09.21.21 -- Is Your Business Prepared For The Agile Age? 5 Keys To Perfecting Your Retail Strategy

As online consumer search trends moved from “cozy” and “lounge” to “wedding guest” and “work pants” this summer, the need for better alignment between rapidly changing consumer needs and retailer inventories became critical. More than ever, retailers and brands need to collaborate to enhance the behind-the-scenes supply chain processes that support a good e-commerce offering to stay competitive and relevant for discerning, pandemic-weary shoppers.

Most merchants still welcome cash gladly; however, managing it and the associated cost is another matter, especially for big supermarkets. It’s a big challenge. Handling bills and coins often leads to mistakes at the checkout and the backroom. Cash counts are time-consuming, especially when there are discrepancies and multiple lanes, taking staff and managers away from other tasks.

“Agility” was the buzzword of 2020 as retailers feverishly worked to adapt their business models, experiences, and services amid uncertainty. The ever-changing customer behaviors we saw during the pandemic, coupled with a rapid evolution of industry dynamics, will continue to make agility key to competing and thriving in retail’s new era.

When entering an emerging vertical, VARs expect to encounter a unique set of complexities, nuances, and obstacles. That’s especially true in the cannabis market because laws, regulations, supply chains, and business models differ from state-to-state, and a technology misstep can cost a dispensary owner their license.