Jan. 16, 2014
The National Retail Federation held its annual convention in New York this week, drawing thousands of industry leaders keen to figure out how they’ll make margins in a world of hyper-informed consumers, evolving purchasing habits, and Amazon, whose formidable size gives it a unique power they cannot match. The “Big Show” featured all sorts of gadgets like touch-screen ads that let you customize outfits before trying them on, and IBM’s Watson-turned salesman that helps you cull a shopping basket when you ask it, “What do I need to take on a two-week backpacking trip through Patagonia?”