Retail TouchPoints Unveils 2017 Outlook Guide: 13 Experts Share Insights On The Hottest Trends

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J., Jan. 23, 2017 -- Retail TouchPoints (RTP), the industry’s go-to source for customer engagement strategies, has unveiled the 2017 Outlook Guide: Insights And Predictions From 13 Industry Experts, providing answers to some of the most pressing questions retailers face in 2017 — from "How do I keep my store relevant to today's consumer?" to "What's the best way to leverage influencer marketing?"

13 Experts Share Insights On Hottest Trends

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/149681b8-c0f7-4d17-8459-c437413fd00b

Contributors include executives from:

• A.T. Kearney
• BDO
• Bloglovin'
• Boston Retail Partners
• Center for Client Retention
• Clientricity
• ERDM
• Fung Global Retail & Technology
• IDC
• IHL
• Location Based Marketing Association
• NPD Group Checkout Tracking
• Retail Systems Research (RSR)

A total of 13 retail industry experts — including well-known consultants, analysts and researchers — have shared their insights and predictions for 2017 and beyond. Contributors have provided high-level forecasts as well as practical advice for executives throughout the retail enterprise. Topics include digital transformation, curated customer experiences, influencer marketing, personalization, mobile payment, and omnichannel customer engagement strategies.

“Heading into our 10^th year, Retail TouchPoints is proud to bring together an impressive and diverse group of retail experts,” said Debbie Hauss, Editor-In-Chief of Retail TouchPoints. “The 2017 Outlook Guide will be a resource to keep nearby to help guide customer engagement strategies throughout the year.”

Investment Opportunities

Some 2017 Outlook Guide contributors pointed retailers to specific technologies to invest in for the coming year:

• Digital screens of all sizes are increasingly smart, and content is curated, and in the best-case scenario is personalized. This year, contextualized content to the consumer on their devices at home, on their wrists, in their pockets, and on shop shelves, walls and in out-of-shop locations will drive investments in content management. — Leslie Hand, IDC
• Your Business Will Go “Live”: It’s not just Facebook that is introducing live streaming to its platforms. Periscope, Twitter, Instagram (coming soon) and YouTube are also jumping head first into this new and exciting area. What does it mean for your business? Brands will begin to show the inner workings of their manufacturing, supply chain and marketing strategy directly to consumers, creating new bonds that will convert fans into life-long advocates. — Asif Khan, Location Based Marketing Association
• Single transaction engine for POS, mPOS, and e-Commerce: While today these software packages are separate, retailers' desire for the future is a single order processing engine. — Jerry Sheldon, IHL

A closer look at the full report illustrates all these experts' opinions, insights and predictions about the most urgent issues facing retailers in 2017.

Professionals interested in learning more should download the Retail TouchPoints 2017 Outlook Guide: Insights And Predictions From 13 Industry Experts to see what insiders expect in the year to come.

About Retail TouchPoints
Retail TouchPoints is an online publishing network for retail executives, with content focused on optimizing the customer experience across all channels. The Retail TouchPoints network is comprised of a weekly newsletter, special reports, web seminars, exclusive benchmark research, an insightful editorial blog, and a content-rich web site featuring daily news updates and multi-media interviews at www.retailtouchpoints.com. The Retail TouchPoints team also interacts with social media communities via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Sheri Butts
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