Smartphone held over a checkout scanner; Copyright: Rawpixel

Hybrid commerce: the key to retail success

24.01.2022

Interview with Xenia Giese, Industry Executive Retail & Consumer Goods at Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, about new retail business models.

A man in a shopping mall points a finger, the movement is recorded by a virtual matrix; Copyright: Ameria AG

Touchless interaction for retail displays

12.01.2022

Touchless operation of displays - this sounds a bit like science fiction, but users can already try it out at some points of sale.

A small grocery store of Billa in a container on a parking lot in front of alpine scenery; copyright: Billa

Automated smart stores: Never run out of milk for your cereal ever again!

27.10.2021

While stores with no (sales) staff sounded like science fiction just a few short years ago, they are now fast becoming a reality. Even though smart stores are not yet the new retail norm across the board, they are moving away from being sporadic, mere testing locations and pilot projects.

Hybrid showroom by s.Oliver; Copyright: s.Oliver

Hybrid showroom: the best of both worlds?

01.09.2021

Some say shopping online is easy and convenient – just a few digital clicks and your purchase is complete. Others love to come to a physical store because they crave the tactile experience of shopping. They want to inspect, touch, and feel the products before they buy them.

Automation concept on blurred supermarket background; Copyright: PantherMedia / Funtap

Sustainable Smart Stores: The Concept of the Future?

28.04.2021

Xenia Giese from Microsoft tells how stores could save money, time and resources and thus operate even more efficiently and sustainably.

Unmanned store of Carrefour on orange ground; copyright: Carrefour Express 24/7

Shopping 24/7: Staff-free operated stores

31.03.2021

Tiny store, micro store, smart store, vending machine store – different names for concepts that all have the same goal: Customers shop 24/7 in staff-free stores.

A small child looks over a table and has glasses in front of his eyes; copyright: PantherMedia/zmijak

Virtual try-on solutions for eyeglasses thanks to AI

11.03.2021

Online shopping is becoming more and more popular, even for "try-on" items like eyeglasses. As a result, virtual try-on solutions have gained a fair amount of momentum in online stores in recent years.

Exterior view of the TYPY store; copyright: CAMPO GmbH

Customer experience: Make it speedy, safe, and simple please!

03.12.2020

Instead of extensive, personal consultation and on-site customer service, the new store concept of the TYPY store in Düsseldorf relies on technologies that make shopping quick and easy.

An employee of dm holds a smartphone in front of her, opposite her is a colleague, photographed from behind; Copyright: Andy Ridder

Workforce management: dm-drogerie markt trusts in digital retail store management

19.11.2020

dm has been focusing on digital employee communication and store organization since 2017. The employee smartphones help with customer advice, reordering goods and promote internal team networking.

A woman walks into a store and holds a smartphone up to a reader; copyright: Zippin

Checkout-free and unmanned stores

31.07.2020

Completely cashierless or staff-free stores are still rare, but there are successful examples. Will they soon become a serious alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar stores?