“Omnichannel was really about connecting all of the dots. With unified commerce, it’s about creating a continuous, uninterrupted experience,” says Josh Sevcik, lead commerce strategist at CDW. “It’s not just saying we’re integrated. It’s saying that it’s truly seamless.”
PVH, the owner of well-known fashion brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, combined multiple brands’ online storefronts into one, allowing customers to shop across different brands and add items into a single shopping card. The company also built custom mobile apps, which connected each storefront through the unified commerce approach.
To embrace unified commerce, IT leaders must invest in centralized systems that integrate inventory management, customer relationship management and point-of-sale solutions. By consolidating these elements, retailers can deliver consistent and personalized experiences with real-time analytics.
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2. AI Will Create Unique and Unmistakable Customer Experiences
Many retailers have integrated AI, and now they’re at a place where they can create hyperpersonalized experiences at scale. AI-driven tools such as chatbots, recommendation engines and dynamic marketing content can engage customers in ways that feel intuitive.
“Contextually intelligent computer vision, a natural conversational interface and deep web research” are just a few of the ways that AI is creating “a wave of unstoppable innovation in this space,” Ancketill says.
Retailers will use AI to enhance augmented reality capabilities, enabling virtual try-ons for clothing, accessories and makeup. For instance, a customer can use their smartphone to virtually don a pair of glasses, test a shade of lipstick or see how a sofa fits into their living room. These tools not only drive engagement but also reduce returns.
AI will also help retailers generate product descriptions, promotional emails and social media content tailored to specific customer segments. A luxury retailer might use AI to create descriptions emphasizing exclusivity and quality, while a mass-market brand could highlight affordability and variety.
Gina Cox, CDW senior retail adviser, says that retailers can now organize and interpret the data they get from AI and adjust the customer journey at each step. It can help them understand why a customer tends to browse in-store but purchase online, for example. Personas are also getting more sophisticated. “I can see the entire customer and their behaviors,” Cox says. This can allow retailers to anticipate future purchases faster.
The most successful retailers will be those that have advanced machine learning algorithms and maintain robust data privacy protocols.
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3. Loss Prevention, Anti-Fraud and PCI Compliance
Loss, including theft and employee and customer fraud, make up the industry’s Achilles’ heel — and loss prevention remains a major area of focus this year. In 2025, IT leaders will turn to interoperable AI solutions such as smart cameras, computer vision and heat mapping to get faster security alerts and detect suspicious behavior in real time.
IT leaders can use AI algorithms to analyze transactional data and detect patterns indicative of fraud, such as unusual purchasing behaviors or account takeovers. For online retailers, these tools can flag potentially fraudulent transactions before they are processed, protecting both customers and the business.
Automated tools will also make it easier to monitor payment systems for vulnerabilities continuously so points of sale, firewalls and networks are protected. To succeed, retailers should integrate smart surveillance with existing security systems and train staff to respond to AI-driven alerts.
Retailers must also comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard to safeguard customer payment information. Every year, the PCI Security Standards Council issues a new set of compliance rules that every business must follow, whether it processes 50 transactions or 500 million.
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The latest iteration is PCI DSS 4.0. If a retailer is compliant with these standards, it is demonstrating to customers, partners and stakeholders that it wants to make the whole shopping experience safer and more secure. “It’s a trust exercise,” says Brett Phillips, managing director of cybersecurity strategy at CDW.
“Think of it as credit card insurance,” Phillips says. “If you do all of the things you’re supposed to do, you really should see a tangible benefit because everything’s just protected,” he says.
