Top Trends And Takeaways From RetailNOW

By Gregg Brunnick, Director of Product Management & Technical Services, Business Systems Division, Epson America

The RSPA’s annual RetailNOW event underscored that the consumer experience is rocking retail, and it showcased what the channel is doing about it.

Last week, a veritable who’s who of the retail solutions provider community packed into the Orlando Gaylord Palms Resort & Conference Center for an enthusiastic RetailNOW 2015, hosted by the RSPA. The Gaylord’s 80,000 square feet of exhibit hall and education space was brimming with energy, exuded from nearly 200 exhibitors and 33 deep-dive education sessions addressing the day’s challenges and opportunities for the channel.

While the show’s broad content ranged from business strategy to tech implementation, it was consumer centricity—and more specifically, the retail consumer experience— that surfaced as the common bright thread that tied them all together. Here’s a look at the trends that emerged at the event, and some key takeaways for the solutions providers in attendance.

• Tablet POS Takes Center Stage

The solution provider’s uncertainty surrounding the impact of retailers’ demands for mobile and tablet POS has been largely displaced by enthusiastic embrace of the opportunities mobile presents. The trend toward mPOS will continue to gather steam, because retail demand for it is a cornerstone of the consumer centricity play. Mobile gives retail associates the ability to assist consumers on the store floor, access inventory availability, tap into CRM applications that personalize the consumer experience, and consummate transactions on-the-spot.

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