Store Systems

January is a tech bonanza for retail, with interesting, innovative and sometimes downright out-there new technologies and brands on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York City. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of every startup out there, but here’s a selection of the most promising ventures that should be on your radar.

Reemo

Irvine, California-based specialty Western and workwear retailer Boot Barn is laying down the law.

Specialty retailer The Limited is attempting to build loyalty even when a customer isn’t satisfied with a purchase.

The Limited is deploying Narvar Returns, a solution from post-purchase experience platform provider Narvar. Narvar Returns provides customers with an intuitive digital experience where they can select eligible items from their order, share feedback and choose the most convenient return method.

Retail employees are using mobile communication technology in their jobs, but a more established channel is still most popular.

According to a study of 500 professionals within a variety of industries including retail from Infinite Convergence Solutions, 57% of retail employees use email most frequently for business communication. This made email significantly more popular than mobile messaging; (24%) or voice calling (19%).

South Korean electronics giant Samsung on Monday opened what it calls a “consumer technology playground” in the trendy Meatpacking District of Manhattan.

Named for its address, 837 Washington Street, the 55,000-sq.-ft. Samsung 837 is packed with eye-popping features, from a three-story array of televisions made up of 96 Samsung 55-inch TVs to a truly futuristic, fully-immersive virtual reality experience. There is also a café, art gallery and theater.

Digital exploration and the customer experience are at the heart of two new concept stores from wireless carrier O2.

The stores were designed to revolutionize the look and feel of a traditional mobile phone shop and provide a destination for people to not just buy a phone, but to learn about the latest technology.

Enabling consumer product discovery in the omnichannel age is not a simple or easy matter. Having merchandise available and visible on store shelves is no longer sufficient. Meanwhile, products consumers see on e-commerce sites are mostly determined by prior behavior or their search choices. Furthermore, it is hard to serve effective digital promotions on the mobile screens consumers are increasingly using to shop.