How 2017 Will Challenge And Reward Retailers

Five steps to get ahead for the New Year.

By Louis DeJianne, Director of Apparel, Consumer Goods and Retail, UPS

Cooler temperatures, seasonal hiring, and final preparations for the holiday shopping season are upon us. Before we know it, the headlines and water cooler conversations will evolve from this year’s holiday sales to what the New Year will bring.

The major storylines shouldn’t be too hard to predict. Online shopping projections, especially mobile, continue to rise. Consumers want orders fulfilled more quickly. Omnichannel continues to evolve from a strategy to how shopping is done.

The challenge, and opportunity, for many retailers will be how they transform their shopping experience to adapt to changing consumer expectations. Product selection and marketing are only part of this equation. How to target and engage with new and existing customers is every bit as important. For some retailers, the coming year will mark a radical departure from their tried and true playbook. Here are a few ways retailers can maximize their financial, operational and human resources investments.