Retail Technology Tools

How can retailers activate in-store experiences that can scale efficiently and measure incremental impact? 🤝 In-store media requires cross-functional collaboration across marketing, merchandising, and retail media teams. Merchant alignment is essential to ensure in-store media supports broader category goals, promotions, and pricing strategies. However, fragmentation between teams often leads to inconsistent execution. 💰 High upfront investment in digital screens, infrastructure, and maintenance makes scalability a challenge. Retailers must balance technology costs with expected ROI. Additionally, ensuring planogram compliance and optimizing store layouts for maximum visibility and shopper impact requires coordination across teams. 📊 In-store media success is evaluated through POS data, sales lift analysis, customer sentiment surveys, and match market tests. These methods help brands understand the impact on purchasing behavior, optimize budgets, and refine in-store strategies. 🐢 Crawl Phase: Retailers should pilot technologies, gather initial data, and build a scalable business model while training teams and refining measurement approaches. Early-stage collaboration with merchants ensures that in-store media aligns with overall store operations and merchandising priorities. 🚶 Walk Phase: Use data insights to optimize content, improve store-level targeting, and scale successful pilots. Refining planograms and integrating in-store media with category management strategies help maximize effectiveness. Introduce advanced features like interactive displays, mobile integration, and AI-driven recommendations to enhance engagement. 🏃 Run Phase: Fully integrate online and in-store strategies to create seamless in-store experiences that can measure omnichannel impact. Collaborate closely with merchants, store operations, and category managers to ensure store layouts, promotions, and digital touchpoints work together.

Most brands think about omnichannel as a channel strategy. The brands that scale it well think about it as an operating system. Khadim is one of India's most recognised footwear brands with a 260-store network spanning COCO and TFM formats. And what they have built with Fynd over the last three years is worth understanding in some detail. When you are operating at this scale, the complexity is in the layers underneath it. Think about what it actually takes to run 260 stores on a single unified platform. You have store staff turning over frequently, which means your access management cannot depend on manual processes. So you build automation that ensures every new employee gets platform access without a single escalation. You have a brand that runs multiple promotional structures simultaneously, prepaid discounts, gift offers, the MMM mechanic, and each of these needs to be configured correctly on the platform or the store experience breaks. You have an internal RMS system that Khadim's team uses to process orders, and that system needs to talk to Fynd seamlessly so that invoice data flows back without friction. You have a brand that prefers exchanges over returns, which means the entire post-purchase process needs to be rebuilt around credit notes rather than refunds. Each of these is a decision that sits below the headline. And each of these decisions, made correctly, is what makes omnichannel actually work at the store level. The other thing worth noting is the platform handover model. Khadim's leadership team genuinely embraces technology and AI, that conviction at the top is what makes an implementation of this scale possible. Khadim's team today independently manages store profiles, employee mapping, discount creation and promotional configurations on Fynd. That is what a mature omnichannel partnership looks like. The brand is not dependent on the tech partner for every operational change. This is what building omnichannel for a legacy brand at scale looks like. Farooq | Nanditha | Rixon Pinto

Did you know that 95% of urban holiday shoppers in India research products online before visiting a store? The question for luxury brands is: How do you convert these online visitors into loyal offline customers? For luxury brands, the challenge isn’t choosing between online and offline—it’s blending them to create seamless, personalized experiences that retain the exclusivity and allure of the luxury segment. Here are five strategies luxury brands in India can adopt:   1️⃣ The In-Store Experience Luxury shopping is all about the experience. While not every store can replicate Louis Vuitton (see pics), brands can still focus on creating immersive spaces. 🔵 Design stores as places where customers connect with the brand, not just the products. 🔵 Host art installations, pop-ups, or workshops. 🔵 Enable online fulfilment so customers can explore products in-store and complete purchases later online.   2️⃣ Use Technology Not every brand can afford cutting-edge AR or VR tools, but simpler technologies can also elevate the customer journey. Install tablets or interactive screens to offer customisation options like unique designs or personalised engravings. 3️⃣ Leverage Data Online data, like browsing habits and purchase history, can help create tailored in-store experiences. Imagine a scenario where a customer books an appointment, and the staff has pre-selected items based on their online activity. 🔵 Invest in CRM systems to collect and analyze customer data. 🔵 Train staff to use this data for personalized service. 🔵 Send timely notifications about new arrivals or events that align with customer preferences. 4️⃣ Omnichannel Integration The boundaries between online and offline are increasingly blurred. A customer might discover a product on Instagram, research it on your website, and then visit your store to complete the purchase. 🔵 Interconnect all channels—online and offline—for a unified experience. 🔵 Offer features like appointment booking, product reservations, and virtual consultations. 🔵 Provide flexible options, including in-store pickups and home delivery. 5️⃣ Redefine the Role of Sales Staff In the “phygital” era, sales staff are not just sellers—they are brand ambassadors and trusted advisors. 🔵 Train them to align service with the brand’s online interactions. 🔵 Equip them with tools to access customer profiles and preferences. 🔵 Focus on building long-term relationships rather than closing immediate sales. The future of luxury retail lies in combining the strengths of digital convenience and physical presence. By investing in technology, adopting data-driven personalization, and rethinking store roles, luxury brands can create unforgettable customer experiences that build lasting loyalty. In a world where expectations are constantly evolving, the brands that can master this digital-physical intersection will set the standard for the luxury market of tomorrow. #omnichannelretail #luxuryretail

𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 I still remember those endless nights in SEPHORA, manually counting thousands of items. That’s why Starbucks’ announcement today resonated so strongly with me. They are rolling out AI-powered automated counting across all their North America coffeehouses: 11k stores. What’s remarkable is the technology mix: 👀 Computer vision to instantly recognize products on shelves. 🔢 3D spatial intelligence to capture placement and quantities. 🪩 Augmented reality overlays guiding partners through the process. 📈 AI analytics that flag low-stock items and will soon automate replenishment orders. The results are striking: ✅ Inventory now counted 8x more frequently. ✅ A process that used to take one hour, now takes minutes. They are reporting a saving of 16,500 hours per week. ✅ Sales people spend less time in the backroom and more time crafting and connecting with customers. Starbucks calls it “technology in the background, craft and connection in the foreground”. And that’s exactly why it matters: technology here is the enabler of efficiency, consistency, and focus on consumer experience. Starbucks is not alone. Walmart with robots scanning shelves, Inditex embedding RFID across its stores, and Amazon Go pioneering frictionless checkout all point to the same truth: the future of retail advantage lies in mastering the invisible backbone of operations. 👉 We’ve moved beyond pilots and “experiments.” AI, AR and computer vision are becoming part of operational infrastructure. Having lived both sides, the manual counts and the promise of automation, I guess this will become the standard for every retailer. #RetailInnovation #AI #AugmentedReality #Operations #CustomerExperience

AI is changing how we shop and how retail jobs are done. More than 15 million Americans work in retail (BLS). It’s one of the largest sectors in the economy and one where both consumers and frontline workers are starting to interact with AI in real ways. As the 2025 holiday season is in full swing, Rachel Brown on my team looked at new data on how AI is showing up in retail: from what shoppers are doing with it, to how it’s changing day-to-day work on the floor. Shoppers are using AI and converting at higher rates Nearly 60% of U.S. adults report using AI to help them shop this year. Some use it to compare prices. Others turn to tools like ChatGPT for gift ideas or product reviews. One signal that stood out: shoppers who land on retail sites via an AI assistant are 38% more likely to make a purchase (Adobe Analytics). That could reflect better targeting or that consumers are turning to AI when they already have high intent to buy. Even though most online purchases now happen on mobile, the vast majority of AI-generated traffic is still coming from desktops. That may change as interfaces evolve. AI is shaping how people expect to shop Consumers are getting used to more conversational search. Some even say they trust AI more than friends for product advice (Cian, 2025). But they also express concerns around scams, data privacy, and losing the “human touch.” That presents a real design and trust challenge for retailers. There’s a fine line between providing real value and being seen as using AI to optimize margin at the customer’s expense. On the retail floor, AI is starting to augment AI is showing up in inventory systems, virtual assistants, and mobile tools for frontline workers. Lowe’s, for example, is using its MyLow Companion to give associates real-time answers on products or stock without needing to radio for help. In addition to adding tools, AI is changing roles. A survey of employers found 62% plan to retrain or upskill retail workers for new tasks as AI adoption increases (TotalRetail). One case worth watching: Ikea. When call center jobs were automated, they retrained 8,500 workers to become virtual interior design advisors. That team generated $1.4B in revenue in 2022 alone (Reuters). What this tells us about AI and frontline work It’s early, but retail offers a useful testbed for AI’s broader impact on consumer-facing industries. The risks are real. But we’re also seeing evidence that, with investment in training and thoughtful role design, AI can support both better customer experiences and new forms of frontline work.

Grateful to be featured in the "Shoptalk Hot Takes" interview by Blenheim Chalcot and ClickZ.com alongside George Looker to unpack omnichannel commerce. 5 key takeaways and tactics from my conversation: 1. Design for Customer Continuity, Not Just Channel Expansion 💡 71% of customers expect brands to personalize interactions across every touchpoint. Tactical: Map out customer journey across channels, then design experiences that recognize and reward continuity—cart persistence, loyalty rewards, browsing history sync, etc. 2. Build the Infrastructure: Unify Data Streams Across All Touchpoints 🧠 Data fragmentation = missed opportunity Tactical: Integrate POS, e-commerce, mobile, social, and marketplace data into a centralized data lake or unified commerce platform. 3. Establish a Single Source of Truth for Customer Profiles 🔍 Brands with unified profiles see up to 2x better campaign performance. Tactical: Implement Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) to consolidate behavioral, transactional, and engagement data into unified customer profiles. 4. Partner Strategically for Scale, Not Just Stack ⚙️ A bloated tech stack doesn’t equal agility As I noted, Retailers are getting sharper about which partners can scale with them. Ecosystem efficiency matters more than ever. Tactical Step: Audit your tech stack and partnerships consistently. Prioritize partners that offer extensibility, future-proofing, and proven omnichannel success. 5. Measure What Matters: Unified KPIs Across Commerce 📈 You can’t optimize what you don’t measure holistically Tactical: Align your analytics stack to report holistically across channels—tie marketing to merchandising, CX to LTV, and inventory to revenue. 🧠 Bottom line: think holistically, move strategically, and build ecosystems that scale experience with agility, not just transactions. Complete list in comment 👇 #ecommerce #omnichannel #unifiedcommerce

There’s a concern that AI will adversely impact physical retail, replacing stores and people with automation, robotics and digital-only experiences. But that's not what I believe will happen. I believe in vibrant, viable spaces that draw people in, and where physical retail can thrive. But as the AI-first generation starts to reinvent shopping (at least as we know it), stores will certainly start to look, feel and work differently. AI isn’t about replacing stores; it’s about making them work smarter and more efficiently, and making them more engaging for both customers, colleagues and communities. These are 'Amplified stores'. Here’s how AI could redefine and amplify retail stores: ✅ Finally making omnichannel happen. It seems that the concept of omnichannel retail isn't going away anytime soon, so there are many ways that AI could help overcome challenges of data silos, integration, communication and more. AI and AI-enabled customers could unleash deeply connected, immersive shopping and hyper-personalised service across all channels. ✅ AI-powered personalisation through the visit. Imagine digital signage, product recommendations, or retail media tailored to you as soon as you walk by or into a store. Not just generic ads, but content relevant to your interests, purchase history, and even current needs in the moment. If you caught my earlier post on 'Anticipated Retail', you’ll know how this naturally extends into the physical world. ✅ Bespoke and on-demand production at scale. 3D printing is revolutionising manufacturing. But what happens when AI-first customers take control, instantly customising products across multiple materials and formats? Imagine this: - Perfectly fitting shoes, with innersoles printed in-store. - Clothing tailored to your preferences, all chosen on the spot. - Skincare formulated to your skin’s unique characteristics. AI will enable mass customisation at scale, giving customers creative control like never before. And this is just the beginning... more on this soon! ✅ AI will change store operations, but who will actually run the store? Today, there is still a lot of unproductive work for colleagues to do (e.g. admin, stock checks, reconciliation tasks etc). So of course, AI has the opportunity to streamline these, plus elements like forecasting, ordering and rota scheduling (AI is actually already doing all of this plus more), but what about the customer-facing role? And who serves customers? Digital assistants? Or people, empowered and more capable than ever with real-time insights to offer bespoke advice and expert viewpoints? I'm developing my thoughts on all of this, but I’d love to hear what you think. The AI-first generation will not usher in the 'end' of stores - but they will trigger a major reinvention of almost everything. How do you see AI (and AI-enabled customers and colleagues) shaping the stores and retail? #retail #retailinnovation #AI #retailtransformation #artificialintelligence

Reliance Retail turned shopping into a tech experience that's making ZARA look outdated. For years, international fashion giants like Zara dominated India's premium market but their slower adaptation to digital and local trends has allowed competitors like Reliance to capture the market. But that era might be ending. I recently explored one of AZORTE's 19 stores at Bengaluru's Phoenix Mall of Asia and was amazed by how technology is reshaping retail. The difference is immediately noticeable: → Interactive trial rooms:  Smart mirrors with RFID sensors detect what you bring in and allow you to request different sizes through touchscreen panels. Associates receive alerts directly to their devices. → 3D body scanners:  Five-second scans create your digital avatar, then AI algorithms match your specific measurements with inventory that will fit perfectly. → Contactless checkout:  Their mobile POS system lets associates complete transactions anywhere in the store using secure NFC technology. They are focusing a lot on data. While customers enjoy seamless shopping, Reliance is building something more valuable: ● A database of Indian fashion preferences and body types  ● Real-time insights on price sensitivities  ● Localized trend forecasting that foreign brands can't match The strategy is working. Reliance Retail's Fashion segment reported an 18% revenue increase to ₹90,000 crore in Q3 FY25 Their expansion plans are also aggressive: ➡ 250 new stores within three years. Each one becomes another intelligence point in their retail network. What looks like just another fashion chain is actually a data operation disguised as retail, one that foreign brands can't easily copy. Have you visited an Azorte store yet? #retail #innovation #fashion #technology

A retailer spending billions on stores might sound old school. Then Target revealed what those stores are about to become and the room suddenly got very quiet. A cultural reset is rare in retail. A cultural reset paired with a supply chain redesign is the kind of shift that turns entire categories upside down. Target is splitting its fleet into two clear roles. Some locations become guest magnets. Others become silent fulfilment engines. The old model of every store doing everything is being retired with a polite smile. Digital fulfilment moves out of several metro stores so teams can stop drowning in order picking and start focusing on experience again. At the same time the fulfilment nodes behind the scenes get smarter, faster and stocked with the products that drive most of the volume. The result is a leaner network that quietly cuts costs while making customers feel like service just got better. It is a clever mix of optics and operations that many brands will underestimate. Here is where the opportunity and the risk show up for sellers and operators: 🛒 Better availability expectations 📦 Faster routing decisions across fulfilment nodes 🔍 More pressure on accurate product data and forecasting 🧭 New store roles that change how products should be positioned 🤖 Greater reliance on AI driven trend and demand tools The market reads this as an internal clean up. It is actually a competitive rewire. #ecommerce #marketplaces #retail #supplychain #digitalcommerce

Is «classic» retail becoming a showroom for global #Marketplaces? The ultimate weapon to overcome is in their hands! Marketplaces like #Amazon, #Allegro & #Bol are an existential threat to «classic» O+O #retail. Today, the pushback are defensive strategies. O+O is trying to beat suppliers into submission threatening to de-invest brands that grow strong in pure online channels. Can this really be a winning strategy? Definitely not! Traditional retailers undervalue & underutilize their unique advantage - offline presence. By combining it with a strong #Omnichannel strategy and #retailmedia capabilities, retailers can redefine the competitive landscape, offering unparalleled services to shoppers and suppliers alike. According to the latest IAB Europe report: ▪️Retail media is projected to represent 15.1% of global ad revenue in 2024, up from just 1.5% a decade ago. ▪️In Europe, ad spending on retail media is growing four times faster than the total ad market, with investments forecasted to hit €31B by 2028. Omnichannel strategies integrate online, offline, and loyalty data, enabling retailers to deliver a 360° shopper view and measure campaign impact with closed-loop attribution. Combine it with brands #media consumption data via clean room solutions - you have the ultimate shopper activation toolkit unbeatable by online pure players. Omnichannel Retail Media Can Deliver ▪️Enhanced Customer Experience Shoppers demand seamless journeys. Omnichannel retail media integrates physical stores with digital platforms, allowing for smooth transitions from online research to in-store pickups. Or home delivery after a physical trial in-store. ▪️Maximized Supplier Value Retailers’ loyalty programs provide first-party data that supports precise targeting. This helps suppliers deliver tailored media & promotions and measure success with real-time attribution. ▪️Exceptional Shopper Convenience Combining offline trust with online ease, extended assortment, click-and-collect, same-day delivery, and in-store returns enhances customer satisfaction. ▪️Effective, high-margin investments Retailers can offer suppliers highly targeted ad slots—where purchase intent is highest. This strategy is already fueling the growth of retail media networks like Walmart Connect, which saw a 30% YoY growth in ad revenue. And don’t forget - this revenue is virtually pure margin! Online capabilities & transparency remain a barrier in Europe: ▪️Only a fraction of Brand Account teams are highly proficient in the online toolkit ▪️Low focus on online growth within O+O teams ▪️Retail prioritizes monetizing data vs retail media revenue ▪️Low investment of retail in online infrastructure ▪️Parnerships in silos: retail vs brand instead of working together True #Parnerships of O+O Retail and Global Brands in building a strong and collaborative Omni channel strategy TOGETHER is the absolute key to surviving the marketplace tsunami. 2025 is the time to start!