This weekend kicks off the National Retail Federation’s “Big Show” at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. More than 40,000 attendees are expected, and over 1,000 exhibitors will be on hand to offer their latest technology solutions as well as thought leadership and insights into consumer behavior, business strategies and emerging trends to watch.
Here, FN offers a preview of what the tech providers are showcasing at the event.
Next-Gen Innovations for the Supply Chain
The company 7thonline is bringing technology solutions to the market to bridge sales forecasting and supply chain execution. The company said these “next-generation” innovations will address these key questions: How much inventory needs to be purchased? What resources and raw materials are required for production? How can supply chain operations align more efficiently with demand forecasts?
The rollout of the solutions is backed by more than 25 years of upstream planning, the company said, adding that in that time, 7thonline has broadened its focus to address production demand planning.
The company said by blurring the lines between wholesale, direct-to-consumer, and digital operations, “7thonline empowers businesses of all sizes, from small retailers to multinational enterprises, to optimize inventory flow and maximize profitability.”
The company said its next-generation approach integrates demand and supply data, “enabling corporate offices to gain real-time visibility into inventory movements across all locations and ensuring a smooth transition into supply chain planning.” The launch of these solutions comes at a time when retailers and brands are managing a more complex business that stretches across multiple channels and consumer touchpoints.
Max Ma, chief executive officer of 7thonline, said, “Retail operations have historically operated in silos, with limited communication between supply and demand teams. We’re breaking down those barriers. Our enhanced platform fosters collaboration between departments, streamlining processes, and ensuring that inventory decisions align with real-time business needs.”
The benefits of the company’s solutions include offering brands and retailers forecasting horizons, which allows demand planning teams to forecast further out, which reduces production bottlenecks. The platform also better integrates upstream and downstream processes. “7thonline’s platform not only handles upstream planning with precision but now seamlessly connects to downstream operations, solving problems across the inventory lifecycle,” the company said.
Improving Communications
Multimedia Plus is unveiling the latest feature for its platform, Incite Posts, at the National Retail Federation’s “Big Show” next week in New York. Incite Posts is designed to “transform communication” across retail organizations, the company said.
The company said the feature “empowers managers at every level, including store, district and regional, to create engaging, social media-style content tailored to their teams.” Incite Posts meets a demand in the market where retailers and brands focus on improving communication across all levels of their business to not only improve engagement but also create a more vibrant company culture.
“With rising demand for intuitive, real-time tools that resonate with frontline associates, Incite Posts leverages the power of social media-style interaction to connect teams seamlessly,” Multimedia Plus said in a statement.
“As retail evolves, effective and engaging communication is no longer a ‘nice to have’ — it’s essential,” said David Harouche, chief executive officer and founder of Multimedia Plus. “With Incite Posts, managers can share updates, celebrate achievements, and keep teams informed with visually rich, targeted content, creating a level of connection and alignment that traditional methods can’t achieve.”
Multimedia Plus said with Incite Posts, managers at all levels “can create customized posts to engage their specific teams while maintaining alignment with corporate messaging.” The company said managers can use Incite Posts to share images, videos and updates “in a dynamic, easy-to-digest format — perfect for visual merchandising updates, product launches, and employee recognition.”
Since Incite Posts lives on the platform, communications are streamlined and trackable, and aligned with organizational goals, Multimedia Plus said, adding that the feature “allows messaging to scale seamlessly across large retail footprints, connecting thousands of associates with consistent, impactful content.”
“Retailers can no longer rely on outdated communication systems to connect with modern, mobile-first associates,” Harouche said. “Incite Posts bridges that gap, delivering the speed, simplicity and engagement retail teams expect.”
Offering Greater Personalization
As part of its goal of offering intelligent, personalized post-purchase experiences for shoppers, Narvar is rolling out two new features: IRIS (Intelligent Retail Insights Service) and Narvar Assist.
Narvar said IRIS is a layer of intelligent technologies that include machine learning, data intelligence and analytics that is “combined with industry domain experience and fueled by more than 42 billion consumer interactions across the Narvar customer base.”
The company said its dataset is second only to Amazon, and cements the company’s “position as the leader in intelligent, personalized post-purchase experiences. As the first entrant to the post-purchase category, Narvar is now redefining it with AI.”
Narvar Assist is powered by IRIS and is designed to offer “delivery claims fraud prevention software that provides scalable, data-driven tools to reduce fraud, automate claims management, and enhance customer satisfaction, addressing a $103 billion problem for retailers,” Narvar said.
For retailers, the expected outcomes of these new features aims to anticipate the behavior of shoppers while optimizing operations and creating what Narvar calls “hyper personalized experiences” to drive loyalty as well as sustainable revenue growth.
Aside from boosting loyalty, the platform identifies and addressing high-risk behaviors while adapting to emerging patterns, Narvar said, adding that it also streamlines operations via predictive insights that “unlock profitable growth.”
Ram Ravichandran, chief technology officer of Narvar, described IRIS as a transformative leap for the company, “combining advanced machine learning and multimodel AI to deliver insights at unmatched scale. By processing billions of interactions, IRIS powers unprecedented personalization and helps retailers tackle challenges like fraud prevention and operational inefficiencies.”
A Chill on Spending?
As 2025 unfolds, consumers have money on their minds and it will impact how they shop, according to the latest consumer research from First Insight, which is showcasing its solutions at the NRF show. The survey also revealed the growing importance of AI to create more tailored and relevant shopping experiences to lure in shoppers.
In a survey of more than 1,100 U.S. consumers, researchers at First Insight found that 57 percent of those polled said they are worried about a recession, with Generation X leading the way at 65 percent. As a result, 31 percent of respondents said they plan to prioritize essentials such as groceries and rent while 52 percent of consumers said that rising costs, including tariffs, “will significantly impact their purchasing behavior.”
Subsequently, 62 percent of consumers polled rank price as the leading factor in their shopping decisions. But that sentiment varies among generational cohorts. “Younger generations (Gen Z: 56 percent, Millennials: 55 percent) are less price-driven than Boomers (71 percent) and Gen X (68 percent),” the report’s authors said, adding that 25 percent of those polled said they “plan to reduce the number of items they purchase in response to rising costs.”
“This generational disparity suggests companies must balance affordability with other value propositions to appeal to younger consumers,” First Insight said in the report.
“In 2025, companies face a balancing act,” said Greg Petro, chief executive officer of First Insight. “As consumers grapple with an uncertain economic outlook, they are demanding lower prices while still expecting smarter, more personalized experiences. Companies that embrace AI to deliver affordability alongside tailored solutions will not only navigate this challenging landscape but will also seize the opportunity to foster loyalty, drive growth, and stay ahead of the competition.”
Regarding the use of AI, First Insight found that 40 percent of consumers polled said they have interacted with AI-driven tools such as chatbots (56 percent) and personalized recommendations (47 percent). The results showed that 75 percent of AI users “say these technologies enhance their purchase experience,” the report’s authors said, also noting that challenges persist in engaging younger consumers. “While 79 percent of Gen X and 78 percent of Millennials report satisfaction with AI, Gen Z trails at just 63 percent, revealing opportunities to better align AI tools with younger consumers’ expectations,” the report stated.
First Insight said the survey underscores a pivotal moment “for companies as consumers demand both affordability and innovative, personalized experiences,” and noted that retailers and brands that can seamlessly blend value with AI-driven insights.
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