The retail industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and in 2025, this change will be even more prominent. With consumers expecting more from their shopping experiences and technological advancements shaping new possibilities, retailers must stay ahead of these trends to thrive.
The recently released 2025 Customer Engagement, Unified Commerce & POS Survey Report by Retail Consulting Partners (RCP) provides valuable insights into the key priorities shaping the future of retail. Based on a survey of over 100 U.S. retailers, the report notes that the industry is poised for a significant shift driven by customer expectations, technological upgrades, and the rise of unified commerce strategies.
Retailers must prioritize enhancing customer experiences while simultaneously modernizing their operational frameworks. Only those who leverage innovative solutions will have the edge in meeting customer demands and staying competitive. Let’s explore these priorities and how Veras Retail is providing the solutions retailers need to succeed.
Enhancing Customer Experience
The RCP report reveals that enhancing the customer experience and capabilities is at the top of the business agenda for the majority (54%) of retailers. This isn’t surprising. A memorable, positive customer experience is a key differentiator in retail. Consumers expect seamless online and in-store interactions, and brands must adapt accordingly to meet these expectations.
Veras Retail’s suite of solutions helps retailers create just that—seamless, personalized shopping experiences. Whether customers shop online or in-store, solutions like Veras Extend empower associates with mobile selling capabilities and equip them with frontline data that enhance customer service on the shop floor or at offsite events. Our unified platform ensures every touchpoint with customers is responsive and tailored to their preferences, creating a consistent, engaging experience.
Integrating product information, promotions, and real-time inventory across devices has allowed Veras to transform how retailers engage with shoppers, making every interaction feel personal and impactful.
Personalization at the Forefront
In the modern retail consumer journey, generic experiences are no longer sufficient. Customers expect brands to remember their preferences and foresee their needs. Personalization has become a critical driver of customer loyalty. The annual RCP report confirms this trend, with 49% of retailers focusing on personalizing the customer experience to foster loyalty and drive sales.
Veras Affinity, our AI-powered clienteling tool, enables retail associates to deliver highly personalized recommendations by utilizing real-time customer data and preferences. In doing so, retailers can foster long-term relationships with their customers. Whether suggesting a new product or providing exclusive loyalty deals and rewards, Veras Affinity empowers associates to be more proactive and personalized in their approach.
The benefits are clear: customers feel valued, brands build trust, demand drives sales, and loyalty grows. With Veras’ solutions, retailers are well-positioned to make personalization a cornerstone of their strategy in 2025 and beyond.
POS Upgrades and Replacements
As the retail landscape shifts, so does the need for modernized point-of-sale (POS) systems. Outdated POS systems can hinder a retailer from providing a unified checkout experience. The RCP report highlights that 61% of retailers plan to upgrade or replace their POS systems in the near future. They require modernization to support omnichannel strategies, streamline operations, and improve customer experience.
Legacy systems like WIN/DSS simply can’t meet today’s demands. Therefore, retailers are migrating to more advanced solutions, such as Veras CheckOut, for a significant upgrade in efficiency and functionality. The cloud-based POS grants retailers access to a robust system that supports in-store transactions and mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) capabilities. The latter allows associates to start, pause, or finalize transactions effortlessly on any standard register. Customers enjoy a seamless checkout process, regardless of where or how they shop.
Veras’ POS solutions integrate seamlessly with other operational systems, making it easier for retailers to manage inventory, payments, and promotions in real time—critical for a unified commerce strategy.
The Journey to Unified Commerce
Despite the push towards unified commerce, achieving full integration across all channels remains an obstacle. The 2025 RCP survey outlines that while 85% of retailers have implemented unified commerce to some extent, only 10% have successfully adopted a common enterprise Order Management System (OMS) for order orchestration across channels.
Integrating the various disparate systems and data sources under one umbrella has proven tedious. Veras Retail addresses this head-on by providing a single, centralized platform (like Veras CheckOut & Extend) that simplifies order fulfillment across channels. We ensure that inventory, pricing, and order statuses are updated in real-time.
By streamlining order management with POS, clienteling, and mobile solutions, Veras helps retailers build a truly unified commerce ecosystem, achieve quicker fulfillment and reduced costs, and deliver exceptional customer experiences across all touchpoints.
See What Veras Brings to the Future of Retail
2025 is here to bring a dramatic change to the retail landscape. As discussed in detail above, the future of retail hinges on providing seamless omnichannel experiences, data-driven personalization, and empowered staff. The insights from the 2025 RCP report back these trends and highlight the immediate need for retailers to adapt.
Thus, only those who leverage modern technologies and prioritize customer engagement will position themselves for success. Veras Retail has the tools retailers need to stand out and thrive in this ever-changing landscape. Our comprehensive, unified suite of solutions helps you stay two steps ahead and meet evolving customer expectations.
We invite you to schedule a meeting with Veras Retail to discuss your priorities for 2025 and the year ahead. This is an opportunity to explore how our innovative solutions can empower your retail strategy and aid your customer engagement efforts.
Don’t just adapt, lead. Connect with Veras to shape the future of retail together!
