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In the digital age, physical stores are far from becoming obsolete. Instead, they’re reestablishing parts of an omnichannel retail ecosystem that can blend real-life experiences with digital technology.
Our 2024 Holiday Outlook Survey indicates that Gen Z and millennials, with their increasing spending power and preference for technology, are helping drive this change. These groups are spending more than Gen X and baby boomers. They’re also contributing to a resurgence in in-store traffic with their demand for engaging and interactive shopping experiences. They expect smooth and tech-enhanced shopping, regardless of whether they are buying online or in-store.
The store of the future, a frictionless, tech-enabled hub, will be more than just a place to buy things. It’s becoming an intelligent space for connected exploration or brands.
Why should retailers invest in the store of the future? Shifting consumer demands require transformation to stay relevant. While these enhancements can help improve customer attraction and satisfaction, they can also strengthen operations, including security and loss prevention.
What’s holding retailers back? The challenge lies in developing the proper technology infrastructure to support these complex retail environments.
Despite the rise of e-commerce, our research shows that brick-and-mortar locations remain pivotal to shoppers across generations. With 46% of consumers telling us they value the ability to see and touch products, and 40% enjoying the immediate purchasing option in-store — the top two factors helping drive store visits — physical locations continue to play a central role in product discovery and buying decisions. Especially during the holiday season, where 40% of consumers plan to shop in-store and 23% plan to do so on Black Friday.
Millennials still spend more during the holidays, but Gen Z’s spending power is steadily rising, with budgets growing by 59% over the past two years. These groups are more likely to be mixed-mode shoppers, purchasing items both online and in-store.
Gen Z in particular — though often perceived as digital natives — shows a strong affinity for in-store engagement, with 60% using stores for discovery and 56% for purchases.
For them, however, the journey is fundamentally omnichannel, incorporating online marketplaces (47% for discovery, 48% for purchase) and even GenAI (50% for research). In comparison, 29% of baby boomers are doing their research with GenAI.
Many consumers under the age of 45 prioritize in-store digital services far more than baby boomers and Gen X.
This generational gap calls for a versatile omnichannel retail approach.
Many retailers are already pioneering connected strategies, merging physical and digital worlds to help create engaging shopping experiences. Those who are doing it well have adopted emerging technologies to transform stores into interactive spaces. The tech-powered store is repositioned as the hub, offering data-driven engagement centered around improving customer satisfaction and market share.
Here’s an example of how a retailer can bring these seamless shopping experiences to life.
Imagine running a futuristic clothing store during the holiday rush. As a customer enters through a digital turnstile, your system instantly recognizes them via your app, where their payment information and style preferences are securely stored.
They’re there to pick up an online order but decide to browse for a last-minute outfit. You’ve equipped them with a smart tote that tracks them through your holiday-themed aisles.
When the customer places a jacket in the tote, sensors automatically update their digital cart with their choice. If they switch the jacket for a different color, the system updates accordingly in real-time — no need for manual scanning.
Once done, the customer picks up their online order at the designated spot and walks straight out without waiting in line at a traditional checkout. Your system charges their saved payment method and sends a detailed receipt to their app, also updating their loyalty points. This seamless process is not just about skipping lines — it can also help revolutionize shopping effectiveness and accuracy.
With the rise of AI-driven innovation, like styling assistants and dynamic product displays, retail operations are transforming, leading many consumers to rethink how they interact with brands and decide on purchases.
Forty percent of consumers in our survey say they’re more likely to shop in-store when offered contactless payment options. Retailers are expanding their adoption of technologies like mobile wallets and just-walk-out systems in response to this demand. RFID is already helping transform inventory management — with computer vision on the cusp of expanding the scope of analytics and loss prevention strategies.
Meanwhile, AI analyzes customer behavior in real-time, enabling personalized recommendations and improved store layouts. More than just convenience, the latest technological innovations are about crafting immersive, personalized experiences that online shopping can’t replicate.
Here’s another example of what a seamless shopping retail experience could look like.
A customer walking into your store is greeted by an AI-driven styling assistant on an interactive screen , which suggests outfits based on their recent purchases and previous online browsing history. As they browse through your store, dynamic product displays change to highlight items that complement what’s already in their tote, complete with rotating mannequins showcasing real-time mix-and-match options tailored to their style.
In a special section of the store, customers immerse themselves in a brand experience zone where they can interact with the latest fashion lines through augmented reality platforms. They try on different outfits virtually, see how they pair with accessories and make selections that feel tailor-made for their personal style and preferences.
For retailers, this can provide a differentiated way to engage with customers and deep insights into consumer preferences for more targeted marketing and inventory management.
Investing in the store of the future can offer more than an enhanced customer experience; it can empower retailers to make smarter decisions and act on them faster. Salesforce Customer 360 can help unify data from all touchpoints — online, in-store and external sources — into a single, actionable profile.
By leveraging AI and machine learning, retailers can turn customer behavior, preferences and purchase history into insights that enhance operations, personalize marketing and inform product and inventory decisions. This opens opportunities to improve customer segmentation, tailor engagement and use geospatial data to understand in-store behavior, all while helping drive growth through data-driven insights.