Paula Rosenblum

NRF: Why Are Retailers Still Complaining About Big Data?

January 19, 2012

FROM RETAILWIRE:
We hear the complaints about all the data that is now being captured in retail leading to "a plethora of data but a dearth of wisdom." BrainTrust panelist Bill Bittner has come to the conclusion that there are plenty of viable solutions; the challenge for retailers is knowing what to want from the data. Why are retailers still complaining about the difficulty in extracting wisdom from Big Data?      [more...]

Okay, I sort of think we're missing the point. The value of "big data" is getting actionable insights at a granular level QUICKLY into the hands of decision-makers (NOT score-keepers). That has never been possible before. Moore's law, wide data pipes to stores, and mobility has helped make that possible.

So what retailers need may be the same, but the speed at which they can get it has changed - dramatically. That's what big data is all about. It's a short-cut for "actionable insights at granular levels delivered in near-real time into the hands of decision-makers."

That's a very new story, not an old one at all.