Analyst Insight: The retail apparel market continues to lead the charge when it comes to deploying innovative technologies like RFID that allow for much higher inventory accuracy levels and can pave the way for omnichannel retail strategies. Both Inditex and H&M have made strong commitments to RFID technology, following in the footsteps of Macy's, long considered the leader when it comes to RFID and apparel. According to industry estimates, nearly 4 billion apparel items were tagged with RFID in 2015. - John Johnson, Senior Content Specialist, Gartner Supply Chain

Retail CEOs say internal silos are holding back omnichannel success. In fact, retailers without these operational barriers are more positive about achieving profitability, according to a new report.

Mobile is driving the shopping experience both in stores and online. Roughly 73 percent of all online buyers are using a mobile device to shop online, and 21 percent are using mobile devices to help them shop in stores, according to Bizrate Insights, a division of Connexity.

The global office stationery and supply market is likely to exceed $2bn by 2019 as the developed markets for office stationery and supply products are growing at a very high rate. These markets include the U.S., the UK, Germany, Canada, France and Japan. Major growth is also expected from developing markets like China, Brazil, South Korea and India.

Import cargo volume at the nation's major retail container ports is expected to decline year-over-year for the next few months, but the first half of the year should still amount to a 4.5-percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

Kroger is set to offer a click-and-collection option at 10 Michigan stores by the end of 2016. ClickList, the brand's e-grocery service with curbside pickup, launched at one store in December and expanded to a second store this week.

CBX Software, a provider of sourcing-management applications to the retail industry, has joined with SGS, the global inspection, testing and verification body, to provide an integrated sourcing, quality, compliance and supply-chain service.