Digital innovation in Retail: rediscovering proximity and relationships

The retail sector globally is experiencing a period of profound transformation. Consumer spending is growing slowly, and the big successes of eCommerce are prompting retailers all over the world to question the future of the store, and to wonder about what motivates consumers to visit stores. Experimentation seems to be the preferred development direction. Retailers are experimenting with giving stores new functions, adding technology wisely and integrating stores with digital channels. In Italy, investment by retailers in digital technology is still somewhat limited: the fragmentation of the retail network is slowing down the transformation process. Nevertheless, there is growing awareness of the opportunities offered by digital technology and by integrating the store with eCommerce. This report shows the innovation trends in Retail globally and looks in more detail at the main development areas of Italian retailers.