Because customer behaviors are changing, the role of the store is changing, too—and so is the role of store associates. As retailers respond to these changes with cross-channel retail processes, the character of a store begins to change. No longer is the store used solely as an end point to consummate sales with walk-in customers. There is now an opportunity to use the store as an operational node for many transactions, making the store associate a vital link between today’s cross-channel shopper and the supply chain.