2026 SPECIAL REPORT
Our sixth annual survey explores how in-store technologies are shaping the shopper experience, including the emerging role of AI shopping assistants and evolving best practices for personalization.
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By Michael Applebaum
Stores are getting smarter, but shoppers still only care if stores make their lives easier.
Tap-to-pay, mobile apps, digital signage and self-service tools are becoming familiar parts of the in-store experience. Now, AI-powered assistants and more sophisticated personalization are poised to raise the stakes further, promising to help shoppers find products, compare options and navigate stores with greater speed and confidence.
In this final installment of the "Evolution of the In-Store Shopping Experience," we examine which technologies are gaining traction across retail channels, where shopper behaviors are shifting, and how fulfillment choices influence the in-store trip. We also look ahead at the promise of AI assistants and personalization, including the practical utility retailers must deliver for these tools to earn a lasting place in shoppers’ routines.
Read all the Highlights From Part 3
Click here to reveal what our research uncovered
The Future
of In-Store
Evolution of the In-Store Shopping Experience
Part 3 of 3: