The Internet of Things and digital transformation are massively disrupting the retail industry. Already we’re seeing the widespread setup of digital touchpoints to support and enhance the shopping experience. Indeed, consumers increasingly want and expect to have the online shopping experience within the store itself, and retailers are working to make it possible.
This is manifesting through in-store apps that allow retailers to showcase their products, smart shopping carts that help customers navigate through a store based on their digital shopping lists, and “smart mirrors” that enable shoppers to virtually try on clothes through the magic of augmented reality. These examples just pertain the customer experience. Retailers are also embracing IoT devices and technologies like RFID to track inventory, optimize the supply chain, monitor perishable goods for freshness, and automate many other operational tasks and processes.