Predictive Analytics

Consumers are increasingly using their mobile phones for one specific retail-related purpose.

According to the Deloitte 2015 Global Mobile Consumer Survey, the use of mobile devices to make in-store payments has nearly quadrupled in the past year. In-store mobile payments have increased from 5% of total in-store payments 2014 to 18% in 2015.

In-store analytics solutions continue to gain momentum as retailers analyze a variety of store performance measures such as shopper activity maps, display effectiveness, and customer dwell time. These analytics have provided incredible insight for corporate and store management.

What kinds of searches, ads and content are consumers interacting with before and after a tech purchase?

Retailers that think they have digital security under control may want to take a second look at their protocols.

According to a new study from risk predictive analytics firm Bay Dynamics, "The Pre-Holiday Retail Risk Report," a significant amount of retailers assign the same login credentials to employees and do not know if employees have leaked sensitive data.

Despite these common gaps, a majority of 125 retail IT decision-makers surveyed said they have full confidence that their sensitive information is sufficiently protected.

Enterprise technology provider Software AG is expecting retail to become an increasingly seamless and store-centric proposition in 2016.

Your inventory is your biggest investment, and getting it right takes a lot of work. Customers don’t like seeing outdated inventory or empty racks. They don’t like having to ask, “Is there more in the back? and having the employee answer, “I’m not sure.” But keeping track of what’s coming in and going out isn’t always easy.

IDC Retail Insights lays out a blueprint for the future of retail technology in its “IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Retail 2016 Predictions.”

"Retailers are transforming from a business strategy, process, and technology perspective. Executing well requires a systemic change in the way they relate to customers and to their own employees and partners,” said Leslie Hand, VP, IDC Retail Insights, and a co-author of the report.


Here are IDC’s top 10 predictions for 2016:

Brookshire Grocery Co. is undertaking an ambitious omnichannel transformation plan, and focusing it on the wants and needs of the consumer.

“We know everything there is to know about our customers,” said John D’Anna, senior VP and CIO of Tyler, Texas-based Brookshire, in an interview with Chain Store Age. The regional chain operates 152 stores under the Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and Fresh by Brookshire’s banners.

Despite overall declines in several key metrics, there were some good signs for brick-and-mortar retailers during November.

Vertical specialty workwear retailer Carhartt Inc. is gaining an unprecedented view into what customers want, when they want it.

Carhartt is leveraging the new IBM Commerce Insights solution that is designed to help online retailers evaluate category and product performance for quick merchandising decisions. Leveraging cognitive capabilities from Watson Analytics,IBM Commerce Insights provides a single view of customer behavioral, market and business performance data directly on Carhartt’s storefront.