The growing power of the consumer will change the world of retailing in the second half of the decade, Retail Week Live delegates have been told.

Kate Ancketill, CEO and founder of GDR Creative Intelligence

Presenting an exclusive trend foresight session, Kate Ancketill, CEO and founder of GDR Creative Intelligence, said consumers are becoming “connected influencers” and are wielding increasing power over how their peers shop.

Ancketill identified consumer power; the evolution of the store from shop to entertainment centre; and the seamless joining up of channels to create a “frictionless experience” as key trends in modern retailing.

Among the retailers at the forefront of this retail revolution are Adidas – which has established a prototype window shopping experience in Germany for its Neo youth brand where customers can drag a virtual item into their shopping bag and buy it over their mobile phone; and Quicksilver, which is trialling a concept in its South African stores whereby consumers can scan a code on a swing ticket, which then rates their social clout and offers discounts to those it rates as key social influencers.

Kate Ancketill on guide shops

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