In order to be successful in today’s omnichannel retail marketplace, merchants must collect information from numerous internal and external sources, then analyze that data. New solutions can help to optimize incoming data in order to deliver the business intelligence and analytics needed to move retail businesses successfully into the future. This section offers feature articles, special reports, industry viewpoints and the latest news to help retailers make sense out of the growing influx of information.

To keep up with consumers’ digital advances, retailers are becoming savvier, implementing strategies and programs via smartphones, tablets and other digital venues. Digital marketing can take the form of push messaging, in-store digital signage, location-based promotions, email messaging and much more. Smart marketers are working on complete strategies that include the best new digital solutions in addition to tried-and-true traditional methods. This section will guide retailers down the path to digital marketing success.

Supply chain challenges are mounting for many retailers, especially those operating in multiple regions of the country and abroad. Consumers expect to be able to order and purchase products via any channel, then have them delivered to their channel of choice – and quickly! New technologies are providing the ways and means for merchants to deliver on the promise of omnichannel excellence. Now retailers must find the best ways to implement new solutions to stay competitive.

It’s no longer OK to price a product once and mark it down once. Retail pricing is now a volatile area in retail. Often, merchants must be on their toes and ready at a moment’s notice to update product prices in order to remain competitive. New pricing solutions are helping retailers determine initial product pricing, then figure out how to adjust and readjust pricing during the entire product lifecycle.

The stakes have gotten higher when it comes to protecting consumer data. Some highly publicized, significant data breaches have motivated retailers and solution providers to rethink their approaches to data security. It’s a constant challenge to stay ahead of hackers and other criminals, but it’s also an industry mandate. Find out more about new solutions and how to keep up with PCI compliance here.

Social means so much more than a Facebook page or a Tweet these days. Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest — to name a few — are making their mark on the retail marketplace. But are they short-term trends or do they have the staying power to become long-term solutions? What are the best approaches for retailers? What does the future hold? These and other key questions are asked and answered in this section.