AuguryWhy Many Stores Are Still Stuck in the Past: Info‑Tech’s Wake‑Up Call on Store Modernization
This article was written by the Augury Times
Info‑Tech says retailers lack a clear plan — and that matters
Info‑Tech Research Group has published a blunt note to retailers: a lot of in‑store technology spending today is scattered, not strategic. Instead of building a single, clear plan for how stores should work in the future, many retailers are buying individual tools and projects. The result is a patchwork of systems that don’t talk to one another and a lot of money that doesn’t deliver the change shoppers expect.
The research group’s core claim is straightforward. Where retailers treat stores as a place for occasional tech upgrades, not as a coordinated program, they risk slower service, unclear returns on investment, and a poor experience for customers. That gap matters because modern shoppers judge stores by speed, convenience and personalized service — things that fragmented tech makes harder, not easier.
What the study found: alignment, evaluation and measurement gaps
Info‑Tech dug into how retailers decide what to buy and found the same weak spots again and again. First, many firms lack alignment: IT, operations and store teams don’t share a clear vision of what a modern store should do. Without that shared goal, projects are chosen on local needs or vendor pitches rather than as pieces of a unified plan.
Second, the group found poor evaluation processes. Retailers often test or buy new tech in pilot stores without a standard checklist to judge whether the idea scales or genuinely improves customer outcomes. Pilots then sit on the shelf because nobody agreed on what success should look like.
Third, measurement is spotty. Info‑Tech points out that few companies have a concise set of metrics tying store tech to real business effects — like faster checkout, higher basket size, or fewer out‑of‑stocks. That gap leaves leaders unsure whether their spending is helping the business or just creating more complexity.
The report offers real examples of this pattern: stores adding contactless payment lanes here, shelf sensors there, and a loyalty kiosk in a second region — but without a roadmap that explains how these pieces combine to simplify work for store teams or make shopping noticeably better for customers.
How disjointed tech shows up for customers and staff
When in‑store systems aren’t coordinated, the effects are visible and immediate. Checkout can slow down because registers, mobile pay, and self‑checkout machines use different back‑end systems. Inventory systems that don’t sync properly cause empty shelves or wrong prices at the register. Loyalty programs that don’t link to point‑of‑sale systems fail to recognize members or deliver targeted offers.
For store teams, fragmented tech means more manual work. Staff end up fixing problems, reconciling reports, and helping customers navigate tools that were supposed to make life simpler. That raises labor costs and wears down employees, which then shows up as worse customer service.
For shoppers, the pain is familiar: a slow line at checkout, an item shown as available online but not on the shelf, or inconsistent offers between the app and the register. These are short‑term pain points, but repeated friction quickly erodes loyalty in a market where competitors promise faster, more seamless experiences.
How retailers can build a coherent store modernization roadmap
Info‑Tech’s recommendations focus on structure and discipline. The first step is a clear strategic goal that everyone understands: what the modern store should deliver for customers and for operations. From there, create a roadmap that sequences investments so each project builds on the last.
Governance is the second element. A cross‑functional steering group — including IT, operations, merchandising and store leadership — should approve projects against the roadmap. That prevents one team from buying tools that conflict with another team’s work.
Third, standardize how pilots are evaluated. Define success before you start a trial and use the same checklist across pilots so you can compare outcomes. Fourth, pick a small set of metrics that map directly to customer experience and store economics — for example, time in line, inventory accuracy, or conversion on targeted offers — and measure them consistently.
Finally, treat integration as a first‑class requirement. Not every useful tool must be part of a single platform, but every new system should meet clear integration standards so data flows where it needs to and staff don’t have to toggle between unrelated systems.
Why the warning matters now
Retailers face pressure from digital‑first rivals and from shoppers who expect the same smoothness in a physical store that they get online. Competitors that treat stores as an integrated channel — combining app data, inventory, checkout and loyalty — can deliver faster service and more relevant offers. That improves shopping and makes customers more likely to return.
By contrast, retailers that keep buying point solutions risk higher costs, frustrated employees, and a customer experience that feels dated. Info‑Tech’s message is not that stores must become high‑tech showrooms overnight. It is that the choices companies make now — coordinated roadmap or scattered pilots — will shape whether stores remain competitive or slowly fall behind.
For retailers, the practical choice is clear: make modernization a program, not a project. Do that and the investments stand a real chance of improving both the bottom line and the daily experience for customers and staff.
Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels
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