Operating a business in the retail industry today requires persistent innovation and determination. A record-breaking 9,300 stores were closed in the U.S. in 2019, and 2,200 are already planning to close in 2020. Many of these stores are closing due to increasing demands experienced from hefty competition from large retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and …
Top 5 Digital Transformation Trends in Retail for 2020 Read More »
Conveying a clear, thoughtful message to shoppers is more important than ever for today’s brands and retailers. Shoppers have more options than ever before, so creating helpful, engaging in-store marketing–signage or promotional displays–sets the tone for a customers’ shopping experience. We know that in-store messaging is important for two reasons: it allows those on a …
Are You Still Relying on the Same Old Approaches to In-Store Marketing? Read More »
As we continue to learn more about how the world’s mass consumption of plastics are affecting our environment, we get progressively more aware of the products we buy. In the CPG space, that means manufacturers are feeling the pressure to reduce single-use plastics and develop sustainable packaging. The challenge becomes how to do so on …
If something is trending, it usually means it’s popular for a bit, but quickly loses steam and public interest. But that’s not always the case. Within retail, “trends” often turn into the new normal. For example, when the organic wave hit store in the 2000’s, it never receded–organic is still a huge, and growing, part …
4 Retail Trends That Will Stick Around in 2020…and Beyond Read More »
In a (very long and very interesting) post from Wait But Why writer Tim Urban, he talks about how quickly technology is changing, saying “The amount that changed between 1750 and 2017 might happen again between now and another time when you’re still alive. This is a ridiculous time to be alive—it’s just hard for us to …
Retail’s Digital Disruption and the Challenge to Innovate Read More »
Right now there are 10 states that have passed legislation to legalize marijuana for recreational use, and another 33 that have approved marijuana for medical purposes. In 2018 alone, investors supplied $10 billion into cannabis in North America, and that market is expected to reach more than $16 billion by the end of 2019. Suffice …
Right now, retail is in a pivotal position where it has access to innovative tools that help create amazing experiences for shoppers. But it requires embracing technology and trying something new. While that in itself can seem daunting, there are big paybacks to technological innovation. Mitigating risk is one of them. And it’s a big …
Retail Innovation, and the Benefits of the Virtual “Test Drive” Read More »
Creating, evaluating and implementing a new in-store concept is an intricate process, and for good reason: the right changes will result in more awareness or sales, but the wrong changes can be costly. Luckily, new technologies are making that process faster and easier for everyone involved. In an industry that has historically shied away from …
2 Reasons Why Sales Needs to Get on Board with Innovative Retail Technology Read More »
In the retail space, technological advancement is becoming more and more prevalent in the race against irrelevancy. As consumer preferences change from one day to the next, organizations need to be agile, data-driven and efficient in their business processes. At InContext, this is what has motivated us from the beginning—but a recent study by Accenture …
Retailers and Brands: Don’t Get Stuck in the “Innovation Achievement Gap” Read More »