As the new year approaches, I’ve taken some time to look back at the hundreds of thought leadership pieces and industry insights created by our Clarkston authors this year. Today, I’m reflecting on some of our top retail insights from 2024. From determining your eCommerce capabilities to building an authentic brand voice with AI, our experts have shared a variety of perspectives on the latest trends, opportunities, and challenges in the retail space. To explore more of our retail insights, click here.  

Top 10 Retail Insights from 2024 

1. Determining Your eCommerce Capabilities: 3 Considerations Before Selecting an eCommerce Vendor 

Many of today’s retailers rely on third-party vendors to support their day-to-day eCommerce operations. Because of the instrumental role of these vendors, selecting the correct one to support your business’s needs and goals is critical. Before selecting an eCommerce vendor, it’s important to determine your eCommerce capabilities. To do this, Clarkston recommends understanding three key factors. Taylor Philippe and Hudson Rowland explore these factors in this post. 

Learn more about selecting an eCommerce vendor > 

2. Leveraging a PMO to Maximize a Retailer’s SAP S/4HANA Investment 

In this case study, explore how Clarkston’s PMO experts Cory Jackson, Traigh Groover, and more helped a retailer maximize their SAP S/4HANA investment by realigning their digital priorities to increase program collaboration. As part of its effort to feed the future, the client undertook a transformational program implementing SAP S/4 HANA to streamline internal process and increase value through producing better data, improving accuracy, and serving as a better partner to their customers. During the pilot of S/4 within the first North American region, the client experienced some significant issues and enlisted Clarkston to assist with resetting program priorities and driving increased program collaboration with internal departments.    

Read the case study where we explore how to maximize a retailer’s SAP S/4HANA investment > 

3. Exploring Retail Sustainability Regulation and Compliance: How Retailers Can Prepare 

Over 50% of Americans report that they believe climate change is a serious issue, and over two-thirds believe that corporations aren’t doing enough to impact climate change for the better. A major component of this frustration can be directed to a perceived (and real) lack of sustainability practices across the retail industry. So, how can organizations ensure retail sustainability regulation and compliance? Cecilia Williams and Madison Wolfe dive into the basics of these laws and how you, as a retailer, can help position yourself to comply with new regulations in this post.    

Dive deeper into retail sustainability regulation and compliance > 

4. Addressing Data Siloes in the Retail Supply Chain with Integrated Data Analytics 

To achieve true end-to-end supply chain integration, retailers must be able to quickly and effectively make decisions in a rapidly changing environment, leveraging data and information from a number of functional areas. However, integrating data across the supply chain can take a concerted effort, as retailers need to overcome the data siloes that are often created between supply chain functions. In this piece, Chandler Kneer, Robin Dolan, and Brandon Regnerus consider how retailers can leverage integrated data analytics to bridge retail supply chain gaps and address data siloes.    

Read more about addressing data siloes in the retail supply chain > 

5. Retail Program Management Case Study: How to Implement a Private Label and Co-Branded Credit Card 

In this case study, retail experts Caroline Hubbard and David Patterson unpack Clarkston’s recent partnership with a specialty retail client through their process of implementing a co-branded credit card. The national fashion retailer aimed to switch bank partners for its private label credit card program and introduce a co-branded card. This move was intended to improve customer support and extend the card’s usability beyond the retailer’s stores. After conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP), the retailer selected a new vendor and needed technical program management for the bank transition and how to implement a co-branded credit card. The client engaged Clarkston to actively manage, in partnership with their PMO, the technical aspects of this transition.  

Explore this case study on how to implement a co-branded credit card > 

6. Diversifying eCommerce Strategies for Fashion Retailers 

In today’s customer-centric environment, changing behaviors, attitudes, and preferences are core drivers for business innovation. Even after COVID, many settled for the digital life, with a 16.2% rise in online shoppers in the U.S. since 2020, and shoppers have since realized they prefer the convenience of eCommerce over the personalized brick-and-mortar experience. Further, over half of consumers today are more cost-sensitive toward non-essentials as inflation continues to raise prices. With these factors in mind, retailers today must consider how they need to evolve to better meet those expectations for high-value and convenience. eCommerce expert Sara Morris breaks down three eCommerce strategies for fashion retailers to fine-tune their approach and satisfy evolving customer demands in this post. 

Check out some eCommerce strategies for fashion retailers > 

7. Building an Authentic Brand Voice with AI in Retail 

As AI continues to advance and become more prevalent in marketing and communications, brands are presented with both opportunities and challenges in maintaining their unique voice and authenticity. Misalignment between AI strategy and brand strategy has the potential to harm brand voice with homogenized content, loss of individual voice, and diluted authenticity. With companies like Dove pledging not to use AI in communications, it’s worth examining when it’s most appropriate to use AI to amplify brand voice and empower authenticity. In this post, Madison Wolfe and Brandon Regnerus unpack how to build an authentic brand voice with AI in the retail industry. 

Learn how to build an authentic brand voice with AI > 

8. Improving Engagement with Multicultural Shoppers in Luxury Retail 

The definition of luxury is constantly evolving to reflect our society, whether that be relevant art movements, societal culture shifts, historical events, or new innovations in technology and science. The rich mix of cultures, identities, and heritage in society today further highlights any deficits in diversity that exist amongst luxury retail brands. But how should you begin to evaluate your own company’s commitment to DEI? Start by asking yourself these five questions outlined by Julie Talbot, Lorraine Mackiewicz, and Brandon Miller to understand what you need to build a successful multicultural engagement strategy in luxury retail.  

Read more about improving engagement with multicultural shoppers> 

9. How to Build a Clienteling Solution 

As retailers continue to react to current industry trends, such as personalization and leveraging data-driven insights to promote customer retention, brands have also upgraded their clienteling practices. Clienteling refers to the use of customer data, like preferences and purchase behavior, to drive relationships, and brands are taking advantage of the efficiencies and functionalities afforded by modern technology to do just that. In this post, Caroline Hubbard and Madison Wolfe walk through the advantages and challenges of building a clienteling solution and the dos and don’ts of these implementations.  

Explore how to build a clienteling solution > 

10. From Then to Now: The History of Loyalty Retail Programs 

In today’s consumer landscape, loyalty retail programs are seamlessly woven into both traditional brick-and-mortar stores and the digital realm of eCommerce. They serve as powerful tools to enhance customer retention, and to truly understand their significance and growth, Jensen Smith and Azyn Chahryar have broken down the history of loyalty retail programs in this article.  

Dive into the history of loyalty retail programs >  

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