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Up until recently, most efforts with AI in retail fell under the umbrella of "optimization." For the online shopping experience, AI-powered tools provide retailers with product recommendations to show customers to increase sales, or the system offers a different UI for different customers. These are all perfectly fine usages that can boost sales and profits, but they are not doing much on the customer experience side, especially with the "new normal" for retail and e-commerce.

Boosting c-store brand affinity through a loyalty program is more than just providing your customer with an "earn and burn" experience. If your goal is to retain customers while increasing your bottom line, the long play is necessary. In today''s highly competitive marketplace, c-store operators are constantly battling to get bodies through their doors-and not just once. In a recent global study, 16 percent of U.S.-based c-store retailers cited retention being their biggest challenge.

Restaurants are reopening in states that were hit hard with COVID-19 restrictions. Social-distancing policies are not allowing restaurants to return to pre-pandemic operation levels, in most cases they are being forced to function at no more than 50 percent capacity.

The reopening of nonessential businesses saw a national surge in retail spending, and the outlook for the economy started to look less bleak. Many stores implemented COVID-19 safety precautions including required face masks and a six-feet social distancing order. These new rules could be the new normal in retail for the foreseeable future, and that would change the retail landscape as we know it.

One question hanging over our channel has been "Who are the new solutions providers" that will backfill for retail IT resellers who are retiring, merging, or selling? The answer to that question could be found in the Inspire audience-the new faces that are engaging with the retail IT channel.

Without the right technology, the role of the merchandiser becomes much more difficult and inefficient as it requires the need for constant adjustments and manual analysis. In today's retail environment, organizations must consider additional resources to help their merchandiser succeed.

Cyberattacks often target retailers because retailers process a lot of personal data from payment cards that can be used for identity theft, fraud, and other nefarious purposes. This puts a lot of pressure on retailers to maintain a strong security posture, and a big part of that is to properly configure your firewalls.

Developing a marketing plan for POS software developers and channel partners is challenging in normal times, a pandemic can make it downright stressful. What do you do when you can't meet customers face to face and everyone is worried about getting infected? Those are the questions we posed during a recent RSPA Symposium on adapting marketing plans for the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are no singular secrets when it comes to running a successful e-commerce company. We often get caught up in trying to discover the new secrets to success or revolutionary ideas that claim they're the key to staying ahead of the game. While groundbreaking concepts might lead to success, we must not forget the basics. It's so easy to get tangled in the hype of the rapidly evolving online retail industry that we can sometimes lose ourselves in the process. 

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is now in its 17th year. With the unprecedented amount of remote working and a massive increase in data breaches due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity awareness has never been more important.

Any business that accepts cash for transactions has come to expect that some percentage of it will vanish as a result of fraud, administrative errors, and employee misdeeds. Inventory shrink, which includes cash loss, costs retailers an estimated $47 billion annually. It is so prevalent that retailers have a line item for it in their P&L statement.

Retail growth projections have changed drastically as a direct result of the COVID-19 outbreak. While the overall sector was poised for growth when the year started, the new outlook is considerably less optimistic for segments such as department stores, general merchandise, specialty soft goods, and hospitality.

Inventory is your company's largest capital investment. It is why customers make purchases in your stores and online. It is the source of your company's revenue and the bedrock of your brand. Naturally, it makes sense that fine tuning inventory management is a key to achieving financial success.

To help retail IT VARs and ISVs effectively deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the RSPA reached out to several members asking them for ideas and business best practices related to this crisis.

Mobile technology use is soaring in retail and for good reason. To ensure their mobile projects are on the right track, retailers should ask themselves the following five questions.

COVID-19 continues to impact retailers and other indoor public spaces who have had to make many adjustments based on CDC recommendations to ensure the safety of employees and guests while at their facilities.

Anyone can sell a product, and customers have plenty of choices when making a purchase. So how does a retailer stand out from the crowd to keep customers coming back? It all comes down to the kind of customer experience you deliver.

Up until recently, most efforts with AI in retail fell under the umbrella of "optimization." For the online shopping experience, AI-powered tools provide retailers with product recommendations to show customers to increase sales, or the system offers a different UI for different customers. These are all perfectly fine usages that can boost sales and profits, but they are not doing much on the customer experience side, especially with the "new normal" for retail and e-commerce.

Boosting c-store brand affinity through a loyalty program is more than just providing your customer with an "earn and burn" experience. If your goal is to retain customers while increasing your bottom line, the long play is necessary. In today''s highly competitive marketplace, c-store operators are constantly battling to get bodies through their doors-and not just once. In a recent global study, 16 percent of U.S.-based c-store retailers cited retention being their biggest challenge.

Restaurants are reopening in states that were hit hard with COVID-19 restrictions. Social-distancing policies are not allowing restaurants to return to pre-pandemic operation levels, in most cases they are being forced to function at no more than 50 percent capacity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a number of temporary shortages, including toilet paper, disinfectants and even meat. But one shortage most people likely haven't noticed is affecting retail segments like convenience stores, gas stations and dollar stores. The U.S. coin supply is dwindling.

While retailers embrace a new normal, the industry is swiftly undergoing a fundamentally digital shift that demands a unique perspective on the supply chain, customer experience, operating model, and the role of digital transformation.

Data is the engine that powers today''s economy. With vast amounts of information accessible at a single click, organizations can draw powerful insights and create transformative experiences for individuals, customers, and businesses.

To help retail IT VARs and ISVs effectively deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the RSPA has produced several pieces of channel-focused content including a webinar on Communication Guidelines with Employees and Customers during this crisis.

The shift to online shopping has rapidly accelerated; supply chains have been stretched and disrupted. More than ever, brands need to do everything possible to ensure customer satisfaction.

A lot has evolved in the past month, as the situation of COVID-19 is changing daily. With that has come new implementations that businesses are having to continuously enforce to ensure they are not endangering the wellbeing of their employees, as well as the general public. 

In recent decades, digital transformation has changed the way we shop, revolutionizing how we find and purchase all types of goods and services. As a result, today's consumers now expect frictionless experiences whenever and wherever they shop.

No one likes to use passwords, but they are critical to securing access to systems with valuable business data. Retailers, like any other business, should require passwords as part of their security policies to protect POS systems, backroom applications, customer databases, and any other business system.

Risk is any situation that involves exposure to danger. Whether you work in a big company with a dedicated risk management group or a small shop-where the CEO is also the janitor, cashier, bookkeeper, and everything in between-all of us must manage risk. The ability to alleviate business risk is exactly what makes PCI compliance so important right now.

Robert Banker, Director of SMARTtill and Partner Sales at APG Cash Drawer,  spoke with Retail IT Insights about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the retail and hospitality industries, as well as the future or cash, contactless payment, and cash drawers.

RSPA members Brett Bennett, the president of VAR POSitive Technology and ISV OpSuite, and Chris Rumpf, the owner of VAR/ISV Flyght, provide examples of COVID-related messages they delivered to their employees and their merchants.

Between the rise of online shopping and coronavirus, retailers throughout the country are reeling. Owners of shopping centers are facing an uncertain future. Landlords must adapt to these changing circumstances to survive.

Mobile technology use is soaring in retail and for good reason. To ensure their mobile projects are on the right track, retailers should ask themselves the following five questions.

COVID-19 continues to impact retailers and other indoor public spaces who have had to make many adjustments based on CDC recommendations to ensure the safety of employees and guests while at their facilities.

Anyone can sell a product, and customers have plenty of choices when making a purchase. So how does a retailer stand out from the crowd to keep customers coming back? It all comes down to the kind of customer experience you deliver.

As the response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it has become clear that the crisis has ushered in a new reality for consumers and retailers. Some of the most dramatic effects have been to consumer behavior-how people buy, what they buy, and where they buy it.

As the world continues to turn to online retail, especially during this new normal, it's becoming crystal clear which companies contain the ability to keep up with the rapidly evolving and complex demands of consumers. While online retail and the classic one cart shopping experience has opened the doors to a plethora of possibilities, we are just now making it to the first floor.

In the blink of an eye, the COVID-19 outbreak caused massive upheaval in the retail industry. As retailers look beyond the lockdowns and stay-at-home directives necessitated by the pandemic, some of the technology changes and investments implemented in a hurry will likely be permanent.

The shift to online shopping has rapidly accelerated; supply chains have been stretched and disrupted. More than ever, brands need to do everything possible to ensure customer satisfaction.

A lot has evolved in the past month, as the situation of COVID-19 is changing daily. With that has come new implementations that businesses are having to continuously enforce to ensure they are not endangering the wellbeing of their employees, as well as the general public. 

In recent decades, digital transformation has changed the way we shop, revolutionizing how we find and purchase all types of goods and services. As a result, today's consumers now expect frictionless experiences whenever and wherever they shop.

No one likes to use passwords, but they are critical to securing access to systems with valuable business data. Retailers, like any other business, should require passwords as part of their security policies to protect POS systems, backroom applications, customer databases, and any other business system.

One question hanging over our channel has been "Who are the new solutions providers" that will backfill for retail IT resellers who are retiring, merging, or selling? The answer to that question could be found in the Inspire audience-the new faces that are engaging with the retail IT channel.

Without the right technology, the role of the merchandiser becomes much more difficult and inefficient as it requires the need for constant adjustments and manual analysis. In today's retail environment, organizations must consider additional resources to help their merchandiser succeed.

Cyberattacks often target retailers because retailers process a lot of personal data from payment cards that can be used for identity theft, fraud, and other nefarious purposes. This puts a lot of pressure on retailers to maintain a strong security posture, and a big part of that is to properly configure your firewalls.

The abrupt and shocking changes to the retail landscape driven by the coronavirus pandemic have brought this issue into even sharper relief, as millions of consumers increasingly rely on virtual channels of service to meet their needs. In this environment, taking a step back to assess where the industry stands and where it is headed is a valuable step in planning for a future of increasing challenges and opportunities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced both consumers and businesses to rethink their activities and priorities. As restrictions that temporarily halted eat-in restaurant and in-store sales start to ease, many consumers are weighing the benefits against the risks of resuming their patronage of these businesses.

When crises arise, having systems and standards in place to guide your organization provides stability and creates individual and corporate peace of mind. Utilizing international systems and standards provide a way to make practices safer and create products and processes that are easier to use, ultimately providing support as businesses recover, rebuild, and work to insulate themselves from future disruptions.

Today, almost everything you need is at the click of a button, giving consumers little reason to leave their homes. As such, the surge in online shopping is no surprise to anyone. So, how are online retailers working to keep up with the demand?

The reopening of nonessential businesses saw a national surge in retail spending, and the outlook for the economy started to look less bleak. Many stores implemented COVID-19 safety precautions including required face masks and a six-feet social distancing order. These new rules could be the new normal in retail for the foreseeable future, and that would change the retail landscape as we know it.