RIS Talks

Tech can’t solve all problems, but it can certainly power the gateway to progress. For Elliott Rodgers, Ulta Beauty chief information officer and an RIS News CIO of the Year, technology has indeed been enabler for everything he’s accomplished during his career.

After a year of transformative disruption, RIS was presented with one of the most impressive lists of nominees to date. Learn the winners of our 10th annual CIO of the Year awards, each exemplifying how technology can overcome hardship.

As retailers have navigated the pandemic, few have garnered as much attention for an ability to marry physical and digital retail to serve customers than Target. We chatted with Frank Bruni, SVP, food and beverage supply chain for insight into these operations, as well as his views on the role of the retail store moving forward.

Inventory management is a challenge for all retailers, but it’s particularly fraught for today’s cannabis retailers given the industry’s complex system for managing incoming and outgoing SKUs.

RIS sits down with Sweetwater's CIO Jason Johnson to dive into how the instrument retailer develops in-house tech to invoke its unique customer experience.

RIS sits down with Ricky Joshi, Saatva’s chief strategy officer, to uncover how the luxury mattresses and home furnishings retailer's Viewing Room concept defines a new breed of retail stores, how data and technology are infused into operations, and what the store of the future looks like in a post-COVID world.

We connected with MOO's director of customer experience to learn how it improved visibility into its fulfillment, and why digital CX needs to extend beyond a retailer’s e-commerce platform and into the physical world.  

We spent some time chatting with Forhez, who also serves as a co-chair of the CGT/RIS Executive Council, about what may be the most exciting and challenging consumer the industry has ever been responsible for serving.

Meeting today’s new consumer can take many avenues in today’s retail landscape, and for David’s Bridal, this has translated to a heavier emphasis on the use of 3D and augmented reality.

We caught up with the CGT/RIS Executive Council member to learn more about how Newell is navigating the latest stage of the pandemic, as well what changes Sigrist sees sticking around once we’re past it.

When Office Depot first teamed for same-day delivery, it couldn’t have known just how important the service would become to consumers during the pandemic.

Grocery is evolving rapidly right now and customer needs are changing through COVID-19 and beyond. RIS talks with Ron Bonacci, VP of marketing and advertising, Weis Markets, to learn how up-to-the-second recommendations based on behavior and location are meeting new needs.

Verizon already had a tech-savvy approach to retail before the health crisis unfolded, but now, more than 87% of the retailer's transactions include an element of its Touchless Retail experience. RIS talks with Krista Bourne, SVP Sales and Operations, Verizon Consumer Group, about the launch and tech involved.

Despite global retail operations, including UGG stores and e-commerce, Deckers Brands set out to “get it right for customers, every contact, every time.” RIS talks with Deckers’ customer care director Bryan Riter in this Q&A to learn how a tech overhaul helped the retailer improve customer satisfaction 5%, putting it at 91%, utilize more efficient channels like Chat and SMS to empower agents, and truly provide a first call resolution.

For DTC retailers, it’s not enough to have the right product at the right time — not unless you want to become a one-hit-wonder cautionary tale. Learn how Rothy's is investing more heavily in data and analytics to measure customer engagement and amplification.

While Gary’s Wine & Marketplace got its start as a small wine shop in New Jersey, its digital capabilities tell a different story.

As the Albertsons Companies-owned grocer sought to grow its e-commerce strategy, it knew it needed a more efficient delivery system. Learn how it's leveraging technology in order to serve customers during the pandemic.

The hair and beauty retailer and distributor launched a new brand campaign at the start of the year aimed at helping consumers achieve salon results from the comfort of their home. It couldn't have picked a better time.

Giving new meaning to the term “quick pivot,” BoConcept developed an e-commerce site with a virtual showroom and personalized chat service in the span of just two weeks in April.

While it’s tempting to chalk up the issue of having more visitors than a website can handle as good problems to have, the truth is that crashing from an influx is the stuff of e-commerce nightmares. Learn how the lifestyle brand managed its retail debut by developing a robust digital foundation.  

The beauty company's investment in artificial intelligence and augmented reality are paying off when it comes to consumer engagement.

Online travel bags and accessories retailer eBags has had its finger on the pulse of technology for the last 22 years, a trait that has proven especially helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sweetwater, a music retailer that’s nearing $1 billion in annual sales, found itself in the center of a perfect storm as one of the unexpected non-essential retail beneficiaries during the coronavirus health crisis.