Recent Articles

Retailers are constantly looking for new ways to incorporate data to help expand analytics, and much more. A recent IBM Analytics podcast discusses four ways data analytics will transform the retail industry: From "less is more" to "bring it on" From data mandate to data inform From data reporting to data story-telling From "industry-itis" to embracing the blur As retailers begin to embrace new ways to include data into their efforts, inevitable shifts will come along, such as expansive data information. They speak about how retailers are starting to take a more balance approach to data. As one retail executive shared, "Retail is science and art,...

As orders from multiple sales channels increase, even a thriving business feels the pressures and frustrations associated with customer service, order and inventory management. In-store pickup is also a constant challenge for retailers struggling to meet customer needs, and according to Forrester Research Inc. analyst Brendan Witcher, this trend is not going away any time soon. “More than half, 53%, of the more than 3,000 online U.S. adults surveyed say they expect notification in two hours or less that orders are ready for pickup.” Nailing In-Store Pickup Report Witcher advises staying away from offering all products for pickup, as some can be too...

Omnichannel investment is squarely aimed at increasing the availability of a wider assortment of products and improving the customer experience through better service. By adding mobile enabled devices in stores to look up inventory across the organization, retailers will have the ability to “save the sale” and create an “endless aisle” scenario. On average, out-of-stock merchandise costs retailers 4.1% in lost revenue. Universal access to inventory data also helps with inventory turnover for locations that are carrying excess SKUs. From a competitive standpoint, access to inventory across channels saves sales lost to the competition, and opens up a higher likelihood of future purchases. Customer service...

A generous return policy is a vital component for any retailer, but with the ever-increasing demand, retailers are more susceptible to return fraud, back orders, and lost revenue. “Return fraud remains a critical issue for retailers with the impact spanning far and wide, in-store and online." -NRF VP of Loss Prevention Bob Moraca How can a retailer ensure they get their return items back as fast as possible, while dealing with return codes, shipping charges, and bin sorting? Thinking through every aspect of your return policy may be a crucial area to hone in on for the new year. Check out the key insights from 2015...

January 6th is a pseudo National Holiday on the calendar called National Returns Day. It is better known as Return-Ageddon to many of us. This is the day of returns “hell” for all. Since you may still be knee-deep in returns, hopefully not eyeball deep, here are few key points to consider. According to a few studies, it’s not yet time to take your head out of the clouds, but it might be a good time to be clever and start managing your products and returns more efficiently for the next Return-Ageddon. In a combined online shopping study by UPS and comScore,...