For most merchants, technology is a critical part of the business. Retail software enables the easy management of sales, while some level of hardware is necessary to run applications and complete transactions. However, some industry professionals may grow distracted by the latest innovations and forget that the newest advancements should complement their operations rather than running in parallel or even competition with the rest of the organization. 

Writing for ScreenPlay Interactive, Ken Lonyai recently reported that some retailers may be investing more in technology than in customer service. The source noted that after sending an email through Whole Foods' corporate website about an ongoing problem with a local store, an email response took one week to arrive. Because nothing way resolved, Lonyai proceeded to call the Northeast Regional Office eight days later. Instead of finding help, Lonyai was met with the office covering for the store. Rather than the website enhancing the customer experience, it proved ineffective as the reply time was slow. Additionally, it resulted in a lost patron. 

Chris Petersen, president of Integrated Marketing Solutions, remarked on RetailWire that technology that is not integrated into the shopper's journey will be ignored or potentially decrease sales. He noted that even as most consumers review products online, the majority still purchase items in stores, so innovations should work in concert with traditional brick-and-mortar sales. In his opinion, mobile apps that help store employees convince consumers to buy from their locations are retailers' best tech investment. 

As the major holiday shopping season approaches, many consumers are hitting retail stores early to find the best deals available. As more customers pour in through their doors, merchants will need to scale up their store operations and run powerful retail software that creates a convenient shopping experience. 

One key fact retailers should include in their plans for November and December is that their customers will be more informed than ever. According to SGK Inc's 2013 Early Holiday Shopper Survey, more than half of pre-October holiday buyers used their mobile devices for product research, and many ran price comparisons before purchasing an item. Rather than avoiding the crowds, many early shoppers will also be in stores on Black Friday, and they will have consulted inserts and circulars, websites, emails and their friends and family to find the best deal before stepping into a shop. Many will also request price matching, the survey found. 

"By starting early, spreading purchases over a wider time frame, using layaway and actively researching, shoppers are more likely to find the right offers for them," Jim Lucas, executive vice president, global insights at SGK, according to the report. 

Retailers should also take note that customers who research items on their mobile devices are likely to spend more than other consumers. Those merchants able to adapt to better informed shoppers could benefit from increased sales in the next couple of months. 

Even as the ecommerce market expands, some retailers are considering how to draw customers back to their brick-and-mortar locations and what they can do to compete against online merchants. Trying to match online prices is one option some industry professionals take, but the minimal overhead of Internet-based sales leaves this an uncertain strategy. Furthermore, it might not be the right one.

According to Internet Retailer, many shoppers seek something more than low costs when purchasing items online. Categories like books and clothing are often bought based on their price, but consumers prefer 24/7 convenience in the routine commodities category, while variety was the most important factor when buying groceries.

"We're a big fan of value, and not a big fan of using price, price, price to go after consumers," Susan Lee, a partner at consulting firm Simon-Kucher & Partners, told the source. 

Lee suggested that when shoppers enter brick-and-mortar locations, retailers should consider why the customers are there. Internet Retailer noted that someone who is painting his or her home might also buy brushes and other related items when employees take the opportunity to speak with the individual. This level of attention can be hard to replicate online, and just as price is not always the motive for ecommerce, retail industry professionals should not assume the same about in-store purchases. 

The point of sale is arguably the most crucial moment in any customer-retailer relationship. Its success can sum up the sometimes lengthy shopping process and every detail along the way. Good customer service, a quality product, attractive displays and effective advertising all lead up to that event. Should a sale not go through, everything building up to it resulted in nothing. The consumer's time selecting a product or service has gone to waste, and the business hasn't made a sale. 

Because the POS is so critical, retailers should focus on it at least as much as any other perk they might offer customers. Increasingly, this may mean adding mobile payment options for shoppers. Citing a Chadwick Martin Bailey study, Bankrate noted that only 16 percent of the survey's respondents used a mobile wallet in the past six months. Despite this, PayPal's newly revamped app is now effectively a digital wallet, rather than just an outlet for e-commerce, as The Verge recently reported. Unlike other attempts to succeed with the technology, the source remarked that PayPal's current use by more than 132 million active participants may give it an advantage lacking in competing payment apps. 

As GigaOM highlighted, the app can already pre-order food from about 1,000 cafes and restaurants, or even pay at the table. This is in addition to the clothing stores and other retailers also working with PayPal. Integrating similar payment options may be the key to bridging physical and online commerce. 

There are many factors that help retailers understand how the industry is performing and what they can expect in the near future. Perhaps two of the most important elements that merchants analyze is consumer confidence and spending, as these paint a picture of how shoppers are feeling and whether or not their optimism is translating into increased retail sales.

According to The Associated Press, consumer spending rose throughout July, as data from the U.S. Commerce Department found this figure jumped by 0.1 percent. While it's not a strong gain, it is a step in the right direction, and it follows June's spending increase of 0.6 percent. The source explained that nondurable goods, such as clothing, were the main items purchased during July, with a 0.8 percent boost.

As for consumer confidence, this took a small drop recently, as reported by Daily Finance. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index fell from 85.1 in July to 82.1 in August. Despite this decline, the news source noted that overall, consumers appear to be confident in the nation's economy as well as their own financial conditions. These factors could contribute to a successful next few months for retailers, which is welcome news as the holiday shopping season quickly approaches. 

Smartphones and tablets are no longer just tools that allow users to stay in touch with contacts or work remotely – they are now being increasingly used for shopping. Whether it's patrons paying with their devices at brick-and-mortar locations or consumers using the gadgets to browse for and purchase items while on the go, it's no longer a secret that mobile is taking the sector by storm.

According to recently released research by comScore, mobile commerce grew 24 percent year-over-year in the second quarter. This represents a total of $4.7 billion spent through the gadgets, the study revealed. Apparel and accessories were the most bought products through mobile commerce, while computer hardware and digital content followed behind, comScore found.

To give an example of how prevalent mobile is within the retail industry, a study by Placed Inc discovered that a significant amount of back-to-school shoppers are using the devices to research, compare and purchase their supplies for the upcoming school year. Internet Retailer reported that the research revealed almost half (48 percent) of patrons are accessing coupons and deals with their gadgets, and 20 percent are actually buying items through their smartphones and tablets.

With the back-to-school season underway and the busiest shopping period of the year fast approaching with the upcoming holidays, U.S. retailers have a lot to look forward to. However, a less-than-stellar first half of 2013 has dampened merchants' optimism, as sales figures dropped slightly.

Advertising Age explained that many retailers are expressing caution about the second six months of the year following a dismal performance between January and June. Big-name brands such as Target, Kohl's and Macy's have reported lower sales and traffic, both in stores and online. There are several reasons for these declines, including higher payroll taxes and a fluctuating housing market, the source noted.

Despite this, businesses are ramping up their promotional efforts in preparation for the busy holiday shopping season. The news provider stated that Macy's is increasing its marketing strategies in the hope of attracting customers with its message that the brand offers a great deal on its products.

More businesses will certainly be following suit in the coming weeks to boost their revenues, and to handle the influx of customers both online and in their stores, merchants can use retail management software to oversee all of their operations.

With the back-to-school season underway and the busiest shopping period of the year fast approaching with the upcoming holidays, U.S. retailers have a lot to look forward to. However, a less-than-stellar first half of 2013 has dampened merchants' optimism, as sales figures dropped slightly.

Advertising Age explained that many retailers are expressing caution about the second six months of the year following a dismal performance between January and June. Big-name brands such as Target, Kohl's and Macy's have reported lower sales and traffic, both in stores and online. There are several reasons for these declines, including higher payroll taxes and a fluctuating housing market, the source noted.

Despite this, businesses are ramping up their promotional efforts in preparation for the busy holiday shopping season. The news provider stated that Macy's is increasing its marketing strategies in the hope of attracting customers with its message that the brand offers a great deal on its products.

More businesses will certainly be following suit in the coming weeks to boost their revenues, and to handle the influx of customers both online and in their stores, merchants can use retail management software to oversee all of their operations.

Feeling recognized and appreciated is something that many people want, even when shopping with their favorite brands. Knowing their business is valued is a vital element in customer retention, so many brands are now stepping up their efforts to implement solutions that provide them with the tools needed for making patron interactions more engaging.

Luckily, using retail management software to collect, store and analyze data about consumers is an effective way to accomplish merchants' retention goals. Big data, as it's formally known, has provided companies in a variety of sectors with essential resources for improving business operations and strategies. For the retail industry, perhaps one of the best methods in which big data can be used is by enhancing personalization, according to ZDNet.

Leveraging big data to develop more personalized marketing messages that include product preferences based on past purchases can keep customers coming back, the source explained. But the technology is not limited to just digital interactions – brands can gather and use shopper data to make suggestions while patrons are in brick-and-mortar locations as well.