Why Retailers Must Invest In The Right Technology

Retailers today must make sense of the massive amounts of “unstructured” data floating around to make smarter business decisions and enhance the shopping experience for customers. The right technology can take all of that data and turn it into meaningful information so that executives can make more timely decisions. Using this technology can ensure that the right metrics are in front of leaders.

Avanade Developing, Delivering Solutions For New Dynamics AX 2012 For Retail

Microsoft announced today it will release an updated ERP system geared to help retailers “deliver uniquely consistent, convenient and personalized experiences for shoppers.” Accenture, in close collaboration with global Microsoft specialists Avanade, is developing and delivering solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for Retail, which will be available in more than 25 countries starting Feb. 1.

Ready Or Not Retailers, The Mobile Revolution Is Here

Mobile computing is transforming the retail industry. Shoppers are hitting the stores with smartphones in hand, comparing prices and making purchases. Forrester Research is predicting mobile commerce will hit $31 billion by 2016 with a compounded annual growth rate of 39 percent. And that’s a conservative estimate. Anybody that’s not on the bandwagon is losing [...]

Is Social Media A Double-Edged Sword For Retail?

There’s no doubt about it, the marriage of social networking and retail has made it possible for a message to spread instantaneously across the globe. Everyone, literally everyone, can hear about the new 50 percent off sale. Unfortunately for retailers, this marriage is a huge double-edged sword. But still, businesses must have an online presence or they will fail.

3 Tips To Create Professional-Looking Photos For Your E-Commerce Site

Competing with all the e-commerce sites on the Internet is no easy task. But there are three simple tools and techniques that can help small business owners take professional-looking photos without the hefty price tag. A light box, photo editing software and careful attention to detail can make your product look like it stepped out of a catalog.

Why Self-Checkout Is On The Way Out

Smartphones are the next big thing for retailers as self-checkout fades away. Retailers are looking to a mixture of radio frequency identification, mobile POS technology and near-field communication to allow employees to look up inventory, complete sales and allow stores to directly market to consumers based on the items in their cart.

The 5 Most Important Technologies For Consumers

Before getting rid of their self-checkout, grocery stores should consider this: Consumers love them. They also want an easy-to-use website; kiosks with product information, coupons and recipes; electronic offers sent via email or mobile device, and wireless access within the store.

Back-To-School Shopping? We Have An App For That.

Nearly 40 percent of tablet owners say they’ll use their device for back-to-college shopping, and almost one out of five will use their smartphones. This trend will only grow as more shoppers use their tablets and smartphones to comparison shop, an Avanade expert said.

How To Get Found Online

If you want to succeed in online retailing, you have to play by search engine rules. SEO isn’t new but it’s something that Motorcycle Superstore has recently mastered. By keeping tabs on the actual words people use when searching and changing their site to reflect them, they’ve seen their sales increase 4-5 percent on their customized landing pages.

Why You Should Care About The New Digital Receipts Standard

Last month, ARTS released Version 2 of its Digital Receipts standard. Digital receipts are a big deal in the retail and payments industries because consumers are using electronic receipts for returns and exchanges as well as coupon redemption. This new version lets customers have all of their receipts stored in one place and in the same format for easy access regardless of the issuing retailer or retail channel.

Move Over Focus Groups, Video is Where It’s At

What if brands could gauge customer reactions and willingness to buy their products in real life, without using a focus group? That isn’t a question any more as video analytic software is being installed into more stores to do just that.