Retail Tech Insights: Specials Magazine

Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ: ZBRA) is redefining how retailers operate by embedding innovation into every process. It transforms how businesses function and interact with customers by enabling real-time connections with assets and front-line workers through its advanced IoT solutions. By unlocking actionable insights, the company allows retailers to respond more quickly and streamline workflows to changing market conditions. Its comprehensive suite of tools integrates operational goals with intelligent automation, inventory management, omnichannel fulfillment and data-driven insights. The company’s solutions help retailers deliver seamless shopping experiences through agile decision-making and efficient resource use. “At Zebra, we are fully committed to bringing our people and big ideas together to propel our thinking and power innovation. Our journey continues to reimagine the future and drive innovation forward for our people, our customers, and the world,” says Jeffrey Schmitz, chief people officer. The Backbone of Intelligent Retail Operations Effective inventory management is a critical focus for retailers aiming to meet customer demands and minimize operational losses. Zebra’s mobile computing devices set the standard by offering reliable data collection and communication tools. For instance, the TC21 and TC26 series help retailers manage inventory efficiently. These portable and user-friendly tools provide real-time inventory updates from the stockroom and the sales floor, providing retailers with a cost-effective solution to access critical data, reduce delays and improve stock visibility. Zebra’s inventory management solutions are also grounded in advanced barcode scanning technology. It eliminates errors and prevents stockouts by evenly spreading the stock at multiple places. The company assists retailers to better predict demand, ensuring stores are adequately stocked with all the products customers require. It adopts advanced RFID technology for efficient inventory tracking, enabling quick and accurate stock counts and eliminating the need for labor-intensive manual checks. This enhanced visibility improves efficiency and customer satisfaction. Zebra’s cutting-edge software, featuring the Workcloud Inventory Optimization Suite, provides valuable insights that indicate inefficiency. It also helps retail partners predict the ups and downs of demand while keeping it at an optimum point across multiple locations.

Transforming Revenue Growth Management with Human-Centric AI Innovation In the fast-paced, high-stakes world of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), companies constantly walk a tightrope. Every dollar spent on trade promotions and every percentage point of forecast accuracy can be the difference between profitability and loss. With razor-thin margins, fierce competition, and everevolving consumer preferences, CPG companies must master precision in both spending and effective planning to thrive. PSignite is at the forefront of providing the pinpoint solutions to overcome these challenges by blending cutting-edge AI with deep and practical industry expertise. The company offers a comprehensive and configurable IT platform that transforms how brands navigate complex market dynamics while maximizing profitability. Under the leadership of CEO and Board Chair Adam Bartkowski, PSignite has carved out a unique position in the industry as a strategic partner for businesses aiming to optimize their revenue strategies. The company’s CPGvision v5 platform is built with AI and machine learning (ML) from the ground up, ensuring that consumer goods companies of all sizes can leverage advanced modeling solutions, harmonized data processing, and AI-driven agent force capabilities to drive smarter trade spending and more effective decision-making. Addressing Industry Challenges with AIPowered Solutions PSignite understands that many CPG companies face roadblocks in adopting AI for Revenue Growth Management (RGM) and Trade Promotion Management (TPM). These barriers include outdated technology infrastructure, resistance to change, and a lack of internal expertise in AI and ML. Additionally, some organizations struggle with siloed data systems that hinder the integration of AI-driven analytics across multiple business functions. PSignite addresses these challenges by providing a fully integrated system that enables seamless cross-functional collaboration, allowing companies to work on all components of RGM within a single dataset. This approach enhances efficiency and allows businesses to gradually adopt AI functionalities at a pace that aligns with their organizational readiness, ensuring rapid and measurable ROI. Further, CPGvision’s AI-powered simulation capabilities empower revenue growth teams to develop and deploy goto-market strategies with unprecedented speed and precision, making trade dollar optimization a reality rather than a wishful challenge. With trade spend accounting for 12–20 percent of gross revenue, the ability to optimize these investments through AIdriven insights is a game-changer for the industry. “Our AI-powered solutions are designed to future-proof businesses by ensuring they have the necessary technology, data harmonization, and workflow enablement to stay ahead of the competition,” says Bartkowski..

The world of point-of-sale (POS) systems is undergoing a transformation. Once limited to static cash registers, POS systems now embody cutting-edge technology that offers businesses unprecedented levels of efficiency, customer insight, and operational flexibility. While traditional POS solutions have long been associated with clunky hardware and limited functionality, one company is turning this perception on its head. retailcloud, founded in 2008, has been on a mission to redefine what a POS system can be. “Instead of being just a tool for transactions, we envision a system that integrates every aspect of business operations into a cohesive, cloud-based platform,” says Rupak Anto, president and CTO. What sets retailcloud apar t is its bold focus on providing end-to-end solutions for vertical markets, especially industries like sports entertainment, retail, and hospitality. The company isn’t just building POS systems; it’s creating an ecosystem that empowers businesses to streamline operations, improve customer experiences, and gain actionable insights—all while being agile enough to adapt to unique market demands. Moving Beyond the Traditional POS Ask any business owner about their experiences with legacy POS systems, and you’ll likely hear complaints about inefficiency, lack of integration, and the need to rely on multiple tools for various functions. retailcloud addresses these frustrations by taking a radically different approach. The company sees the POS not as the end goal, but as a foundational element in a much larger system of interconnected processes. This perspective allows retailcloud to offer solutions that cover everything from inventory management and analytics to customer engagement and operational workflows. According to Ryan Colaco, chief product officer, the vision has always been about creating a platform that businesses can use to connect all the dots. He says, "We want businesses to stop thinking of the POS as just a cash register or a payment system. It’s about creating a seamless, end-to-end solution that integrates their entire operation, no matter how complex.”.