Retail Guru Tony D’Onofrio on Retail Tech, Empowered Consumers

MarketScale recently attended NRF 2020, the retail industry’s biggest annual show, to get a feel for where the industry is headed and sit down with some of retail’s biggest names.

Retail influencer and consultant Tony D’Onofrio joined MarketScale’s Geoff Short for a discussion on some overarching themes in the retail industry as a new decade dawns.

D’Onofrio identified artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and retailer immersion in technology as key items he hoped were high points at NRF, providing a look into the mind of one of the industry’s biggest names.

Regarding technology, D’Onofrio said consumer smartphone adoption has drastically altered the retail landscape, adding that consumers are often as educated or more educated regarding a retailer’s offerings than employees, themselves.

This “empowered consumer,” D’Onofrio said, expects retailers to respond to digital conversations and needs at a satisfactory level.

Short and D’Onofrio also discussed the difference between concepts, ideas and actionable and implementable tech, what makes tech worth it for retailers, consumer-centric technology, challenges facing retail entering the next decade, and more.

To keep up with everything going on in the retail industry, stay tuned to MarketScale’s retail publication here.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

business
How Thoughtful Experience Design Leads to Better Business Outcomes
February 1, 2026

Salesforce gives organizations the ability to automate marketing, personalize outreach, and manage leads at scale—but those benefits only materialize when complex capabilities are implemented cohesively. Through its Salesforce Practice, CG Infinity brings together Marketing Cloud capabilities—including Email Studio, Automation Studio, and Journey Builder—alongside dynamic content, Cloud Pages, and third-party lead integrations. By designing these…

Read More
client
One Team, Shared Goals: Inside CG Infinity’s Client Philosophy
January 31, 2026

Successful Salesforce initiatives rely on alignment as much as technology. When partners stay focused on delivery rather than shared priorities, projects risk meeting technical requirements without achieving real business success. The strongest outcomes come from teams that treat client priorities as the foundation for every decision. That mindset defines how Meagan Diegelman, Principal at…

Read More
Salesforce
Salesforce Works Best When Informed Judgment Comes First
January 31, 2026

Salesforce can be a powerful growth platform, but its complexity can put inexperienced organizations at a disadvantage. Without strong in-house expertise, leaders may struggle to assess recommendations, push back on unnecessary scope, or determine whether proposed solutions truly support business outcomes. Over time, this can lead to overbuilt systems, excess cost, and decisions driven…

Read More
customer advocacy
How CG Infinity’s Focus on Customer Advocacy Drives Better Delivery Outcomes
January 31, 2026

Strong delivery starts with advocacy—making sure customer priorities are clearly represented, consistently elevated, and never lost as work moves forward. At CG Infinity, that advocacy shows up through proactive thinking, idea-sharing, and a commitment to pushing for better outcomes at every stage of an engagement. Customer voices remain front and center, shaping decisions and guiding…

Read More