Our top retail & e-commerce research and trends to watch

Retail innovation is focused on the fundamentals.

As uncertainty and volatility grew in 2022, retailers and brands zeroed in on tech to boost conversion and grow revenues.

No matter the environment, our research helps retail players make tech-buying decisions. For example, discover tech solutions in merchandising in our merchandising tech market map, determine which tech markets to prioritize with our corresponding MVP framework, and decide which companies are ideal for partnerships or investments with our market-specific ESP Vendor Rankings, including this one covering trade promotion optimization.

Looking ahead to 2023, we’ll be watching:

• Tech that helps build new revenue streams as well as the solutions that help retailers cut costs and drive efficiency, across stores as well as e-commerce.
• Continued growth in emerging markets across the globe, creating new opportunities for digitization.
• New media platforms and modes of digital content production.
• New types of customer journey tracking and personalization tech.

The points above are in focus as we develop the 2023 Retail Tech 100, our annual list of the most innovative B2B retail companies in the world. Look for it in March 2023.

In the meantime, we’ve created a guide below to help you check out our top research in retail and e-commerce — and prep for the year to come. 

OMNICHANNEL RETAIL 

• The Big Tech in Retail Report: How Meta, Amazon, and Google are transforming retail
• The Retail Tech 100: The top retail tech companies of 2022
• 13 tech solutions to help recession-proof retail businesses
• The Future of the Post-Purchase Experience: How technology is transforming the way we shop
• The Future of Fashion: From design to merchandising, how tech is reshaping the industry
• The shift to a circular economy: How tech is shaping the future of sustainable retail
• [Client Research] Analyzing Walmart’s Growth Strategy: How the retail giant is building e-commerce and boosting profits
• [Client Research] Unbundling Sephora: How the beauty retail experience is being disrupted
• [Client Research] Tech Market Map Report: Merchandising Tech for Brands & Retailers
• [Client Research] These 15 technologies are helping brands & retailers supercharge merchandising — here are the ones to prioritize
• [Client Research] Tech Market Map Report: Hourly Employee Management Tech
• [Client Research] Prioritizing the 13 technologies combating labor shortages for hourly employees across industries
• [Client Research] Analyzing Alibaba’s growth strategy: How the tech giant is reimagining retail to drive its global ambitions 
• [Client Research] 157 companies helping grocery leaders adapt to the omnichannel shopper journey
• [Client Research] How grocery retailers should prioritize these 11 technologies supporting omnichannel enablement
• [Client Research] Analyzing Carrefour’s growth strategy: How the retailer is digitizing its operations to improve profitability
• [Client Research] Tech Market Map Report: Loyalty & Retention Tech in Consumer & Retail
• [Client Research] 10 technologies that strengthen customer loyalty and retention — and the ones retail leaders should prioritize now
• [Client Research] Analyzing 7-Eleven’s growth strategy: How the world’s largest convenience chain is improving customer experience and engagement
• [Client Research] 70+ early-stage companies reimagining luxury retail
• [Client Research] Analyzing Kering’s growth strategy: How the luxury giant behind Gucci and Balenciaga is innovating across sustainability, the metaverse, and more
• [Client Research] Tech Market Map Report: Customer Service in Consumer & Retail
• [Client Research] MVP Technology Framework: Customer Service for Consumer & Retail Leaders
• [Client Research] 54 companies using AI to automate customer service interactions
• [Client Research] Analyzing H&M’s growth strategy: How the fashion giant is innovating in sustainability and omnichannel commerce
• [Client Research] These 134 companies are transforming how brands & retailers acquire customers

E-COMMERCE AND DIGITAL SHOPPING

• The Future of E-Commerce: How AI advisors, crypto wallets, and the metaverse will enable shopping in 2030
• Unbundling SHEIN: How fast fashion is being disrupted
• [Client Research] The virtual fitting room: How Amazon, Walmart, Alibaba, and others are using AI and AR to transform shopping
• [Client Research] Unbundling TikTok: How influencer marketing and the creator economy are getting disrupted
• [Client Research] 74 companies powering super apps like WhatsApp and WeChat
• [Client Research] Analyzing Shopify’s growth strategy: How the e-commerce platform is expanding its merchants’ reach and speeding up delivery
• [Client Research] Tech Market Map Report: E-Commerce Tech in Consumer & Retail
• [Client Research] MVP Technology Framework: E-Commerce Tech for Consumer & Retail
• [Client Research] 100+ startups driving innovation in recommerce tech
• [Client Research] Analyzing eBay’s growth strategy: How the company is prioritizing category specialization & luxury authentication

STORE TECH

• The Future of the Supermarket: How technology is making grocery shopping more personalized, efficient, and sustainable
• 5 new formats reinventing the physical retail store experience
• [Client Research] 160 companies making retail stores more profitable, efficient, and engaging
• [Client Research] Prioritizing 13 technologies digitizing and automating retail stores

SUPPLY CHAIN, FULFILLMENT, & DELIVERY

• The Future of the Fleet: How technology is making transporting freight more efficient and sustainable
• The Future of Last-Mile Delivery: How technology is tackling the complexity and cost of fulfillment
• [Client Research] What are Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons doing in microfulfillment?
• [Client Research] How American Eagle and Gap are entering the third-party logistics space
• [Client Research] 218 companies helping retail leaders make last-mile operations faster, cheaper, and more efficient
• [Client Research] Analyzing DoorDash’s operational strategy: How the delivery leader is investing in local commerce
• [Client Research] Tech Market Map Report: Supply Chain Optimization in Grocery
• [Client Research] MVP Technology Framework: Supply Chain Optimization for Grocery Retailers
• [Client Research] Analyzing Ocado’s growth strategy: How the grocery tech giant is shaping the future of the supermarket
• [Client Research] 60+ early-stage companies reshaping food & meal delivery

DIGITAL CONTENT & MEDIA

• • Unbundling Meta: How the tech giant’s digital advertising business is being disrupted
  • What L’Oréal, Nike, and LVMH are doing in Web3
  • [Client Research] Tech Market Map Report: Retail Media Networks
  • [Client Research] These 14 technologies are helping retailers build out their media networks — here are the ones to prioritize
  • [Client Research] 171 companies helping brands scale and automate their digital content offerings
  • [Client Research] 95+ early-stage companies using AI to create and edit digital content