《云计算在零售业的应用》.pdf

Dataquest Publication Date: 19 July 2010 ID Number: Market Insight: The Impact of Cloud Computing on Vendors in Retail Jeffrey Roster Retail has never been known as an industry that has aggressively pursued technology. With few exceptions, it has preferred to write much of the software it uses, operated in almost complete IT secrecy and has been more reluctant than other vertical industries to embrace outsourcing. This pattern began to change with the explosion of e-commerce and is now accelerating with recent waves of social media and mobile commerce now washing over the industry. Fortunately for the industry, and for the cost structure of its IT shops, old habits are dying. As retailers move out of the recessionary mind-set and prepare for better days, new ways of doing business are emerging. New technology adoption models are afoot across the industry. Retail technologists understand that they must do more with less. Cloud computing in the form of software as a service (SaaS) stands to benefit from this shift in technology adoption patterns. This research seeks to introduce the key issues in cloud computing within the retail industry segments for technology and service providers interested in this market opportunity. Key Findings Retailers expecting to acquire a majority of their hardware and software assets through technology-as-a-service offerings —while significant, at 19.7% —are still less than the all-industry average of 23.9% (see Note 1). Retailers use of SaaS applications initially focused on merchandising, business intelligence (BI) and e-commerce applications. Retailers dont have a clear understanding and view of cloud computing. Twenty-four percent plan on acquiring software via a SaaS model, whi