Navigating large department stores can be daunting at the best of times, and a Japanese retailer is developing a robot that can make the shopping experience easier. Japan's growing use of robots underlines a shift in attitude where automation is favoured over human interaction.

The creation of Amazon Go – a cashierless supermarket where customers pick up items and walk out – seems to be winning in the race to master automated experiences. But competitors, such as Microsoft, are not staying far behind, giving the retail-giant some serious competition.

For all the benefits of e-commerce, retailers recognise that people still value brick-and-mortar, leading some to craft unique in-store experiences. Canvas8 spoke to Steffen Jahn, assistant professor at the University of Goettingen, to learn how experiential retail impacts brand perceptions.

Customer service has always been a thorny point for brands, but solutions to improve customer relationships are often targeted at Gen Y and Z. Boomers are being forgotten about, and their satisfaction towards customer service is dropping. So what do Boomers want from customer service?