This is our final post of the year and we’ll look at what the experts are predicting for 2017 in retail and e-commerce. Steve Rothwell, founder and CTO of Eagle Eye Solutions expects machine learning and data to be important in the new year. Jamie Merrick, head of industry insights at Salesforce Commerce Cloud says it’s all about shoppers and delivery. Patrick Gallagher, chief executive of On the dot says Black Friday delivery patterns will continue throughout the year.
Software AG expects retailers will have to continue to match Amazon’s sales and fulfillment model. Forbes says luxury and fashion retailers need to pay attention to artificial intelligence, virtual reality and blockchain as emerging technologies. Instagram’s Jim Squires has seven predictions, starting with the continued importance of mobile in 2017.
Further e-commerce growth and consumer expectations for easy product returns will impact retailers, according to ITProPortal. Rupal Karia, Managing Director of Retail and Hospitality at Fujitsu UK highlights automation and personalization as key trends. Andrew Pearl, strategy director EMEA, Profitero, looks for mobile and delivery to have big impact on e-commerce. CXOtoday.com expects a shift in focus for e-commerce from the US to SE Asia. Bruce Clayton, co-founder and director at Optimus, says businesses should focus on global e-commerce in 2017. While virtual reality was big in 2016, Lifesize senior director of product management Josh Duncan expects Wi-Fi powered devices to be important in 2017.
2017 RETAIL PREDICTIONS From data to delivery – InternetRetailing
As 2016 draws to a close we’re taking a moment to look ahead to what the New Year will bring for ecommerce and multichannel retailers. Here, contributors from across the industry tell us which trends and technologies they believe will be important in 2017 – and why.
Steve Rothwell, founder and CTO of Eagle Eye Solutions, focuses on machine learning and the importance of data. Jamie Merrick, head of industry insights at Salesforce Commerce Cloud says it’s all about shoppers and delivery. Patrick Gallagher, chief executive of On the dot – a CitySprint [IRDX VCSP] brand – says delivery patterns seen on Black Friday will be reproduced over the year ahead. Via InternetRetailing
Six Disruptive Digital Trends Retailers Must Address in 2017
Software AG today released it’s top six predictions for the retail industry in 2017, building on the company’s predictions from 2016, all of which proved remarkably accurate. Retailers will again strive to match Amazon’s sales and fulfillment model, engage new channels, geek up their stores, and use technology to refine inventory management and anticipate customer desires in 2017.
Oliver Guy, Software AG’s Global Industry Director for Retail, noted: “Retailers will again strive to match Amazon’s sales and fulfillment model, engage new channels, geek up their stores, and use technology to refine inventory management and anticipate customer desires in 2017.“
New Tribes of the Amazon-ization
There will be further “Amazonization” of retail, with new market entrants – as well as existing retailers – finding new ways to sell, fulfill and deliver products to eager, often impatient, consumers. Via businesswire.com
8 Tech Trends That Will Shape the Future of Fashion and Luxury Retail In 2017
The fashion industry – from your department store to your luxury boutique – is undergoing significant change at the hands of the digital revolution. That’s not new in concept. Neither, mind you, is talking about things like artificial intelligence, virtual reality or blockchain as emerging technologies.
Put those two together however, and things start getting interesting. Broad business adoption of machine learning (for instance) is one thing, but in the context of the impact that then has on shopping, we start to be able to see what the future might look like….
This isn’t a list that pushes the likes of mobile or omnichannel strategy, no matter how far off retailers actually are from achieving the latter particularly, nor is it a focus on areas including the fashion week cycle or sustainability, despite how important these are to shifting business strategy. Rather it’s an opportunity to remind yourself of some of the key things to think about from a digital marketing and tech perspective as you head into the New Year. If 2016 is anything to go by, it’s set to be an interesting one… Via forbes.com
Instagram’s Jim Squires Shares 7 Predictions for SMBs in 2017
Small and midsized businesses have increasingly turned to Instagram as a resource to promote their brands, and Jim Squires, director of market operations at the Facebook-owned photo- and video-sharing network, shared his seven predictions for the SMB sector in 2017 with SocialTimes.
The shift to mobile will continue: It’s no secret that people love their mobile devices, with American consumers now spending three hours per day on their mobile devices, according to eMarketer. In fact, shopping on mobile reached record highs this holiday season, with Black Friday becoming the first day in retail history to drive more than $1 billion in mobile revenue at $1.2 billion, up 33 percent over last year. Customers are increasingly turning to mobile, so small businesses need to, as well. The good news is that reaching customers via mobile is becoming simpler than ever. If SMBs have a smartphone and an Instagram business profile, they have all the tools they need. Via adweek.com
7 key trends for retail in 2017
From the explosive growth of e-commerce to heightened pressure to meet consumer expectations of relaxed return policies to increased buyer remorse, the retail sector continues to remain volatile and unpredictable. As we’ve seen this year with the closure of BHS, even the largest retailers are not safe, whilst the fluctuating value of the pound following the EU referendum has put extra strain on the industry. Howard Rosenberg, CEO of B-Stock Solutions reveals his predictions for the retail sector in 2017.
1) E-commerce will take centre stage
One of the most noticeable trends from 2016 has been the continued growth of e-commerce, which is set to gather pace in 2017: online sales are expected to rise 15 per cent. This growth reflects how consumer attitudes to retail are shifting: consumers are moving away from the need to touch and try products on before they buy in favour of the convenience and autonomy of the 24/7 shopping experience. Via itproportal.com
Guest comment: Fujitsu’s Retail Predictions for 2017
Rupal Karia, Managing Director of Retail and Hospitality, UK and Ireland at Fujitsu, shares his top five predictions for the retail sector in 2017.
These include:
1. Automation, the customer experience enabler
2. Continued focus on personalization
3. Co-creation for a collaborative nation
4. Curating an all-encompassing one-stop destination
5. The days of tilling are numbered Via netimperative.com
Profitero has nine top predictions for e-commerce in 2017
Andrew Pearl, strategy director EMEA, Profitero, has nine top predictions for e-commerce in 2017:
1. Mobile’s continued ascendancy – mobile already accounts for the majority of search terms and ecommerce transactions in the UK. It’s growth will fundamentally alter the way brands and retailers lay out the digital shelf – specifically through mobile-ready product content and mobile-optimised search algorithms.
2. Delivery will be the key battle ground – a balancing act for retailers – necessity of offering innovative same-day/1-hour deliveries versus growing supply chain costs. Expect ‘same day’ to become standard as well as the rise of Click & Collect in UK and across Europe.
3. Analysis for growth – an absolute necessity – Amazon’s influence will drive traditional brick-and-mortar retailers to increase their digital capabilities across all areas of the digital shelf. A move to predictive analytics for availability, pricing and sales. Via retailtimes.co.uk
9 E-Commerce Trends You Can’t Ignore In 2017 – CXOtoday.com
With 2017 looming, it’s time once again to understand what to expect from the e-commerce sector, what’s expected to change in the next one year and how these changes may affect etailers make the leap in the business.
Here are some of the top e-commerce trends to watch out in 2017.
Trend 1: Ecommerce focus shifts to Asia
During the initial years of eCommerce, US was the clear growth driver. Though US still forms the largest market, the season has changed now with the shift drifting towards Asia.
“We now increase our 2020 estimate (of India’s ecommerce market) from $102 billion to $119 billion,” Morgan Stanley Research said in a report. “This takes our estimate of the total Indian Internet market size from $137 billion to $159 billion (now including online food aggregation business).” Via cxotoday.com
PI Predictions: E-commerce Will Go Global
Bruce Clayton, co-founder and director at Optimus, explains why businesses should focus on global e-commerce in 2017.
In such uncertain times, making predictions seems almost a little dangerous. Who could have predicted Brexit and the election victory of Donald Trump in the same year? Yet, if we were pushed to provide a prediction, we are encouraging our clients to look into export markets for new sales opportunities. Globalisation is a trend that’s here to stay, and that means plenty of sales opportunities in fast-growing markets outside of the UK.
Already we are seeing growth in traffic from countries outside of the UK across our entire portfolio. We predict online sales to export countries will increase and we have the chance to take advantage of this by making e-commerce sites export-friendly. That means accepting a wide variety of payment forms and currencies, as well as offering door-to-door delivery options plus a convenient return policy. Via performancein.com
2017 channel predictions
2016 was the year that saw a lot of what had, for many, only ever been a sci-fi pipedream, come true in houses around the country. Virtual reality (VR) made its mainstream bow through a multi-million pound PlayStation VR ad campaign and with the retail releases of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive headsets.
Similarly, smart home tech that had threatened to break through into the mainstream for some time, finally reached an affordability for retailers to consider it as more than just a niche and for consumers to consider propelling their houses headfirst into the bright future.
So what does the channel think will be the big thing for the next year?
“One of the most exciting technology solutions that is poised to emerge in 2017 is Wi-Fi powered devices,” says Lifesize senior director of product management Josh Duncan. “This technology will allow the deployment of smart sensors that do not need power adaptors or batteries. Via pcr-online.biz
That’s a wrap for 2016
That wraps up our first full year delivering Cashback Industry News and highlights in e-commerce, retail, mobile, technology and online marketing. We’re thrilled with the support of our subscribers and readers and we wish you all a warm and happy holidays with family and friends. We look forward to reconnecting with you again in early January.