Omnichannel

Hudson's Bay Co. is the latest department store retailer to report weak holiday sales.   The Canadian retailer, whose banners include Hudson’s Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor, reported a 0.7% decrease in consolidated comparable sales in the nine-week holiday selling period that ended Dec. 31.  

As the new year gets underway, it’s time to look forward to the changes and trends 2017 will bring. For retailers, that includes some new consumer behaviors in addition to the always-expected technological advances.   While change might seem overwhelming, it can also provide fresh opportunities for sales. And with a little planning, retailers can stay ahead of competition to meet the demands of their customers.    To help guide you into the new year, here are a few of our 2017 retail predictions.

Voice-activated technology and connected devices are among the hot tech trends that caught the attention of Target executives at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.   Target posted the faves of some of its executives on a blog on its website. Here’s a sampling:   

As the retail industry settles into 2017, CIOs industry-wide are dusting off their To-Do lists, and creating a game-plan on how to implement this year’s top priorities.   While these projects will run the gamut, retail is facing an inflection point — one that is influenced by new, “smarter” solutions that will not only change the trajectory of how businesses operate, but how chains will communicate with employees and customers.   

The annual consumer electronics trade show (CES) is considered a launch pad for new innovations and technology. One concept garnering attention at this year’s show: in-vehicle digital shopping.   Honda and Visa presented the first proof-of-concept demonstration of in-vehicle payments at this year’s show, held in Las Vegas, Jan. 5-8.   

Apparel retailer The Limited is out of the brick-and-mortar retail business.   The ailing chain, which has quietly been closing stores around the country for the past couple of weeks, announced the news with a short statement on its website on Friday, Jan. 6. The move was not unexpected. Limited has struggled amid increased competition from fast-fashion upstarts, both offline and online.   

New Yorkers will have a new way to browse Amazon’s best-selling book titles — in a physical store.   Later this year, the retail giant will open a bookstore at the Time Warner Center in Manhattan.   Also on the slate for 2017 is a location in Chicago, and the Boston suburb of Dedham, Mass.   Stores are also planned for Lynnfield, Mass., and Paramus, N.J.  

Albertsons is helping expand online grocery purchases to low-income individuals nationwide.   The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has selected Albertsons Companies to participate in the online purchasing pilot for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — a service targeting low-income households.