Life in the express lane

Innovation is growing beyond e-commerce to frictionless omnichannel experiences.

Innovation is growing beyond e-commerce to frictionless omnichannel experiences

Retailers are experimenting with shops where carts and smart shelves are fitted with cameras and sensors to provide checkout-free shopping. New retail formats are also evolving to meet growing consumer demand for unique experiences.

Checkout-free shopping: Industry leaders such as Amazon, Albertson’s and Sam’s Club are experimenting with checkout-free shopping in multiple locations. The technology uses a combination of advanced sensors, cameras and mobile payment to allow consumers to completely skip the checkout line – Crunchbase

Increasing e-commerce penetration: E-commerce will continue to grow in categories once dominated by brick-and-mortar retail. Fueled by evolving consumer expectations, increased competition and technological advancements, e-commerce could account for up to 18-30% of grocery sales in many advanced markets by 2030 – McKinsey

Going dark: A growing number of retailers' locations are “going dark” to address changes in consumer behaviour. For example, brick-and-mortar retail locations are becoming distribution centres and some restaurants are eliminating in-person dining rooms – Forbes

Workforce implications:

• Shifting demand from frontline retail workers to fulfilment, maintenance and customer service
• Upskilling/reskilling needed to help the retail workforce adapt
to new business models
• Location and workforce planning analysis will be an important
part of strategies to move e-commerce distribution closer to the consumer.