1. Retail Technology
Objective of this Report: Report lets you to know the different technologies that are implemented
in retail stores, and how retail players are applying these technologies to reduce the operational and
technological gapinorderto compete inthisgloballycompetingenvironment.
Introduction:
Technology touches almost every aspect of commercial activity. And with the rapid pace of
technological innovation, its impact on business enterprise will only increase in the future. Like many
other industries retailers are being impacted by technology advancements, as well as changing shopping
habits.
Retailing is a technology-intensive industry. It is a well-known fact that the retail industry always works
on razor thin margins and the key to survival lies in optimization of resources both in space and time
dimensions as well as maximization of customer satisfaction. Successful retailers today work closely with
their vendors to predict consumer demand, shorten lead times, reduce inventory holding and ultimately
save cost. Access to timely and even real-time information to a wide variety of channel and trading
partners,salespersonnel,line managers,store managersetc.isthe keytoachievingthis.
Over the years as the consumer demand increased and the retailers geared up to meet this increase,
technology evolved rapidly to support this growth. It is technology that will help the retailers to score in
such fierce competition. There are hardware and software tools that have now become almost essential
for retailing. Consumers have come to expect more value and higher service levels. As a consequence,
the technology continues to grow and retailers search for ways to measure technical business value and
to balance the effectiveutilizationof the technical resource.
Retailers want to get more value out of technologies and ensure they are spending their limited
resources in ways that improve their overall offer to the customer. Technology has proven to be a
competitive weapon in retail, which is a dramatic shift from a decade ago. In response, retailers
generally need to become more disciplined in managing the IT function. Completing and delivering IT
projects on time and on budget is overwhelming enough without the project team considering their
project’sinterdependencieswithotherbusinessinitiativesandcorporate goals
Overview:
Technology has transformed the buying behaviour of customers everywhere. Technology in the store is
all moving toward integration and more and more savvy customers. POS is undergoing major changes
because of broadband access, the need and ability for inventory visibility, customers ordering online,
returns and pick-up in the store and also the movement toward an ASP (application service provider)
model. It is broadband that will help to transfer the information fast and help retailers to serve their
customers on time. Technology offer retailers the potential to know exactly how many customers are in
theirstoresbydepartmentandtime of day.
Technology is changing everything in Retail Sector
Technology’s impact is heavily reflected in the retail sector and for good reason. With all the changes
and challenges within retail, retailers, merchants and suppliers all need to find new ways to catch
attention,simplifyprocesses,make impactful lastingimpressionsandgenerateprofit.

2. Few CommonTechnologies usedin Retail Industries:
Bar coding and Scanners:
Bar coding and scanners Point of sale systems use scanners and
bar coding to identify an item, use pre-stored data to calculate
the cost and generate the total bill for a client. Tunnel scanning
is a new concept where the consumer pushers the full shopping
cart through an electronic gate to the point of scale. In a matter
of seconds, the items in the cart are hit with laser beams and
scanned. All that the consumers have to do is to pay for the
goods.
Advantages of Bar coding are
 Fast and Reliable Data Collection: Faster Data Entry: A barcode scanner typically can record data five
to seventime asfastas a skilledtypist.
 10,000 Times better Accuracy: Keyboard data entry creates an average of one error in 300
keystrokes.Barcode dataentryhasan error rate of about1 in 3 million.
 Reduced Labor Costs: This is the most obvious benefit of barcode data collection. In many cases, this
cost savings pays for the entire data-collection system. Do not put all of your attention on this
benefit, however. Even though this is the most apparent benefit, it is often overshadowed by even
greatersavingsfromotherareas.
 ReducedRevenueLossesResultingfromDataCollectionErrors:
Thisbenefitoftensurpassesthe savingsinlaborcosts.Youknow thatif youmake a significanterror
on an invoice inthe customer'sfavor,youwill neverhearaboutitagain.However,if the errorisin
your favor,youwill hearaboutit immediately.Inmostcompanies,itdoesnottake manyerrors to
amountto a great deal of lostrevenue.
 Necessary Inventory Levels: Using barcodes are one of the best ways to reduce inventory levels and
save on capital costs.Keepingatighthandle oninventorycansave significantamountsof money.
 Improved Management and Better Decision Making: Although hard to measure, this is an important
benefit. In many cases, improved management due to automated data collection technology could
be the best benefit of a barcode system. A barcode system can easily gather information that would
be difficult or impossible to gather in other ways. This allows managers to make fully informed
decisionsthatcanaffectthe directionof a departmentorcompany.
 Faster Access to Information: This benefit goes hand in hand with better decision-making. With
betterinformation,youcangainopportunitiesandgetthe jumponthe competition.
Few BarcodeprovidingCompanies
http://www.kcsi.ca/barcoding_adv.html
http://www.slideshare.net/lordriby/impact-of-technology-on-indian-retail-stores

3. Payment through Plastic Money:
Payment through credit cards (plastic money) has become quite wide spread and this enables a fast and
easy payment process. Electronic cheque conversion, a recent development in this area, processes a
cheque electronically by transmitting transaction information to the retailer and consumer’s bank.
Rather than manually processing a cheque, the retailer void sit and hands it back to the consumer along
with the receipt, keying digitally captured and stored the image of the cheque, which makes the process
veryfast..
Advantages of plastic money to Customer
 Convenience- Itcansave you time &trouble
 Instant cash- cash advancesare quick& convenient
 Record keeping- CCstatementcanhelpyoutrack your expenses
 Purchasing power-cards made it easier to purchase things. Now we don’t have any need to
carry hard cash in a large amount.
 Credit Limits-You get an extra amount to spend with your card. This extra spent money you can
some particularstores,bonusinairline fare,free insurance policiesandmuchmore
Advantages of plastic money to merchants
 Higher spending- Consumers spend an average of 68.5% more when they pay with a credit card
insteadof cash
 Greater reliability-With the benefit of a merchant account, you could have guaranteed
paymentswithoutfearof bouncedormissingchecks
 Faster than invoicing- Invoice payments could potentially take up to 90 days and require more
administrativetime thancardpayment
Few CreditandDebitCard issuingBanks
http://www.slideshare.net/smoturi1/plastic-money-27695494
http://www.slideshare.net/lordriby/impact-of-technology-on-indian-retail-stores

4. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) System:
ERP System Various ERP vendors have developed retail-specific systems which help in integrating all the
functions from warehousing to distribution, front and back office store systems and merchandising. An
integrated supply chain helps the retailer in maintaining his stocks, getting his supplies on time,
preventingstockoutsandthusreducinghiscosts,while servicingthe customerbetter.
Advantages of using ERP System in Retail sector
 Retail specific components – Unlike a general ERP package, retail ERP suite offers retail centric
components that are customized to meet the specific requirements of a retail organization in an
effective and efficient manner. This makes a retail ERP suite much more suitable to meet the
specificrequirementsof aretail organization.
 Segment specific expandability option – Within the retail sector, there is a wide variety of
different segments that vary in their nature and scope of operations. A retail ERP package has
provisionstomeetthe varyingneedsof the differentsegmentswithinthe retailsector.
 Support for the store system– Retail ERP suite offers support for the store systems that form
the pivot of a retail business. The critical functions include keeping track of the inventory,
ordering and replenishment, loss prevention and task management. This makes retail ERP
systemsuitedtothe specificneedsof aretail organization.
 Configuration and scalability – A good retail ERP system allows a high degree of customization
and is easily scalable to attune itself to the size of the organization and its level and scope of
operations. Such configuration and scalability prove to be a boon in managing the retail
operationsacrossan enterprise.Thisallowsaretail ERPsystemto grow withthe organization.
 Phased implementation support – Modern retail ERP systems provide support for phased
implementation. This feature allows the software package to be implemented in a step-by-step
incremental manner rather than in one go. This makes the transition to an ERP package a lot
easier. This feature allows the users to acclimatize themselves to an ERP package that may
initiallyseemcomplicatedtouse.
 Support for advanced functionality – Modern retail ERP systems provide support for advanced
functionalities that is helpful in the decision making process such as formulating pricing
strategies, merchandise planning, inventory optimization and store execution. The advanced
functionalities help the users formulate business strategies to introduce efficiencies in the
critical business processes. The top management uses this feature to set the benchmarks and
achieve the desiredresults.
 Work flow automation and enterprise process management – Modern day retail ERP packages
offer workflow automation and enterprise process management to make the workflow smooth
and seamless across the entire enterprise. This allows the management to monitor and keep
track of the workflow while also undertaking the enterprise process management leading to the
identification andremoval of anyinconsistenciesinthe businessprocess.
 Technology and application integration – A good retail ERP system allows technology and
application integration to allow a platform independent, seamless transfer of processes across

5. different modules running on different technologies in an enterprise wide environment that
may include interaction with legacy systems and external entities such as the suppliers and the
customers.Suchintegrationprovidesthe critical enterprise-wideviewtothe management.
FewERP systemsprovidingcompanies
http://www.dmsretail.com/erp.htm
http://www.slideshare.net/lordriby/impact-of-technology-on-indian-retail-stores
CRM Systems:
Customer relationship management (CRM) is a model for managing a company’s interactions with
current and future customers. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and
synchronize sales, marketing, customerservice,and technical support.
In CRM systems the rise of loyalty programs, mail order and Internet has provided retailers with real
access to consumer data. Data warehousing & mining technologies offers retailers the tools they need
to make sense of their consumer data and apply into business. This, along with the various available
CRM systems, allows the retailers to study the purchase behaviour of consumers in detail and grow the
value of individual consumerstotheirbusiness
Advantages of CRM in Retail sector
 CRM for retail industry includes classes and workshops which make it possible to gain additional
experience
 UsingCRM one can also take the advantage of repeateddemonstrations
 CRM createsmailboxesformeetingcustomersadditional requirements
 CRM providesclientswithanopportunitytotrythe productbefore purchasingit
 CRM forretail industryhelpstomaintaincommunicational linewithcustomers
 CRM helpstopayadditional attentiontoclient’sfeedback
 CRM letsthe clientstoshare theirexperiencewithothercustomers
 CRM helpstotreatyour clientsasfriends
 CRM makesitpossible tostimulateclientswiththe helpof giftsandadditional bonuses
Few More advantages are
 easyand effective targeting
 attractingnewclients
 efficientmarketingstrategiesandmanagingcampaigns

6.  lifelongrelationswithcustomers
 enforce of sellingandmarketingprocesses
 predicting
 highqualityservice
 customersupportbymeansof call centers
CharacteristicsofCRM
 Relationshipmanagementisa customer-orientedfeaturewithservice response basedon
customerinput,one-to-one solutionstocustomers’requirements,directonline
communicationswithcustomerandcustomerservice centersthathelpcustomerssolve their
questions.
 Salesforce automation.Thisfunctioncanimplement salespromotion analysis,automate
trackingof a client’saccounthistoryforrepeatedsalesorfuture sales,andalsoсoordinate sales,
marketing,call centers,andretail outletsinordertorealize the salesforce automation.
 Use of technology.Thisfeature isaboutfollowingthe technology trendandskillsof value
deliveringusingtechnologytomake “up-to-the-second”customerdataavailable.Itapplies data
warehouse technologyinorderto aggregate transactioninformation,tomerge the information
withCRMsolutions,andtoprovide KPI(keyperformanceindicators).
 Opportunitymanagement.Thisfeaturehelpsthe companytomanage unpredictablegrowthand
demandandimplementagood forecastingmodel tointegrate saleshistorywith sales
projections.
Someofthe CRM System ProvidingCompanies
http://www.slideshare.net/lordriby/impact-of-technology-on-indian-retail-stores
http://www.crminfoline.com/crm-articles/crm-retail.htm
Cloud Computing in Retail:
Cloud-based solutions are already being used by a growing number of retailers to support their most
important business functions including the mission critical point of sale. While some concerns remain
about data security and application uptime, there’s significant movement within the retail industry
towards cloud based on demand solutions, and it’s easy to see why. Unlike many other technologies the

7. retailers have to adopt to meet their business needs. It’s as if cloud computing was designed specifically
with the cost-conscious, data-deluged retail enterprise in mind. Retailers can achieve savings from lower
initial capital expenditures, and the usage based pricing model used by most cloud based applications
aligns well with the spiky, seasonal nature of the retail business. Cloud based technologies also provide
the flexibility to scale up quickly, supporting IT deployments for everything from pop-up stores to more
permanent expansions and to scale down just as quickly when business conditions change and a new
approach isneeded.
Advantages of Cloud in retail Sector
 A good cloud provider can easily help the retailer in understanding patterns and trends within
large databases.
 Due to large database It can be further utilized for creating analytical models, and to provide an
edge to decision making. Thus retailers can increase their ability to forecast their customer's
behaviorandplanaccordingly.
 Retailers can then develop customer programs, marketing, merchandising and pricing strategies
to attract more business. The cloud provider themselves design and provide such retailer
specificplans.
Another important area of cloud application will be inventory management. Real time data and cloud
architecture will largely reduce the problems like stock outs and overages. As well known, online
retailers do not have inventory managed by themselves. Instead, it is done by the manufactures. Cloud
computing can provide an efficient utilization of logistics, which will keep losses to the minimum in
inventory management. What the online commerce does can be extended to whole of retail sector.
Besides, as the cloud provider will be serving numerous retailers, they can very well manage difficult
situations like stock unavailability. Cloud providers can provide valuable advises to retailers regarding
product availability and back-up stock from forecasts. They can get realistic forecasts by analyzing huge
amounts of data from numerous retailers. Thus retailers can develop a supply chain where the right
productarrivesat the righttime
FewCloud Computingservice providingcompanies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_relationship_management
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/29/2883/the-future-of-retail-industry1.asp
Mobility in Retail:

8. In a fast paced mobile market, the adoption of innovative mobile technologies can play a crucial role in
an organization's business strategy thereby delivering significant value and heightened experience to
theircustomers.
Retail consumers today are texting, talking, communicating, buying, searching, watching videos, and
taking photographs all on their mobile devices. With Global Smart Phone sales expected to cross 1 Bn by
2015 and the Tablet fever catching on, retailers have started looking at mobile as another important
customertouchpoint.
On the web front, by integrating their e-Commerce strategies with the mobile environment, retailers are
tryingto leverage the mobile channelandaddvalue toclicksfromthe Weband bricksof physical stores.
On the store front, in their quest to make the customer in-store experience a memorable one, retailers
are once again turning to mobility solutions for checking in the customers as they enter the store,
scanning products, receiving offers through mobile coupons, making payments, and producing digital
receiptsamonga hostof otherfeatures.
With an increasing number of retailers embracing mobility solutions, from in-store to supply chain, from
sales and marketing to decision making levels, mobile technologies promise to empower all facets of the
Retail business.
http://www.hcltech.com/retail-consumer/mobility-solution-retail
Today, mobility in retail has not only become a vital channel for branding and advertising but also is an
enabler that can act as a force multiplier, in near and long-term future, to the overall operations in a
retail organization. Retail mobility solutions are making processes leaner and swifter not only with their
own capacity but by also complementing other technologies. In short, mobility is creating new
possibilities for retailers to manage their stores and make shopping effortless and pleasurable. From
helping their consumer locate their nearest stores, to browsing catalogues on-the-go to read reviews of
products and compare prices, retail mobility solutions have the power to integrate various components
of the buyingcycle intoa seamlessandfunexercise.
Mobile webbrowser isused widelythan webapplications by shoppers
Advantages of Mobility service in retail sector
 Mobilityimprovesthe Returnof investment(ROI) andlowersthe total costof ownership(TCO)
 Mobilityprovidesalternate channel forsales
 Mobilitysuperiorsthe consumersshoppingexperience
 Mobilityprovidesdirectaccessto Customers
 Mobilityhelpsinenhancingbrandvalue
 Mobilityhelpsinanalyticstounderstand consumerbehaviour
 Mobilityserviceshelpsinboostingthe employee productivity
Fewmobilityservicesin Retail industry:

9.  Mobile POS
 Self-Checkout
 Mobile Payment
 Mobile Couponing
 InventoryManagement
 DirectStore Delivery
 Warehouse/DCManagement
FewMobilityservice providingcompanies
http://www.xcubelabs.com/blog/retail-mobility-welcoming-the-consumer-on-mobile/
Omni-channel Retailing
Omni-Channel Retailing is the evolution of multi-channel retailing, but is concentrated more on a
seamless approach to the consumer experience through all available shopping channels, i.e. mobile
internet devices, computers, bricks-and-mortar, television, radio, direct mail, catalog and so on.
Retailers are meeting the new customer demands by deploying specialized supply chain strategy
software
The omni-channel consumer wants to use all channels simultaneously, and retailers using an omni-
channel approach will track customers across all channels, not just one or two. Using omni-channel
retailing while working with the "Connected Consumer",[1]
all shopping channels work from the same
database of products, prices, promotions, etc. Instead of perceiving a variety of touch-points as part of
the same brand, omni-channel retailers let consumers experience the brand, not a channel within a
brand. Merchandise and promotions are not channel specific, but rather consistent across all retail
channels. The bricks-and-mortar stores become an extension of the supply chain in which purchases
may be made in the store, but are researched through other "channels" of communication.[2]
With
omni-channel retailing, marketing is made more efficient with offers that are relative to a specific
consumer determined by purchase patterns, social network affinities, website visits, loyalty programs,
and otherdata miningtechniques.

10. omni-channel retailing trends and ideas
Making use of social media- Peer-to-peercommunicationisone of the mosteffectivewaystosell
something.Brandsusingsocial mediaandsocial communitiesare steppingoutof the traditional
advertisingmodelandallowingcustomerstohelpbuildthe brandthroughtheirowndiscussionsand
recommendations.Social isdefinitelypartof anomni-retail shoppingexperience asexperimentsin
storesprove
Integratingcustomerreviews- Like socialmedia,reviewsare powerful advertisingtools.Shopperstend
to trust the experiencesof theirpeersmore thanbrandadvertisements.Companiesare beginningto
take advantage of the growingmobile trendtomake reviewsandproductguidesavailablein-store.
Customerscanaccess thisinformationwhile theyshopanduse ittohelpmake purchasingdecisions.
Beingable toread reviewsandsee detailedproductinformationwhile shoppingcreatesa
comprehensive buyingexperience thatcanhelpdrive sales.
Use digital meanstopersonalize physical shopping- Consumersenjoyapersonalized shopping
experience.Beinggreetedbyatrustedassociate at a favourite store,havingsomeoneremembertheir
buyingpreferencesandbeingshownwhattheywantratherthansittingthroughgenericsalespitchall
make shoppersmore likelytobuy.Some storesare rollingoutappsthat helptheiremployees
accomplishthese thingswitheachcustomer.Otherappsdeliverinformationaboutin-store salesand
eventstocustomersastheyshop.This isone of the applicationsthe retailingindustry istestingmost.
Technological advancesin-store- Astechnologybecomesmore powerful,businesseswillbe able tooffer
more detailed,personalizedshoppingrecommendations.In-store stationsthatallow customersto
interactwiththe productsavailable for sale cancollectimportantinformationaboutthingssuchas
clothingsize andbuyinghistory,allowingretailerstodelivercomprehensive productguidestoeach
individualconsumer.
Mergingsocial and local- Location-basedsocial medialike Foursquare andFacebookPlacesallow
businessestouse social channelstomarkettolocal customers.These serviceslinkmobile userstotheir
friendsvia"check-ins,"showingwhohasstoppedwhere andanycommentstheyhadaboutthe
experience.Businesseslookingtogetinon the actioncan offercoupons,salesalerts,messagesabout
importanteventsandmore,deliveringadvertisingandinformationtoshoppersastheygoabout their
dailyroutines
Difference between Multi-channel,Cross-channel,Omni-channel
The term multi-channel describesthe experience of acustomerwhousesthe differentchannelsmade
available byacompanyso that theycan complete theirpurchases.The differentchannelsinclude shops,
catalogues,the Internet,mobile,tablets,TV,call centresetc.
Multi-channel isnotanewconceptbecause before the adventof the Internetandmobileitwaspossible
to make a purchase on differentchannelsincludingshops,call centres,cataloguesetc.Whatisnew,
however,isthe rise inthe numberof channelswhichcanbe usednowadayssuchas desktopcomputers,
smartphones,tablets,interactive terminals,smartTV.The numberof channelswill continue toincrease
withsmart itemssuchas cars, fridgesetc.
The term cross-channel describesthe experience of acustomerwhohas useda combinationof several
differentchannelsforthe same purchase.Forexample,the customerprintsaproductconfigurationona

11. company’swebsite andwillthengoin-store tomake the purchase.The customermayalsochoose the
producttheywant to purchase froma company’scatalogue andthengo and buythe product directlyon
the company’swebsite.Anotherexample involvesacustomerwhomakesthe purchase throughtheirTV
set,and thengoesto collectthe productfromthe nearest store.
The term omni-channeldescribesthe simultaneoususe of twochannels,forexample usingamobile
phone device in-store ora tabletwhilstwatchingTV.The termisalso usedtodescribe the necessary
coherence betweenthe differentchannelssothatitis easyandpractical forcustomersto interactvia
the differentchannels.Thismeansthatthe configurationsandchoicesmade onone channel mustbe
memorisedandconsideredforeachchannel.Couldyouimagine if youhadtorecreate an account for
the differentchannelsused,e.g.fordesktopcomputersandtablets,orthe in-store checkout.
http://www.selligent.com/en/blogs/tips-practices/the-rise-of-omni-channel-retail-
definition-and-5-tips/
http://blog.atinternet.com/en/index.php/2013/11/07/market-trends/series-multi-channel-cross-
channel-omni-channel-retailing-business-forms-12/1579
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
RFID is a globally accepted technology, which has a great success in the area of supply chain
management and particularly inventory management. Businesses benefit from this cost efficient
opportunity to scan and track inventories. The tracking of items with RFID devices is applied in a variety
of areas, such as retailing, healthcare and traffic management. In Retail industry RFID is helping retailers
around the world improve customer satisfaction and increase sales. The technology is transforming the
retail industry by offering retailers real-time visibility into inventory and product movement to improve
store productivity and loss prevention. Many of the world's largest retailers have mandated RFID
tagging. This move affects more than 200,000 manufacturers and suppliers, driving the worldwide
market for hardware and software to support RFID. RFID in Retail Industry is one day workshop to help
explain retailers and marketers best RFID practices, reducing out-of-stocks, automating inventory
management, boosting customer loyalty, customer personalization , presenting specific and proven
retail applications through case studies that help participants build their business cases and calculate
theirreturnon investment.
Someofthe advantagesof usingRFID in Retail industry
 Labour saving

12.  Improvedvendorcollaboration
 Expansionplansandmore affordable stores
 Theftdeterrent
 Supplychainvisibility
Impact of social Mediainretail Technology
Social media has changed the way we connect, share and shape relationships with people and
communities around the world. The online world is moving rapidly, and brands and retailers have
realized the importance of decoding the social networking scene and its users, while they decide how
theywill playtheirrole andgainmore presence inthe market.
Today, shoppers are connected to retailers and brands than ever before by interacting on Facebook and
Twitter, by sharing user-generated content, and even by creating videos and blog posts describing
products. This creates a new opportunity for brands and retailers to leverage social media across the
whole value chain. The challenge is determining the right time and approach to turn ongoing social
mediaconversationsintoanimprovedshoppingexperience avoidingthe clutter.
Also, the impact of customer feedback has never been stronger:it reaches companies much faster andit
spreads to a much broader audience with the advent of social media. The customer has never been so
empoweredinthe historyof retail.
http://www.shopperception.com/blog/the-impact-of-social-media-in-retail/
Mobile app with Cloudbased technologyin retail sector
Withtoday’sbuyersembracingthe mobile mindset,retailersneedtofigure outhow tobe a part
of thatmindsetina waythat is bothengagingandresponsive.Mobile applicationsallow retailers
to engage withconsumersvirtuallyanyplace andanytime,while cloudtechnologieshelpretailers
quicklyrespondtochangingconsumerexpectationswithaninfrastructure thatisbothflexibleand
scalable.Combined,theyare the enginesthatsupportaretailer’sconnectionwithanew consumer.
Mobile app Cloud based technology
Mobile applicationsare evolvingatan astounding Cloud-basedtechnologycanbreakdownbarriers

13. pace.The firstappsofferedsimplefunctionality,
such as an online catalogoraccess to a scaled-
back versionof the companywebsite.But,thatis
quicklychanging.Consumerswanttomanage their
dailylivesinthe contextof where theyare atthe
momentandwhat theyare doing.And,theywant
to have a little funwhile theydoit.
Many of the mobile applicationsavailable today
benefitthe traditional brick-and-mortarstoresby
improvingthe in-store experience ordrivingtraffic
to storeswithdiscounts.While it’shelpful to
provide productinformationandcoupons,
shoppersare lookingfora more useful,integrated
experience.
Consumershave sophisticatedexpectationsoften
setby the retailer’swebpresence,soitwill be
importantthatretailersprovide mobilecapabilities
that meetsuchneeds.It’snolongerenoughto
offeronline catalogsoptimizedformobilephones.
At a minimum,everyoneshouldbe able toaccess
the same ‘favorites’liststheycreatedonline,see
peerreviews,trackshipments,andorderproducts
directlyfromtheirphone.
Because there are manyapps nowcompetingfor
attention,aneffective mobilecommerce strategy
shouldinclude creatingacompellingexperience
for the consumer.The mobile appmustdeliver
whata userneedsnow,injusta clickor two,using
informationthey’ve alreadyprovided.Tobe
compelling,the experience needstonotonlybe
useful,butpersonal,fun,andoptimizedformobile
devices.
It’salso beneficial toofferamethodtocache
informationsothatuserdata issavedif the
consumermovesoutof signal coverage
to innovation,significantlyreducingthe costand
speedof experimentation.Itisa natural fitfor
retail,giventhe fastpace of change and seasonal
demandspikesof the business.Retailerscan
experimentwithnew applicationsandcampaigns
to reach mobile consumersbyturningupor down
servicesasneeded,avoidingthe expensive and
time-consumingcapital investmentsof in-house
services.
Specifically,Computingasa Service (CaaS) can
helpretailersavoidthe large costof capital
expensesinvolvedintechnologyprojectsand
reduce projectoperational costsandtime to
delivery.CaaScan offerintegratedsecurity,
automatedprovisioning,storage,andautomated
backupservicestosupportbusinesscontinuity.
Cloud-basedtechnologyalsotakesadvantage of
mobile andpublicnetworksforconnectivityand
service delivery.Whendata,information,and
serviceslive inthe cloud,theycanmore easily
follow anindividual whereverandwheneverthat
informationisrelevantormostneeded.
Informationnolongerneedstoreside onthe
device butcan be servedupdynamicallythrough
any Internetconnection.
http://www.verizonenterprise.com/resources/whitepapers/wp_near-future-of-retail_en_xg.pdf
Conclusion: It is apparent that retailers are now investing more than ever in technology. They are
demanding technologies to help them adapt to the ever-changing needs of their marketplace. They are
using every kind of technology available to reduce their cost of doing business, and to make them the
low cost provider. And finally, they are requiring a vast array of applications that will help them to take a

14. proactive approach to their relationship with retail consumers. Since retail technologies are readily
available in todays market place, and most of the products sold by different retailers are virtually
identical, the only true difference between retailers is their ability to use technology to manage their
businessandgive themthe competitiveedge.