As more retailers strive to improve the in-store shopping experience, many are embracing advanced technologies to better meet their customers’ needs. These include replacing traditional POS devices with iPads, providing interactive and more engaging mobile apps, a focus on community feedback for product development, and much more. Retailers discussed their latest customer-focused technology plans and challenges at the National Retail Federation (NRF) annual NRFtech summit, held August 12-14 in San Diego.

On opening day, Vicki Cantrell, SVP of Communities and Shop.org Executive Director  for NRF, highlighted two key challenges facing every CIO today: access to influence and talent.
                                
“Around the world, the retail industry has come closer to achieving true omnipresence as the long-awaited convergence of in-store, online and mobile shopping finally has become a reality,” Cantrell said. “With these changes come challenges for CIOs. As technology becomes more important to every aspect of the retail business, and your departments serve as the bridge between the in-store, online and mobile channels, you have found yourselves battling for something I call IT for short ― influence and talent.”

Retailers have geared up for the back-to-school season (BTS) by rolling out interactive marketing strategies, mobile applications, and new products to increase foot traffic and sales. In-store and online merchants who can pique the interest of students and their parents are poised for financial success, according to new research from Deloitte Consulting.

Findings from Deloitte’s 2012 Back-to-School Survey revealed that a vast majority (88%) of consumers expect to spend more or the same amount on BTS as they did in 2011.

This is Part I of the Retail TouchPoints two-part Back-To-School report. This feature highlights strategies, spending trends and predictions for the new school year. Part II, appearing in the August 21 newsletter, will focus on back-to-college trends and BTS money-saving options from Rite Aid, Kmart, Staples and Macy’s.

Retailers continue to seek innovative ways to communicate with consumers to build a compelling cross-channel shopping experience. To help deliver personalized messages, most retailers deploy mobile and social marketing strategies that integrate with e-Commerce sites. This integration offers consumers the capability to connect with brands across their channel of preference to make purchases for timely events, such as the back-to-school (BTS) shopping season.

The 2012 BTS shopping season has the potential to bring in record sales for smart retailers, if industry predictions are correct. In general, BTS is “the second biggest consumer spending event for retailers behind the winter holidays,” according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) in its 2012 BTS spending survey, conducted by BIGinsight.

Other industry sources support this prediction but differ in their forecasts regarding the overall BTS shopping window for 2012 and the role of e-Commerce: Outlooks range from shoppers getting an early start, to delay of completion. They also predict an increase in online spending for BTS clothing and supplies, to using the Internet for showcasing only, with purchases made in-store.