Abstract

This IDC Survey Spotlight highlights strategic retail services priorities as they adapt business models to the reality of consumer shopping journeys and preferences. Meeting the customer's expectations in today's omni-channel environment appears to be well understood, given how well priorities tie to consumer needs (source: IDC's Global Retail Operating Models Survey, August 2022, n 800; IDC's Consumer Sentiment Survey — Retail Consumer Insights Survey, July 2022, n = 1,010).

Leslie Hand, group vice president, IDC Retail and Financial Insights, urges "retailers to not ignore or delay giving consumers access to the services that they expect. Consumers told us that they will abandon retailers after just one mis-step (lack of flexible return or fulfillment options, lack of visibility to inventory or order information, bad experience). Consumers are already moving seamlessly between digital to physical shopping at some of the retailers they shop, and that is now the experience that they always expect. This is the bar that must be reached."

Coverage