Digital Transformation

With consumers outpacing retailers' ability to innovate, technology vendors need to make technical interoperability, flexibility and usability their top priorities. That's the message and the mandate behind retailers' new Digital Directives manifesto.

Sears is making strides to put its customers first by rolling out iPads and iPod Touch devices to associates in nearly 450 stores nationwide. The retailer is also adding free Wi-Fi in select stores so customers can use web-enabled devices to shop online and compare prices in-store before making a purchase.

Retailers are discovering that cloud deployments often require more work, cost, skill and strategic planning than might first appear. Great benefits are achievable but retailers must properly plan their cloud strategy, as they would an on-premise implementation. Increase your cloud success rate by downloading this special report, which identifies five key strategies for minimizing security risks and maximizing cloud solutions’ flexibility, scalability and availability.

What do you get when you execute a kick-butt project that helps drive your company to category leadership, delivers high-performance business results, and pushes the envelope of technology innovation? Hopefully, more than just a hearty pat on the back. Four retailers were honored with 2011 Fusion Awards for kicking butt in cross-channel operations that successfully fused business strategies with outstanding IT execution. Here is a look at the winners and also highlights from the just completed Cross-Channel Retail Executive Summit.

SAP announced it will acquire B2B integration provider Crossgate to instantly connect SAP customers and their business partners for networking at the enterprise level, providing easy collaboration and streamlined data sharing.

Best Buy will hire 200 in-house IT specialists over the next year, growing its team from 100 to 300, in a move to localize and take control of its largely outsourced IT department.

Today's shopper is equipped with smartphones, and retailers should embrace that technology. With the help of mobile technology, retailers can level the playing field and make their physical stores more relevant.

Winn-Dixie will implement IBM POS and self-checkout technology to help transform customer service, speed innovation and increase the operational efficiency of 484 stores across the Southeastern United States.

Holographic imaging technology has created the industry's first virtual assistant at the flagship Duane Reade store in New York City.

Retail finally gets a CIO awards program recognizing some of the most talented executives in any industry.