ATLANTA, March 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The dramatic increase in ecommerce volume triggered by the pandemic has had an accompanying impact on retailers' abilities to provide profitable new forms of order fulfillment, such as buy online pickup in-store (BOPIS), ship-from-store, and curbside pickup, according to the latest report from Incisiv, commissioned by Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH).

Data revealed that the pandemic triggered a five-fold increase in ecommerce volume in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. Amid the significant shift to online stores, many retailers struggled to grow profit margins through order fulfillment, according to the "The New Store Experience Imperatives in High-Touch Retail" report. It also identified the pressing need for retailers to create frictionless customer experiences across physical and digital touchpoints.

"The ecommerce uptick of the last twelve months has necessitated a realignment of how retailers approach leveraging store associates, locations and inventory," commented Kevin Swanwick, vice president, store solutions, Manhattan Associates. "Associates became pickers and shippers; stores turned into mini fulfillment centers, and in-store inventory was increasingly made available online."

As the pandemic's impact continues to accelerate the transformation of brick-and-mortar retailers, the research revealed some key findings for retailers looking to chart a path to success in a post-pandemic world:

“Brick-and-mortar retailers still hold an important place in the evolving retail landscape, and how well brands embrace these changes to the store footprint will directly impact their overall profitability,” said Gaurav Pant, chief insights officer, Incisiv. “We recommend retailers focus on delivering safe, convenient in-store order fulfillment options. Equally important is enabling associates to communicate with shoppers digitally and providing a high-quality, consistent cross-channel experience.”

Download the “Point-of-Sale Software for High-Touch Retailers Buyers’ Guide” to learn more about the report. Incisiv conducted a hybrid online and computer aided telephonic interview (CATI) survey of 140+ U.S. retail executives whose stores offered at least one method of store-based online order fulfillment.

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ABOUT MANHATTAN ASSOCIATES
Manhattan Associates is a technology leader in supply chain and omnichannel commerce. We unite information across the enterprise, converging front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. Our software, platform technology and unmatched experience help drive both top-line growth and bottom-line profitability for our customers.

Manhattan Associates designs, builds and delivers leading edge cloud and on-premises solutions so that across the store, through your network or from your fulfillment center, you are ready to reap the rewards of the omnichannel marketplace. For more information, please visit www.manh.com.

ABOUT INCISIV
Incisiv is a next-generation industry insights firm that helps retailers and brands navigate digital disruption in their industry. Incisiv offers consumer industry executives responsible for digital transformation a trusted platform to share and learn in a non-competitive setting, and the tools necessary to improve digital maturity, impact and profitability. More information is available at incisiv.com.


Press Contact:
Marchell Gillis
Manhattan Associates
678-597-6321