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Veras Retail Wows At NRF 2019

Veras Retail Wows At NRF 2019

February 22, 2019

Looking Back at NRF 2019

Despite market uncertainty and the looming, albeit empty, threat posed by a ‘retail apocalypse’, 2019 was a good year for the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show, which attracted nearly 40,000 attendees, more than 700 exhibitors and featured a wide variety of sessions at the conference in mid-January. 

The show floor was alive. Any lingering doubts that the physical store would continue to serve a purpose in a world that increasingly embraces ecommerce were quashed, with so much of the conversation centering around ways retailers can create a seamless in-store and online shopping experience, and how new technologies are setting the stage for next-level customer personalization. 

Amid robots and drones and endless talk of AI, analytics and machine learning, other trends that emerged at this year’s conference centered around the need for advanced in-store and payment solutions that can keep pace with customer data privacy regulations like CCPA and GDPR. Fraud prevention also was top of mind and remains as pervasive as ever, accounting for up to an estimated $24 billion in losses in the U.S. each year. 

A group of people standing in front of a store

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Given all these factors, we picked a good year to ramp up our NRF exhibition game. This was only our third year exhibiting in the Expo Hall, but it was undoubtedly a major step up from last year with double the booth size. Visitors also noticed our bigger footprint, both in terms of square footage and presence. When demonstrating Veras Activate’s ability to simulate the interaction of complex promotions weeks in advance of their effective date, another prospect said, “Now you’re going to make me cry!” 

A consultant informed us, “Now that I see your booth, I know you are big enough to work with my client.” Although positive, this comment admittedly stung a bit, “Veras Retail is the best-kept secret at NRF! Why didn’t I know about you guys before?”

The booth was indeed inviting, and our products clearly resonated with brick-and-mortar retailers looking to enhance the in-store shopping experience and help drive revenue and brand loyalty. Ultimately, the feedback we received at NRF 2019 provided validation that our decision to focus on customer needs and satisfaction after we acquired the store systems suite from JDA Software in 2016 was the right one.

At NRF 2019, we showcased our re-platformed Veras Reach solution, which offers a powerful combination of CRM and customer loyalty program capabilities to help retailers think outside the box in terms of how they can reward their best customers, for a fraction of what other loyalty programs cost. 

We demonstrated the forthcoming Bluetooth beacon-driven Veras Affinity clienteling module, allowing sales associates to proactively engage customers on the sales floor as they shop. We also announced that Veras CheckOut 10.2 point-of-sale includes integration with Appriss Retail’s innovative return authorization technology, Verify®, which uses individual customer behavior data to render a fair decision to accept or deny merchandise returns. 

If we didn’t get a chance to connect with you this year, make a note to stop by our booth at NRF 2020, #1253. It’s sure to wow again!