Technology

Expectations for easy, seamless experiences — driven in part by the high bar set by Netflix, Spotify, and TikTok — have spilled over into other facets of consumers’ lives, including shopping. These global brands, and many B2C and B2B commerce brands, employ artificial intelligence to drive their customer experiences. However, AI isn’t a single science.…

It feels almost quaint to discuss the “digital transformation” of the retail industry. Ten years ago, that mostly meant “have a website” and “digitize inventory.” Now these tools are table stakes, and the true digital transformation is the rapid expansion and harnessing of emerging technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), augmented reality (AR),…

In today’s dynamic world of retail, the spotlight remains on artificial intelligence (AI) — and for good reason. AI is undoubtedly transformative, reshaping the future of retail. In addition to AI, other technologies are also making significant strides. Radio-frequency identification (RFID), replacing barcodes, revolutionizes supply chain and inventory management. Video analytics leverages computer vision to…

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) is spurring organizations across different sectors to fundamentally reimagine their approach to digital transformation. Nowhere is its disruptive potential more evident than in retail, where Gen AI’s ever-increasing capabilities are powering a new age of customer-centric innovation. Retailers are exploring use cases across a wide range of functions, from new…

Large retailers are under constant pressure to keep up with new and ever-changing customer demands. At the same time, they’re also grappling with sometimes volatile global supply chains and massive amounts of data — everything from sales and inventory data to pricing and customer insights. It’s a significant undertaking. As more organizations continue their digital…

Given the growing returns crisis within the United States' e-commerce and apparel sector, the urgency to address the core issues cannot be overstated. Why? Because a staggering 2.6 million tonnes of returned clothing have amassed in the country, signaling a critical juncture for retailers to rethink their strategies. In 2023 alone, clothing returns soared to…

Customer data platforms (CDPs) are technology solutions that combine data from multiple tools to create a single centralized customer database containing data on all touchpoints and interactions with your product or service. With that data in hand, marketers are able to create the personalized experiences that consumers have come to expect and in many cases…

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how retailers and merchants attend to customers and even how they manage inventory, all via technology such as chatbots and facial recognition. And now, AI can potentially transform lending in the sector, too. Banks, lenders and merchants with white-labeled lending offerings could eventually use AI to address credit risk assessment,…

Relentless changes in technology and software are challenging the retail industry to keep pace with adoption. In an era when digital transformation is the key to staying competitive, retailers continue to grapple with a myriad of challenges ranging from legacy systems and data silos to ever-evolving consumer expectations. In addition, retailers can’t get by simply…

For retailers, consumers are, and always have been, the beating heart of business success. In today’s world of ample choice for customers, this vitality is at an all-time high. Consumer buying power is higher than ever as is the importance of building loyalty and trust among them. Retailers know it's crucial to anticipate customer needs…