In addition, we expect platforms such as social media and mobile to play bigger roles in people's shopping experiences.
Many retailers leveraged social to engage users and influence their merchandising decisions this year, but in 2015, we’re anticipating companies to go beyond that and use social not just to showcase products, but to actually sell them.
The same goes for mobile. Companies won’t just use the small screen to “get in front” of customers (i.e. through geo-fencing and mobile-enabled sites). In 2015, retailers will step up their efforts by incorporating mobile into other parts of the customer journey, including order fulfillment, payments, and loyalty.
We discuss these trends—among many others—in more detail below. Read through the following predictions and see how you can use them to make decisions in 2015, stay ahead of your competitors, and provide a better shopping experience for your customers.