The Customer of the Future
and Hybrid Retail

The defining role of retail in the inner city seems to be called into question as shoppers find inspiration online. That is spelling big problems for mall chains and traditional corner shops, fighting a market in which people are already buying less and demanding more personal and convenient ways to shop. The new shift brings us to hybrid models for retail business. This means that the stores are active online and offline.The marketplace of the future is complex and diverse and will inevitably impact our cities socially, economically and politically. Upcoming legislation at the European level such as Digital Markets Act should reflect these transformations.