(Source: https://digital.report)

The representatives of the retail sector rely on digitalization as one of the main development factors: 41% of companies are in the course of digital transformation, another 16% expect to start this process soon, as “Inc.Russia” reports with a reference to the joint study of PwC and RedisBusinessClass titled “Retail  Barometer” sponsored by Microsoft.

48% of respondents remain at the current level of investment in digitalization, and only 2% are ready to reduce technology costs. Retail sector considers automation and IT implementation to be among the most important development drivers in the new market reality (43%); two other important factors are successful interaction with partners and suppliers (46%) and customer involvement (44%).

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The experts point out that the main trends in Russian retail are intellectual marketing (introducing new approaches into standard operations and processes), “must-win” strategy (introducing digital technologies for reducing costs and increasing revenues) and digitalization of operations.

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However, digitalization process in retail sector is not especially successful, mostly, in e-commerce affairs. Internet sales are efficient only for 18% of respondents. 39% of retail representatives claim that online sales are not an efficient channel, 36% are developing it, although they face some difficulties, and 6% of respondents do not use this channel at all.

The crisis in Russia has had the strongest impact on the trade sector, while the number of people employed in the sector has only grown in recent years, according to the report of RBC. Over the past six years, the efficiency ratio of retail will reach 0.87 points with a normal indicator of 1 point. At the same time, the ratio of other sectors is higher than the “normal” level.

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