Since retailers - even major ones - tend not to spend money on research and development, many need guidance to keep up with the changes technology is bringing to the industry. What they need is Innovation as a Service.

Less than 12 hours after Macy's shared bleak holiday results, J.C. Penney Co. said enhanced digital capabilities and strong demand for its private-label offerings helped it to produce strong holiday season same-store sales growth, which allowed the company to reaffirm its full-year profit forecast.

Customer and retailer perceptions and expectations are not aligned, and many retail stores lack the essential technology to measure and apply shopper data across all channels, says a study released by RetailNext, a provider of retail industry analytics technology.

More than a third (36%) of Christmas "Click & Collect" shoppers in the United Kingdom encountered issues with their orders, according to the second annual JDA/Centiro Christmas Customer Pulse report.

Although e-commerce sales accounted for more than $340bn in 2015, a recent Baymard Institute study revealed that about 69 percent of online shopping carts were still left abandoned. Why so many unfulfilled digital sales?

Customer service is at an all-time low and customer satisfaction in dealing with a product or service issue is just as low, about 40 percent with two of three consumers likely to experience rage during an interaction with a customer service rep. About 54 percent of gift recipients this past holiday season will be dealing with at least one problem regarding a gift or service received from a friend or family member.

E-commerce revenue jumped 21 percent this holiday season over last year as mobile sales continue to climb - 30.4 percent of online sales were placed on mobile devices, according to Custora.

Most retailers are attempting to offer omnichannel shopping experiences for their customers, but few are doing it right (or profitably) so far.