RSR Research's latest report, "Twenty-first Century Merchandising Takes Hold: Benchmark 2011" finds the best performers making merchandising huge strides to pull away from the competitive pack. These findings are based on a survey of 82 qualified retailers in the summer of 2011.

"Three significant developments have driven the shift in Merchandising," said Paula Rosenblum, Managing Partner at RSR Research and co-author of the report. "1) Continued exponential increases in computing power makes once theoretical sku-intensive calculations practical, 2) A new breed of merchant has emerged who is comfortable with technology and at ease with handing over once 'sacred' tasks to the mechanics of the computer, and 3) An erratic global economy has created so much uncertainty in both commodity prices and their impact on demand that the entire retail enterprise has to work together to mitigate potential impacts."

Steve Rowen, also a Managing Partner at RSR Research and co-author of the report adds, "We've identified seven tenets that all retailers can follow to better meet the new consumer's needs. This report is chock-full of lessons from the best preforming retailers on how to meet these tenets faster."

"Twenty-first Century Merchandising Takes Hold: Benchmark 2011" contains analysis of the business drivers, opportunities, and organizational constraints surrounding cross-channel commerce, as well as recommendations for creating successful merchandising capabilities. The report is part of RSR Research's ongoing efforts to provide market intelligence on retail technology trends, and can be downloaded here: