Frictionless retail

Customers can scan QR codes on products to get more information, view lookbooks and videos featuring the product, and in some cases benefit from quick cashless payment systems.

Robotic shopping carts follow customers around the store, making the shopping experience easier, especially for those pushing buggies or wheelchairs.

Amazon’s Go stores use a combination of computer vision, deep learning and sensor fusion technology to automate the payment and checkout process. Customers can pick up items and leave without checking out; payments are made automatically through the Amazon Go app.

Virtual reality showrooms offer a dynamic, interactive buying experience, letting people don VR goggles and see products in a real-world setting. In car showrooms, VR even enables the customer to make changes or upgrades to the car of their choice.

With this technology, retailers can scan the items the shoppers want to try on, which are then displayed on an interactive mirror in the dressing room. The mirror can be used to choose a different colour or size, and to select other items of complementary clothing.

Facial recognition software installed in stores recognises shoppers as they approach, activates their loyalty accounts and, based on previous purchases, can make product recommendations.