The Retail Tech Tsunami

The retail industry is in the middle of a massive shift in how consumers buy, and as a result, service providers will see an unprecedented amount of work in the next 12 to 24 months. This would normally be welcome news, until you consider the current labor shortage and extraordinary inflation pushing costs and wages sky-high.

To help service providers better plan for what work is coming, and where, and when, Field Nation partnered with IHL Group, a global research and advisory firm specializing in customized intelligence for retailers and retail technology vendors, to produce this actionable report on how to capitalize on the current wave of work.

• Store openings in 2021 and estimates for 2022 are strong, with most activity happening in food, drug, convenience, mass merchant (FDCM), and fast food.
• 1:1 swaps are no longer the norm as large-scale infrastructure overhauls are needed to support newer, more complex technologies.
• A tremendous influx of work coincides with an acute labor shortage and higher-than-normal inflation, making it critical for service providers to have a plan to get the work done.