Category: CPG
The Power of Voice
June 10, 2018
Consumers are certainly getting vocal. As shopping continues to evolve from brick-and-mortar stores to computers to smartphones and, now, to voice-activated devices like Amazon Echo, conversational commerce is gaining popularity due to its ease, allowing us to shop using just our voice. And as a result, recent studies predict: 1.8 billion people will use […]
7 Retail Trends That Will Dominate 2018
June 10, 2018
If you thought retail was hot in 2017, you are correct. And this sector is poised to get downright sultry in 2018. This year, several technology trends are already dominating headlines, proving retail and tech have become enmeshed. All of this year’s top trends focus on making retail strategies more customer-centric, including knowing customers more […]
2017 Retail Trends Roundup
June 10, 2018
At the beginning of 2018, I revisited my predictions of 6 trends that will reinvent retail in 2017 to see whether they actually came true. This review shows retailers and suppliers proof of industry trends, so they can feel more certain of market influences, and address them in their 2018 business strategies. Here are my […]
Retail Gets Phygital: Part 2
June 10, 2018
In the U.S. and around the world, e-commerce continues expanding its influence. According to the National Retail Federation, online and other non-store sales grew more than 10% compared to this time last year.1 That strong growth helps explain why more brick-and-mortar retailers want to get in on the e-commerce action. Recent global headlines have focused […]
Retail Gets Phygital: Part 1
June 10, 2018
To win in retail, more online retailers are realizing that only having a popular e-commerce website will no longer suffice. Leading online retailers understand they now need a ‘phygital’ presence – physical stores to complement their digital offerings – to meet shoppers’ omnichannel expectations. Amid today’s relentless retail disruption, savvy retailers are investing in delivering […]
Hemp-Based Wellness Goes Mainstream
June 10, 2018
Hemp is hot – and its soaring popularity impacts multiple retail markets. No longer associated with Cheech and Chong or excessive use of the word ‘dude,’ hemp-based products earned $170 million in sales last year, according to market research firm Brightfield Group.1 The U.S. is the largest consumer market for hemp products worldwide, and the […]
Infographic: Supply Chain Reinvention – 2007 vs. 2017
June 10, 2018
In today’s intense retail sector, competition now takes place not just between retail companies, but entire supply chains. Comparing the supply chain of a decade ago to the supply chain of today, we see that retailers and suppliers now use multiple approaches to gain agility, efficiency and a competitive edge by serving shoppers better. See […]
Retailtainment Inspires Shoppers to See What’s in Store
June 10, 2018
This year, retailers are putting the experience back in ‘customer experience.’ To boost in-store traffic, sales, and favorable word of mouth, U.S. retailers are investing in a blend of shopping and entertainment, or, as they are calling it, retailtainment. A provocative combination, retailtainment gives retailers a refreshing magnetism that pulls shoppers into stores by offering […]
6 Culinary Trends Spicing Up Grocery
June 10, 2018
Driven by the need for nourishment and novelty, Americans are passionate about great food. Millennials in particular are fuelling an extreme grocery makeover, as half of these young adults–who represent an eighth of the entire U.S. population–say they are enthusiastic foodies. Each month Millennials spend an average of $797 on groceries, more than any other […]
Artisan Sales Soar as Consumers Invest in Quality
June 10, 2018
From beer to beauty, artisan products – goods made in small batches to reflect high-quality craftsmanship and care – are extremely popular among consumers right now. Unlike mainstream and mass-produced products, artisan products represent unique, affordable luxuries made with mastery. Millennials drive artisan sales Artisan products are a hit among Millennials, as this powerful cohort […]
12 Ways Small Retail Companies Can Win Big
June 10, 2018
Small is mighty. Smaller consumer goods suppliers and retailers have an enormous edge in today’s evolving market. For instance, a new report found that Millennials favor small food companies, which have gained market share in 62% of the top 50 packaged food categories.1 In the cosmetics and baby categories, small companies that sell natural and […]
Infographic: The Explosive Growth In Retail Technology
June 10, 2018
It’s not your imagination. The speed of innovation within retail has accelerated at a blistering pace in recent years. In this disruptive sector, companies that invest in retail technology to meet consumer expectations succeed by gaining a competitive edge. For a recent history of how retail technology has shaped how we shop, see the full […]
Small is Big. Here’s Proof.
March 25, 2018
Smaller suppliers and retailers, it’s your time. These companies have many reasons to feel hopeful, as their offerings exactly match many emerging market trends. The following trends prove small is in demand and, in several areas, how small companies can make a big impact. Retail Reinvention as Opportunity Market disruption means new opportunities for small […]
7 Tech Trends Empowering Shoppers
March 25, 2018
More than ever, consumers demand to be seen, heard and informed. Today’s increasingly assertive shoppers embrace technology trends that democratize the marketplace and allow them to add their voices to the disruptive and noisy retail sector. Innovation gives shoppers greater power. Deloitte notes, “Empowered by social networks and digital devices, consumers … have become both […]
Grocery E-Commerce Set to Surge
November 20, 2017
Although the overwhelming majority of grocery shopping currently takes place in physical stores, experts suggest this pattern will change in the next decade, as grocery e-commerce is poised to boom in the next decade. In the U.S., online grocery shopping could grow five-fold to $100 billion by 2025, according to new research by Food Marketing […]
4 Agility-Boosting B2B Retail Tech Trends
June 30, 2017
In the intensely competitive retail market, technology investments (or lack thereof) can make a company flourish or fail. Retail companies no longer compete against their peers – they compete against their peers’ entire supply chains. Today’s winning retailers and suppliers adopt technologies to modernize and intertwine their operations with those of their retail trading partners […]
7 Retail Lessons From NRF’s Big Show
June 30, 2017
Earlier this year, 33,000 people, including retailers, suppliers and technology experts gathered at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show 2017 in New York, the biggest retail trade show of the year. Here are seven lessons they learned about the trends disrupting the retail landscape – and how to prepare for emerging trends. 1. Be […]
How Big Data Helps Retail Companies See the Future
June 30, 2017
Knowledge is power — and it can boost your retail profitability. To accurately anticipate shopping trends this year, more retail companies will invest in predictive analytics, the big data equivalent of a crystal ball. Predictive analytics represent a popular area of big data that uses historical data to forecast future outcomes. In fact, many experts […]
2017 Retail Trendspotting
January 16, 2017
In 2017, these 6 trends will reinvent retail: Artisan and culinary products Retailtainment Phygital expansion Predictive analytics Retail tech innovation Small is big See the full article.
6 Trends That Will Reinvent Retail in 2017
January 16, 2017
In 2017, retail will be riveting and relevant. Stemming from last year’s push toward personalized experiences, this year’s hottest retail trends will elevate the customer experience with superior quality products and build closer relationships with consumers so companies can confidently deliver what shoppers want. The following predictions reflect what retail and consumer goods companies need […]