Editor's Note: 6 Cross-Channel Retail Trends to Watch in 2013
4. Customization becomes mainstream. Consumers want retailers to know what they want, when they want it and the channel in which they want it. Retailers will oblige in 2013 with a steady stream of personalized emails, sales alerts and product recommendations based on consumers’ latest searches and buying habits via websites, mobile apps and social media sites. Along these same lines, expect to see a rise in "me-tailing" — i.e., a shift towards more personalized products.
5. A renewed interest in customer loyalty programs. Sure, customer loyalty has always been an important success metric for retailers, but with the introduction over the last few years of daily deals as a major marketing innovation for retailers, it's become all acquisition marketing, all the time. As popular as these daily-deal programs have become, retailers still aren't seeing long-term benefits from them. As a result, 2013 will likely see a shift towards a more sustainable customer acquisition strategy that yields long-term benefits. To put it simply, most retailers will be attracted to a completely different strategy for expanding their customer base, namely a new generation of customer loyalty and retention programs.
6. The rise of content marketing. To stay ahead of competitors and build a strong digital marketing strategy, content marketing — i.e., creating information, tips and stories, then sharing that content to attract prospects and engage them in conversation — will be critical to retailers’ success in 2013.
All in all, 2013 figures to be a pivotal year for the cross-channel retail industry. Happy holidays and good luck in 2013!
- Companies:
- Wal-Mart

Melissa Campanelli is Editor-in-Chief of Total Retail. She is an industry veteran, having covered all aspects of retail, tech, digital, e-commerce, and marketing over the past 20 years. Melissa is also the co-founder of the Women in Retail Leadership Circle.