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2© 2014 RICS Software – Proprietary and Confidential
THE FUTURE OF RETAIL
Independent retailers have more to manage than ever: demanding customers
with personalized needs, copious amounts of data to sort through, and the
pressure to be “omnichannel”, frantically competing with big-box stores and
eCommerce giants by selling products on as many channels as possible.
It can get a little overwhelming.
Luckily, there are ways to handle and thrive in the ever-changing retail
environment. We’re here to point out the major trends of 2015 and show you
how to navigate them.

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“BUY LOCAL” IS BIG.
SO IS TECHNOLOGY.
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The “buy local” movement gained momentum in
2014 and will continue to grow in 2015. That’s
good news for independent retailers.
Not only are these stores popular, but owners
have a secret weapon: technology.

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USE IT.
With the rise of accessible retail technology,
small and mid-size retailers are empowered
to use data to make decisions that drive their
business forward.

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“The ability to see turns by item,
class, etc. is very powerful.”
Andy Tesane, Owner, Two Bostons pet supply boutique

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OMNICHANNEL
IS THE NEW NORM.
GET ON BOARD.
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The typical 2015 consumer’s thought process goes
something like: “I want what I want, when I want
it, where I want it, in the way I want to buy it.”
Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but
we’re probably not that far off the mark…

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HERE’S A TIP:
SO HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT?
Figure out the right form of omnichannel for you.
If that means building and maintaining an
eCommerce site, great. Just make sure you’re not
opening a web store “just to have one.” 2015 is
about smart retail.

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“In the scarcity economy,
success meant selling your
brand’s products at a value.
In the new abundance
economy, your brand’s
values are the product.”
Doug Stephens, @RetailProphet

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3IN 2015, A POSITIVE IN-STORE
EXPERIENCE IS CRUCIAL.
CUSTOMERS NEED A REASON
TO BUY FROM YOU.

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With all the modern purchasing options available
to consumers, it’s easy for small retailers to get
passed over in favor of big-box stores.
Don’t let this happen to you.

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By creating a welcoming, positive environment in
which customers are easily able to get the
products they want and the help they need, you
create a competitive advantage to being an
independent retailer.
Build and emphasize these relationships with your
customer base using the tools at your disposal.

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“You can do promotions and marketing
gimmicks until the cows come home but
if you haven’t done all you can to convert
those customers who are in your four
walls – the only place you can truly affect
your sales – from lookers to buyers, then
you are like a poor marksman constantly
missing the target.” Bob Phibbs, @TheRetailDoctor

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PERSONALIZATION AND
CUSTOMIZATION AREN’T
ADDED BENEFITS ANYMORE.
THEY’RE ESSENTIAL.
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• Collect all the customer data you can get.
• Use this data to personalize marketing
campaigns that drive traffic into your store.
• Use your retail technology to keep track of
customer purchase history.
• Arm your salespeople with this data so they can
keep track of past purchases and build personal
relationships with customers.

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“It’s hard to remember everything.
Tracking customer information
allows us to build relationships
without having to remember all
the details ourselves. It’s amazing
what that can do to drive sales.”
Linda Shikany, Owner, Marigold Clothing

17.
LOYALTY CARDS ARE
GOOD. PERSONALIZED
OFFERS ARE BETTER.
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Loyalty programs for frequent buyers have
dominated the customer relationship
management landscape in retail.
You can’t settle for one general plan anymore.
Customers expect personalization, so make it
work for them.

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20© 2014 RICS Software – Proprietary and Confidential
Use retail data to personalize coupons and
promotions.
For example, run a report to find your Top 250
spenders in a certain area of your store. Then,
send them a coupon for items within that area.

20.
“Ask yourself: What’s happening in
my community, in my category and in
my channel? What pain or friction are
my shoppers dealing with right now?
What can I do to ease it or just make
them happier? And how will this lead
to them choosing our store?”
Laura Davis-Taylor, SVP of Omnichannel Experience, The Integer Group

21.
DON’T BE EGOCENTRIC.
IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU; IT’S
ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS.
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RETAIL IS CONSUMER-DRIVEN.
Think of your customers first, and they’ll reward
you for it with their hard-earned business.

23.
“Consumers don’t care about tags
like ‘omni’ – what they care about
is being able to purchase the
products they are looking for on
their own time, from anywhere,
on any device.” Jason Becker, COO, RICS Software

24.
THANK YOU
ricssoftware.com