Many big-name retailers are making customer insights central to all big decisions, using new technology to personalise the experience.

In Retail Week’s latest Customer Insight supplement, we delve into the emerging technologies that enhance customer service and shopper insight for retailers, and ask how personalisation will develop in the future.

Building the power of social elements of the web into retailing is also presenting a new wave of opportunities. Retail Week finds out which retailers have been quick to embrace new social technologies while avoiding the common pitfalls in the process, plus we reveal what’s next for social engagement in the retail space.

The growing use of tablet devices and smartphones is driving online sales and grabbing market share from physical stores. We explore how mobile research apps transform the way retailers understand consumers in real time and put qualitative insights at centre stage. 

This type of in-depth customer understanding is crucial to the changing retail landscape. Understand how, why and when customers are shopping across all touchpoints, and you’ll be well on the way to multichannel success. 

  • Laura Heywood, Supplements Editor