Online shopping may trump brick-and-mortar when it comes to convenience, but many shoppers feel that something is still missing in the experience. They’re craving the advice and assistance of shop assistants online, looking for the personalised attention they'd get in-store.

To some, an attractive in-store assistant would seem like a valuable asset when convincing people to purchase. But new research shows that, in some instances, customers become less likely to spend the more attractive a shop assistant is. Looks like sex doesn't always sell.

Global e-tail is set to be worth $2.5 trillion by 2018, and the number of companies using the internet to sell directly to customers is similarly set to boom. How might using heat maps, pared down product ranges and gamification help them capture a larger slice of the e-commerce pie?

The traditional buying model relied on three steps: experience a need, shop to satisfy that need, then use the product. But with 45% of shopping journeys now using mobile to discover or buy, purchasing has been integrated into people’s daily routines. How can brands adapt to this new retail reality?