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IDC Retail Insights releases top 10 predictions for 2014

December 10, 2013

IDC Retail Insights today hosted a webinar, "IDC Retail Insights 2014 Predictions: Worldwide Retail" highlighting the top 10 predictions for the year ahead. It featured analysts Robert Parker, Greg Girard, Leslie Hand and Spencer Izard, and can be revisited here. 

IDC's Top 10 predictions are:

1.In 2014, fast-followers will chase the 50 global retailers already transforming store, mobile, and e-commerce channels, supply chains, merchandising, and marketing for the omnichannel customer experience;

2.Business transformation will drive ERP, core merchandising, FAR, and planning investment to a 9 percent CAGR through 2015;

3.By 2016, leading retailers will improve same-shopper sales with immersive commerce driving additional revenue growth of 1.5 percent and margin growth of an additional 3 percent;

4.By 2017, marketing and advertising technology investment will increase by 50 percent;

5.Retailers will narrow and enable big data and analytics projects in 2014 as 20–30 percent of projects fell short in 2013;

6.Emerging consumer privacy concerns will force 50 percent of early adopters to revisit hyper-personalized promotions by 2015;

7.E-commerce and store platform replacements that enable mobile, integrated and interactive experiences will support a 10 percent CAGR in commerce investment through 2017;

8.As product assortment refresh cycles quicken, 25 percent of mid-sized retailers will initiate new PLM or sourcing projects in 2014;

9.Retailers will double the rate of industry supply chain investments in 2014, as compared to 2013; and

10.By 2016, 50 percent of national retailers, will invest in distributed order management, enterprise inventory visibility, and workforce management to enable same day fulfillment.

"In the next three years, retail will reinvent itself as omni-channel leaders reach for customer relationship, relevancy, and reciprocity. A new replacement cycle of enterprise, planning, and commerce systems will anchor complex companywide business transformation for immersive experience and commerce. Quick-to-market leaders will improve same-shopper sales — fast becoming the most significant leading indicator of future performance," said Robert Parker, IDC Retail, Energy and Manufacturing Group VP and GM. "We expect renewed investment in the narrower but transformative capabilities of PLM and sourcing, marketing and advertising, and big data and analytics."

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