Think Tank: Pulling Back the Curtain on Retail’s Digital Transformation

As the modern shopper’s expectations and standards continue to rise, retailers no longer have the wiggle room to make tiny mistakes or skate by unchanged. Shoppers today expect experiences that align with the smart technology they are already using, and they expect rapid and personal customer care responses in real-time. The industry is at a moment when consumers can ask connected devices in their homes to order a new pair of jeans, receiving orders in two business days or less. Consumers are being conditioned from their very first shopping experience to expect the world. Simultaneously, retailers are hit with the harsh reality that if a customer is faced with extended lag-time, an out-of-stock notification, or even the smallest mishap while shopping — their customers can get the product they want somewhere else, faster. Instead of feeling inadequate next to big industry players, retailers should lean into change, and embrace new windows of opportunity, adopting innovative solutions that other retailers haven’t tapped. The industry is at a tipping point, and retailers of all sizes can affect change by leveraging the right technologies and customer data to make informed decisions, and become equalizers in the retail sector. Avoid band-aid solutions What retailers need to do to

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