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

technology
Clarity Under Pressure: Technology, Trust, and the Future of Public Safety
February 7, 2026

When something goes wrong in a community—a major storm, a large-scale accident, a violent incident—there’s often a narrow window where clarity matters most. Leaders must make fast decisions, responders need to trust the information in front of them, and the systems supporting those choices have to work as intended. Public safety agencies now rely…

Read More
weather Intelligence
Clarity in the Storm: Weather Intelligence, GIS, and the Future of Operational Awareness
February 6, 2026

For many organizations today, weather has shifted from an occasional disruption to a constant planning factor. Scientific assessments show that extreme weather events—including heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and wildfires—are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity, placing growing strain on infrastructure, utilities, and public services. As weather-related disruptions become more costly and harder to manage,…

Read More
AI in sterile processing
AI in Sterile Processing Is Proving Its Value by Acting as a Co-Pilot, Not a Replacement
February 5, 2026

Sterile processing departments are dealing with persistent operational pressures. Surgical case volumes are rising, instruments are more complex, and staffing shortages remain across many health systems. Accuracy and documentation requirements continue to tighten, leaving little room for error. In busy hospitals, sterile processing teams may handle 10,000 to 30,000 surgical instruments per day, with…

Read More
IC-SAT100
Meet IC-SAT100, a Satellite PTT Radio Built for the World’s Most Demanding Environments
February 5, 2026

Let’s have a look at Icom’s IC-SAT100, a satellite Push-To-Talk radio designed for moments when ordinary communication just isn’t an option. Powered by the Iridium satellite network, this rugged handheld delivers instant one-to-many communication at the push of a button—no cell towers or ground infrastructure required. Built to thrive in harsh environments, it’s waterproof,…

Read More