514.258.9359
info@a2r.ca
Advantage2RetailAdvantage2RetailAdvantage2RetailAdvantage2Retail
  • Services
    • Retail Services
      • Consulting
      • Business Process Review & Optimization
      • Systems Implementation & Integration
      • Custom Software Development
      • Project Management
      • Training, Technical & User Support
      • IT Staffing
      • Outsourcing
    • JDA Expertise
    • E-Commerce Expertise
  • Solutions
    • Veras Retail Solutions
    • HighJump Retail Advantage
    • Jesta I.S. Vision Suite
    • Pivot88 Solutions
    • Beehivr Field Marketing Applications
    • Point of Sale Systems
      • Veras CheckOut
        • Veras Activate
        • Veras Control
        • Veras Extend
        • Veras Locate
        • Veras Reach
        • Veras Stock
      • Jesta I.S. Vision Store & Mobile
      • WinDSS In-Store System
    • Merchandise Management Systems
      • Jesta I.S. Vision Merchandising
      • JDA Merchandise Management System-I
    • Warehouse Management Systems
      • JDA Warehouse Management
      • HighJump Warehouse Management System
      • Jesta I.S. Vision DC
    • Analytical Tools
    • HR & Workforce Management
  • Industries
    • Retail
    • Distribution
  • Media
    • Blog
    • A2R News
    • Resources
    • Client Feedback
  • Company
    • About Us
    • Executives
    • Technology Partners
    • Careers
    • Contact
  • Support
  • English

Looking Forward: The State of Retail in 2018

    Home Mobile Looking Forward: The State of Retail in 2018
    NextPrevious

    Looking Forward: The State of Retail in 2018

    By Jasmine Glasheen | Mobile, Multi / Omnichannel, technology, Trends | 0 comment | 27 December, 2017 | 1

    Looking Forward: The State of Retail in 2018

    The countdown to 2018 is upon us. Retail has evolved significantly over the past year, which means that we’ve also seen multiple store closings from legacy retailers including: Staples, Banana Republic, Kmart, Sears, Gap, JCPenney, Ann Taylor, Teavana and Gymboree, among others. While uninspired reporters are calling this “the death of retail,” the truth of the matter is that we are witnessing the death of uninspired department stores and those who fail to get with the times. Innovation is more important than ever going into 2018, as is the importance of retailers selling via their customers preferred shopping channels.

    Nothing Less than Mobile-First

    More customers are shopping on mobile devices. Recode reports that 34 percent of online purchases will be made by mobile device this holiday season and that this year — for the first time ever — more purchases will be made on mobile device than desktop computer. This shift towards remote browsing calls for mobile-first website design from retailers of all shapes and sizes, since even customers who prefer shopping local want to check out brands for the first time on their smartphones.

    This Doesn’t Mean Retail Apps

    It is important to note, however, that mobile-first website design is a different proposition than building a branded shopping app. While shopping apps require a substantial up-front investment and may not be feasible for independent retailers, mobile-first design is a more economically feasible option. In fact, TechCrunch recently quoted a comScore study which found that most customers download zero apps per month. The majority of apps that customers do spend time on are social media, video, or messaging platforms. Very few customers actually download and regularly utilize branded shopping apps on their mobile phones.

    Legacy Retailers Will Shake It Up

    Ready for a broad, sweeping statement? Here goes: Specialization is the antidote to the massive discounting that’s been plaguing retailers’ margins. Legacy department store owners are awakening to the reality that customers just don’t shop the way they once did. As a result we will see more large retailers open specialty stores with nods towards wellness and creating a unique shopping experience. For instance, Nordstrom is branching out into service-only retail locations devoted to tailoring and personal shopping with its new concept store, Nordstrom Local. Nordstrom isn’t the only department store aboard the specialty retailing bandwagon: Retail Dive reports that Saks Fifth Avenue is opening three specialty stores including a 14,000 square foot shoe store, an equally grandiose store called “The Collective” devoted to women’s fashions, and a 6,000 square foot jewelry store dubbed “The Vault.” This begs the question of which will be the next legacy department store to realize the value of choosing a focus.

    A Few Closing Thoughts

    Retailers need not wait until they start losing customers to build a mobile-first website. Instead, invest in the verticals that are proven to bring brands up to speed now, to avoid getting left behind. It is all about specificity this year, so retailers need to figure out what they’re best at and choose that as their primary marketing focus for 2018.

    A Note from A2R:

    First, we would like to thank Jasmine for her hard work and dedication this year, she has brought a wealth of knowledge and insight to the A2R Retail Perspectives Blog, and we wish her well for 2018 and beyond, in her work with Retail Minded.

    bankruptcies, ecommerce, Mobile-first, retail, Store Closures, technology, trends

    Jasmine Glasheen

    Jasmine Glasheen is a Freelance Writer and Retail Strategist. She's been published on Retailwire, Independent Retailer, RetailMinded, CART, and many others. She was formerly the editor of Off-Price Retailing magazine and has been quoted both in Forbes and in RetailDive. When she’s philosophizing about the future of retail, you’ll find her brewing matcha tea or spelunking.

    More posts by Jasmine Glasheen

    Related Post

    • The New Normal: Consumer using a smartphone in a Retail Store with an Augmented Reality Overlay on their Device

      The New Normal

      By a2r_admin | 0 comment

      The New Normal: Currently: The Retail Industry is changing rapidly. More changes have occurred in the last five years than in the last fifty. E-Commerce has grown to record highs, and will grow by 50%Read more

    • The Retail Apocalypse

      By a2r_admin | 0 comment

      The Retail Apocalypse The Current State of the Retail Industry: Retail has been changing over the last five years, more so than over the last fifty years, due mostly to a change in the RetailRead more

    • Retail Survival 101

      By a2r_admin | 0 comment

      Retail Survival 101 Three things Retailers can do Today, to prepare for the Customer of Tomorrow Overview:   The Retail Industry has changed. The last five years have more greatly impacted the industry as aRead more

    • How Retailers Can Compete With E-Commerce Through Warehouse Fulfillment

      By Jasmine Glasheen | 0 comment

      How Retailers Can Compete With E-Commerce Through Warehouse Fulfillment   Competing with Online Giants: Retailers can combat being edged out by e-commerce by utilizing the latest innovations in warehouse fulfillment. As retail evolves, so mustRead more

    • 2016: State of the Retail Union

      By a2r_admin | 0 comment

      2016: State of the Retail Union Foreword: The current state of the Retail is one in flux. Retail has changed more in the last five years than it has in the last fifty. E-Commerce, theRead more

    NextPrevious
    • English

    Search

    Recent Posts

    • Join the fight to End Homelessness
    • The Future of Retail
    • Five Years of Support
    • Brick-and-Mortar Automation: The Death of the Retail Cashier?
    • How Smartphones and Social Media have forever changed the way Consumers Shop

    Archives

    • December 2019
    • July 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • August 2018
    • June 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • September 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • June 2015
    • April 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • February 2014
    • October 2013
    • August 2013
    • May 2013
    • October 2012
    • May 2012
    • March 2012
    • December 2011
    • October 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • November 2010
    • September 2010

    Categories

    • Analytics & Dashboards
    • artificial intelligence
    • Charity
    • Consulting
    • CRM
    • design
    • eCommerce
    • Financial
    • JDA
    • Loss Prevention
    • Loyalty & Social Media
    • Merchandising
    • Mobile
    • Multi / Omnichannel
    • News
    • Partnerships
    • Photo
    • Planning & Allocation
    • Point of Sale (POS)
    • RFID
    • robots
    • Social Media
    • Strategic Planning
    • technology
    • Trends
    • Uncategorized
    • virtual reality
    • Warehouse & Distribution Management
    • Workforce Management

    Recent Tweets

    • Distressed #retailers struggled with falling #sales for years — and then came #coronavirus https://t.co/wDRRZWa7bK… https://t.co/LzMGy0h4sJ

      3 years ago
    • #Temporary #closures could wipe out up to 50% of some #retailers' annual #profits, Cowen says… https://t.co/353i6pOXV5

      3 years ago
    • Plight of #Retail #Workers: ‘I’m Scared to Go to Work’ https://t.co/Y32NhI807X

      3 years ago

    Canada
    9378 De Lille,
    Montreal, Québec,
    H1Z 2P5

    Phone Number
    514.258.9359
    Email Address
    info@a2r.ca

    United States
    Galt Dr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308

    Phone Number
    954.229.4131
    Email Address
    info@advantage2retail.com

    Links

    • Services
    • Solutions
    • Industries
    • Media
    • Company
    • Support

    Featured News

    • Join the fight to End Homelessness

      Join the fight to end homelessness     The holiday season is

      4 December, 2019
    • The Future of Retail

      The Future of Retail For over a decade and a half, Advantage2Retail

      8 July, 2019
    • Five Years of Support

      Five Years of Support: You can help to put an end to

      4 December, 2018
    © 2017 Advantage 2 Retail | Tous droits réservés.
    • Services
      • Retail Services
        • Consulting
        • Business Process Review & Optimization
        • Systems Implementation & Integration
        • Custom Software Development
        • Project Management
        • Training, Technical & User Support
        • IT Staffing
        • Outsourcing
      • JDA Expertise
      • E-Commerce Expertise
    • Solutions
      • Veras Retail Solutions
      • HighJump Retail Advantage
      • Jesta I.S. Vision Suite
      • Pivot88 Solutions
      • Beehivr Field Marketing Applications
      • Point of Sale Systems
        • Veras CheckOut
          • Veras Activate
          • Veras Control
          • Veras Extend
          • Veras Locate
          • Veras Reach
          • Veras Stock
        • Jesta I.S. Vision Store & Mobile
        • WinDSS In-Store System
      • Merchandise Management Systems
        • Jesta I.S. Vision Merchandising
        • JDA Merchandise Management System-I
      • Warehouse Management Systems
        • JDA Warehouse Management
        • HighJump Warehouse Management System
        • Jesta I.S. Vision DC
      • Analytical Tools
      • HR & Workforce Management
    • Industries
      • Retail
      • Distribution
    • Media
      • Blog
      • A2R News
      • Resources
      • Client Feedback
    • Company
      • About Us
      • Executives
      • Technology Partners
      • Careers
      • Contact
    • Support
    • English
    Advantage2Retail