Gartner: retail IT must ramp up for Web 2.0

Retail IT directors will need to improve e-commerce sites and in-store technology to support changes in consumers' buying habits, analyst firm Gartner has predicted.

Gartner managing vice-president John Davison said, "By 2011, 16% of turnover will be from the internet. This will be the single biggest shift in retail marketing."

IT will need to build and support the infrastructure for greater web use and tracking customers across multiple channels, Davison said. "Consumers in store will search across the web to get the best price, then look at the latest blogs on the products they wish to buy," he said.

By 2017, Davison said stores would need to provide internet kiosks and self-service tills to support the Web 2.0 approach to shopping.

Web 2.0: beyond the buzzwords >>

Marks & Spencer to spend £450m on supply chain revamp >>

Tesco standardises IT >>

Web seminar: Innovating Information in Retail >>

Retailers to drive SOA >>