{"id":57416,"date":"2021-02-24T06:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-02-24T14:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/industry\/blog\/?p=57416"},"modified":"2023-05-31T16:43:53","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T23:43:53","slug":"announcing-microsoft-cloud-for-retail-built-for-whats-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/industry\/blog\/retail\/2021\/02\/24\/announcing-microsoft-cloud-for-retail-built-for-whats-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Announcing Microsoft Cloud for Retail: Built for what\u2019s next"},"content":{"rendered":"

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2020 was the year in which we experienced disruptive change at a pace and a scale that we could never have imagined. Yet it was also the year in which many retailers embraced digital like never before. Take REI for example, which launched a new virtual outfitting service to help customers assemble bikes, find the right hiking boots, and gear up for camping trips using Microsoft Teams. Retailers who laid their digital tracks early were more agile, resilient, and ultimately positioned for growth. I\u2019m optimistic about the future of retail and excited by the opportunity faced in retail. But as we all know, the journey past the COVID-19 pandemic has only just begun. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I am thrilled to announce the availability of <\/span>Microsoft Cloud for Retail<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>public preview\u00a0<\/span>beginning on March 31.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft Cloud for Retail at-a-glance<\/h3>\n

At Microsoft, we are committed to helping retailers by working side-by-side with them to co-innovate and co-develop next-generation solutions that address their most pressing business opportunities. Retail is 31 percent of the world’s GDP and that data is the demand signal for the world. Microsoft Cloud for Retail data services consolidates disparate customer data sources\u2014your data, your suppliers\u2019 data, the data you don’t even know about yet\u2014to uncover actionable insights in minutes, not days. Discover retail insights from all data sources\u2014data warehouses, data lakes, and big data analytics systems\u2014with a single, unified experience at any point in the shopper journey.<\/p>\n

Microsoft Cloud for Retail uniquely connects experiences across the end-to-end shopper journey, using a set of capabilities that deliver more relevant personalized experiences and operational excellence for sustained profitability. Few retailers have the budget or infrastructure to \u201crip and replace.\u201d Microsoft Cloud for Retail starts with a modular framework so retailers can innovate as they go. This modular and deployable solution activates both end-to-end services like curbside pickup or standalone services like Intelligent Recommendations. Microsoft Cloud for Retail is designed to give retailers the flexibility to adopt the capabilities they need to address their most pressing business needs, be it better knowing customers, empowering employees, building resilient supply chains, or reimagining retail.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited to explore Microsoft Cloud for Retail as a crucial tool to bring together our stores, product, and marketing systems and unlock the power of our data,\u201d Britten Maughan, SVP of Product and Partnerships, Lids.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Let\u2019s take a closer look at how we are integrating capabilities across the shopper journey.<\/p>\n

Demand generation<\/h3>\n

Driving interest and awareness in your product or service is the beginning of the shopper journey. Using the right digital marketing channels with the right solution is critical in attracting new customers.<\/p>\n