Retailers that do business in the European Union are settling in to the new normal of operating under the privacy and security provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation. In the early days, retail IT teams paid significant attention to the structure of their back-end systems, trying to understand how to modify them to meet…
One of the biggest barriers to digital transformation is knowing where to start. Another is finding the budget. Enhanced video surveillance provides a great example of how to overcome both. Take retail, for instance. Most stores have extensive video surveillance systems to catch shoplifters and pilfering employees. Often, these systems can be quickly and cost-effectively…
For a large retailer in the news recently, 90 minutes of system issues likely cost it approximately $50 million in lost sales. Initial reports showed that the company was unable to process credit card transactions because of an error that occurred during a normal maintenance cycle. Obviously, that’s bad news for a retailer — and…
As data analytics have taken off in retail, I’ve seen companies racing to make investments in the space — implementing robust analytics platforms and onboarding teams of data scientists in a rush to stay ahead of their competition. According to a Gartner study of retail technology, 45 percent of retailers either have up-to-date AI technology…
Recently, I signed up for a subscription box service. Every month I’ll receive a curated selection of various baits and tackle to fuel my fishing obsession. The bait shop comes straight to my door. What a great time to be alive. If you’re not familiar with the subscription box craze, the model focuses on serving…
No retailer wants to read complaints about their store on social media platforms such as Yelp or Facebook. And in segments with thin margins, such as grocery stores, a lousy customer experience can be particularly damaging. To improve the customer experience, retailers are increasingly implementing autonomous systems that can continuously monitor stock levels, cleanliness and…
