The customer journey in retail today is continuous and dynamic. It is the customer who calls the shots, hunting down whatever they want, whenever they want it, hopping across multiple touchpoints as they traverse the shopping journey, from discovery to fulfilment and purchase.  They consider shopping as a single, unified experience-irrespective of the channel.

What does this mean for the store of the future?

The store of the future is a “connected store” that provides a customer experience that is so seamless, timely and tailored that once customers get on the path, they are irresistibly and permanently hooked on it. The “connected store” would lead the customer along their shopping journey from discovery through purchase, directly into the loyalty loop.

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To script the most compelling journeys, retailers need to build interconnected capabilities covering the whole digital landscape- IoT, mobility and big data. These capabilities permit real-time insights into the shopping behavior—in effect, helping retailers zero in on moments when the shopping journey can be influenced – and allow proactive personalization and self-directed experiences to draw and retain a new segment of digitally driven customers.