07.11.18 -- Walmart Increases Support Of Diverse Suppliers With Launch Of Dedicated Online Showcase

For operational improvements such as inventory management, as well as more effective marketing and more varied, broad and transparent access to the customer, predictive analytics can offer opportunities to retail companies across the board. Using predictive analytics can help businesses address specific goals; here we'll look at some ways it can be used to solve problems and create growth.

Meet Sally. She's a professional in her late 20s living in a thriving neighborhood about 30 minutes from a metropolis. In a few weeks, Sally is heading for some relaxation and sporting fun on a tropical vacation with her fiancé. On her day off Sally is going to shop for a few getaway outfits. She's eager to find the right pair of sandals, glamorous swimsuits, and stylish dresses to show off during those glorious tropical days. She might even pick up some new makeup or look for the right tanning lotion. In the new age of digital, Sally harnesses the power of the internet and social media in her customer journey.

If you've been through a self-checkout lane at a supermarket or department store, you've probably concluded that "self" is more aspiration than reality. Something always seems to go wrong, prompting the self-checkout machine to inform you an attendant is on the way to help.

Getting products out the door in a timely fashion isn't the biggest struggle e-commerce retailers face; it's dealing with the returns.

Growing your business in today's saturated U.S. market can be a challenge. Amazon continues to dominate the market, and their rapid growth is shrinking the pieces of the pie. Customers are no longer bound by brick-and-mortar stores and are starting to feel more comfortable purchasing from overseas. Paired with the world's love of American brands, the opportunity for growing your business beyond U.S. borders has never been better.