Retailers today are on board with cloud computing because of the immense opportunities it presents. Retailers can experience lower IT costs, greater innovation, efficiency and scalability, while also gaining valuable insights from powerful data analytics systems. According to Accenture, the four main areas in which cloud is a disruptive force are channel operations, merchandising and marketing, supply chain, and sales support.
Retailers place a lot of importance on reputation and customer perception – both of which can be positively maintained with the cloud. Mobile, social and e-commerce are extremely popular today, and all of them affect retail. Retailers can take advantage of these trends using cloud computing technology.
Some of the biggest retailers today already have their heads in the cloud. Target, Nordstrom, Walmart and Waitrose have already made the move, and companies like Whole Foods Market, Shop Direct and Sport Pursuit are well on their way.