2012 was a year when the bad news just kept coming. High Street names like Comet, Blacks Leisure, Game Group, Peacocks, Clinton Cards, Thorntons and JJB Sports all suffered serious, sometimes terminal trading difficulties
There is no doubt that multi-channel is the present and future of every major retailer on Britain’s High Streets today. The future of multi-channel will see retailers respond to showrooming by turning their stores into interactive showcases for products
It was much hyped as ‘the year of mobile’ and it seems that 2012 was indeed the year that m-commerce became an integral channel for many retailers, writes Wayne Tuckfield Many are now predicting that mobile visits to retail sites will overtake desktop in the next year
Many retailers have addressed the multi-channel basics says IBM, but are they exploiting its true potential? Ellie Robinson investigates how retailers can harness the barrage of information produced across all outlets and use it to drive long-term growth in sales, profits and customer satisfaction
Mobile devices have resulted in the creation of an empowered and knowledgable consumer, which is driving great change in the way retailers interact with them. Glynn Davis peers into the future to find out what will keep these new age shoppers engaged
There is no escaping the term Big Data when it comes to choosing a Business Intelligence solution. Glynn Davis wades through the jargon to find out how retailers cope with this growing mountain of data
It’s easy to forget how quickly wireless internet access has become a near universal expectation. But although cafes and city centres have launched WiFi facilities, retailers have hesitated until now. Dave Adams finds out why
Gartner has described the rise of BYOD schemes as the single most radical shift in the economics of client computing for business since the inception of PCs. Hannah Prevett finds out how retailers are utilising these schemes
A knowledgable workforce is very important, especially for speciality retailers where customers rely on the staff’s expertise. However time out for training courses can eat into retailers’ staffing levels and their margins. Ellie Robinson asks; could mobile e-learning be the answer?
Making sure your staff are in the right place at the right time is vital for any retailer and in today’s competitive market the need to stand out from the crowd is becoming ever greater. Wayne Tuckfield investigates how workforce management technology can help retail stores run more efficiently
The huge appeal of cloud computing is undeniable, but what is it that’s drawing retailers towards this kind of technology? Is it the agility cloud promises or is it the cost and time savings it delivers? Karen Moss finds out
Sudden spikes in demand for a product can still catch out even big names. Graham Buck examines the importance of merchandise planning in preventing empty spaces on shelves
Like it or not, all retailers will be using cloud computing in the future. But will they opt for the traditional IT outsourcing companies, or the new kids on the block, such as Amazon and Google? Glynn Davis reports
With the boom in digital signage, kiosks and mobile devices for staff, the way retailers engage with their customers in-store has changed dramatically in a very short time. Ellie Robinson investigates
Many retailers find the requirements for PCI compliance confusing. But even more worryingly there are some who adopt a ‘tick box’ approach rather than addressing real security issues, writes Liz Morrell
