The retail trade involves the sale by companies of goods and services to end consumers (business-to-consumer). Retail marketing refers to measures implemented by retailers in order to raise awareness of and interest in their goods and services. 

The goals pursued by means of retail marketing activities relate to branding and performance, with the focus being squarely on the customer. On the one hand, customers look for advice and the genuine shopping experience in bricks-and-mortar stores; on the other hand, they use the Internet as an immediate source of information and for making actual purchases. Retailers who succeed in striking a balance between these sales channels are able to generate numerous alternative processes as well as new opportunities.

As a result, multi-channel retailing, or MCR for short, is currently the buzzword in the retail trade context. MCR refers to the diversification of providers' distribution activities across several sales channels, for example via the Internet, catalog sales and high street retail outlets. 

Such integrative measures include:

• Newsletters providing information on sales campaigns in the high-street retail context
• Online listings of products which are only available in high-street retail outlets
• Couponing, involving coupons printed on sales receipts which can only be used for online purchases, for example 
• The option of collecting products ordered online from bricks-and-mortar stores
• Online search functions for locating nearest stores
• Online/offline processing of returns

Typical retail marketing applications comprise:

• Anonymization of CRM data, including login data
• Google Custom Match
• Facebook Custom Audience
• Use of social media
• Linking of web analyzers and CRM data
• Offline tracking of Facebook users

• As a player in the retail marketing sector, you will be able from the outset to develop your products in such a manner as to ensure their compliance with currently applicable legislation ("privacy by design"),
• which will enable you to dispense with the need for subsequent amendments in line with data protection and data security regulations and avoid data breaches and the associated subsequent financial losses and loss of reputation.
• Obtaining certification for your product demonstrates your commitment to data protection to your own customers and consumers, enabling you to build trust and gain a true competitive advantage.