Technology

As retailers look to the future, they will need to re-examine how they can still provide an optimal in-store experience for customers while also taking pandemic-related factors into consideration. Automation and artificial intelligence (AI)- and machine learning (ML)-based technologies will play an increasingly larger role in facilitating this. For retailers across sectors, there’s a heightened…

When the first 3G-enabled iPhone launched with much fanfare in June 2008, nobody knew what an app economy could look like. Yet within a decade, the smartphone, propelled by the adoption of 3G and 4G technologies, has upended the world of commerce. The Digital Transformation Over the past decade, digital has made it easier to…

We’ll address how, through proper communication and training, Sephora was able to set its employees up for success while reopening.

Have you ever found yourself browsing Netflix in search of the TV show or film that fits perfectly with your mood? Even with nothing at stake, it’s often difficult to decide what to watch. We’re so overwhelmed by the plethora of options that we end up paralyzed — unable to get up off the sofa,…

The retail landscape looks completely different today compared to the beginning of 2020. COVID-19 has caused stores to shut down and employees to be furloughed. Retailers were already challenged before the pandemic began, and now many consumers are wary of returning to stores. Furthermore, social distancing regulations limit the number of people allowed in a…

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the United States, setting back store reopening plans, small to midsized retailers must grapple with the realization that new consumer behaviors and protocols sprung from this health crisis will be here for much longer than initially anticipated. Fortunately, there are technologies and integrations available that are able to…

The retail experience was undergoing a transformation even before the current pandemic forced massive changes in shopping behavior. A 2019 survey revealed that 92 percent of 1,400 retail leaders identified "reinventing the customer experience" as their top business priority. However, with the new reality we’ve all been forced into, the stakes for retailers are higher…

There’s no doubt that recent circumstances surrounding COVID-19 have reshaped the way retailers operate and connect with their customers daily. Shelter-in-place ordinances and stay-at-home mandates have forced retail brands to rely on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and chatbot technology to manage much of the workload required for servicing their customers’ needs. In fact,…

In this unpredictable world of 2020, it’s critical that retailers drive customer engagement and focus on customer satisfaction. COVID-19 has turned our lives — personal and professional — upside down. The good news is that the craziness of this year has taught us that we're all capable of change, even rapid change. Yet the road…

At the end of 2019, retail was one of the hottest industries poised for digital disruption in 2020 and the decade ahead. In fact, PwC reported it’s one of the top industries with the greatest opportunity for artificial intelligence (AI) impact by 2030. Looking back at the digital strides retailers have made over the past…