In recent years, various service robots have been introduced in stores as recommendation systems. Previous studies attempted to increase the influence of these robots by improving their social acceptance and trust. However, when such service robots recommend a product to customers in real environments, the effect on the customers is influenced not only by the robot itself, but also by the social influence of the surrounding people such as store clerks. Therefore, leveraging the social influence of the clerks may increase the influence of the robots on the customers. Hence, we compared the influence of robots with and without collaborative customer service between the robots and clerks in two bakery stores. The experimental results showed that collaborative customer service increased the purchase rate of the recommended bread and improved the impression regarding the robot and store experience of the customers. Because the results also showed that the workload required for the clerks to collaborate with the robot was not high, this study suggests that all stores with service robots may show high effectiveness in introducing collaborative customer service.

Almost half of UAE-based CEOs in the retail industry intend to start using artificial intelligence (AI) in the next two years to enhance the store experience for customers. This is according to the 2018 Global Consumer Executive Top of Mind survey, jointly conducted by KPMG International and The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF). Global CEOs, however, were less optimistic about the adoption of AI, with only 24 percent expressing intent to start using AI over the next few years. They were also less confident about the prospects of technology in retail, with 48 percent saying that brands would use technology to enhance the retail store experience. This is in stark contrast with UAE CEOs, who were confident of harnessing technology to transform the customer experience in-store.

Last week a story went viral about how Facebook shut down two artificial intelligence robots when they started talking to each other in a language engineers couldn't understand. Welcome to the intelligence era. Let's think a little deeper about AI than the rise of the machines and consider the next big industrial shakeup. Artificial intelligence and big data are going to change everything. Yet again, innovation will flourish and industries will be completely disrupted. New industries and industry leaders will emerge, and many companies will go out of business.

"A new coat, please," you say to the store robot, in a bit of a hurry. It notices that you're in no mood for chit-chat and already knows that you have little time to spare on Thursday nights. The robot immediately presents three stylish coats, of course in your perfect size. Yes, in 2030 you'll even be comfortable shopping in an actual brick-and-mortar store. And all of that will be made possible thanks to artificial intelligence. Ten years ago, we were very impressed with Siri, but now it's become quite common to communicate with devices and programs.

Retailers have to refocus their marketing from driving traffic to stores to closing sales and managing loyalty, according to insiders at the National Retail Federation's 2017 Big Show, earlier this week in New York City. "We're only as good as the last transaction," said Greg Foran, CEO of Walmart U.S. E-commerce is now setting the bar for the in-store experience, and that, in turn, is changing expectations for the customer experience and technology deployed in stores, speakers said. Retail fundamentals will always be required, but merchants also need to master technological skills, said Bill Brand, president of direct retailer HSNi. "Technology is changing the way we shop [and] the way we enjoy products. Even the definition of what a store is changing " said Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel.