As retailers face challenges ranging from complex supply chains to skyrocketing return costs, staying ahead requires bold innovation and smart partnerships. The attached new Forrester report, “2025 NRF Innovators: Retail-Focused Tech Companies to Watch,” produced in partnership with the National Retail Federation (NRF) Innovation Advisory Committee, is a look at 50 companies that tackle these same challenges.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) Innovators Showcase 2025 features 50 suppliers from around the world who are applying new technology tools to transform how retailers and brands sell and how consumers shop. The showcase is organized by the NRF’s Innovation Advisory Committee (IAC), of which Forrester is a member. This report reveals how these 50 suppliers are leveraging technologies like AI, robotics and extended reality to improve retail operationsimprove supply chain efficiency and transform consumer shopping experiences.
Meeting retail challenges
The retail trade contributes up to 5 trillion dollars per year to the American economy and employs more than 50 million people. Yet the industry faces several obstacles, including complex supply chains, high customer expectations and costly returns logistics. The The Forrester report highlights technologies that address these challenges, including:
- Revolutionizing supply chains. Streamlined supply chains are non-negotiable for modern retailers. Companies identified in the attached report are transforming supplier collaboration, simplifying global sourcing, and accelerating supply chain communication through rapid EDI integration, among others .
- Transform store operations. Physical stores remain the backbone of retail, but they need smarter tools. Innovations such as smart carts and security systems drive operational efficiency and customer engagement. These technologies bridge the gap between digital and physical retail spaces.
- Personalize customer engagement. Personalization drives customer loyalty and sales. Tools such as content creation and management solutions, shoppable video content, and digital signage insights, among others, help personalize the experience, both online and in-store.
Source: www.ecommercemag.fr
