Picture the scene. It's 8.30pm and you have just placed your weekly food shop into a virtual basket before tapping the checkout icon.
All done, that's another job off your list.
In a couple of days (if you didn't opt for the next day delivery slot) your basket of goodies will arrive on your doorstep, all separated out for your convenience to pack away.
But have you ever stopped to think what happens back at the supermarket when you finish your virtual shop? Probably not, because providing your bananas don't get substituted with a chicken and mushroom pie, there's plenty of other things to Google.
However, if you are intrigued and want a 'behind the scenes' look at what takes place within one of the world's most successful online-only grocery stores, this article by Neil Tyler is for you.
Writing for New Electronics, with support from the British Retail Consortium, Westcoast retail and Sid Shaikh, Ocado Engineering's research and development manager, this article provides incredible insight into how retailers are turning to robots and AI in an attempt to cope with changes in our buying behavior.
According to Helen Dickinson, chief executive, British Retail Consortium: “What people want to buy and how they want to do so is continually changing. The retail industry has to respond. As smartphones have become ubiquitous, retailers have had to offer better value than ever as consumer now have the ability to compare prices instantly while in-store.”
In response to an increasingly tech-savvy generation, the High Street is looking to ‘up its game’ in order to satisfy shoppers and improve the in-store experience.
For consumers, speed and convenience are top priorities and the shift towards online and mobile technology means retailers will need to offer a unified, omni-channel experience. Few retailers, however, are meeting that expectation.
