News

Engagement, analytic tech listed among retail trends to watch

May 10, 2013

A recent post on guardian.co.uk lists five retail technology trends that "just might help you create a standout customer experience."

A condensed version of the list is as follows:

Brand journalism: This should be an ongoing commitment for retailers, to hit consumers with relevant information continuously, so that when the time is right for that next purchase, the retailer is in the best possible position.

Engaging customers in real time: All retailers have the ability to engage a consumer in real time, and serving data back to customers generates a more interactive experience. Through live information shoppers can quickly compare online prices by location and availability.

Recognizing small anomalies in data: Sometimes small irregularities can deliver the biggest opportunities. If a shopper clicks on the swimwear section of a fashion retailer website in November, there's a good chance they have a holiday planned.

Rewarding customer curators: There is a major movement towards individual customers curating their own collections of products. Any consumer can become an affiliate, and a number of tools have been launched that enable consumers to aggregate their favorite or recommended content.

Questioning local marketing initiatives: Retailers need to think carefully before making a major investment in local language websites and content.

Read more about customer experience.