An integrated setting for managing demand, supply and inventory involves working with people as much as with technology and information, says Todd Gallant of VF Corp. He explains how the Timberland division of VF is improving collaboration and communication among its associates up and down the supply chain.

Overall, holiday sales were weak, but from a mobile perspective, the results were phenomenal, with mobile traffic reaching 48 percent of all online traffic while mobile sales grew 40 percent to reach 29 percent of online holiday sales, according to data from IBM.

The threat of cyber-attacks is all too common, so the Retail Industry Leaders Association is launching an initiative to combat them.

EBay Enterprise, an eBay Inc. company, and provider of omni-channel solutions, has announced the availability of a Ship-from-Store SaaS solution: an initiative that retailers can deploy within 99 days to most effectively leverage their physical store inventories while gaining advantages in margin and shipping cost. The company says eBay Enterprise was first to market with its holistic, integrated back-end technology that provides retailers with one comprehensive inventory system delivered at an unparalleled rate.

Supporting the many different channels through which today's consumers shop for, purchase and return products presents tremendous challenges and opportunities for retailers, says Annibal Sodero, assistant professor at the Sam Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas.