A pandemic success story, Canada-born multinational e-commerce platform Shopify is positioning itself as the company that puts the power back into the hands of small to medium-sized independent businesses, especially those that have long faced stiff competition from Amazon.

Technology has become central to shopping as COVID-19 has led people to seek out touch-free experiences. But how will augmented reality fit into the future retail landscape? How can it bridge the gap between e-commerce and brick-and-mortar to deliver convenience, safety, and a personal touch?

Lancôme has launched a retail takeover in Hainan airport’s duty-free retail space. Blending physical and digital retail, the campaign taps into the rise of skincare, adapting traditional airport retail to be hygienic without compromising on experiential value for travelling shoppers.

The closure of non-essential retail due to COVID-19 saw shopping become a mostly digital affair for many Britons. Yet while the future of the high street may be in jeopardy, people remain eager to connect with brands. How can pop-up experiences fulfil this desire in the post-pandemic landscape?