Editor's Note: Key Retail Trends From eTail West

“It’s going to take sophisticated technology to take advantage of all of that data, so there’s much more of an emphasis on the data and the technology needed to analyze it.” In fact, data isn’t only the domain of tech guru geeks anymore. Agarwal cited a recent study from technology research firm Gartner which projected that by 2017 chief marketing officers will spend more money on IT resources than chief information officers. “Retailers and e-tailers who harness this data and analyze it will have a competitive advantage,” he noted.

Other trends that the keynote panel addressed that retailers should be aware of going forward include the following:

• the growing number of companies offering personalized, custom merchandise on-demand;
• an increased emphasis on behavioral commerce, the practice of giving different consumers different offers based on their shopping personality and buying behaviors;
• a continued emphasis on creating a first-class mobile experience for consumers, whether they’re shopping via a mobile app, website or tablet; and
• the growth of new social media channels like Pinterest, which is already delivering high-quality traffic to retailers.

Trends From Our Readers, Leading Female Retail Execs
This Editor’s Note doesn’t contain all the retail trends discussed in this issue, however. Check out our Annual Trends Survey, which focused on cross-channel marketing and promotional integration. Our readers, who were polled for the survey in January, revealed that traditional marketing channels such as email and search are continuing to deliver solid results for them, while social media, affiliate and video marketing will be seeing an increased share of their marketing spend in 2012.

Another trend? An increase in the number of high-ranking female executives at leading cross-channel retail brands. This issue’s cover story honors these top women. The article highlights senior-level women who have helped their companies survive and grow despite the evolving retail industry and volatile economic climate they’ve had to overcome. You’ll learn about their career paths and achievements, plus each woman has shared her best tip for succeeding in cross-channel retail.