CUSTOM GROUP IN NEW YORK CITY FOR THE RETAIL SECTOR’S MOST STRATEGIC EVENT

NRF is the world’s most important strategic event dedicated to the retail industry. Every year it showcases new marketplace solutions and experiences that will revolutionise the industry, and every year, it achieves record figures.

With more than 38 thousand participants, 16 thousand retailers, and 800 exhibitors from around 100 different countries, NRF has got the new year off to the best of possible start.

And what better place to host a fair on retail development if not the city that never sleeps, the quintessential symbol of change: New York City!

NRF Retail’s Big Show, held in the Big Apple from 13 to 15 January: three days of full immersion, in which to discover the identity of the exhibitors and to get to know all the technologies linked to retail. 

This was an important occasion for Custom Group, which took part in the event for the eighth year running with its Custom America booth, putting relations first and showcasing the latest solutions to implement the new management approaches that Retail needs to take.

TRENDS FOR 2019

Even this year, NRF is looking to the future and to the technologies supporting and improving the shopping experience. Digital Transformation is the key concept of the fair and retailers want to know how they can act to meet the needs of their customers, adapting as much as possible to all the changes. 

Technology continues to offer new and different ways to interact with the stores, driving  the continued pursuit of the all- embracing, full shopping experience.

A mix of physical and digital aspects is essential, and retailers who wish to keep up with the times need to keep their eyes peeled! 

This is where NRF Retail’s Big Show steps in. It introduces all the latest new features for the retail industry: artificial intelligence, robotics, digital transformation, and mobile payment systems.

BUT WHY ARE RETAILERS STILL AFRAID OF CHANGE? 

Essentially, because every year they are faced with incredible pressure: meet sales targets, meet budgets, achieve profits …All these goals have clearly pushed down investments in new technologies.

But what if these technologies were the key to give Retail trade a boost?

There are stores that wish to take things to the next level and they are already using developed Omnichannel processes: AI software or technologies that entertain customers in store. 

Innovation is possible!

We asked the leading representatives of Custom Group to tell us about their experience at the NRF Retail’s Big Show and their vision of it.

“NRF is held in New York every year and it is one of the most eagerly awaited world events for the retail industry. All the most important vendors and retailers are there. It is an international showcase from which to observe industry trends and to meet with the big names in the industry.

This year, the market’s trending topics are omnichannel experiences, together with interesting AI, ML (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) and CX (Customer Experience) solutions”.

Andrea Preite, CEO BIZETA RETAIL SOLUTIONS, CUSTOM GROUP

“NRF is a privileged observatory from which to understand the most interesting trends in a an increasingly complex market, such as ours.

The presence of so many exhibitors offers direct contact not only with the biggest international vendors, but also with numerous start-ups operating on local markets.

Global market leaders introduce the most interesting projects on which they are focusing their business strategies, the most recent technologies that in the next few years will be translated into real innovations that will change consumers’ daily lives.

This year as well, NRF is one of the most interesting events for professionals in the industry!”

Giordano Iovane, CEO power2Retail

“We are proud, as Netrising, to take part in the world’s largest Retail fair together with Custom. But NRF is much, much more. A show where innovation and technology create unique synergies that allow us to see what is on the horizon for the stores of the future!

In addition to discovering the trends for 2019, we can create a network of relationships with leading parties in the Retail trade sector hailing from all over the world. A truly unique experience!”

Fabrizio Nicolosi, Sales Director & COO Netrising

The eyes of all participants from Custom Group were on BOOTH 2564 by Custom America, where all the solutions and new features for the Retail Trade sector were on display, including the world’s preview of the TK306 print solution and the RANGER ID passport scanner. 

TK306 offers quick customised colour printing of ticket layouts on normal paper, while the RANGER ID guarantees next-generation passport and ID card scanning to obtain the biometric data inside the chip of each individual document.

In conclusion, NRF was a great success for Custom Group and in particular, for Custom America, supported by the recent acquisition of POS-X, which contributed to its expansion into the POS Retail market across the Americas. 

“NRF 2019 had a significant impact on all companies in the Group and even more so for Custom America. 

The acquisition of POS-X allowed Custom America to enter the POS market in South and North America. A challenge that we have always tried to overcome, even without a distribution network and a suitable client portfolio. That is why POS-X was the missing piece from Custom America, to respond to the needs of customers in different markets, 

Our booth at NRF was once again a solid point of reference for customers and potential customers, who have shown interest in the opportunities and solutions we are able to offer.”

Nicola Ciarlante, CEO Custom America