The next time you find yourself at a cash-only restaurant, or in front of an empty store shelf, think about how it could be: Retail stores that use big data to accurately predict demand and set inventory levels. Restaurant servers who can place your order, customize items and process payment on a single handheld device. Loyalty programs that send you discounts and exclusive offers when you’re walking by a store location. It may all sound futuristic, but Microsoft technology is helping to create these experiences today, and it’s all on display at the Javits Center this week at the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Annual Convention & EXPO.
New York is a shopping mecca, so it’s fitting that the most exciting new advances in retail technology would be shown off here. Microsoft is appearing at the show with retailers, suppliers and technology partners who are showcasing everything from handheld point-of-sale devices to cloud-based systems that enable deep analysis of customer purchasing behavior. Tracy Issel, general manager of the Retail Sector at Microsoft, offers more detail about the solutions and customers being featured at the event in a new blog, Microsoft Business Matters. If you’re at the show, visit Microsoft in booth #2803 in the EXPO hall to see what the future — and the present — of retail could really be.