Alliance Data's Latest 'Now, New, Next' Report Highlights 10 Trends to Help Retailers Remain Relevant and Keep Customers Connected

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The speed of technology, combined with rapidly changing customer expectations, make it challenging for brands to know what strategies and innovations are worth their time, attention and resources. Alliance Data's card services business, a leading provider of tailored marketing and loyalty solutions, delivered through branded credit programs, guides retailers with its third annual "Now, New, Next" report, a forecast of the top 10 trends expected to have the greatest impact on the retail industry in 2018, released today.

"Retailers already know the customer is in control. Expectations have never been higher—and customers have never been more connected. Technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate, and that means customers have unlimited options for where—and how—they shop, right at their fingertips," said Shannon Andrick, vice president of marketing advancement for Alliance Data's card services business. "So, what can brands do to stand out? Our trend report gets to the core of what factors will shape retail the most in 2018. We explore these trends and provide real, actionable steps brands can take to build customer loyalty that lasts."

The "Now, New, Next" report takes a comprehensive look at how brands are navigating shifts in customer behavior and countering increased expectations through elevated service offerings, deeper engagement opportunities, and innovative connectivity. More importantly, it provides expertise on how to focus resources to adapt to evolving customer expectations.

The following trends are a sampling of the 10 included in the 2018 report:

• NOW: Purpose-Driven Partnerships. Brands have been using collaborations to adapt in an ever-shifting retail landscape. Now, they're forming sometimes surprising alliances, with the goal of creating exclusive benefits and long-term value for demanding consumers.
• NEW: Predictive Everything. To deliver deeply personalized messaging, offers and experiences, brands are enhancing the way they collect and use data, analytics and insights by leveraging predictive modeling, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
• NEXT: Connected Environments. The physical and digital worlds are becoming more integrated, bringing the future of retail to the present. It's all about seamlessly connecting multiple devices, environments and technologies to what's happening "in real life" to create an intensely immersive brand experience.

"Retail continues to discover exciting new opportunities, thanks to advances in technologies," added Andrick. "The future of shopping is promising for retailers who focus on the customer by harnessing both data-driven insights and the latest innovations that customers will value and engage with the most."

For more information about how Alliance Data can help brands grow sales and increase loyalty by bringing these trends to fruition, visit http://knowmoresellmore.com/what-we-do.

About Alliance Data's card services business

Alliance Data's card services business is a leading provider of tailored marketing and loyalty solutions, delivered through branded credit programs that drive more profitable relationships between our brand partners and their cardmembers. We offer private label, co-brand, and business card products to many of the world's most recognizable brands across a multitude of channels.

We uphold our Know more. Sell more.^® promise by leveraging unmatched customer insights, advanced analytics, and broad-reaching innovative capabilities. It's how we deliver increased sales to our partners, build enduring loyalty to their brands, and provide more value to our cardmembers. Alliance Data's card services business is a proud part of the Alliance Data enterprise. To learn more, visit www.KnowMoreSellMore.com or follow us on Twitter @Know_SellMore.

SOURCE Alliance Data