Retailing and emergent technologies

The ways in which emergent technologies are disrupting retailing are manifold. The Internet, social media, mobile technologies, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, and natural user interfaces all combine to grant consumers access to more information and channels than ever before, through virtually seamless connections with retailers, competitors, and other consumers. The resulting transformations, due to such technologies, thus are widespread, affecting retail marketplaces, the retailing industry, retail real estate, and consumers’ behaviors in terms of where and how they shop for products and services. In response to these changing circumstances, retailers develop innovative strategies and new business models in their efforts to enter, expand, and defend their markets. This special issue offers some insights, with the objective of motivating researchers to undertake in-depth investigations of the effects of new, emergent technologies, on both retailers and evolving consumer behaviors.