The scale at which companies are compiling data is pushing them to explore new ways to manage that information.

Ninety-nine percent of consumers who take delivery of online orders in brick-and-mortar stores are pleased with the experience, according to a recent survey. Twenty-nine percent said the option is why they placed the order in the first place.

Brick-and-mortar shopping isn't dead, but it is certainly on the decline: just 57 percent of urban consumers said they preferred to make discretionary purchases in stores, while 39 percent claim their last such purchase was made online.

Despite investing significant time and money in current commerce solutions, the majority of marketers and IT professionals surveyed aren't confident in their capabilities. Nearly one third (30 percent) of brands in both B2B and B2C industries spent more than $2m for their current commerce site, and 44 percent say it took longer than a year to implement, according to the 2016 State of Digital Commerce Report from e-commerce solution provider CloudCraze.

Analyst Insight: Too many retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers are in a race to the bottom, when it comes to what they charge for shipping. This is not sustainable over the long run. Those that create their own granular, real-time intelligence about where they hold inventory, understand total fulfillment costs, and have the ability to dynamically steer customers to the most profitable options, will be able to satisfy and attract customers, while creating profitable order deliveries. - Bill McBeath, Chief Research Officer, ChainLink Research

Analyst Insight: With the consumer's hands firmly placed on the steering wheel, omnichannel retailing is driving the retail industry forward with record-breaking speed. Item-level RFID is fueling the journey by providing retailers with real-time inventory visibility, rich data insights, and a means for better trading partner collaboration - allowing for more efficient supply chain operations and ultimately, an enhanced customer experience. - Melanie Nuce, Vice President of Apparel and General Merchandise, GS1 US

Analyst Insight: Retail continues its massive digital evolution; we no longer should look at e-commerce as a separate activity for retailers. Consumers are only concerned about commerce. The lines between different retail channels have blurred, consumers expect retailers to service their demands and needs regardless of which path they decide to leverage with the retailers. Retailers' supply chains must keep pace with these digital changes. -- Guy F. Courtin, Vice President & Principal Analyst, Constellation Research

Analyst Insight: Your target customers have completed their research and are ready to purchase your product. Then comes the final step in the purchasing process - selecting the delivery method (logistics channel) that best fits their immediate needs. In today's world, whether customers realize it or not, they are driving companies to become more flexible in their logistics capabilities. - Thompson Brockman, Partner, Tompkins International

A "hat trick" refers to scoring three goals in a game. A remarkable feat for most players and certainly worthy of doffing your hat to honor the player. In magic, a hat trick describes the infamous illusion of pulling something out of an empty hat, typically a rabbit.