Over 50 percent of retailers intend to roll out upgrades of their websites over the next two years, according to the RIS News Retail Technology Study, as they try and create online environments that engage consumers on a deeper level.
Jeff Roster of the Gartner Group authored the RIS News report. He said upgrades being made by retailers are part of "the natural evolution of the Web into next-generation technologies, especially in such areas as logical search and navigation, recommendations based on best sellers or previous purchases, product comparisons and reviews, live chat and social communities."
Aerosoles is one retailer identified by RIS News as having gone the upgrade route.
The company has improved the visual presentation of shoes on its site with zoom functions along with imaging capabilities that enable shoppers to see designs in a variety of colors with the click of the mouse.
Aerosoles has also upgraded its search and navigation capabilities. Shoppers can search for shoes by style, color, heel height, and size. Keywords can help to further refine the search.
Discussion Question: What technology upgrades do you think hold the greatest promise for retailers looking to build sales online or in cross-channel environments? What technology do you think is most over-hyped and probably not worth the investment?