Zebra study: Seven in 10 retailers to invest in IoT technologies by 2021

Nearly 70% of retail decision makers surveyed are ready to make changes to adopt the Internet of Things (IoT), and 65% plan to invest in automation technologies for inventory management and planogram compliance by 2021.

These are among the results of the 2017 Retail Vision Study by Zebra Technologies, a global leader in providing solutions and services that give enterprises real-time visibility into their operations. Reflecting the input of more than 1,700 retail decision makers from North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East across a wide spectrum of retail segments, this body of research analyzes the technology trends shaping the future of the global retail industry and enhancing the shopping experience.

“Every inch of the retail industry is changing, from the aisles of the warehouse to the shelves of the store, and retailers are driving this change in a race to better serve customers,” said Jeff Schmitz, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Zebra. “The 2017 Retail Vision Study demonstrates that retailers are poised to meet and exceed customer expectations with new levels of personalization, speed and convenience. Zebra is committed to help retailers survive – and thrive – in this changing landscape by providing products and solutions that enable a successful omni-channel strategy with greater insights and visibility into store operations, associates, inventory and shipments.”

Key facts
● The continued rise of online shopping will challenge retailers to provide unprecedented levels of convenience to help drive customer loyalty. By 2021, 65% of retailers plan to explore innovative delivery services, such as delivering to workplaces, homes and even parked cars.
● By 2021, nearly 80% of retailers will be able to customize the store visit for customers as a majority of them will know when a specific customer is in the store. This will be enabled through technology such as micro-locationing allowing retailers to capture more data, accuracy and customer insights.
● Retailers are looking to create a seamless shopper experience with 78% reporting that it is important or business-critical to integrate e-commerce and in-store experiences.
● To speed check-out lines, retailers are planning to invest in mobile devices, kiosks and tablets to increase payment options. 87% of retailers will deploy mobile point-of-sale (MPOS) devices by 2021, enabling them to scan and accept credit or debit payments anywhere in the store.
● Seventy-three percent of retailers rate managing big data as important or business-critical to their operations. By 2021, at least 75% of retailers anticipate investing in predictive and software analytics for loss prevention and price optimization along with cameras and video analytics for operational purposes and improving the overall customer experience.
● According to the survey, the top sources of shopper dissatisfaction include inconsistent pricing between stores and the inability to find a desired item, whether it’s out of stock or misplaced within a store. 72% of retailers plan to fix these issues by reinventing their supply chains with real-time visibility enabled by automation, sensors and analytics.
● Fifty-seven percent of retailers believe automation will shape the industry by 2021 – helping retailers pack and ship orders, track inventory, check in-store inventory levels and assist customers in finding items.

Regional findings
● Seventy-nine percent of North American retailers are investing in IoT technologies such as automated inventory verification and sensors on shelves.
● In Latin America, 85% of retailers plan to use technology to personalize and enhance the in-store experience.
● Seventy-nine percent of retailers in Asia-Pacific expect to support buy online, pick-up at a third-party location by 2021.
● Today, 36% of retailers in Europe know when specific customers are in a store but that number is expected to more than double by 2021.

Click here to view an infographic and download the 2017 Zebra Retail Vision Study.