By Angela Velasquez on May 10, 2018

A new group of seasoned retail business leaders, investment professionals and analysts created by Berns Communication Group wants to close the knowledge gap between traditional retail and technology through the power of influence.

The Retail Influencer Network is a group of well-known voices in the retail sector with insight about the industry, consumer behavior and effective commerce strategies.

Just as brand influencers have helped ignite consumer interest in brands, products and fashion trends through relatable posts and authentic messaging, the Retail Influencer Network aims to incite change in the retail sector through thought leadership and example. Network members will share their insights through blogs, Q&As, videos, networking events and speaking engagements.

“Retailers and brands have found that educating business influencers and tapping into their expertise can be critical in helping to close the knowledge gap,” said Stacy Berns, president of Berns Communications Group, which will manage the network. “Business influencers represent an authoritative, authentic storytelling voice that can prove helpful to those in traditional retail, technology and media.”

Adopting new retail technology and innovations will be an area of focus for the Retail Influencer Network. “Traditionally, there has been a large void in the market for a critical dialogue between Silicon Valley commerce innovation and traditional retail. Retailers were being offered new kinds of technologies so quickly that they struggled to figure out which kinds of tech are ‘must-haves’ and which are ‘nice-to-haves,’” said Sucharita Mulpuru, a Retail Influencer Network member and Forrester retail and commerce analyst.

The network will help guide retailers and brands as they apply nontraditional strategies to traditional retail in order to create a successful omnichannel experience.

The Retail Influencer Network includes 15 founding members who were selected for their diverse backgrounds and expertise in retail. Members include Matthew Shay, National Retail Federation president and CEO; Janie Yu, investor in retail, supply-chain and logistics technology at Fung Capital; Keval Desai, Silicon Valley investor at InterWest Partners; Marigay McKee, former executive at Harrods and Saks Fifth Avenue; and Deborah Weinswig, CEO at Coresight Research.

Read the story on sourcingjournal.com.