on the rise
Retail and Consumer sector grows and demands new professionals; know which ones
In recent years, retailers have started to invest in digital to adapt to a constantly evolving market
Published on October 21, 2024 at 05:00
In recent years, retailers have started to invest in digital to adapt to a constantly evolving market Credit: Pexels
The Consumer and Retail sector closed 2023 with growth of 4.1%, higher than the average for the Brazilian economy, of 2.9%. This expansion has been observed consecutively since 2016, according to data from the Brazilian Society of Retail and Consumption (SBVC). The sector, according to the SBVC, accounted for more than 20% of GDP and generated R$2.2 trillion.
Analysts say that the sector is going through a paradigm shift, a consequence of new technologies, business models and changes in consumer habits, in addition to the consolidation of the sector.
“It is clear that, today, a part of consumers prefer to buy online compared to 10 years ago. Therefore, it is extremely important that companies take their services and experiences to the online environment as well, making the line that separates the physical of almost imperceptible digital”, comments Carlos Magno, specialist in customer experience and digital marketing. “We have great examples of this in Brazil, such as Magazine Luiza, which allows consumers to buy online with the option of collecting the product at the nearest physical store. “, it says.
In recent years, retailers have started to invest in digital to adapt to a constantly evolving market. A survey carried out by SBVC showed that, on average, six in ten (64%) retailers intended to invest more in digital transformation in 2023.
Retail is increasingly evolving to provide a consistent experience throughout the customer’s purchasing journey, using the omnichannel approach, which seeks to reach the consumer in all environments where a sale can be made – from high street stores to social media . This strategy requires the integration of online and offline channels, accompanying the customer at all points of the purchasing journey and creating a consistent experience at every point of contact with the brand.
“The main difficulty is that this approach demands new professional specializations, such as IT, customer success, user experience, business intelligence (BI) and artificial intelligence, skills that were previously scarce in the sector, but are now extremely in demand”, says Leonardo Berto, Branch Manager at Robert Half.
The impact of digitalization on the sector is so relevant that, between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the National Commerce Confederation (CNC), most of the professions that most increased the number of jobs in retail trade are linked to and -commerce.
The role of salesperson, which accounts for around 20% of formal retail employees, does not even appear on the list of occupations that grew the most in terms of vacancies in the same period.
Still according to Berto, in an attempt to increase their profit margins, large retail companies are taking control of more stages of the value chain, absorbing the profitability that was previously destined for third parties. The consequence of this strategy in the job market is that these companies need to recruit new professional profiles.
“Retail chains create their own credit cards, bringing with them the fees and interest that banks previously paid. They create their own brands for the most diverse products, from washing powder to clothes, incorporating the margin that previously belonged to the manufacturers. Inside Using the same logic, they create their marketplaces, set up logistics structures, and so on”, adds the Branch Manager.
Carol Ribeiro is an advertiser and recently took on the role of e-commerce specialist in a supplement sales network based in Curitiba, Paraná. She says that her team of colleagues is mostly made up of people who have made a career transition and decided to invest in professions linked to Digital Marketing and Technology.
“To enter the market it is not necessary to have specific training. Of course, I am an advertiser and I was already halfway there, but I know people who were teachers, nurses and who decided to take IT, BI, Copywriting courses, to transition their career. I have always worked in retail, there are many opportunities, but there are also many professionals available, so you need to always improve your CV, especially because digital is constantly changing”, advises the professional.
Infrastructure Analyst
Digital Marketing Analyst
Desenvolvedor(a) Back-end e Front-end
E-commerce specialist
Supply Chain Manager (Supply Chain)
Salesperson and Customer Service Specialist
Digital Transformation Consultant
User Experience (UX) Designer
Data Analysis Specialist
IT Project Manager
