On top of keeping you up to date on retail trends, this week we give a sneak-peek into big changes coming to Doorcounts later this week.

WHAT’S IN STORE THIS WEEK?

  • Digital trends: blip or permanent shift?
  • How 5G will change retail checkout
  • Retail friendly uses for artificial intelligence
  • Introducing Doorcounts 3.0’s redesigned interface

FOOT TRAFFIC INDEX

Here’s a look at last week’s foot traffic compared to the same time last year.

DC FEATURE OF THE WEEK

This is where each week we highlight a feature within Doorcounts. This week’s feature is:

The Executive View

Imagine getting a daily overview of your foot traffic as it’s happening.

The Executive View is intended for managers to see a quick report of all the opportunities and sales made for each store. While the tab looks similar to the up-board, instead of showing photos of customers, it displays the breakdown of the sales vs opportunities.

FOOT TRAFFIC TRENDS

Industry insights so you can convert your foot traffic into more sales.

Big changes are coming to Doorcounts

Later this week we will be releasing our biggest update to Doorcounts yet.

A brand new user interface will make it easier than ever to track the data that matters most to your company.

Salespeople in a rush for time? You will be gathering and analyzing key performance metrics in as little as 3 clicks.

New features, such as personalized dashboards and home screens, are built around your company to help Doorcounts feel like an extension of your stores.

The update will go live later this week.

Blip or permanent shift?

As more of the population becomes vaccinated and stores begin to fully open up again, a major question looms. is the digital shift a blip or a permanent change?
 
With so many new digital trends emerging and the hand being forced for many retailers to become a hybrid store, it’s hard to decide if you should go all in or hope for things to return to normal.
 
Although we don’t have an answer, we do know the pandemic sped up the inevitable.
 
It is no surprise that e-commerce is as prominent as is and that it would most likely still get to the same levels of sales without the pandemic. – The pandemic simply sped up its growth by about 30 years.
 
In 2019, e-commerce sales accounted for 11.4% of US retail sales. In Q2 of 2020, in the peak of lockdowns, e-commerce jumped to 16% of US retail sales.
 
Although we might have expected to see a bigger jump, it’s worth noting that in the last few years, e-commerce only increased by around 1% each year.
 
Regardless if these new trends stay or go, it’s worth keeping your eyes on trends potentially used by your competition.

How 5G will change retail

Of the many trends that emerged over the last year in retail, technology has played a major role in a majority of the changes.
 
As we’ve said in the past, mobile payment methods and zero-contact payment are becoming a feature that customers are coming to expect in physical stores.
 
Thanks to the bandwidth and low latency of 5G, 5G will speed up the checkout process and reduce the risk of fraud.
 
Biometric scanners that are built into phones plus the speed of 5G results in the safest and fasted form of payment.

Is AI retail-friendly?

 implementing artificial intelligence is a big leap to make for retailers who are just starting to implement new technology. However, the ever-changing retail environment makes AI more valuable than ever.
 
Artificial intelligence is constantly learning and evolving with its environment, which is crucial in a time where retail trends and restrictions are changing each week.
 
But the real question is, where does AI have a place in retail?
 
One of AI’s biggest use cases in retail is something you see every day online: shopping suggestions.
 
“customers who bought this may also be interested in this.” This feature, also known as shopping basket analysis, uses AI to find items that previous customers also purchased when purchasing certain items.
 
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI analysis. Artificial intelligence can personalize the shopping experience by comparing demographic data, click paths, marketing that resulted in a click, and much more.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Connected customer: How to understand and embrace the connected customer.
 
Patching Leaks: Simple ways to keep customers from leaving you for thecompetition.
 
Less is more: Learn how less is more in the new world of physical retail.
 
Retail stocks: Retail stocks to keep your eyes on in the coming weeks.

RANDOM IRRELEVANCE

Printed house: The world’s first 3D printed house has been built.
 
No chip no car: A single computer chip has halted the production of cars from multiple manufacturers.
 
Blue Origin: You can now buy a trip to the edge of space in the Blue Origin rocket.
 
Fresh kicks: Shoes worn by Kanye West in the 2008 Grammy becomes the most expensive shoe ever sold at auction.