Erin Harris

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Erin Harris is chief editor of Cell & Gene and a contributing editor to Life Science Leader magazine. She studied English and psychology at Lafayette College and has 20+ years of experience in B2B publishing. Erin spent 10 years covering and reporting on the adoption of information technology from a B2B perspective. She’s written on technology topics ranging from Big Data and analytics to security and e-commerce. In each case, her reporting centered on innovations that improved operational efficiencies, fostered interdepartmental collaboration, or enhanced supply chains. Currently, she writes actionable information for professionals involved in the development and commercialization of cell and gene therapies. She covers the entire product lifecycle from basic research to commercialization. Erin has interviewed executives from Fortune 500 as well as startups. She has moderated panel discussions and has spoken at numerous industry events from large conferences to niche forums.

ARTICLES BY ERIN HARRIS

The Case For A Voice Strategy
I’m willing to bet decent money that you’ve come across articles to the effect of “Top X Technologies and Trends in 2018,” and that voice technology has ranked high on those lists. Some articles on voice and its impact on the retail industry deliver a terrifying and threatening sense of urgency, especially for CPGs. While retailers (and CPGs) need to have their finger on the pulse of voice technology, let’s take a big, collective deep breath. There’s only one way to compete in voice shopping, and that’s to develop a solid strategy.
The Future Is Facial Recognition
Once privacy and security concerns and kinks in the technology are overcome, facial recognition technology will change retail.
Office Depot’s Push To Standardize Product Information Across All Channels And Increase Speed To Market
Maintaining accurate, standardized product data across all channels is a priority, as consumers have learned to expect a seamless retail experience. Sam Copeland, vice president of merchandising operations for Office Depot, Inc., took time to discuss why expanding assortments and the demand for personalization are placing additional emphasis on the need for centralized master data.
The Role Of The Modern CIO
Today’s retail CIO must be equal parts technologist, trusted advisor, and business co-creator.
Big Changes To IRT
This is the last issue you’ll receive of Innovative Retail Technologies.
Startups – From Gamble To Sure Thing
In today’s customer-engagement race, seasoned retailers have come to understand the value and opportunity startups offer.
Inside Lionel’s Omni-Channel Growth
Here’s how an improved e-commerce strategy fueled the legendary train maker’s growth in just four months.
Pay Attention To Startups And D2C
Ever since I returned from ShopTalk, I’ve dedicated time to learning more about the startups that exhibited at the show, as well as others in incubation labs around the country. You’ll read more about startups in the May/June issue of Innovative Retail Technologies.
ShopTalk 2017: IoT And AI Dominate
It shouldn’t surprise you to hear that ShopTalk 2017 was a hit. I walked away from the show more informed on the future of retail than when I was when I walked in. I suspect there are quite a few meetings and conversations taking place as retail execs share what they learned with their teams. In a nutshell, the content was top notch. Here are some of the sessions I attended and what I learned:
Ensuring End-To-End Digital Transformation
Our friend, Miya Knights, global retail technology director at Planet Retail, in partnership with Digimarc, just released an insightful report titled, “Harnessing the Power of Digital Transformation: The Ultimate Retail IT Therapy.” In her report, Knights explains the importance of harnessing digital transformation in omni-channel retailing. She writes, “Only through the digital modernization of their own automated systems will retailers truly be able to grow sales efficiently and enrich shopper engagement effectively at any and every physical and digital touch point.”