Consumer Demands Drive Retailers’ Increased Investment in Cross-Channel

Retailers are facing increased demands from consumers for cross-channel capabilities, forcing a renewed investment in cross-channel technologies, according to Retail Systems Research’s (RSR) latest report, “The Cross-Channel Wake-up Call: Benchmark 2010.”

These findings are based on a survey of 139 retailers in spring 2010, developed in partnership with the National Retail Federation and sponsored by ATG, Crossview, Manhattan Associates, Sterling Commerce and VendorNet.

“The most important finding from this year’s report is that retailers, particularly better-performing retailers, recognize that cross-channel retailing is not just about buy online/pickup in store,” said Nikki Baird, managing partner at Miami-based RSR and co-author of the report. “It’s so much more transformative to the business than retailers expected when they thought they just needed inventory visibility. Even discussions around in-store pickup blow up into a strategic review of a retailer’s supply network -- cross-channel touches everything.”
Managing partner and co-author Brian Kilcourse added: “The cultural challenges of cross-channel are the biggest inhibitor. Even lagging retailers, who typically underestimate cultural barriers, realize that cross-channel has an enormous impact on the business.”

The study contains analysis of the business drivers, opportunities and organizational constraints surrounding cross-channel retailing, as well as recommendations for creating successful cross-channel capabilities. The report can be downloaded at www.retailsystemsresearch.com/_document/summary/1138.

Retail Systems Research, run by retailers for the retail industry, provides insight into business and technology challenges facing the extended retail industry.