Macy’s, an American retailer whose competition is clothing stores such as J.C. Penney and Kohl’s has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into new technology; namely e-commerce. According to consulting firm Interbrand, Macy’s online makes up 10% of Macy’s total sales. One would say that Macy’s is ahead of its competitors in establishing itself online where many people now do a good amount of their shopping.
While Macy’s may sell similar products to its competitors and other clothing retailers, its online presence has created uniqueness to the brand; a point of difference, giving them competitive advantage over retailers such as J.C. Penney.
New technology not only sets Macy’s apart but also makes it easier for Macy’s to track customer’s wants and “maintain accurate inventory”. They have developed Radio Frequency Identification technology allowing them to track the exact locations of different items anywhere in the supply chain or in-store, further improving their e-commerce orders or in-store pickup. This makes inventory easier to control and keep track of.
Macy’s continues to develop , creating Image Search for easier item searching, “smart fitting rooms”, allowing customers to see what is in-stock in their particular store, next-day delivery, and personalized ads. Setting itself apart from its competitors by keeping up with new technological trends is likely to lead to Macy’s future success.