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   +1 916 605 7200              moreinfo@retailpro.com            

Mobile technology is vital for long-term retail success

Some businesses may have tried to put it off for as long as possible, while others implemented the technology right away to accommodate customers, but mobile solutions are quickly making their way to the forefront of the retail industry. Now is the time for merchants to adopt systems and applications that cater to consumers who prefer to shop with their smartphones and tablets. Whether patrons browse for and purchase products through their devices while at home or bring their gadgets into brick-and-mortar locations, companies need to be prepared to offer solutions for these shoppers, as this is an effective way to boost loyalty and revenues.

Ignoring mobile can result in risks
Mobile technology could very well be the next innovation in customer service and satisfaction. For these reasons alone, retailers should not ignore these solutions and take steps now to incorporate them into their online and store operations. According to a recent study by Conlumino and eBay, the rise of 4G networks from mobile carriers is expected to result in a huge boost in mobile shopping over the next few years.

In the United Kingdom alone, the study estimates that purchases made from smartphones and tablets could jump as much as 113 percent within a year due to 4G technology. This is a trend that could be seen worldwide as well.

"Retailers today must take every chance to engage consumers, inspiring them and giving them every possible opportunity to buy and interact with their brands," stated Co​nlumino director Neil Saunders. "An omnichannel approach is key to making this happen, and with universal 4G on the horizon, retailers can't afford to stand still."

Mobile commerce rising fast
There are plenty of other signs pointing to further growth in mobile commerce, which is giving retailers more reasons to adopt the technology. Internet Retailer reports that research from Affiliate Window, which operates more than 10,000 websites, found that sales made through mobile devices will skyrocket this year. These results stem from the fact that Affiliate Window processed its millionth mobile purchase in March. This milestone in 2012 took as long as August to reach, highlighting the increasing importance of mobile solutions for retailers.

By offering mobile POS systems, applications and even deals and discounts redeemable through smartphones and tablets, merchants can significantly boost customer retention and loyalty, as well as bring in more revenue.






Why the 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference matters

Although it is still months away, registration is currently live for the 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference, taking place from October 18 – 22 in Barcelona, Spain. With two separate summits, one for Business Partners and the other for Customers, there is much to be seen, demonstrated and learned at this year's event. Registration information can be found at https://www.retailpro.com/Community/2013Conference/Registration.php.

Besides hearing about and viewing firsthand the various solutions and products offered by Retail Pro, attendees will be able to learn from other retail industry professionals at the conference. This helps to effectively build a stronger retail ecosystem, not to mention a more solid business. In addition, being cohesive in communications with other experts significantly promotes understanding, an important factor within the retail sector.

On top of creating successful relationships with other attendees, Business Partners and Customers will be able to stay at the forefront of development by participating in this year's conference. Learning about new developments, products, technologies and retail trends will help businesses be well ahead of the curve.

By attending the 2013 Retail Pro Global Conference, Business Partners and Customers will be able to establish effective working relationships with other retail industry professionals, and these alliances will serve companies long after the event is over.






Preventing theft with technology can save millions for retail industry

Besides ensuring customers are satisfied, keeping track of inventory and managing finances, another task that retailers must face is preventing theft from their stores. This can come from customers, employees and sometimes even accidental errors. However, solutions like retail management software can help merchants save significant amounts of revenue.

The New York Times reports that many businesses are turning to technology to prevent theft and fraud, mainly among employees. Some are logging information about workers' illegal activity into databases that are shared throughout the industry, meaning that any infractions among staff members are made public to professionals within the sector, further reducing the chances that these employees will be hired by other merchants.

This approach has its good and bad points, but other solutions are available to pinpoint instances of theft, not only by workers but customers as well. Retail management software helps businesses keep track of their inventory and gives them insight into when merchandise goes missing. This is especially important, notes LP Magazine, as 78 percent of shrinkage, or theft, comes from shoppers and employees. Having the technology in place to catch illegal activity saves companies revenue.






Register now for tomorrow’s Retail Pro Business Intelligence webinar

Companies want to know how they are performing, and some rely on their own methods and strategies for determining how their operations are running. However, to get the most out of their processes and stay up-to-date on all of the information related to their organizations, retailers can use technology solutions such as Retail Pro Business Intelligence. Interested industry professionals who want to learn how to effectively manage their data for their benefit can attend tomorrow's Retail Pro Business Intelligence webinar, taking place between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/570448698.

Neil McKeown, Product Manager for Retail Pro Business Intelligence and Retail Pro E-Commerce, will be presenting at tomorrow's event. McKeown will be discussing and demonstrating how Retail Pro Business Intelligence significantly helps merchants by providing them with all of the vital information they need regarding their operations. The Retail Pro solution produces accurate enterprise reports and allows users to analyze a variety of aspects related to their company.

By using Retail Pro Business Intelligence, merchants can access their data from anywhere and at anytime, improving their ability to get essential tasks completed even when not in their stores. The technology also helps with expansion goals, as having accurate information gives retailers valuable insight into their operations.






Thursday is the day for the Retail Pro Business Intelligence webinar

Retailers are constantly looking for ways to manage the vast amounts of information they handle daily. Dealing with big data can seem overwhelming for many businesses, but with the right solution, this task becomes easier.

One such technology that can significantly help merchants maintain control over their big data and use it to improve operations is Retail Pro Business Intelligence. Interested retail industry professionals can learn all about this solution this Thursday, April 11, at the Retail Pro Business Intelligence webinar, taking place between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. PDT. Registration information can be found at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/570448698.

At the online event, attendees will see firsthand how Retail Pro Business Intelligence allows retailers to focus on what matters to their businesses, with capabilities including data analysis from various touchpoints, enterprise report creation and ad hoc queries. Presenting the webinar will be Neil McKeown, Product Manager for Retail Pro Business Intelligence as well as Retail Pro E-Commerce. McKeown will demonstrate how the solution works and how companies can see significant benefits by using the technology for all of their business intelligence needs.






UK retail industry making strides in improvement, expansion

The retail industry in the United Kingdom has been struggling for improvement over the past few years, ever since the economic recession hit the country hard. Now, conditions are becoming more positive, as the government is looking into ways to enhance the sector through increased consumers spending and expansion opportunities.

Retail Week reports that Parliament has developed the U.K. Retail Sector Inquiry, which will analyze the industry and research aspects related to brick-and-mortar stores when compared to online merchants. Other areas under the review include the impact of high business rates on companies, training and skill development offered by these companies and where opportunities for expansion lie, among various factors. The analysis is currently ongoing and is expected to be finished sometime this summer, with the results being published by Parliament in June, the news source notes.

Foreign expansion has been on the books for a while now, according to the International Business Times. The U.K. Trade and & Investment Association has developed the U.K. Retail Industry International Action Plan, which will result in the government extending assistance and loans to retailers throughout the nation to reach their goals of expanding into foreign markets. Some of the top regions of concentration are Brazil, Russia, Mexico and China.






Keeping customers happy is one of the top priorities for retail industry

Keeping customers happy is one of the top priorities for retail industry professionals, as they know that without shoppers, businesses can't succeed. Improving the consumer experience is more vital than ever before, as patrons are now going online to browse for and purchases products, but still expect interactions through all touchpoints that brands offer.

Retail Customer Experience writes that merchants often deal with unsatisfied shoppers, and although companies have certain ways for dealing with these types of situations, there are a few basic steps that businesses can take to soothe over disgruntled patrons. The source recommends that brands not assume they know what consumers are looking for or what solutions they want. Asking is the best way to learn how to rectify issues. In addition, when customers bring unsatisfactory experiences to retailers' attention, companies need to ensure they are offering something special to resolve the problem and let shoppers know their patronage is valued and appreciated.

The same excellent experience needs to be provided both in stores and online, or else merchants risk losing customers and their loyalty. Brand Channel writes that large companies like Walmart are blending their online and offline channels to create consistent messaging and interactions for shoppers. This is helping to reduce service issues and it also boosts consumer satisfaction.






Best strategies for effective retail email marketing

Retailers use a variety of methods to reach out to customers in order to generate interest about products and services as well as foster loyalty. One of the most popular strategies – among both merchants and consumers – is email, as this allows businesses to interact with patrons at anytime, and individuals can access these messages from almost anywhere. However, there is no certain approach that works for all companies when it comes to email marketing, as successful techniques differ among industries, the merchandise being offered and other factors. However, there are several basic steps that merchants can follow to ensure that their marketing messages are hitting the right note and developing awareness about their products.

Segmentation is good first step
Businesses know that their customers come from all walks of life, and this means that email marketing messages need to center around – and embrace – these differences in order to see the best results. Econsultancy explains that merchants need to consider segmenting their shoppers into various groups, which can be based on aspects such as gender, age, preferred products and levels of engagement, among other elements.

The source recommends several categories for businesses to use in their email databases, one of which is product reviews that consumers post online. Analyzing these opinions and putting the positive and negative ones in separate groups will not only help companies target their content more effectively, but it also gives the chance to see where improvements can be made and alert customers to any enhancements.

The source also suggests that purchase and lifecycle milestones are another category to include for email marketing segmentation. Factors like birthdays, anniversaries, due dates for expecting mothers and various important days for shoppers are great ways to promote discounts, deals and products, the source explains.

Get them to open emails
After segmentation has taken place and retailers have sent out their emails, now it is up to consumers to actually open the messages and respond. However, there are ways that merchants can boost the chance of recipients actually read their emails, increasing the chances or purchases and loyalty. Entrepreneur magazine writes that emails need to include entertaining elements, such as videos, games or easily shareable links. Another method the source recommends is always incorporating deals, discounts and offerings into emails. This significantly impacts whether consumers are willing to do business with brands in the near future.






Improve retail mobile experiences for ultimate customer satisfaction

For retail industry professionals, maintaining high customer satisfaction is one of the top priorities for success. Now that new technologies are coming to the forefront and shoppers are using them to browse for and buy items, devices such as smartphones and tablets are getting more attention from merchants. However, it seems as though consumers may not be all too happy with retailers' mobile strategies.

MediaPost cites research from ForeSee, which found that customers who have recently accessed businesses' mobile websites and applications ranked their satisfaction at a 77 on a 100-point scale. While this figure can be deemed high, there is still work that needs to be done in terms of making improvements. Some of the problems shoppers mentioned they face when using mobile elements is hard-to-click links, slow load times and text that is too small to read.

So what can retailers do to enhance their customers' mobile experiences? Putting more time and effort into developing websites that are optimized for mobile use is one strategy, while garnering shopper feedback can be used to create better apps. Merchants can launch loyalty programs through mobile components and accept payments through POS systems, reports CMS Wire, which only helps to further improve satisfaction and boost retention.






Retailers mixed on impact of cold temperatures

No one really wants to leave the comfort and warmth of their home when temperatures outside are low and snow is on the ground. This is one reason why retailers across the country experienced a less-than-stellar March in terms of sales, as consumers stayed in and slowed down their spending on clothing and outdoor items.

MSN Money reports that many merchants saw low sales totals last month, as chilly weather gripped many regions of the nation. As March is usually the month when businesses stock their shelves with merchandise geared for warmer weather, these products mostly stayed in stores as shoppers saw no need for them just yet, the news source explains. Other types of items, such as those for home improvement and gardening tools were not purchased as quickly as in the past years due to the low temps and snowstorms.

Yahoo argues that the cold weather was not all that bad for merchants last month, as analysis from its search engine revealed that consumers are looking to buy summer items in the coming weeks. While some chilly temps are still lingering around, the source expects that sales on warmer weather merchandise will jump significantly as spring and summer come around.






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Countries

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Customers

54000

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130

Countries

9000

Customers

54000

Stores

159000

Points of Sale

130

Countries

9000

Customers

54000

Stores

159000

Points of Sale