The retail environment has changed significantly in the last two decades – from the race to opening more brick-and-mortar stores to the rise of eCommerce. Consumers have changed too – from expecting to pay with their wearable devices to being able to have merchandise delivered to their doorstep. Retail is constantly evolving and merchants are always looking at innovative in-store technology to bring more shoppers into the store and enhance their shopping experience.

The holiday season is upon us and many retailers are already beginning to offer consumers enticing deals and boost revenue. While in-store shopping has experienced a tumultuous time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, merchants are hoping to regain ground this season. According to the PwC 2021 Holiday Outlook survey, consumers are expected to spend an average of $1,447 this year on gifts, travel and entertainment which is 20% over last year when the pandemic grounded most holiday activities.

Over the years, the restaurant industry has seen many technological innovations that have helped them serve their customers better. For example, QR codes recently made a comeback as an effective and touchless way for diners to access the menu. In other situations, self-service kiosks and tabletop ordering with tablets have been instrumental in helping restaurants streamline their food ordering process and add more efficiencies for their business.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the retail sector in a variety of ways – from limited store capacity to social distancing rules and more, merchants all over Canada adapted to these very quickly. The crisis also accelerated numerous shifts in consumer behaviours that were already underway. For example, contactless payment has existed in Canada for many years and most consumers were accustomed to paying with their contactless cards. With the increase in transaction amount limits for contactless, and the demand for touchless experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of this payment method has increased further. Another trend that was already underway was the rise of eCommerce. While eCommerce numbers have been consistently rising over the last few years, the pandemic pushed more people to purchase products online. As a result, most consumers embraced online shopping even for items they would have previously preferred to buy in store.