This year, especially, technology has played an essential role in retailers’ goals of unlocking value. Notably, the pandemic has seen companies accelerate technology adoptions by several years, and according to Ali Asaria, founder and chief executive officer at Tulip, while the last generation of store technology was costly and cumbersome with little flexibility, retailers looking for alternative solutions will be met with technology that fulfills enterprise needs with all the benefits of a lean SaaS.
Here, Asaria talks to WWD about the new needs and challenges facing retailers, shifting consumer behaviors, and how clienteling and personalization have changed.
WWD: What are the new challenges that you have seen retailers facing in the current environment with the pandemic?
Ali Asaria: This year has been very disruptive for retail from store closures to supply chain to changes in consumer behaviors. In response, retailers had to quickly adapt with agile and innovative digital solutions. As we start to return to some normalcy over the next few months, brands will continue to face new challenges. Despite the growth in online spending, the average transaction value is still smaller compared to the physical stores because of the lack of personalization. Therefore, retailers will need to focus on driving

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