Retail Industry

From retail strategy to operational execution, we help retailers fortify their businesses, strengthening the readiness, resilience and relevance needed for whatever disruptions that lie ahead.

Retailers have contended with disruption for decades, surviving changing consumers, more data and new entrants to varying degrees of success. But never has there been such dramatic change at such a rapid pace. Retailers can’t wait for things to “settle” or for their paths to clear to galvanize for what’s ahead. Disruption will come daily. Consumer expectations will continue to intensify. Economies will ebb and flow. Supply chains will get more complicated. And new channels and technologies — such as AI, Web3, the metaverse, and the yet to be coined — will continue to emerge, diverge, and redefine the retail landscape.

To thrive in the decades ahead, retailers need to fortify their foundations in the face of ever-changing consumer and market dynamics. We help orchestrate relevant, connected and continuous consumer journeys. We help balance the scales of supply and demand. We understand shopping vs. buying. We have the consumer insights. We are at the cornerstone of creating trust in consumer data and technology. We shape retail strategy and operations. We know the enduring drivers of enterprise value. Through data, merchandising, customer loyalty and experience, we help fortify a new roadmap for sustainable, profitable growth in retail.

From stockroom to boardroom: combating the $100 billion retail shrink crisis

With shrink’s rapid upward trajectory, retailers must take a data-driven approach to move beyond broad assumption and measure areas where losses actually occur.

26 Feb 2024 EY Americas

Future Consumer Index: Fading allure of AI, experiences & store brands

In the 13th edition of the EY US Future Consumer Index, consumers reassess feelings on AI, consumer experiences and private label products.

23 Feb 2024 Kathy Gramling

How consumer affordability, loyalty and trust were redefined in the age of AI

As consumers redefine core tenets of their relationships with retailers and brands, how can companies navigate these shifts?

21 Jul 2023 Kathy Gramling

With every passing millisecond, new data about billions of consumers is generated. We help retailers make sense of and derive value from that consumer data. We approach it as a virtuous cycle, where insights from the shopping and buying experience are applied to the business, then back into the experience, again and again. Every insight is germane and relevant to the next, lowering cost to acquire while increasing customer lifetime value. From insight to value, it’s consumer data, fortified.

Zero-party: The next frontier in consumer data

Businesses can get the information they need to boost the customer experience while respecting consumers’ privacy rights and building trust.

4 Aug 2023 John Dubois

Why data value exchange is important to retailers and brands

A symbiotic relationship between retailers and brands is ideal for addressing growing consumer expectations and delivering experience.

12 Jun 2023 John Dubois

Why consumer data is the foundation to the consumer experience

How data can be used as a strategic lever by retailers and brands to foster new levels of consumer engagement.

16 Aug 2021 Jeff Orschell

Retailers are only as successful as their ability to curate, source, stock and deliver what consumers want, when they want it. We help retailers unlock agile merchandising that brings the right products to the right places. From product visibility to inventory agility, it’s merchandising, fortified.

How supply chains benefit from using generative AI

Across the end-to-end supply chain, the buzzworthy technology adds extra capabilities to AI tasks and promises a simplified user experience.

27 Jul 2023 Sumit Dutta

To go beyond transactions, retailers must orchestrate the right conversations, using consumer data and MarTech effectively to show they know consumers. We help power the ongoing connections and personalization needed to increase customer lifetime value. From touch points to trust points, it’s customer loyalty, fortified.

Accelerating customer loyalty: leveraging trust, technology and data

Consumer trust and loyalty are hard to gain. It’s time to tap into customers’ emotions using loyalty programs, powered by data insights.

30 Nov 2023 Patricia Camden

7 ways to unleash value and drive growth from your MarTech and teams

After heavily investing in MarTech, brands still struggle to scale in growth and profits. It’s time to look within.

12 Sep 2023 Steven Bailey

When consumer data drives, retailers and brands win

In a tight race for customers, knowledge, insight and strategy are the engine that beats the competition.

31 May 2023 Tony Ward

Where consumers interact with a retailer continues to expand. Today it’s stores and digital commerce; tomorrow it could be anywhere. We help retailers rethink commerce strategies and operations, maximizing channel purpose, space and footprint to orchestrate continuous journeys ready for any established or emerging channels. From omnichannel to omniready, it’s experience, fortified.

Do you need a new digital path to reach the new digital customer?

Customers are changing faster than enterprises can track them. Organizations need to become more data-centric to catch up.

25 Apr 2023 Jim Little

How to drive profitable growth via D2C

Changing consumer requirements prompt new D2C models

29 Oct 2021 Anish Koshy

Retail Industry case studies

  • How Wawa is catering to customers with new convenient offerings

    Exterior Fuel Court View of Wawa

     

    Consumer experience

    Creating customized omnichannel experiences to address customer demands and market trends

    • Employ technology as a differentiator
    • Create unified commerce platforms
    • Blend technology and people
    • Leverage data to enhance customer interactions

     

     The challenge

    How to innovate with technology to create personalized customer interactions while maintaining a commitment to convenience and personal connection.

    ▉ The solution

    Understand consumer data to drive a digital transformation that connects the end-to-end customer ecosystem to create a world-class multichannel environment – offering automation and personalization.

    ▉ The outcome

    A unified commerce strategy that supported associates to deliver even greater customer service, enhanced consumer experiences and fulfillment of Wawa’s company purpose.

    Read the full case study

  • Why a superstore reinforced its cyber walls to protect its customers

     The challenge

    How a retailer can protect both data and customers.

    ▉ The solution

    Maturing cybersecurity offerings through a service-driven operating model achieves a greater return on investment.

    ▉ The outcome

    Cloud-based data can further enhance consumer trust. A cybersecurity transformation means a more secure foundation for millions of customers.

    Read the full case study

  • Fashioning a sustainable future for an online clothing retailer

     The challenge

    What a growth-oriented company should do to fuel more growth. ASOS engaged the EY Reshaping Results team to help it identify new opportunities to unlock value in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

    ▉ The solution

    Through a focus on cost and cash EY teams drove value by identifying, quantifying and prioritizing cost and cash opportunities.

    ▉ The outcome

    The work EY teams have done with ASOS has helped the retailer to change the way it thinks and given it the confidence to pursue its ambitions.

    Read the full case study

  • Reframing the future of an iconic skiwear brand

     The challenge

    How to refocus the performance of a fashion industry icon. Luxury skiwear brand BOGNER brought EY-Parthenon on board to improve profitability and prepare for future growth. Then COVID-19 hit.

    ▉ The solution

    Maintaining a strategic perspective in the midst of complexity. A performance management program swiftly became a major transformation effort when the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

    ▉ The outcome

    A relationship based on trust produces outstanding results. In its 90th anniversary year, BOGNER celebrated the success of a performance program that put the company on a secure footing for the future.

    Read the full case study

Man running with empty shopping cart

Consumer in practice: Actioning CPG and retail transformation

Our Consumer in practice playbook series offers practical insights and actionable steps to help CPG and retail leaders address a host of top-of-mind issues, navigate disruption and position themselves for both success today and growth tomorrow.

Access Playbooks

Future Consumer Insights

COVID-19 has transformed the lives of consumers. What do they value? What will it take to serve them? How will your business adapt?

Learn more

How shaping consumer experience can optimize growth

An experience-led consumer journey goes beyond selling, e-commerce and omnichannel. It adapts to a world where every journey is different.

Learn more

Contact us

Connect with our retail strategy and consulting teams to help fortify a new roadmap for sustainable, profitable growth in retail.