Paul Frampton, president of marketing consultancy CvE, perhaps put it best when he said, “First-party data is pure gold. When you collect data directly from your audience, you’re getting the most accurate and reliable data points.” It’s not just hype—first-party data offers retailers a direct line to their customers’ preferences and behaviors. When leveraged correctly, it can lead to highly personalized marketing campaigns, stronger customer loyalty, and measurable returns on investment (ROI). But how do retailers turn this data into gold?

What is First-Party Data?

First-party data refers to information collected directly from customers through interactions across various touchpoints, such as websites, apps, and in-store purchases. Unlike third-party data, which is often aggregated and sold by external companies, first-party data is owned by the retailer and offers rich, direct insights into consumer behaviors.

“First-party data is not just about having numbers on a spreadsheet,” Frampton explained. “It’s about understanding who your customers are, what they care about, and how they behave at every stage of the purchase journey.”

With first-party data, retailers can tap into detailed insights such as what products customers are browsing, which promotions drive engagement, and how often a particular customer visits the store or engages with the brand online. This level of granularity is a goldmine for creating personalized experiences that resonate with customers on a deeper level than generalized, cookie-driven advertising ever could.

The End of Third-Party Cookies: A Catalyst for Change

The shift to first-party data has been driven largely by the impending demise of third-party cookies, long a backbone of digital advertising. Google’s decision to phase out third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, combined with Apple’s move to block third-party tracking on Safari, has left retailers scrambling for alternatives. This has made first-party data all the more crucial.

“With third-party cookies going away, retailers can no longer rely on external data to target customers,” said Rob Taylor, Global Content Manager at Criteo. “First-party data (could be) your golden ticket to maintaining targeted marketing in a cookieless world.”

Third-party cookies enabled advertisers to track users across websites and serve them relevant ads based on their browsing history. However, with privacy concerns and regulatory pressures mounting, the ability to track users across the web is diminishing. As a result, retailers are turning to first-party data to fill the gap and power more direct, consent-based marketing strategies.

Retail Media: A New Revenue Stream

One of the most exciting applications of first-party data for retailers is its use in retail media. Retail media refers to the ad space that retailers can sell to brands, leveraging their customer data to create highly targeted advertising opportunities. Retailers like Amazon and Walmart have pioneered this space, using their vast amounts of first-party data to serve ads both on their platforms and across the broader web.

“Retail media is fast becoming one of the most lucrative revenue streams for retailers,” said Suzanna Stevens, brand sales director at Adstra. “By leveraging their first-party data, retailers can offer advertisers unique insights into customer behavior that they simply can’t get anywhere else.”

The retail media landscape is booming, with global revenue expected to reach $100 billion in the next five years. But it’s not just the big players like Amazon and Walmart that stand to benefit. Smaller retailers, too, can carve out a niche by leveraging their own first-party data to offer advertisers tailored, hyper-relevant ad placements.

However, with over 100 retail media networks operating in the U.S. alone, the challenge lies in standing out. “Standardization will take time,” Frampton noted, “but the key to long-term success in retail media is building trust with advertisers and ensuring that the data is both accurate and actionable.”

Personalization: The True Value of First-Party Data

At the heart of first-party data is its ability to enable personalization—one of the most sought-after goals in modern marketing. With the right data, retailers can deliver tailored experiences that feel relevant to the individual customer, rather than generic campaigns aimed at a broad audience.

“Consumers willingly trade their information for more relevant, personalized experiences,” Frampton pointed out. First-party data allows retailers to do just that—whether it’s recommending products based on previous purchases, sending personalized discounts, or tailoring email campaigns to specific behaviors.

Take the example of Colgate-Palmolive, which redesigned its consumer-facing websites and apps to make it easier to collect first-party data. The company uses this data not only for transactional insights but also to understand how customers interact with their content and what they’re searching for. According to Brigitte King, Chief Digital Officer at Colgate-Palmolive, “The advent of the DTC [direct-to-consumer] model gives us access to first-party data sets we never knew we could have before.” This allows Colgate to provide more personalized experiences and build stronger customer relationships.

Data Integration: A Critical Challenge

Collecting first-party data is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in integrating and activating that data to deliver a seamless customer experience. Many retailers struggle with data fragmentation, where customer data is scattered across multiple systems, making it difficult to create a unified view of the customer.

“You need somewhere to safely store your data and a way to engineer it so that it becomes your center of truth,” said King. This is where technologies like Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) come into play, allowing retailers to centralize their first-party data and make it accessible for marketing, analytics, and sales teams.

By integrating data across channels—online and offline—retailers can create a 360-degree view of the customer. This not only improves personalization but also helps with measuring the effectiveness of marketing efforts. As Frampton noted, “Measurement is key to proving the ROI of first-party data-driven campaigns, but it requires integrating data from multiple touchpoints.”

The Path Forward: Building a First-Party Data Strategy

For retailers looking to harness the power of first-party data, the time to act is now. As privacy regulations tighten and third-party cookies phase out, first-party data will become even more critical for personalized marketing and targeted advertising.

To build an effective first-party data strategy, retailers should begin by identifying their data sources, ensuring they have the right tools to manage and analyze that data. It’s equally important to focus on creating a value exchange with customers—offering personalized experiences, exclusive content, or special offers in return for their data.

“Data collection is just the first step,” explained Taylor. “You need to activate that data in a way that creates real value for both the customer and the business.” This means not only having the right technology in place but also ensuring that data is collected ethically and in compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.

A Golden Opportunity for Retail Marketers

First-party data represents a golden opportunity for retail marketers. It offers the ability to create personalized, relevant customer experiences, drive targeted advertising, and generate new revenue streams through retail media. However, turning this data into real value requires a strategic approach—one that integrates data across touchpoints, complies with privacy regulations, and focuses on delivering a seamless, personalized experience.

As Frampton summed it up, “Perfect data doesn’t exist, but first-party data gets us closer to building long-term relationships with customers.” In an increasingly cookieless world, first-party data is not just a marketing tool—it’s the gold standard for future-proofing retail strategies.

The Power of Cultural Connection

Collins’ latest insights focus on what he terms the “Beyoncé Effect” — the ability of brands to forge deep, lasting connections with consumers by tapping into cultural currents. “Like Beyoncé, brands can cultivate a devout following by resonating deeply with their audience’s values,” Collins explains. This connection goes beyond traditional marketing tactics, influencing what consumers buy and how they perceive their identities about brands.

Why Cultural Strategy Matters in Retail

Collins underscores the importance of cultural strategy in retail, emphasizing how understanding cultural dynamics can elevate a brand from a mere participant in the market to a cultural icon. “It’s about seeing the brand as a living cultural agent that both influences and is influenced by the cultural zeitgeist,” he states.

Patagonia: A Case Study in Cultural Strategy

Highlighting Patagonia as a model, Collins details how the outdoor apparel giant has successfully harnessed cultural strategy. “Patagonia knows who they are and whom they serve. Their clear cultural compass guides everything from product development to marketing, ensuring they connect with consumers who share their values on environmental stewardship,” says Collins. This deep alignment with consumer beliefs has bolstered their brand loyalty and set a benchmark in the industry for how brands can integrate advocacy into their business model effectively.

Learning from Beyoncé: Transcending Product to Cultural Icon

Drawing parallels to the music industry, Collins elaborates on how retailers can learn from artists like Beyoncé, who seamlessly blends her music career with broader cultural expressions of feminism and empowerment. “Retailers can similarly move their brands beyond the confines of traditional marketing by embedding themselves into cultural conversations that matter to their audience,” he suggests.

Strategic Takeaways for Retail Marketers and Executives

For retail executives, the lesson is clear: Integrating cultural understanding with business strategies is crucial. Collins advises investing in cultural research and understanding deeper consumer insights. “It’s not just about who your customers are demographically, but what they care deeply about. What drives their decisions and loyalty is often tied to these cultural underpinnings,” he notes.

Navigating Challenges in Cultural Marketing

However, Collins also warns of the pitfalls of misaligned cultural marketing. “Brands often falter by jumping on cultural trends without a genuine connection to their identity. It’s about contributing to the culture, not just taking from it,” he cautions. This approach requires a delicate balance of authenticity and strategic marketing that resonates with the core values of the target audience.

The Future of Retail: Cultivating Deeper Connections

The future of retail is not just about adopting new technologies or jumping on the latest e-commerce trends; it’s increasingly about how deeply a brand understands and integrates into the cultural fabric of its customers. Dr. Collins predicts successful retailers will use cultural insights to forge more meaningful consumer connections. These brands will not just sell products but will become integral parts of their customers’ lives and identities. “Retailers will need to evolve from being mere points of transaction to becoming points of interaction, where each engagement is meaningful and reinforces the cultural values shared by the brand and its consumers,” he explains.

Building on Cultural Foundations for Innovation

Moreover, this deep cultural connection provides a solid foundation for innovation. Brands closely aligned with their customers’ cultural contexts can more effectively anticipate changes in preferences and lead the way with innovations that resonate on a deeper level. For example, a brand that understands the sustainability concerns of its customers can innovate with eco-friendly products and practices before they become industry standards, thereby setting themselves apart as leaders. “Innovation driven by cultural understanding isn’t just about being first to market—it’s about being first to meaning,” Collins highlights. This approach elevates a brand’s relevance and cements its role as a leader in shaping consumer discourse and behavior.

As the retail landscape continues to evolve, those who can skillfully navigate the complex interplay of culture and commerce will find themselves at the forefront of the industry. The ability to not only react to but also anticipate and shape cultural currents will define the next generation of retail leaders, transforming how brands engage with consumers and influence global markets.

“Retail media is not just another advertising channel; it’s a strategic imperative for brands seeking to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace,” Baker asserts, emphasizing the pivotal role of data-driven insights in driving meaningful consumer engagements. As retailers amass vast troves of customer data, brands gain unprecedented access to actionable intelligence, enabling them to tailor advertising campaigns with surgical precision.

“Data is the cornerstone of effective retail media,” Baker declares, underscoring its pivotal role in unlocking consumer preferences, behaviors, and purchase patterns. By harnessing the power of data analytics, brands can craft hyper-targeted, contextually relevant experiences that resonate with their audience on a deeply personal level.

However, amidst the data-driven frenzy, Baker underscores the enduring importance of creativity in capturing consumers’ attention and fostering brand loyalty. “In a sea of ads, compelling content is the beacon that guides consumers towards meaningful interactions,” she remarks, highlighting the need for brands to strike a delicate balance between data-driven precision and creative storytelling.

Central to Omnicom Commerce Group’s ethos is the belief that retail media transcends traditional marketing paradigms, embracing a holistic, consumer-centric approach that prioritizes relevance, engagement, and authenticity. “We’re witnessing a seismic shift in how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products,” Baker observes, noting the convergence of shopping and advertising in an era of seamless omnichannel experiences.

As CEO of Omnicom Commerce Group, Baker leads a diverse team of industry experts dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions that redefine the boundaries of retail media. With her strategic foresight and unwavering commitment to excellence, she navigates the ever-changing landscape of modern commerce, guiding brands toward unprecedented growth and success.

In closing, Baker reflects on the future of retail media with cautious optimism, envisioning a world where brands seamlessly integrate into consumers’ lives, delivering value-driven experiences that transcend transactional interactions. “The journey ahead is fraught with challenges and opportunities,” she remarks, “but with innovation as our compass, we’re poised to unlock the boundless potential of retail media and shape the future of marketing.”

Lipsman traces the genesis of retail media’s ascendance to the widespread acknowledgment of its profitability, exemplified by Amazon’s robust ads business. However, he underscores that the narrative has transcended Amazon, with other retail juggernauts like Walmart leveraging platforms such as Walmart Connect to bolster their bottom lines. This paradigm shift has catalyzed a seismic awakening across the industry, igniting a fervent pursuit of transformative initiatives.

Lipsman’s Insights:

• “We’re witnessing just the tip of the iceberg. Retail media’s potential remains largely untapped, offering many opportunities beyond the confines of Amazon’s dominance.”
• “Walmart Connect and similar initiatives have demonstrated that retail media can be a game-changer in driving bottom-line profitability for retailers.”

Lipsman emphasizes that central to retail media’s expansion is the pivotal role of search-based advertising. While the initial focus centered on onsite search optimization, Lipsman contends that the sector harbors immense growth potential, with over 50% of forthcoming investments projected to flow into search-based advertising.

Lipsman on Search-Based Advertising:

• “The early money was really in onsite search, but there’s tons of opportunity and runway in search. More than 50% of the new money will come into retail media over the next four years is search.”
• “Search-based advertising remains a cornerstone of retail media’s growth strategy, offering advertisers unparalleled targeting capabilities and ROI.

Moreover, Lipsman underscores the burgeoning opportunities in offsite media channels, including the open web, social platforms, and streaming TV. As consumers increasingly engage with digital content across diverse platforms, retail media networks are poised to capitalize on this trend by extending their reach beyond traditional onsite channels.

Lipsman on Offsite Media Channels:

• “The convergence of retail media and streaming TV is particularly compelling. By harnessing targeted advertising capabilities, retailers can unlock new revenue streams and democratize access to TV advertising.”
• “Offsite media channels represent the next frontier for retail media, offering advertisers unprecedented reach and engagement opportunities beyond retailer websites.”

However, Lipsman acknowledges the challenges associated with retail media, particularly those related to measurement and standardization. He advocates for greater transparency and uniformity in metrics to empower advertisers to make informed decisions.

Lipsman on Measurement and Standardization:

• “As retail media continues to evolve, standardization and transparency will be paramount. By providing consistent metrics and attribution frameworks, retail media networks can cultivate trust and confidence among advertisers.”
• “There needs to be more standardization around incremental return on ad spend. Retail media networks should provide both return on ad spend and incremental return on ad spend, along with transparency around attribution windows.”

Looking ahead, Lipsman anticipates a pivotal year for offsite retail media, with investments surging into emerging channels such as streaming TV and in-store advertising. While the market may take time to mature fully, Lipsman remains optimistic about the long-term prospects of retail media as a transformative force in the advertising landscape.

Lipsman’s Outlook for the Future:

• “In-store advertising, in particular, holds immense promise as the next major media channel. With the advent of digital screens in retail environments, we’re witnessing the dawn of a new era in advertising.”
• “While the market for offsite retail media may take time to materialize fully, the groundwork is being laid for exponential growth in the coming years.”

As retail media continues to reshape the advertising landscape, Lipsman’s insights are a guiding beacon for industry stakeholders navigating its complexities. With innovation and collaboration steering its trajectory, retail media stands poised to redefine the future of advertising in the digital age.

Griffin began the presentation by tracing CoolerTags’ journey, which began over two decades ago in collaboration with a local beer distributor. Over the years, the company has evolved to cater to significant beverage brands like Coke, Pepsi, and various soft drink distributors. Through continuous refinement, CoolerTags has developed a product that prioritizes ease of use, aesthetic appeal, and tangible benefits for end-users.

Amid the challenges posed by the pandemic, CoolerTags seized the opportunity to pivot towards serving retailers directly. Through extensive research and development, the company developed a robust retail program equipped with a comprehensive database of images and brand descriptions. Griffin highlighted the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from users, emphasizing how CoolerTags’ solutions have enhanced store aesthetics, boosted sales, and prolonged customer dwell times.

Griffin delved into CoolerTags’ various offerings, including shelf tags, case cards, and wobblers designed to capture customers’ attention. These elements and CoolerTags’ user-friendly software empower small businesses to compete with larger retailers while keeping costs manageable.

A key aspect of CoolerTags’ success is its ability to cater to the unique needs of local businesses. Griffin shared success stories of small retailers revitalized by CoolerTags’ pricing and branding solutions, such as a co-op in Maine that experienced a surge in sales after implementing the company’s program.

Throughout the presentation, Griffin emphasized the importance of maintaining a consistent and organized retail environment. By providing accurate pricing and professional signage, CoolerTags enables businesses to create a cohesive brand experience that resonates with customers.

Griffin concluded the session by highlighting CoolerTags’ user-friendly software, allowing businesses to produce shelf tags and promotional materials on demand swiftly. This flexibility saves time and money and enables companies to adapt quickly to changes in product offerings and pricing.

In essence, CoolerTags is revolutionizing retail organizations for small businesses nationwide. CoolerTags empowers enterprises to create inviting and organized retail spaces that drive sales and enhance the overall customer experience through its innovative solutions and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Dave Gerhardt, VP of Marketing at Drift, was recently interviewed on the B2B Growth podcast by John Rougeux who is VP of Marketing at Skyfii. Gerhardt discusses conversational marketing as a new B2B product category and how it is changing marketing from reaching out to you later to a conversation that is happening now:

Conversational Marketing is About Connecting You Now

Conversational marketing is a whole new way of thinking about marketing and sales. The traditional way of doing marketing and sales is all about later. Come to my website and fill out this form and somebody is going to reach out to you later, when it’s convenient for them. The big shift that is happening in marketing and business over the last five to ten years is customers have all the power today. You can’t make people wait. Information is free now.

I can find anything I want to know about a company without ever having to go to your website. It’s crazy to think that you are going to force people to go to your website, fill out a form, wait three days to hear back from your sales team, and then get a demo. Conversational is all about connecting you now with the people who are ready to buy now while they are live on your website.

B2P – Marketing to People

It’s not about buyers. It’s not about sellers. It’s not about sales. It’s not about marketing. It’s about people. That’s how people all communicate online today. I pressed one button in my car and I got a list. I ordered something from Amazon while I was here this morning to send back to my house and it’s going to be there tomorrow when I get home. There are countless examples of that. That is how we all behave online in our real lives today.

But then something happens weird happens. We go to our jobs in B2B and none of the tools that we use match how we actually buy as real people. That’s the most exciting thing to me about conversational marketing. It’s really closing the gap between B2C and B2B. We just call it B2P, marketing to people.

What Ties Our Products Together is Conversation

We have an email product and we have a landing page product. Black and white versions of those people would say everybody has email, everybody has landing pages. The thing that ties those together is conversation. That forces us to think about what is conversational email? What is conversational landing pages? What is conversational whatever? That one word forces our product team to think about how can we change this? If our fundamental stance as a company is that the internet should be one conversation, then how does that weave into everything that we build?

Ultimately what we care about is that email becomes a conversation. Meaning, the way that marketers have had to use email the last decade is a one-way channel. Email is meant to be a two-way channel. Marketers have been using it as, “John come to my webinar.” What happens if you actually respond to that email? Most of the time you can’t because it’s donotreply@ or it just goes to some inbox where nobody is answering it. That is a terrible experience. Our belief is that if you reply, “Hey actually I can’t make it. Can you reregister my colleague?” That should get handled. We are thinking of that from an evolution standpoint.

The same thing with landing pages. Most landing pages today are static. You go to the landing page, put a bunch of info in and you are gone. What if that was a real-time conversation on the page? That one topic has to weave itself into everything we do from a product perspective.

>> Listen to the complete interview with Drift Marketing VP Dave Gerhardt on the B2B Growth podcast.

Harley Finkelstein, COO of Shopify, discusses how COVID has dramatically sped up the timeline for commerce moving online and has also moved Shopify closer to its goal of becoming the world’s first retail operating system:

Shopify Evolving Into World’s First Retail Operating System

Most people assume that Shopify is an ecommerce provider. We have more than a million stores on Shopify. If you were to aggregate our stores in the US we’d be the second-largest online retailer in America. Of course, we’re not a retailer but we’re a platform. But we now have these great economies of scale that we’re using to level the playing field for entrepreneurs and small businesses. That being said, what really Shopify is evolving into is the world’s first retail operating system. 

What we’re trying to figure out is what do brands and entrepreneurs and retailers need, not just now but in the future? We think the future of retail is retail everywhere. A brand that’s going to be successful in 5, 10 or 15 years from now needs to sell across any platform and across any channel where they have customers. This idea of enabling Shopify merchants to very easily push their products to the Amazon Marketplace or the eBay marketplace or now the Walmart marketplace, that gives them access to a new set of consumers. The idea is that it all feeds back in one centralized back-office, the retail operating system, which is Shopify. 

Then we’ve gone ahead and asked what else can we do for these merchants? Can we do capital? We’ve now given out about a billion dollars worth of cash advances and loans to small businesses. We’re doing fulfillment and we’re doing shipping. We’re increasing the scope and the relationship that we have with the million stores on Shopify. This is allowing them to become category leaders.

COVID Speeds Up The Ecommerce Revolution

From our view, it seems like the commerce world that would have existed in the year 2030 has really been pulled into the year 2020 (as a result of the COVID crisis). We’ve seen ecommerce as a percent of total retail go from 15 percent to 25 percent in the last three months. That’s the same growth rate that we’ve seen over the last 10 years. What really has emerged here is sort of this tale of two retail worlds. On one side you have these resilient retailers that are doing great, they’re pivoting, and they’re expanding their businesses. On the other side, you have these resistant retailers who have not made it. In many ways, it’s probably the most exciting time for retail in a very long time. 

We talk a lot about these direct to consumer brands that are becoming category leaders. The Allbirds and the Gymsharks who started on Shopify when they were very small and have grown to become the incumbents in their industry. Every 25 seconds a brand new entrepreneur makes his or her (products) for sale on Shopify. We talk a lot about those new startups, those new DTC brands. But actually, what we’re also seeing on Shopify are companies like Lindt Chocolate or Heinz ketchup or Chipotle. They are signing up for Shopify and basically from like five days from contract to launch they are completely changing their businesses. 

This resiliency isn’t simply in the hands of just the smallest of brands. Big companies are also beginning to think a lot more about how to stay resilient in this time. They’re moving well beyond ecommerce or thinking about offline commerce now. They’re thinking about how do they sell across social media? How do they sell across different marketplaces? So no, I don’t think it’s too late (to enter ecommerce) but I do think they have to rethink their strategies.

Farfetch plans to use their IPO windfall to dramatically improve their technology which they see as the best way to improve the consumer experience.

Farfetch Founder and CEO José Manuel Ferreira Neves recently discussed Farfetch and the online luxury brand industry on Bloomberg:

Online Luxury is Growing 25 Percent a Year

It’s a very unique opportunity. You have this amazing global industry. It’s $300 billion, the personal luxury goods industry and only 9 percent is online. There are two opportunities here really. One is the growth of online luxury which is going to grow to 25 percent a year for the next seven years. This is a $100 billion opportunity shift in online luxury.

The big question is how is technology going to help brands and retailers really improve the consumer experience in the physical store. This is something at Farfetch that we are very passionate about.

China is an Incredible Opportunity for Online Luxury

China is a very exciting opportunity. Chinese citizens are at the onset of the luxury industry, whether they shop at home or when they’re shopping abroad. Online penetration is very low in China so this means that there is an incredible growth runway for Farfetch in the territory.

That led to our partnership with JD.com where we have our own team. We have the Farfetch China app and website, we have local customer service, local payment systems, and local marketing. It’s a truly localized service. That is what’s driving incredible growth to the Farfetch brand in that region.

José Neves, founder and CEO of @farfetch, told us about the company’s grand ambitions for China at the WWD’s Men’s Wear Summit this week. https://t.co/MrMj7y5VCG

— Jing Daily | 精日传媒 (@JingDaily) March 29, 2018

WeChat is an amazing app with over 900 million users. It is the Instagram, plus WeChat, plus PayPal, etc. of China in one app. That is very powerful and very interesting. Now with our acquisition CuriosityChina we are powering the retail presence of 80 luxury brands. We think that is very interesting for the industry and we think that is probably something that we will see for the western world.

How Farfetch plans to capture the growth in online luxury e-commerce https://t.co/t9HI0igMFV pic.twitter.com/RjvAel79li

— Bloomberg TV (@BloombergTV) September 21, 2018

Brands Now Using Social and Digital Marketing Extensively

I think brands move cautiously and they choose their marketing channels very carefully. As these newer channels have developed the brands have adapted to them and their now using social media and digital media extensively to create desire, to drive discovery of new products obviously transactions as well.

It’s a gradual pace but it’s really exciting that were at that inflection point where the brands see this as a tremendous opportunity.

Scott Heimes, Chief Marketing Officer at Zipwhip, discusses how two-way text messaging can be an extremely effective way to communicate with your customers in an interview on the B2B Growth Podcast:

76% of Consumers Have Received Text From Businesses

Over 76 percent of consumers have received some kind of text from a business. The most common are appointment reminders or bank alerts. This really just scratches the surface. Texting has so many applications beyond just alerts and reminders. There are sales and marketing, discount coupons and giveaways, customer support and service, recruiting and staffing, and internal communications at places like educational institutions. It’s so new and businesses are continuing to innovate in this medium. There are a lot of powerful use cases for businesses.

We have over 30,000 businesses using our software today. They range from very small businesses like yoga studios or lawn care services all the way up to multi-billion dollar insurance companies that are using our solution in their claim call centers. Industries include financial services, staffing and recruiting, healthcare, legal, and more. We have 156 professional sports teams that use our solution. They use it for ticket sales and customer service. There are lots of fitness gyms, radio and TV stations that use our text solution as well. It really does run the gamut of anybody that wants to communicate with their customers via this preferred medium.

Report Shows Increasing Use of Texting by Businesses

I just talked to the Director of Communications for the Sound Transit Authority, the public transit authority in Seattle, who uses our solution. They publish an 800 number to text or call when people see problems on the trains. Rather than get on the phone and calling, more and more people are texting those alerts. It’s really an interesting use case. Another one is during a recent hurricane down in Houston we had an insurance agent that was using our software to communicate with all of his customers in the area because the phone lines were largely down. Texting was working well to create engagement and communication during those tough times.

We recently created a report called the State of Texting which is a deep research study that highlights the adoption curve of text messaging as a business communication tool. It identifies how many consumers are already being texted by businesses as well as many other key insights and trends. One of the things we saw was that there are a lot of one-way texting tools where you get an alert from your doctor’s office, for instance, but you can’t respond to it. It was actually fired off by a CRM using an API that was just one way.

Text is a Great Way to Increase Engagement

Increasingly, consumers would prefer to be able to respond to those texts and have an actual interaction with a human on the other side to either reschedual that appointment or alert them that they are going to be five minutes late or something like that. We are seeing a trend where people want to be able to respond to texts and have an interaction as opposed to continuing to be one way.

For businesses, the communication channels of email and phone are just becoming less and less effective. Text is a great way to increase your engagement and responsiveness with consumers. They’ll actually respond to a text. One of the things we are doing as a company is everything we can to maintain the purity of the texting medium to make sure that spam doesn’t leak its way into this channel.

>> Listen to the complete interview with Zipwhip CMO Scott Heimes on the B2B Growth podcast.

One of the biggest issues online shoppers face is finding the products they’re interested in. This can especially be apparent when comparing retail platform search capabilities with the Google Search features customers have become accustomed to.

Google Cloud is now bringing the power of its search to retail clients, with Retail Search, which the company unveiled in a blog.

This fully managed service is easily customizable, enabling organizations to craft shopper-focused search experiences. Our site search solution builds upon decades of Google’s experience and innovation in search indexing, retrieval, and ranking. Retailers can make product discovery even easier for shoppers, while optimizing for their business goals with advanced capabilities

Retail Search gives clients the ability to offer advanced query understanding, meaning customers will have better success finding what they’re looking for even with the broadest of search terms. The service also includes semantic search, which matches product attributes with relevant products.

Customers are already seeing the benefit of Retail Search.

“With limited customer signals and no historical data, descriptive long-tail searches are some of the most challenging queries to understand,” said Neelima Sharma, senior vice president, technology, e-commerce, marketing and merchandising at Lowe’s. “We have been partnering with Google Cloud to give our customers relevant results for long-tail searches and have seen an increase in click-through and search conversion and a drop in our ‘No Results Found’ rate since we launched.”

Google Cloud customers interested in learning more can visit Discovery Solutions for Retail or contact their Google Cloud field sales representative.

At the end of January, online grocery sales declined by 1.2% finishing off at $8.4 billion in the U.S. market. Demand for ship-to-home was also down, which includes the likes of FedEx, UPS, and USPS. 

Experts suggest that the decline in these services was largely driven by the uptick in big-box retailers now offering direct-to-home delivery for shoppers, taking on logistical responsibilities themselves, instead of using third-party carriers. 

Mass demand for online shopping during the height of the pandemic helped solidify the future of the online retail industry, and today shoppers can find nearly anything and everything they need online. 

While this has created a massive opportunity for retailers, from all industries to transition their operations online, and present consumers with a more accessible channel – grocery retailers were slow to adapt, despite seeing steady growth during the pandemic era. 

With many pandemic-related concerns now in the rearview, grocery chains and mass stores are creating a more digital in-store experience, as it hopes to draw in walking customers to their brick-and-mortar locations. 

The drive to digital 

Consumers have become accustomed to the convenience of online shopping, whether it’s for home goods, clothing, or even groceries. Everything they want and need can be found online, price-matched, and shipped straight to their door. 

On top of this, shoppers can shop from any device they see fit. From computers to tablets, smartphones, and even mobile apps – it’s all accessible through a few clicks and swipes. 

The rise of smartphone adoption among consumers in recent years has meant that retailers can create a multifaceted shopping experience. Research shows that around 82% of shoppers will consult their phone before making an in-store purchase. 

With the internet so readily available, shoppers can now quickly compare prices from different retailers and stores, read reviews, or in this case, follow up on nutritional and dietary information relating to their grocery purchases. 

What’s more, is that nearly every popular and big-box retailer now offers an online option. In the past, a few niche brands and businesses had a website, with a small online store – today, the picture is completely different. 

A February report showed that around 7.8% of U.S. consumers purchase groceries online. That’s because big names such as Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Krogers, among others, all now offer online shopping and delivery services. 

Even more, these stores are making use of their delivery teams to get items from stores and warehouses to consumers, in record time. 

The competition for same-day delivery means that retailers are constantly looking at how they can deliver online purchases to shoppers quicker than their nearest contender. 

That’s because consumers want convenience. They also want to see which retailer has the best deals or online benefits. The same February report showed that 62% of shoppers cite convenience as the reason for shopping online rather than in-store. A further 52% cited that online benefits and app-only deals led them to use online platforms for their grocery shopping. 

In a similar vein, some have found that buying groceries online is often more affordable than having to go to a store. 

A Travel Daily News article found that buying groceries online in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can cost consumers less. The reason why consumers can save more money on their grocery bills is that they have more access to digital channels that allows them to compare prices, look for coupons, bundle deals, and even free at-home delivery. 

There’s plenty to get excited about when a mass store or a household brand offers online deals – and now grocery chains are noticing that they need to step up their digital game if they want to continue playing with corporate contenders such as Walmart and Amazon. 

The digital experience coming to a store near you 

Digital needs are creeping into every known industry, and as the Internet of Things (IoT), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) become more mainstream, we could soon see technological innovations reach our favorite local grocery store.

In this instance, the case may be true for a small handful of well-known grocery chains that have already started mapping the customer journey through digital and technological innovation. 

Kroger has more than 2,800 stores nationwide across 35 states and operates other grocery retail stores including Ralphs, Dillion, Smith’s City Market, Jay C, Pay Less, and Bakers, among a list of others. 

In the last couple of years, Kroger’s introduced digital product displays on shelves in some of its stores. Powered by Microsoft Azure, the digital sensors, or EDGE – Enhanced Display for Grocery Environment – can help process data generated by customer behavior, buying trends, and demand for certain products. 

EDGE is connected to IoT sensors, which can deliver real-time data to stores, allowing them to monitor which products have low inventory levels, require restocking, and for customers display discounted prices. 

Idaho-based grocery store, Albertsons, which has more than 2,500 stores, has steadily been experimenting with digital “smart” shopping carts in some of its stores. 

Albertson’s “smart” shopping carts allow customers to ring up items as they place them in the cart, eliminating the need for them to go use checkout points. 

This is similar to what we’ve seen Amazon has been trialing the last couple of years with its self-checkout stores, which the company heroically named Amazon Just Walk Out. 

Research by McKinsey found that if a grocery store can properly implement tech-enabled self-checkout, it can help improve in-store productivity by 6% to 12%. This means that grocery stores will require less in-person labor at checkout counters during operational hours. 

While it shows how technology can benefit grocery stores, not only in terms of physical in-store sales, customer experiences, and productivity, it’s still not able to compete on the same levels that eCommerce can offer consumers. 

Final thoughts 

While it’s hopeful that grocery stores will in the coming years adapt for the more digitally native consumer, it’s perhaps a race against time for some to ensure their longevity and ensure their long-term growth. 

While eCommerce and online retail remain the triumphant winner, the introduction of digital can only further enhance an already well-known practice that has helped shaped the virtual shopping reality. Yet this time round, it’s up to grocery chains and big-box names to bring digital back to where it was once considered irrelevant. 

Simon served as President and CEO of Walmart U.S. from 2010 to 2014, giving him a unique perspective on the retail industry. Rather than predicting doom-and-gloom for traditional retail, Simon believe technology has the ability to transform the industry and open all new possibilities.

Even something as simple as trying on clothes may be revolutionized by technology, such as virtual reality.

“Could we have virtual changing rooms so that you can just scan an item in a store with your phone and try it on yourself without actually having to go try it on?” Simon said on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.”

Simon believes successful retailers will combine online sales with a brick-and-mortar presence, and cites Target and Amazon as two examples of companies that are making it work.

Walmart revolutionized the retail market thanks to its focus on logistics, fulfillment, and delivery. The retail giant is looking to make money off of its innovative solutions by selling fulfillment and delivery solutions to other retailers and teaming up with Salesforce to make it happen.

“Through this partnership, retailers can leverage the same innovative and scalable technologies that power Walmart’s pickup and delivery experiences,” said Anshu Bhardwaj, senior vice president, technology strategy and commercialization, Walmart Global Technology. “The same technology that powers Store Assist has enabled Walmart to fulfill over 830 million orders across over 4,700 Walmart stores. Together with Salesforce, retailers can scale their business and deliver the personalized, convenient experiences shoppers expect.”

“Salesforce is thrilled to partner with Walmart as it transforms its business and further expands into the digital technology market,” said Tyler Prince, Executive Vice President, Alliances & Channels, Salesforce. “Through this partnership with Salesforce, Walmart can grow its business in new ways by productizing its proven retail processes – empowering other retailers to create new and personalized experiences for their customers.” 

Walmart says retailers will be able to take advantage of three major features, including Buy Online and Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS), use Walmart GoLocal to manage local deliveries, and take advantage of Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Order Management to manage the entire omnichannel shopping experience.

“Shoppers continue to expect brands to deliver highly connected and frictionless experiences across physical and digital touchpoints. In fact, 1 in 5 online orders placed the weekend before Christmas were picked up in store,” said Rob Garf, vice president and general manager of retail, Salesforce. “With the combined power of Walmart and Salesforce, retailers can drive success with best-in-class technology to advance their omnichannel capabilities, drive efficiency and ensure that every purchase quickly gets into the hands of the shopper – no matter where they are.”

Why is brand search difficult to control in PPC?

With brand search, you are expected to get most of the traffic. However, what we are seeing increasingly is more and more competitors entering the market in our brand space. Back in the day, it was there but you could just get them kicked off by Google or Bing. Nowadays, it’s a lot more difficult with all of the policy changes. What this actually means is that they are not only cannibalizing our traffic but they’re also pushing up our CPCs and our CPAs.

As a brand, you are always looking for ways to get people to your website and get them to convert more. It used to be just interest-based keywords on generics related to your own brand. Now you can cannibalize other peoples brands and get those incremental gains. The problem then is competitors coming into our brand space and pushing our ads down or increasing the CPCs on our ads. It’s not just direct competitors either, you have resellers, aggregators, etc. In the automotive space you have dealers and many automotive brands are having issues with trying to control how their dealers are bidding because dealers don’t have as much experience.

What we are seeing now is traffic is being lost from our brands’ brand-related search terms onto our main website and it’s going away.

This is even more important on mobile

As you know with mobile there’s a lot less space on the SERP, and usually with the size of the ads above the fold takes up most of the space and not many people are going to scroll down all the way to the bottom. Also, with mobile, it’s when people are actually looking for stuff at the moment and they’ve got less attention span, so it’s even more important that we actually pick up this traffic. Chances are that whatever they click on they are going to then stick with that. This is especially the case for retailers and automotive businesses who have local offerings and people looking for local specific information.

On mobile, the lower your ad position is the higher (negative) impact it has on your clickthrough rate.

On tablet and on desktop the actual CTR decrease as your ad position goes down isn’t as significant as it is on mobile. This goes to show that on mobile we need to make sure that our ad positions are up there at the top.

How valuable is your brand space?

Once you have the data and you know about your brand space it’s about analyzing the data and finding out how valuable is your brand space to you? Years ago you could just log into Google Analytics and look at the value per click of your organic brand and the value per click of your paid search brand. As long as the value was more than your cost per click it made it viable to bid on your brand. It was a pretty simple analysis.

Then seven years ago Google took away the ability to see organic keyword data and analytics have become harder. What we are seeing now is that’s it’s a lot more difficult to access this data and so people are having to think of different tests that they can come up with.

I like to use standard deviation to get the validity of the data in the beginning in order to measure the success of the ad test. The reason for this is that gives a much better data set to work with so once you actually have the data in you can use a range to look at the changes we see if we then turn the brand off. If it fits within this range then fine, we don’t need to work on brand PPC. If it’s outside of the range then we know that PPC needs to be turned on because it’s having a significant impact on our business.

Platforms like Get Cash, for example, employ AI to match borrowers with approved lenders within a 24-hour period. Even if your credit is less-than-perfect, you can apply on the internet for the finest short-term loan offer ranging from $100 to $5,000. AI is to blame for the loan requests being processed more quickly than in most banks and lending institutions.

However, let’s get back to the topic of how AI is influencing marketing. AI enables businesses to make choices that result in more creative and specialized advertising. That’s not all, though. Here are a few more ways that AI is having an impact on marketing. These are ways that businesses cannot afford to ignore. 

Voice Search Is Growing

It’s no surprise that many people are switching to hands-free data entry while traveling. As the world becomes more mobile, all kinds of changes to our lifestyle can be expected. According to recent research, technology has improved to the point where many algorithms can now accurately distinguish human speech about 95% of the time.

According to the most recent research, the voice search functionality of their smart speakers will be used by up to 33.2 million US consumers this year. 

In 2018, Nielsen found that one in every four Wi-Fi-enabled homes in America had a smart speaker. Therefore, companies will need to modify their SEO and marketing tactics in response to the growing popularity of voice search.

Additional Applications for Augmented and Virtual Reality

Although VR and AR have been around for quite a while, they are still seen as new. Although AR is currently more often used for video games these technologies are increasingly being employed for marketing. More and more businesses are realizing the potential of AR and VR as effective marketing tools.

Consider the augmented reality furniture app that allows you to test furniture, acoustic panels, or other amenities in your home before purchasing it. This is a great illustration of how AR can be both practical and entertaining. Additionally, some clothing companies have joined the virtual reality revolution. They design apps that let consumers try various outfit combinations without leaving their houses.

In order to avoid missing out on this fantastic opportunity, it is necessary to start investigating how to incorporate VR and AR into your marketing strategies immediately.

The Use of Chatbots for Marketing Is Growing

Chatbots facilitate marketing, which is why their acceptance is expected to increase. These AI innovations are perfect for handling the early stages of the marketing process. For instance, they are great at gathering contact information and information for a sales call, responding to typical customer service inquiries, or providing guidance on common technical issues. Up to a certain point, these chatbots assist in automating client communication before directing them to a person for assistance.

Chatbots may significantly improve the marketing process. Because most of this process is automated, you and your team will be able to perform more marketing duties and close more business as a result.

Chatbots on Facebook Messenger have also made great strides. Businesses can now offer an in-app shopping experience thanks to them. Customers can browse and even make purchases inside the chatbot with the right configuration. Therefore, it makes sense that more businesses are attempting to incorporate chatbots into their marketing plan.

More Individualized Advertising

The Facebook team started a project named Rosetta a few years ago. The initiative intends to improve the caliber of material that Facebook users see in their news feeds. Rosetta employs AI to improve user experience by determining users’ wants and maximizing their Facebook interactions.

Fundamental changes are occurring in traditional marketing procedures. These changes range from improved engagement to greater client loyalty and strong conversions. The quantity and variety of user data available today, including usage of social networks, purchase history, and personal preferences, pave the way for effective personalization.

However, businesses ought to do more than merely gather data; they ought to combine and analyze it in order to develop campaigns that directly cater to the needs of the people. This may be difficult, but the payoff is substantial.

The benefits of AI in digital marketing are hard to dispute. Marketing organizations can now employ emerging technology to enhance their tactics as they become more widely accessible. 

Partially due to the increasing scams and oversaturation of ads on social media, eCommerce email marketing is many consumers’ preferred form of advertising. While you do want to use marketing mediums that fit your team members’ expertise, your consumers are the ones who are ultimately exposed to the finished product. Moreover, if you or your team members are struggling considerably with writing creative email copy, it may be worthwhile to invest in an eCommerce email marketing agency. But why is email marketing such a preferred advertising method by employees and consumers alike? What makes it superior?

What is the Difference Between eCommerce Email Marketing and E-Marketing?

Before exploring the ways in which eCommerce email marketing can improve your business, it’s essential to understand what eCommerce email marketing does. Any company can use email marketing—that is, sending product information or ads for new products via email. It’s becoming increasingly rarer for a store to have a physical shop without an online shop, but those stores that do can still make sure of email marketing. If you have a business, you can send out marketing emails. Similarly, if you have an online store, you can send out eCommerce marketing emails. This means that a non-profit can use email marketing but not eCommerce email marketing. E-Marketing, on the other hand, refers to any online marketing medium, including social media platforms and email. eCommerce email marketing can include general emails about upcoming sales in an online shop or emails that are tailored to a shopper and the items in their cart.

Consumer Control

Unlike social media marketing, email marketing allows consumers more control over the advertisements, coupons, and deals that they receive. Because consumers are required to subscribe to your company’s mailing list or newsletter in order to receive emails from you, consumers are less likely to receive emails from brands that they don’t know and trust. Any scam emails are directed to spam, and consumers have the freedom to unsubscribe from a mailing list in order to stop receiving product information.

More Trustworthy

While it may seem counterintuitive to allow consumers to stop receiving product information from your company, it is imperative to win their trust. In fact, 77% of consumers prefer to receive marketing information via email. It makes sense that emails are the most trustworthy. We’re already using our email addresses for work and networking so it feels professional whereas social media ads are fun, but a little too casual to be legitimate. Email marketing feels trustworthy and professional, but how can it work for your business? How do you ensure that your emails are being opened and your content consumed?

High Open Rates and ROI

It’s more likely than you think that consumers will open your marketing emails. According to Forbes, 65% of small businesses report that between 11 and 50% of their marketing emails are opened. It’s easy to track open rates using tools like Cirrus Insight. Even if a customer doesn’t open your email as soon as they receive it, there is a potential that they may do so later. Social media posts, on the other hand, disappear as soon as someone refreshes their feed—meaning they might never even see it. It’s also hard to beat the price and return on investment of marketing emails.

Forbes tells us that you earn $42 for every dollar you spend, and most email marketing campaigns cost very little. You might find that your open and click-through rates become even higher when you put effort into the design and layout of your emails. As long as you don’t flood your consumers’ inboxes (40% of small businesses send marketing emails weekly while 30% send them at least once a month), your clients are sure to appreciate a thoughtfully made email with memorable colors and graphics. Cleverly worded subject lines that include slang and emojis are especially popular with more “hip” brands like skincare lines and fashion companies.

Conclusion

Even with the rise of social media, eCommerce email marketing is still a trustworthy form of marketing—and, in fact, one that is usually preferred by consumers. The return on investment and ease of content creation makes email marketing a no-brainer for your next campaign.

Burt Flickinger, Managing Director of SRG, a consumer industry business consulting firm, discussed how Walmart is winning the retail wars in an interview on Fox Business:

Walmart is the Roman Empire of Retail

This earnings report just reinforces its winning. Amazon is going sideways. This is a reenactment of the Punic Wars, Rome versus Carthage. Walmart is the Roman empire of retail. Like Hannibal and the Carthaginians, Amazon is starting to go the wrong way. Big win for Walmart today and they will accelerate that in the next two to seven years.

What’s doubly impressive, we talk to a lot of vendors and shoppers around the world, what the vendors are saying is Walmart is reinvesting all the PPA (price and promotional allowances) in lower prices. Lower prices normally mean lower margins and lower revenue. But in this case, the shopper is shifting to Walmart.

Walmart strategically saw all the land-based businesses like Payless and all the retailers from toys to sporting goods going out of business. They had great sales on land and not so good online. Walmart is winning both ways. Amazon, with all the trouble they’re having with Whole Foods, can’t capitalize. Walmart is running the table.

This Says it All for US Retail

This says it all for US retail. The well capitalized highly capable retailers are winning and if it’s a one man show, like Bezos running the show, you could be Alexander the Great, you could be Hannibal out of Carthage, but one general isn’t going to win a war. Recent (lower) retail sales numbers were a combination of a couple things. One is Jerome Powell scared the market, especially high to mid-end, didn’t spend as much. Also, consumers were a little bit scared toward the end of the year. Walmart, off price, low price, did very well, but full price full service struggled and that’s why the numbers were bad.

Walmart comp sales increased 4.2 percent, just like Steve Jobs and Apple with their great campaign Think Different with Muhammad Ali, Walmart is thinking different with Doug McMillon. It’s evolved from a company of family management to professional management. Walmart had 40 percent growth online.

Walmart Ads Are Really Connecting

Before, Walmart looked at advertising as an expense. But as Jerry Della Femina said, most of the Super Bowl ads were pretty pathetic. Walmart was one that stood out because it advertised Walmart online and Walmart in-store. The Walmart ads are really connecting with consumers, a United Nations of consumers.

They’re reaching everybody around the world with better prices and better service. Doug McMillon has invested in inventory and has invested in store staffing, first to raise wages with some push from the UFCW. They are hitting on all cylinders. The biggest problem now is they can’t handle all of the volume they are seeing on the weekends.

At the end of January, online grocery sales declined by 1.2% finishing off at $8.4 billion in the U.S. market. Demand for ship-to-home was also down, which includes the likes of FedEx, UPS, and USPS. 

Experts suggest that the decline in these services was largely driven by the uptick in big-box retailers now offering direct-to-home delivery for shoppers, taking on logistical responsibilities themselves, instead of using third-party carriers. 

Mass demand for online shopping during the height of the pandemic helped solidify the future of the online retail industry, and today shoppers can find nearly anything and everything they need online. 

While this has created a massive opportunity for retailers, from all industries to transition their operations online, and present consumers with a more accessible channel – grocery retailers were slow to adapt, despite seeing steady growth during the pandemic era. 

With many pandemic-related concerns now in the rearview, grocery chains and mass stores are creating a more digital in-store experience, as it hopes to draw in walking customers to their brick-and-mortar locations. 

The drive to digital 

Consumers have become accustomed to the convenience of online shopping, whether it’s for home goods, clothing, or even groceries. Everything they want and need can be found online, price-matched, and shipped straight to their door. 

On top of this, shoppers can shop from any device they see fit. From computers to tablets, smartphones, and even mobile apps – it’s all accessible through a few clicks and swipes. 

The rise of smartphone adoption among consumers in recent years has meant that retailers can create a multifaceted shopping experience. Research shows that around 82% of shoppers will consult their phone before making an in-store purchase. 

With the internet so readily available, shoppers can now quickly compare prices from different retailers and stores, read reviews, or in this case, follow up on nutritional and dietary information relating to their grocery purchases. 

What’s more, is that nearly every popular and big-box retailer now offers an online option. In the past, a few niche brands and businesses had a website, with a small online store – today, the picture is completely different. 

A February report showed that around 7.8% of U.S. consumers purchase groceries online. That’s because big names such as Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Krogers, among others, all now offer online shopping and delivery services. 

Even more, these stores are making use of their delivery teams to get items from stores and warehouses to consumers, in record time. 

The competition for same-day delivery means that retailers are constantly looking at how they can deliver online purchases to shoppers quicker than their nearest contender. 

That’s because consumers want convenience. They also want to see which retailer has the best deals or online benefits. The same February report showed that 62% of shoppers cite convenience as the reason for shopping online rather than in-store. A further 52% cited that online benefits and app-only deals led them to use online platforms for their grocery shopping. 

In a similar vein, some have found that buying groceries online is often more affordable than having to go to a store. 

A Travel Daily News article found that buying groceries online in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can cost consumers less. The reason why consumers can save more money on their grocery bills is that they have more access to digital channels that allows them to compare prices, look for coupons, bundle deals, and even free at-home delivery. 

There’s plenty to get excited about when a mass store or a household brand offers online deals – and now grocery chains are noticing that they need to step up their digital game if they want to continue playing with corporate contenders such as Walmart and Amazon. 

The digital experience coming to a store near you 

Digital needs are creeping into every known industry, and as the Internet of Things (IoT), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) become more mainstream, we could soon see technological innovations reach our favorite local grocery store.

In this instance, the case may be true for a small handful of well-known grocery chains that have already started mapping the customer journey through digital and technological innovation. 

Kroger has more than 2,800 stores nationwide across 35 states and operates other grocery retail stores including Ralphs, Dillion, Smith’s City Market, Jay C, Pay Less, and Bakers, among a list of others. 

In the last couple of years, Kroger’s introduced digital product displays on shelves in some of its stores. Powered by Microsoft Azure, the digital sensors, or EDGE – Enhanced Display for Grocery Environment – can help process data generated by customer behavior, buying trends, and demand for certain products. 

EDGE is connected to IoT sensors, which can deliver real-time data to stores, allowing them to monitor which products have low inventory levels, require restocking, and for customers display discounted prices. 

Idaho-based grocery store, Albertsons, which has more than 2,500 stores, has steadily been experimenting with digital “smart” shopping carts in some of its stores. 

Albertson’s “smart” shopping carts allow customers to ring up items as they place them in the cart, eliminating the need for them to go use checkout points. 

This is similar to what we’ve seen Amazon has been trialing the last couple of years with its self-checkout stores, which the company heroically named Amazon Just Walk Out. 

Research by McKinsey found that if a grocery store can properly implement tech-enabled self-checkout, it can help improve in-store productivity by 6% to 12%. This means that grocery stores will require less in-person labor at checkout counters during operational hours. 

While it shows how technology can benefit grocery stores, not only in terms of physical in-store sales, customer experiences, and productivity, it’s still not able to compete on the same levels that eCommerce can offer consumers. 

Final thoughts 

While it’s hopeful that grocery stores will in the coming years adapt for the more digitally native consumer, it’s perhaps a race against time for some to ensure their longevity and ensure their long-term growth. 

While eCommerce and online retail remain the triumphant winner, the introduction of digital can only further enhance an already well-known practice that has helped shaped the virtual shopping reality. Yet this time round, it’s up to grocery chains and big-box names to bring digital back to where it was once considered irrelevant. 

Walmart revolutionized the retail market thanks to its focus on logistics, fulfillment, and delivery. The retail giant is looking to make money off of its innovative solutions by selling fulfillment and delivery solutions to other retailers and teaming up with Salesforce to make it happen.

“Through this partnership, retailers can leverage the same innovative and scalable technologies that power Walmart’s pickup and delivery experiences,” said Anshu Bhardwaj, senior vice president, technology strategy and commercialization, Walmart Global Technology. “The same technology that powers Store Assist has enabled Walmart to fulfill over 830 million orders across over 4,700 Walmart stores. Together with Salesforce, retailers can scale their business and deliver the personalized, convenient experiences shoppers expect.”

“Salesforce is thrilled to partner with Walmart as it transforms its business and further expands into the digital technology market,” said Tyler Prince, Executive Vice President, Alliances & Channels, Salesforce. “Through this partnership with Salesforce, Walmart can grow its business in new ways by productizing its proven retail processes – empowering other retailers to create new and personalized experiences for their customers.” 

Walmart says retailers will be able to take advantage of three major features, including Buy Online and Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS), use Walmart GoLocal to manage local deliveries, and take advantage of Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Order Management to manage the entire omnichannel shopping experience.

“Shoppers continue to expect brands to deliver highly connected and frictionless experiences across physical and digital touchpoints. In fact, 1 in 5 online orders placed the weekend before Christmas were picked up in store,” said Rob Garf, vice president and general manager of retail, Salesforce. “With the combined power of Walmart and Salesforce, retailers can drive success with best-in-class technology to advance their omnichannel capabilities, drive efficiency and ensure that every purchase quickly gets into the hands of the shopper – no matter where they are.”

One of the biggest issues online shoppers face is finding the products they’re interested in. This can especially be apparent when comparing retail platform search capabilities with the Google Search features customers have become accustomed to.

Google Cloud is now bringing the power of its search to retail clients, with Retail Search, which the company unveiled in a blog.

This fully managed service is easily customizable, enabling organizations to craft shopper-focused search experiences. Our site search solution builds upon decades of Google’s experience and innovation in search indexing, retrieval, and ranking. Retailers can make product discovery even easier for shoppers, while optimizing for their business goals with advanced capabilities

Retail Search gives clients the ability to offer advanced query understanding, meaning customers will have better success finding what they’re looking for even with the broadest of search terms. The service also includes semantic search, which matches product attributes with relevant products.

Customers are already seeing the benefit of Retail Search.

“With limited customer signals and no historical data, descriptive long-tail searches are some of the most challenging queries to understand,” said Neelima Sharma, senior vice president, technology, e-commerce, marketing and merchandising at Lowe’s. “We have been partnering with Google Cloud to give our customers relevant results for long-tail searches and have seen an increase in click-through and search conversion and a drop in our ‘No Results Found’ rate since we launched.”

Google Cloud customers interested in learning more can visit Discovery Solutions for Retail or contact their Google Cloud field sales representative.