for retail?” the first thing that comes to mind is likely something about personalization and the customer experience. For retailers competing online, it’s critical to offer that “you-know-me” type of experience that the Netflix’s and Amazon.com's of the world provide. Companies that can weave AI and…