Unified Commerce Strategies and Retailer Insights

This report presents findings from a survey conducted in partnership with Bain & Company, focusing on the state of Unified Commerce in the retail sector in 2023. The survey included over 300 retail executives responsible for IT decision-making across the US, UK, and Canada. The results indicate that 73% of respondents view Unified Commerce as extremely or very important, highlighting the gap between ambition and execution in this area. Key challenges include a lack of clarity in strategy and insufficient technology to support Unified Commerce initiatives. The report identifies physical stores as critical to successful execution, with initiatives like cross-organization collaboration and alignment of business and technology seen as essential for success. Several metrics, such as increased customer loyalty and improved inventory management, are anticipated benefits of well-executed Unified Commerce strategies. The report also lists top planned investments in technology and in-store capabilities to enhance Unified Commerce effectiveness.