According to the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index survey, both brick-and-mortar and online stores are failing to meet the expectations of shoppers. People expect retailers to adopt an omnichannel strategy, with the specialisation of URL and IRL platforms becoming essential.

In April 2019, bath bomb aficionado Lush declared it would be suspending its UK social media accounts. As people begin to experience ad fatigue – and brands become slaves to social media algorithms – how is Lush building real relationships with its community of #Lushies?

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.

As part of a partnership with Olympic Studios, Selfridges will be launching a three-screen, in-store cinema. It's an example of how brick-and-mortar retailers are looking to lure in consumers by enhancing the experience of shopping beyond browsing and transactions.