Trends Shaping the Wholesale and Retail Industry.
Sustainability and brand image
Sustainability is set to define retailing’s future as more consumers become wary of their impact on the environment but also expect a more premium and customized service when shopping online and offline. This includes sustainable product strategy, production and material sourcing, supply chain management as well as proper messaging of brands’ environmental friendliness.
As a result, sustainable operations and brand image are expected to become particularly important.
E-commerce
The heightened importance of e-commerce is set to continue. Habits evolved during the time, changed consumer behavior and a digital pivot among retailers are set to be the key drivers.
Technology and automation
With the e-commerce channel growing in popularity, technology and innovation is expected to gain more importance as well. This trend is expected to lead to decreasing dependence on traditional labor force, warehouse automation and robotization as well as better and more efficient inventory management.
Analytics and personalization
As with technology, the rise of e-commerce creates opportunities for retailers in the area of analytics and personalization. Thanks to big data collection and analytics, retailers will be able to create better tailored offers to individual needs, this way increasing customer trust and loyalty.