Despite retailers’ heavy spending on value-added services and personalization, shoppers say they see little return on the investments, according to a new survey from Cognizant and Forrester Consulting. In the online poll of 4,500 smartphone-owning shoppers, only 35 percent on average make use of in-store services such as interactive displays and mobile checkout. Personalization receives…
Steven Skinner
A single view of the customer, sales and inventory are foundational enablers for a retailer's omnichannel merchandising strategy. The need is to merchandise the right "me" products to the right sales channels "now" at the right price. Processes across the enterprise, from planning through supply chain, will need to be integrated and data will need to be consolidated and available to derive actionable insights.
As the retail industry continues to evolve and consumers are presented with ever-increasing options to complete their shopping journey, retailers must understand shopper preferences to stay competitive. This year, we surveyed 2,500 shoppers in the United States and Canada to understand shopper preferences and expectations. Where can retailers improve? Our results revealed that the basics still rule. In-store execution, favorable online shopping features, creating a shopping experience wherever the customer happens to be, and giving customers a personalized experience are most critical to consumers. In order to stay on top, here are some suggestions from our research.
