Photography by Ron Lach
The boundaries of commerce are blurring. People, overwhelmed with ‘stuff’, are looking to brands to facilitate experiences beyond the point of transaction and are seeking personalised, immersive and intimate moments that connect them to brands – and to each other.
Commerce is set to take the mantle. It will harness likeminded communities to connect more deeply with customers, and will create holistic spaces where people can buy, gather and be targeted with relevant messages, and where they can express their values.
Financial empowerment is climbing the consumer agenda, as economic shifts give way to disruptive, entrepreneurial mindsets looking to redefine what it means to be well-thy.
With emerging generations facing unique economic challenges, there’s a growing mood that the financial systems built to support and enable individuals are no longer fit for purpose. In their wake, financial innovators have the opportunity to forge inclusive and egalitarian models that can help consumers spend, save and live how they want to.
Pixyle AI, Macedonia
Lacoste virtual reality store by Emperia, US
Artificial intelligence is ready to take centre stage to inform a world of hyper-personalised experiences. Here, innovators will harness every touchpoint as a learning opportunity, using technology to cater for individual needs.
It’s a case of trading privacy for privilege. As people increasingly entrust brands with their data, they’re demanding more from personalisation. Now the advancement of technology – including AI, deep learning algorithms, cloud computing and natural language processing – is helping retailers transform commerce into a more proactive, anticipatory and empathic experience.
