2023 Retail Trends Report
See how AI-driven automation cuts scheduling time in half while easing frontline burnout and manager attrition.
Key findings
- Omnichannel shoppers make purchases 70% more often and spend about 34% more than people who shop exclusively in stores.
- 63% of store managers surveyed by McKinsey & Company are considering quitting their jobs, and managers are 1.75 times likelier than nonmanagers to leave.
- Automated scheduling has enabled retailers like SMCP to reduce time spent on schedule creation and maintenance by 50%.
Summary
Economic uncertainty, inflation, supply chain volatility, and inventory surplus are reshaping retail while in-store traffic stays low. Frontline teams are understaffed and burnt out, managers are buried in manual work, and retailers struggle to attract and retain hourly associates as employee and consumer expectations keep evolving.
This report shows how AI-driven workforce management and frontline experience technologies optimize labor efficiency while improving the employee and manager experience. Co-produced by YOOBIC and Legion Technologies with data from RetailNext and commentary from Cathy Hotka & Associates, it draws on a survey of 500+ managers, YOOBIC’s 2022 Frontline Employee Experience Survey, and sources including McKinsey, PWC, and Gartner.
What you’ll learn
- How to optimize labor operations in the face of economic uncertainty and inventory surplus.
- How to enhance the frontline employee experience to attract and retain associates.
- How to empower store managers and reduce stress levels through automation.
