Abstract

This IDC study discusses how the future of retail is a continuum of multilayered, digital shopping environments in which invisible streams of data drive personalized experiences to enhance shopping for customers while optimizing operations for the retailer. These digital experiences are omni-locational, crossing over traditional concepts of brick-and-mortar and ecommerce, and they require a robust, modernized infrastructure that ensures connectivity of the customer, the merchandise, the store, and the employees. Multilayered digital experiences do not necessarily look digital to the customer — some will be invisible to shoppers entirely, whereas some will border on science fiction come-to-life. Technology will continuously emerge, and upgrades to infrastructure and replacement of legacy systems are mission critical. Retailers must see the conversion to a multilayered, digital environment as ongoing, not one and done.

"Retailers are just scratching the surface of using invisible data streams and AI to create multilayered, digital experiences," says Leslie Hand, GVP, IDC Retail Insights. "For most retailers, the reality of digital environments is not the metaverse — yet. Right now, it is the footing underneath the intelligent store — the infrastructure, connectivity, analytics, and devices that enable digital twins, smart shelves, customer and employee interaction, and efficient omnichannel transactions."

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