Retail Predictions: 5 Pre-Pandemic Projections That Are Remarkable in Retrospect
At the start of 2020, analysts, journalists, CEOs, and others were busy making retail predictions for the year to come. On one hand, you’d think that those retail predictions would now be as outdated as all-you-can-eat buffets, large crowds in small spaces, and handshakes. But on the other, everyone seems to be saying that when […]
RFID in Food Retail: Will Stores Bite?
RFID technology—short for “radio-frequency identification”—is often associated with controlling inventory and reducing theft. It uses electromagnetic fields to identify and track tags that have been attached to different items. RFID in retail means the item might set off an alarm if someone tries to lift it from a store. But it also means the item […]
5 Ingredients That Make Kroger a Customer Favorite in the Food Retail Industry
Customer delight on aisle three! The Kroger Co., the Cincinnati-based, largest pure-play supermarket chain in the country, had more than 2,750 stores as of early 2020. Despite its reach, however, the chain has also been known for something else: being a consumer favorite in the food retail industry. As with other large chains, that may […]
Retail Industry Trends: Make a List and Check it Twice for a Successful Holiday Season
Before we can say 2020 is a “wrap,” there’s still shopping to be done. The challenge? For many, the impending holiday season feels a bit like the rest of year: rife with uncertainty, ongoing changes and unfamiliar situations. Retailers and consumers alike are facing things they could never have previously imagined. Retail industry analysis shows […]
5 Key Takeaways from CB4’s NRF 2020 Big Ideas Panel
It wasn’t long ago that eyebrows went up at the thought of effectively using artificial intelligence in the store environment. Today, however, there’s increasing understanding that having a well-run store with a superb customer experience is essential—and AI can be the vehicle that helps deliver it. Yoni Benshaul, CEO of CB4, opened our Exhibitor Big […]
CB4’s 1st Annual Grocery Store Loyalty Awards
There are plenty of reasons why shoppers choose a particular grocer: convenience, price, and product selection among them. But in this highly competitive landscape, a unique loyalty program is another way to differentiate your chain from your competitors. Over the past year, CB4 has watched with excitement as grocers have continued to innovate with top […]
The Rise of the Grocery CX Officer & Implications for the Industry
Frustration in aisle 7? A recent CB4 survey of more than 1,000 U.S. grocery shoppers found that when these consumers can’t find an item they want, more than half will ask a sales associate. But nearly as many shoppers (49%) admit they’ve headed to a local competitor instead. In recent years, the retail industry has […]
How International Retailers are Digitizing Customer Experience
US brick-and-mortar retailers at the shores of transformative customer experience innovations might be hesitant to dive in. But that ocean is wide and deep—ranging from solutions that improve operational efficiencies to those that put AI at the forefront of a brand’s interactions with consumers. Here’s a peek at four cutting-edge retail innovations rising to the […]
How Top Retailers Use Mobile Tech to Boost Employee Motivation
Engaged, inspired employees can make all the difference in the brick-and-mortar environment. But there’s a twist on that road to employee motivation. Creating the right employee experience may well include arming associates with mobile devices to keep pace with their ever more knowledgeable customers. It wasn’t that long ago that mobile devices were considered anything […]
Kohl’s x CB4 NRF Panel: How to Satisfy Mission-Driven Shoppers
Kohl’s VP of Technology, Shweta Bhatia heads up the retailer’s in-store learning labs. These labs test innovative technology solutions and then scale them across Kohl’s entire chain of 1,000+ stores. Bhatia had this to say about her philosophy: “We focus on two things: Keeping it simple and making it actionable. Making it simple is the […]
