It's crunch time for retailers and their suppliers. Now is when we find out if their technology systems are yielding returns. For many companies it can be the difference in whether they are seeing black or red ink this year.
The holiday shopping season can make or break a retailer’s year, putting them in the black or leaving them red-faced.
In the malls, retailers must share data with suppliers to stock shelves with the right mix and amount of inventory. Online, e-commerce sites must optimize their pitches for impulse buyers they can’t influence in the flesh. Behind the scenes, business analysts must find insight (and profits) in mounds of customer data.
In this high-stakes season, so much can—and has—gone wrong for retailers, airlines and others.
Read more in CIO.com’s special holiday shopping season coverage:
Online Shopping: How to Get the Impulse Purchase
The High-Stakes Search for Supply Chain Excellence During the Holiday Rush
How IT Failures Wreck Holidays for Many Companies
Business Intelligence: A Must for Winning the Holiday Shopping Wars
