The store of the future

Physical retail – face-to-face interaction with customers in stores – will continue to dominate retail sales for years to come, says Nick East, CEO of retail edge software firm Zynstra.

In the UK alone, it is anticipated that this year store purchases will account for 82% of all sales revenue (Vogue, April 2017). But in an increasingly omnichannel world, the role of the store needs to change to deliver an end-to-end customer experience while offering new levels of convenience and innovation.

How then do retailers ensure that their stores are fit for purpose in this environment? The market is being shaped by a number of forces, including increased competition, regulatory changes, technology shifts and evolving customer demand.