Retail CIOs Urged to Shift from Cost-Cutting to Innovation with Tech-First Plans: New Insights Published By Info-Tech Research Group

As the retail sector faces a period of unprecedented uncertainty from global supply chain disruptions, shifting consumer behavior, and labor challenges, many organizations continue to rely on outdated strategies that fail to address these risks. Newly published research insights from Info-Tech Research Group urge retail IT leaders to move beyond conventional operational practices and embrace digital agility for long-term resilience. The global IT research and advisory firm's recent blueprint, Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail, equips retail CIOs with guidance and tools to assess emerging risks, prioritize technology investments, and build a resilient, technology-driven operational framework.

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Unpredictable economic conditions, fragile supply chains, and rapidly evolving customer expectations and behaviors are creating unprecedented challenges for the retail sector. Recent findings from Info-Tech Research Group highlight that, in this complex environment, technology decisions have become critical to both organizational survival and growth. To help retail leaders navigate these pressures, the global IT research and advisory firm has recently published its Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail blueprint. This strategic resource equips IT leaders in the industry with the tools and guidance to leverage emerging technologies, stabilize operations, and foster resilience in an era of constant disruption. 

Info-Tech's research insights reveal that many retailers remain reliant on outdated strategies that fail to address today's multifaceted risks. Overextended budgets, fragmented systems, and slow decision-making hinder their ability to respond to sudden shifts in market conditions. The firm's insights also show that, while emerging technologies present significant opportunities, they can be difficult to implement without a structured approach and guidance.

"CIOs are the strategic bridge between business needs and technology delivery to ensure that innovation serves both operational efficiency and customer impact," says Donnafay MacDonald, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. "When economic shifts or policy changes begin to disrupt sales, CIOs are often the first to detect the ripple effects, whether through slowing transaction volumes, changing customer behavior, or supply chain strain. Their end-to-end visibility enables early intervention."

Technology-First Steps for Retail IT Leaders to Address Market Challenges

Grounded in its latest retail sector research, Info-Tech advises in its Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail blueprint a technology-first methodology that provides CIOs with a clear and actionable roadmap for transforming market disruption into strategic advantage. The structured four-phase approach guides IT leaders through the following steps:

1. Assess Uncertainties and Opportunities: Retail CIOs and their leadership teams can begin by scanning the environment for macro-level vulnerabilities such as policy shifts, labor shortages, and supply chain risks. They then evaluate how these uncertainties can affect their organization and identify technology-enabled opportunities with the greatest potential impact.
2. Review Budget, Staffing, and Contracts: IT finance and operations leaders conduct a comprehensive review of current spending, staffing, and vendor contracts across the organization. This phase identifies opportunities to cut costs and reallocate funds toward innovation and strategic technology investments.
3. Build the Technology-First Action Plan: CIOs work with cross-functional stakeholders to assess and prioritize the initiatives that will drive technology transformation. They consolidate these into a focused 12-month roadmap that aligns with strategic objectives and organizational readiness.
4. Get Ready to Execute: IT leaders finalize initiative descriptions, define success metrics, and build a flexible communications plan. This ensures clear accountability, executive alignment, and adaptability during execution, which enables organizations to act swiftly as conditions change.

Info-Tech's insights highlight that retail organizations navigating constant disruptions require more than point solutions or temporary fixes; they need a cohesive strategy that links technology investments to measurable outcomes.

In the resource, the firm encourages IT leaders to act decisively, balancing cost discipline with innovation. As MacDonald notes, "in times of uncertainty, the best path forward isn't just to cut costs; it's to starve waste and feed a revolution. That's how retail IT can shift from defense to growth and turn volatility into a competitive edge."

By applying the insights and the actionable methodology outlined in Info-Tech's blueprint, retail organizations can build operational agility, optimize technology spending, improve customer responsiveness, and make more informed decisions.

For exclusive and timely commentary from Donnafay MacDonald, an expert in retail tech and access to the complete Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Retail blueprint, please contact [email protected].

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading research and advisory firms, serving over 30,000 IT and HR professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services and SoftwareReviews for software buying insights.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software, and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group