Analyst Insight: Retailers in 2012 will continue to implement analytic engines. The last two years have seen retailers and CPG companies streamline and rethink their multichannel and merchandising strategies. Improved performance is a reflection of this analytics focus. In 2012, retailers will learn through direct customer engagement through mobile, social and web (omni-channel information) to create products, and market to customers based on shopper insights. - Ann Grackin, CEO, ChainLink Research

Analyst Insight: While 95 percent of consumer products companies talk about building the end-to-end supply chain extending from the customer's customer to the supplier's supplier, most of it today is only lip service. Why? The processes that made the CP company strong are the very same processes that need to change to drive growth, improve supply chain resiliency and power market share. - Lora Cecere, partner, Altimeter Group