This year’s Big Show had retailers buzzing about new products, partners and acquisitions. Following a show of this size and scope, it can be difficult to sift through the noise and figure out which takeaways to apply to your own business operations. Here is a look back at NRF 2018 and what retailers can expect in the year ahead.
The National Retail Federation’s Big Show was buzzing in New York as tens of thousands of attendees celebrated the encouraging growth of 2017 holiday sales, while gazing at next-gen technology offerings that promised greater personalization, engagement and enhanced customer experiences, further melding the physical and digital realms. Here is a snapshot look at some of the latest trends at NRF’s Big Show.
According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, total spending including college and school combined is expected to reach $83.6 billion, more than a 10% increase from 2016’s $75.8 billion. See what other results this survey revealed for back-to-school and what it could mean for the holiday shopping season.
The National Retail Federation released its economic forecast for 2017, projecting that the retail industry sales will grow between 3.7% and 4.2% over 2016. Here are the rest of the results and what they mean for retail in the year ahead.
As wage stagnation eases, job growth continues and consumer confidence remains steady, the National Retail Federation is calling for 3.1% growth in retail industry spending, despite economic headwinds such as ongoing concerns about China, according to NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.
Up from 24.4 million last year, 29.6 million (24.4%) consumers said they will use their mobile device to shop on Cyber Monday, while eight in 10 (80%) said they will use their home computers to shop online.
While retailers can take full advantage of their marketing plan through email and loyalty programs, both must work seamlessly across touch points or they run the risk of disappointing customers. See why email and loyalty programs are important for your marketing plan.
Given growing customer expectations, more retailers are investing in new omnichannel capabilities, but room for improvement remains, a new report found.
The National Retail Federation presented Congress solutions to better protect consumers and help businesses prevent cyber attacks and data breaches. See what their plans are to prevent cyber attacks and data breaches.
The West Coast port shutdown will continue through Monday as the two parties appear no closer to a resolution, as many call on President Obama to step in.