Wireless Wednesday Exclusive: Karl Haller, Partner, Consumer Center of Competency Leader at IBM

Rick is joined by Karl Haller, Partner, Consumer Center of Competency Leader at IBM for this special interview.

Many global consumers are ready to celebrate the holidays again however, as a wider set of economic and political issues took center stage this past year, new risks and uncertainties loom over their plans. According to the annual global holiday shopping and travel report released by IBM's Institute for Business Value (IBV) nearly half of consumers surveyed will spend less if inflation continues to drive price increases.

The mix of rising prices and decreased availability of inventory means that when consumers shop is just as important as where. Continuing the shift away from the traditional Black Friday start of the shopping season, about 58% of consumers plan to start holiday shopping before November. Almost two in three people plan to pre-order their products to get them on-time with guaranteed prices and 73% said they are considering sustainability when shopping for the holidays.

Travel is also an area where consumers are looking to get back to normal, while still mitigating any risk associated with potential price changes due to inflation and fluctuating gas prices. With even the best plans have risks of disruption, the retail and travel industries are taking notice. Those embracing the uncertainty and leaning into technology like hybrid cloud and AI will win loyalty and sales this season.

Topics:

What are consumers most worried about this coming holiday season?

How are people preparing themselves for success this holiday season?

What are some of the biggest priorities for consumers shopping and traveling this holiday season?

Are businesses being impacted by consumer’s shift in shopping and travel decisions?

How are companies responding to the changes in consumer demands?

Where can our listeners go for more information?

For more information please visit: www.ibm.com/ibv