By Andy Shaw, Head of Client Services.
If there’s one thing guaranteed to throw global markets into a mild panic before breakfast, it’s a Donald Trump trade announcement. Sure enough, as we woke up to day two of the show, the headlines were all doom and gloom about tariff shocks and potential supply chain chaos.
But, if you’d walked through the doors of the Retail Technology Show, you’d have been forgiven for thinking the world outside was just fine. The atmosphere was buoyant, busy, and buzzing with ideas — a reminder that retail is nothing if not resilient.
From early morning coffee-fuelled conversations to the last panel of the day, the show was a reminder that retail is undergoing a transformation — and tech is firmly at the centre of it. But, crucially, the conversations we had suggest it’s not about “shiny new toys” anymore. There’s a quiet evolution underway: a move towards balance, integration, and above all, usability.
It’s Not Just About Going Digital — It’s About Being Smart
One of the most refreshing takeaways from the show was that retailers aren’t chasing digital transformation for transformation’s sake. Yes, there’s a race to implement technology — but more than ever, it’s about hybrid solutions that genuinely work for customers.
I spoke to one payments tech provider who helps retailers offer both contactless and traditional cash payments — all from the same POS solution. The real kicker? Their customers saw more sales when they gave people the choice between cash and contactless. What’s more, he also suggested that a considerable number of shoppers still want a bit of human interaction at the checkout. Who’d have thought?
Omnichannel: More Than a Buzzword
The closing keynote panel, “Predicting how omnichannel retail will evolve by 2027”, brought together leaders from Asda, Dunelm, Seasalt, and Aptos. And while there were plenty of nods to the future (AI, mobile-first everything, the obligatory mention of personalisation), the real theme was simplification.
One panellist hit the nail on the head: omnichannel doesn’t mean multiple systems doing multiple things. It means one seamless experience for staff and customers alike. Whether that’s in-store fulfilment, online returns, or mobile POS, the best tech is the kind that just works — no black screens of doom or six-step workarounds.
And speaking of returns, one retailer shared how they revolutionised their refund process by detaching it from the physical returns journey. Customers now get their money back within 40 hours of registering a return digitally — and call centre contacts about refunds have all but vanished. A rare and glorious win-win-win: better customer experience, lower operational costs, and fewer headaches for staff.
Back-End is Back in Fashion
Another takeaway? The back-end is having a bit of a moment. For years, retailers have invested heavily in front-end experiences. Now, attention is turning to what happens behind the scenes — think inventory visibility, store productivity, and smart stock movement. Dunelm’s strategy is a case in point: focusing on RFID to better manage stock and freeing up staff to do what they’re best at — helping customers.
And let’s not forget the people using this tech. Across the board, speakers stressed the importance of UX — not just for shoppers, but for staff. Because no matter how powerful a platform is, if your employees can’t use it intuitively (or think it looks like their gran’s old Nokia), it won’t land. The most successful rollouts came down to two things: design that makes sense without a manual, and training that empowers colleagues to become champions of change.
Retail’s Next Chapter
Despite the tricky economic forecast, there’s a sense of optimism in the air. Maybe it’s because the industry has been through worse. Maybe it’s because tech is finally maturing into something more human. Or maybe it’s because someone, somewhere, is getting their coffee exactly how they like it — with their name remembered and loyalty points in the bag.
From AI-powered insights on the shop floor to good old-fashioned customer choice at the checkout, retail’s future is looking not just digital, but deliberately human. And that’s something we at SkyParlour are all for!
If you’re a retail tech organisation wanting to make a bigger noise in the industry, contact: [email protected]