To forecast how people will buy tomorrow, you need to look not just at today’s technologies, but turn your attention to today’s 15 year olds who will be your target market in 5 years’ time. Make
your judgments based upon the technologies that are embedded in the lives of the individuals who will be tomorrow’s customers
Today’s hot technology topics are support for the iPhone and the
Blackberry. Looking forward, mobile and ‘on the go’ computing will remain strong. Online purchasing will expand from largely home-based, as it is now, to taking place anywhere and at any time. Retail IT strategy for the coming years needs to cater for this in its systems design and management. Still in the position of that retail IT director, I’d ponder how to integrate
these new devices into my supported hardware ‘pool’. With potential customers walking round with significant processing power in their pockets or handbags, I’d be a fool not to use it to deliver truly individual service that could differentiate me from my competitors. Even those boot and shoe retailers considering themselves to be
technology pioneers need to know where they will go next. When it comes to systems upgrade or acquisition, they should ask tough questions of their solutions providers. They should expect ‘roadmaps’ that chart the release of new functions and support for any new technologies, demonstrating what they will do for a retail business at a practical level. It is only then that the crystal ball marked ‘retail in 2015’ can be looked into by all parties, and a strategy defined that will accurately reflect the future intersection of technology and customer in the retail sector.
Alan Morris is co-founder and managing director of retail-only IT
services and solutions provider, Retail Assist. Contact Alan on 0115 853 3910 or at
alan.morris@
retail-assist.com
AUGUST 2010 • FOOTWEAR TODAY
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