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?

From in-store iPads and beacons to augmented reality changing rooms and digital shopping, retailers are upping the ante on the shopping experience. Now, in a bid to draw in – and keep – shoppers, 45% of US retailers are planning on using AI in the shopping journey.

Chinese start-up Wheelys is opening an unmanned convenience store, where items are bought via a smartphone app. While this might be what the supermarket of the future will look like, most youngsters admit that they still need help from staff at self-service check-outs.

A new era of consumption, characterised by an abundance of choice, has redefined the Chinese customer’s attitude to retail. They now expect the same excellent service they receive online in the physical world. So how can brands entering China accommodate a subtle mix of tradition and innovation?