New Concepts in Retailing: Digital

Visual recognition seeing rapid adoption

Rapid advances in digital vision recognition have seen the technology being adopted across retailing, with a variety of imaginative concepts helping consumers to speed up product searches and access product information more rapidly. Retailers are also using it to improve service offers, and the proliferation of ideas suggests a lot more development will be forthcoming.

Adding speed to the online delivery offer

Online shopping offers convenience and lower prices. However, the channel lacks the immediacy of physical store shopping. At the same time, consumers are increasingly identifying speed of order fulfilment as a key priority. Online retailers are therefore seeking to narrow the transaction time gap on physical stores, often using innovative freelance courier companies to do so.

Bringing traditional retailers to the digital marketplace

Many small retailers and producers have tried to keep up with the online revolution by operating online mail order systems, but these often archaic digital cottage industries have failed to protect their operators, and they are being squeezed out of the market. However, new collectivised digital hubs are emerging and bringing smaller players into the market. This trend also meets growing consumer demand for local, independent or artisanal traders.