The popularity of marketplaces is growing steadily and this trend is reflected in the number of online marketplaces popping up throughout the retail industry. In the D-A-CH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) region alone, the number of marketplaces (B2C) has increased by 40% to 214 marketplaces in the past two years.…
How Seasonal Behavior Changes Impact Your Retail Business
Whether it's going through those pesky takeout menus in your junk drawer while spring cleaning or swapping the sweaters in your closet for your favorite warm weather clothes, the spring is a time for transition. As the days grow longer and the temperature rises, we, as consumers, tend to…
How Retailers Can Help Consumers Prepare for Hurricane Season
Summer is just around the corner, and unfortunately, the summer is also the start of hurricane season in the United States. According to the National Hurricane Center, "The official hurricane season for the Atlantic basin is from June 1 to November 30, but tropical cyclone activity sometimes occurs before and…
GK Earns the Title of “Leader” in Recent Large Apparel and Softlines Retail Vendor Assessment from IDC
The fashion industry changes quickly – not just with styles but with technology. For example, generative AI is a fairly new concept, but McKinsey estimates that by 2028, generative AI could account for as much as a $275 billion increase in apparel and fashion profits. With this level of innovation…
Dynamic Pricing for a Dynamic Market: The What, the How and Why GK
Inflation has been top of mind for everyone in recent months. In February, the United States experienced its lowest rate of annual consumer price index (CPI) inflation since October 2021. However, food prices are still up 9.5% year-over-year. This volatile pricing landscape has made it difficult for shoppers and retailers…
Personalization is More Than Who a Shopper is, and is Driving Leading Retailers
Hyper-personalization, real-time personalization and 1:1 personalization are just a few examples of how brands and technology companies describe their ability to present customized content to their customers. But what does personalization truly mean in these different contexts? What’s happening? And where do some companies say they’re hyper-personalizing, but really aren’t?…
Retaining and Gaining Loyal Shoppers Through Personalization
To kick off the esteemed NRF 2023: Retail's Big Show on Jan. 15, Walmart's U.S. President and CEO John Furner delivered a keynote speech that stressed the importance of retaining loyal shoppers during an age of incredible consumer choice. "Loyalty in retail is the absence of something better," Furner told…
The Payment Industry Has Changed Forever: Here’s How
If you asked three people to think about the last time they purchased something, they might each envision three completely different experiences. The first person might remember going into a physical store, filling up a shopping cart and buying the items with cash at a self-checkout kiosk. The next…
Live Shopping & Personalization - Successful Symbiosis for an Inspiring Shopping Experience
Retailers today are constantly finding new ways to inspire customers and stand out from the competition. For example, many retailers are currently using live shopping formats to present their products online to interested viewers. In this article, you will learn more about live shopping and how personalization helps to promote…
GK Partners To Watch at NRF 2023
The NRF Big Show is known for its grand exhibition hall, exciting presentations and stellar networking. But for GK, the best part of the Big Show is that it brings the retail industry together under one roof. We're proud to work with customers and partners all around the globe, and…
2022
Digital Disruption Is Imminent for Quick-Service Restaurants
Getting a meal at a quick-service restaurant (QSR) is quickly becoming an entirely different experience than it was just a few years ago. The pandemic forced restauranters to pivot away from indoor dining and the labor shortage led to slower than usual service or worse, permanently shuttered doors. Unfortunately, for…
GK GO to the Rescue: How Scanless Checkout Can Support Forgetful Holiday Chefs
It's no secret that the entire holiday season is busy for retailers. But for grocers, the busy season continues into the "big days" thanks to forgetful chefs. With 94% of consumers planning to host the same amount, or more people, than they did in 2021, shoppers will be buying…
Personalization Acts as a Customer Magnet During Black Friday and Beyond
Black Friday is considered the starting signal for the annual holiday season. One day after Thanksgiving, retailers from various industries offer discounts on their products. This year, Black Friday falls on November 25. In this article, we explore which personalization use cases retailers employ to offer their customers a positive…
The Ultimate Cashierless Experience Doesn’t Require Cameras
As retailers undergo digital transformations and become more innovative, customer data will become increasingly important. But these advancements aren't without risk. According to Cisco, 86% of consumers are concerned about their data privacy and 19% have terminated a relationship with a retailer that they felt was misusing their data. One…
How to Inspire Your Customers Through Content Personalization
Many retailers are turning to content personalization to improve the user experience, strengthen customer loyalty, and optimize success metrics. In this article, you will learn what content personalization is, how it can be integrated into customer communications, and how Douglas and Betti Bossi put this personalization form into practice. What…
Combating Food Waste in Retail: GK AIR Dynamic Pricing on IBM Cloud
Sales rates can fluctuate for any number of reasons. Something as simple as the day of the week can influence a person's shopping behavior. This creates a challenge for retailers as they strive to have the right products available when a customer wants them. This challenge is particularly complex for…
Full Speed Ahead: Recapping the NACS Show
GK is proud to enable convenience store and fuel retailers as they undergo digital transformation. This sector is at the forefront of the transition from fossil-fuel to electric based vehicles, and in the omnichannel retail value chain, convenience store retailers are closest to the consumer. The opportunities in this space…
Get to Know GK: An Interview with Daniela Valdez, Alliances & Go-to-Market Manager
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK team to learn more about their experience with our company. Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK? I am part of the generation between Millennials and Gen Xers: I grew up off…
Reach for the Sky: How the Cloud Creates Cost-Saving Opportunities for Retailers
The cloud is a trending topic of conversation among retail IT teams worldwide – but many don't understand its full potential. McKinsey reported that the value in switching to cloud-based commerce was as high as $1 trillion in 2021 if retail IT teams take the full suite of benefits in…
Reminiscing on A Summer of Socialization for GK
It's cliché but it's true – our people are our greatest assets. No matter how much emphasis we put on our advanced technology, our customers, employees and partners will always come first. That's why this summer was so important to us. We finally got to meet up in person again…
GK Celebrates Recent Accolades and Customer Recommendations
At GK, we take feedback very seriously. As a solution provider, we must remain agile and innovative, and that requires a close finger on the pulse of what our customers need. This connection with our customers has led to long-term relationships, great referrals and exciting industry recognitions. But you don’t…
More Than Just Dynamic Pricing – Both Man and Machine Make the Difference
Dynamic pricing, or dynamic price determination in retail, is a highly debated topic today, particularly after ticket prices for Bruce Springsteen's latest tour skyrocketed. In light of immense presale prices of up to $5,000 per seat, the press is talking about "extortion", "astronomical prices" and "outrageously expensive tickets". The ticket…
Stay Agile During Changing Times With Dynamic Pricing and Inventory Management
With supply chain disruptions impacting available inventory and inflation threatening customer demand, retailers must be more agile than ever. With agility comes control, and more control means more profit for retailers facing adversity. While agility is important for any retail strategy, flexibility in pricing and inventory management can lead to…
Get to Know GK: An Interview with Allen Wier, Senior Solution Consultant
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK team to learn more about their experience with the company. Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK? I began my career at a large retail and financial software company, where I held…
Going the Extra Mile: Personalizing Newsletters to Improve Customer Relationships
Communicating with the customer is critical, especially in retail. With so many brands and retailers to choose from, the importance of developing a mutually beneficial relationship with shoppers cannot be understated. One way retailers can develop strong relationships is by creating personalized newsletters. In fact, according to a survey from…
Going Beyond “Please Place Your Item in the Bag”: Better Fraud Detection Solutions for Self-Checkout
According to NRF's most recent National Retail Security Survey, 57% of retailers reported a rise in "organized retail crimes" (ORCs) last year. Self-checkout is just one area that retailers see an influx of fraud and shoplifting. As these crimes continue to rise, retailers must become savvier with their self-checkout fraud…
IDC Names GK a ‘Leader’ in Grocery and Food Store Retail Point-of-Sale
GK was recently ranked as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Point-of-Sale Vendors in Grocery and Food Store Retail 2022 Vendor Assessment. The IDC MarketScape report evaluates enterprise POS solution providers in the global grocery industry based on how IT buyers perceive the benefits of the POS Software, as…
Keeping Your Options Open: The Benefits of Composable Commerce for Retail
Your retail customers expect the best experience in your stores – so why would you risk delivering a mediocre visit at any customer touchpoint? To respond to ever-changing customer behaviors and expectations, retailers must trust the experts. Solution providers are equipped to handle the parts of the customer experience that…
How Dynamic Pricing Can Support Retailers as Inflation Surges
A recent Gallup poll shows that rising prices is the number one economic concern for Americans, with 17 percent of respondents calling inflation the "nation's most important problem." And these increases aren't expected to change any time soon, as supply chain issues and other economic factors keep driving costs higher.…
Get to Know GK: An Interview with Bill Miller, Vice President Sales
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK team to learn more about their experience with the company. Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK? My first job was in retail was at an office supply store – stocking shelves…
Don’t Waste an Apple a Day: Dynamic Pricing Promotes Sustainability in LATAM and Worldwide
Sustainability has become a budding social cause as people worldwide see the impacts of climate change firsthand. Yet, one region that is particularly focused on sustainability is Latin America, or LATAM. In fact, a recent eMarketer report found that 94% of internet users in Latin America believe companies should be…
3 Reasons Retailers Love GK Go
GK is ushering in the era of completely contactless shopping, alongside industry giants like Amazon and Starbucks. In fact, in November 2021 GK announced the launch of its new scanless store, GK Go. Located in Schöneck, Germany, home of GK's global headquarters, GK Go utilizes CLOUD4RETAIL to enable a seamless…
Retailers Must Offer Personalization at Every Customer Touchpoint
It’s clear that the more you know about your customers, the better you can anticipate their desires and needs. Successful ecommerce retailers are those that have implemented personalization to individualize the customer journey for every single shopper. Over the last few years, personalization has also found its way into traditional,…
Less waste, more sales – agile pricing for fresh goods with the new InStore Check & Price App
The entire food value chain, from farm to fork, struggles with large amounts of waste. This is expensive and harmful to the environment and the climate. In food retailing alone, around 500,000 tons of waste is generated in Germany every year*. The associated loss of revenue is almost 2.5 billion…
Get to Know GK: An Interview With Yeshai Bouskila, Manager - Pre-Sales Engineering
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK Software team to learn more about their experience with the company. Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK Software? I’ve been in the retail software industry for 17 years, working for…
How COVID-19 Accelerated Retail Innovation in LATAM
The shutting of physical stores as a result of COVID-19 had effects across the globe. For the Latin America (LATAM) region, the pandemic was a catalyst for traditional shoppers to make a digital purchase for the first time. Consumers quickly turned to ecommerce as the shopping channel of choice, with…
2021 in Review: GK Continues to Lead Omnichannel Retail Innovation
2021 proved to be another exciting year for retailers of all sizes and verticals, from navigating supply chain challenges and labor shortages to implementing click-and-collect services and cashierless formats. GK was there every step of the way, reinforcing our mission to be the world's leading provider of comprehensive retail applications for…
GK’s TransAction+ Recognized by Forrester for Payments Innovation
Shoppers who are ready to check out are looking for the path of least resistance. As one of the last steps in the customer journey, payment processes have the power to make or break a merchant. According to Forrester, an optimized payment solution can boost confidence and reduce disappointment with…
Increase customer satisfaction and success metrics with personalized newsletters
A great way to inspire your customers and incentivize new purchases is with personalized newsletters. Newsletters are an essential part of customer communication for many companies. But the daily flood of emails in your customers’ inboxes is enormous. That’s why it’s critical to make your electronic mail stand out from…
The Future of Apparel Stores Relies on Technology Innovation
At the height of the pandemic – from March 2020 to March 2021 – when dressing rooms were closed and customers turned to online shopping or curbside, 42.4% of U.S. consumers returned unwanted products. And a majority of those products were clothing. With in-store shopping altered, the apparel industry faced…
2021
4 Trends Accelerated During the Pandemic That Are Here to Stay in 2022
We're not the first to tell you that March 2020 was a pivotal month. It was a catalyst for changes in consumer behavior and technology adoption across retail's many verticals. But what isn't so clear is which consumer behaviors from the past two years have turned into long-term habits –…
Get to Know GK: An Interview With Eddie Deyo, Chief Technology Officer
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK Software team to learn more about their experience with the company. Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK Software? I've been around technology nearly all my life, starting out as a toddler…
Personalization in Ecommerce: Product bundles help leverage hidden sales potentials
Product bundles offered in online stores have a positive impact on customer loyalty and sales development. They are one of many possible scenarios for using personalization to successfully shape your customer journey. In this article, you will learn what is behind this use case and how you can use product…
How Image Similarity Can Reduce Online Cart Abandonment
The average shopping cart abandonment rate is a staggering 70%. As a result, preventing lost sales is a main priority for ecommerce retailers. What's more, the apparel industry is highly dynamic due to item seasonality, customers' unique fashion tastes, and the ever-evolving definition of what's in style. It's important for…
Conexxus Webinar Recap: The Evolution of Frictionless Commerce
Frictionless commerce is growing in popularity among shoppers and retailers alike. But is frictionless technology part of an evolution where you can build on existing solutions or a revolution where you must quickly reshape your business processes to keep up with the competition? To answer this question, Bill Miller, our vice president of…
Get to Know GK: An Interview With Max Francescangeli, Regional Director
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK Software team to learn more about their experience with the company. Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK Software? I started my career right out of school, having graduated with a degree in electronics engineering. My…
Relevant Category Recommendations Create a Higher Conversion Rate in the Online Shop
Categories and subcategories give your online store structure and are important signposts for your customers. As a navigation bar, these categories usually run through the entire online store. A logical category structure with appropriate names and subcategories makes it easier for visitors to find their way around. Categories should be…
How Retailers Like Hy-Vee Are Blending Store Formats To Meet Customer Needs
The acceleration of digital transformation paired with evolving customer expectations has led retailers to blend their store formats, improving service and fostering loyalty. Hy-Vee is an example of a retailer that is no stranger to in-store innovation – and GK Software is helping the company achieve its goal of a…
How to Delight Your Customers and Increase Conversion Rates With Banner Personalization
By using personalization, you can adapt content at various touchpoints of the customer journey to meet the unique needs of your customers. In addition to the question of where you want to use personalized content, there is also the question of which elements you want to individualize. In addition to…
Adapting Pricing, Personalization and Mobile C-Store Offerings to Serve Today’s Shopper
The pandemic upended the routines of many, including changing the way we travel, both for work and leisure. Despite these major shifts, consumers are still making a habit of visiting c-stores regularly. In fact, 65% shop at a c-store once a week or more, according to Convenience Store News’ 2021 Realities of the Aisle Study. As consumer habits continue to evolve,…
How Grocers Can Compete with Amazon: A Firsthand Review and Analysis of Amazon Fresh
It's no secret that Amazon is becoming increasingly prominent in the retail landscape, particularly within the grocery sector. The retailer recently announced the use of its new Just Walk Out technology, which is poised to innovate and further automate the grocery experience. While we already discussed the pros and cons…
Three Ways AI Can Advance Personalization at the Point of Sale
Retailers juggle vast amounts of data from a variety of sources to improve their level of service and the customer experience. This is critical, as 90% of consumers say the amount they spend or shop with a retailer is impacted by how consistently the retailer delivers a personalized shopping experience – and 65% are willing to share their data with retailers in order to receive it. But analyzing data without…
Get to Know GK: An Interview With Michael Jaszczyk, CEO
In this series, we sit down with members of the GK Software team to learn more about their experience with the company. Tell us a little about your career journey. How did you end up at GK Software? My dad brought home my first computer when I was seven…
Announcing GK Hospitality: Breaking Down Barriers Between Retail and Convenience
As retail segments continue to blend, businesses who operate hospitality services require a single, unified POS solution for all of their processes. Whether convenience stores to supermarkets with food service – similar to Whole Foods opening restaurants and bars – a unified POS simplifies integrations, reduces the cost and time…
The Payment Options To Consider Within Retail Environments
Contactless payments have become ubiquitous with COVID-19. While the increase in adoption was driven by the need for safe and secure payment methods, the number of payment methods has been consistently increasing, beyond traditional cash, debit or credit options. In fact, some may argue that U.S. adoption of new payment…
Announcing OmniPOS 5.19: A Single POS Platform for Every Retail Format
Omnichannel retail innovation has increased dramatically as a result of COVID-19. Retail formats are converging with the emergence of new concepts such as grocerants and an increased emphasis on dining, fuel, customer engagement and mobile apps. But many retailers still manage siloed POS solutions. For example, grocers and convenience stores may operate separate systems for in-store…
Catering Retail Technology Innovation to Both Curious and Cautious Consumers
Amazon is no stranger to innovation. One of its recent launches happened on June 15, when the company announced the upcoming implementation of Just Walk Out technology in a new full-size Amazon Fresh grocery store in Bellevue, Washington. At this store, all grocery items including meat, pre-made meals, pastries and produce can be purchased without stepping foot in a checkout…
Touchpoints to Create a Touchless Retail Experience
Today’s “store of the future” is often considered to have technology like self-checkout shopping carts and camera-filled stores à la Amazon Go that allow for a completely touchless experience. It’s obvious that COVID-19 accelerated the demand touchless retail as a result of consumers’ sanitation and safety concerns. Now, 87% of U.S. consumers prefer to shop at stores that have touchless or robust self-checkout options. As counterintuitive as it…
4 Reasons Retailers Choose CLOUD4RETAIL
Just three years ago, we officially launched CLOUD4RETAIL at EuroCIS 2018. Since that first splash, CLOUD4RETAIL has been used worldwide to power the modern retail experience, from touchless mobile payments to personalized digital engagements. Our product continues to evolve to meet the market and while there are many reasons our customers select CLOUD4RETAIL,…
Analysts Recognize GK for Pricing and Fulfillment on the Heels of a Transformative Year
Without a doubt, the past year and has been volatile for retailers as they were forced to adapt to changing consumer behaviors. But while retailers were heads down and looking for answers to their technology limitations, analyst firms were recognizing GK Software for existing solutions already solving the problems COVID-19 exacerbated. Most notably, Gartner released a guide on pricing and promotion solutions and IHL Group explored the market leaders…
How Retailers Can Prepare Now for the 2021 Back-to-School Shopping Season
The back-to-school shopping season is expected to look different again this year. Like last year, buyers’ needs will be impacted by whether learning takes place in person. Presently, school administrators are expecting a mix of in-person and remote instruction during the upcoming fall semester. In addition, consumer behavior is continuing to evolve. Shoppers are slowly returning to stores as vaccines rise. And, at…
How Convenience Stores Can Better Support Summer Travelers
With Memorial Day serving as the unofficial start to summer, convenience retailers have less than a month to ensure their stores are ready for the road trips the season will bring. Fifty-two percent of convenience store retailers say that summer travel will be close to pre-pandemic levels, according to NACS. And as of March, Deloitte noted 33%…
A Vaccinated Society: How Retailers Can Prepare Their Stores
In April of last year, businesses across the country were in the throes of closing their physical stores, facing uncertainty around COVID-19's impact on sales and profitability. Now, with vaccine distribution rolling out across the nation, many states are allowing stores to return to a full capacity. As of April…
Pop-Up Retail: What Retailers Need to Consider
For consumers, pop-up stores are seen as exciting and exclusive. If shoppers live far away from a brand’s physical store, pop-ups can be an opportunity to experience the brand and interact with it in a new way outside of the online shop. The benefits for retailers are also tenfold. Pop-up retail is a low-risk way of testing out new markets or products. The reduced overhead for rent, utilities and inventory allows retailers to further…
How to increase your conversion rate with intelligent campaigns
After a brief look at my book newsletter I quickly decide whether to move it to the recycle bin or click on another link. As a fan of detective novels I am always thrilled with newsletters containing new releases in this genre. Children’s books or guides on various topics are…
The Future of the Physical Store: COVID-19 and Beyond
The future of physical stores has been a key topic of discussion long before the pandemic. You’re likely familiar with the phrase “retail apocalypse,” which originated when the steady number of store closures led the industry to believe e-commerce was the future. And there’s no arguing the unprecedented growth that e-commerce saw as a result of COVID-19.…
Do Prices Influence Online Returns?
The option of free returns is a major value proposition for online shoppers, ultimately delivering a sense of security that increases the likelihood of purchase. What’s more, free returns are now the norm, with 55% of online retailers offering them. However, returns can be costly for retailers. Processing returns results in additional expenses and logistics, from paying for shipping to managing inventory restocks for an…
Dynamic Pricing: Three Critical Questions Answered
Retailers are facing increased pressure by major brands like Amazon, Target and Walmart that offer “everyday low prices.” They’re realizing that in order to compete, they need faster, more responsive pricing strategies. Enter dynamic pricing. It’s a daunting and intensive process for retailers to keep track of thousands of prices. In addition, they must also determine how best to optimize…
How to Maintain Critical Touchpoints in a Contactless World
Traditional shopping methods have taken a backseat to online traffic growth as a result of COVID-19. According to Digital Commerce 360, U.S. consumers spent $861.02 billion online in the U.S. in 2020, a 44% increase compared to 2019. Now, there are many ways shoppers engage with retailers beyond associate assistance…
Five Strategies to Creating a Personalized Customer Experience Online
According to Forrester, more than one-third of U.S. online adults want retailers to do more to offer them personalized experiences. In the years after the turn of the millennium, simple algorithms implemented recommendations such as “customers who bought this product, also buy these products,” but over time personalization made its…
How Omnibasket Establishes POS Flexibility for Developers
A new POS implementation is one of the most expensive IT investments a retailer can make. It requires executive approval and must be done seamlessly so no business is lost in the transfer process. As a result of a retailer’s reluctance, they are often stuck with a POS system that…
Beyond the Forecourt: Mobile Offerings as a Key Driver for C-Stores
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a shift away from restaurants as indoor dining options halted. It also put a temporary pause on self-service food offerings in the store. This was an unexpected benefit for convenience stores, as consumers wanting fast to-go options preferred pizza, burgers and…
Why Retailers Benefit From Using Headless Commerce Technology in Store
Headless commerce has been a major topic of conversation for several years, especially as it pertains to how retailers can achieve flexibility as they interact with customers via an ecommerce site. This year, the prominence of ecommerce has skyrocketed because of COVID-19, a reality that has not been more apparent…
