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Reimagining retail: Technology at the frontline, across the value Chain, and toward sustainability

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  • Schultz, Carsten D.

Abstract

The retail industry is undergoing a profound technological transformation. This special issue explores how emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, AR/VR, digital assistants, and smart retail systems, (re-)shape customer experiences, streamline operations, and support responsible retailing. The seven featured articles investigate innovations in consumer behavior, service recovery, technology acceptance, and sustainable communication. These articles provide first insights and normative guidance for a retailing landscape driven by technological advancements. This introduction outlines future research directions across three interconnected domains: technology at the frontline, technology along the value chain, and the digital-sustainable transformation. The outlined research areas and questions aim to guide further research and strategic innovation fostering systemic transformation in the future of retailing.

Suggested Citation

  • Schultz, Carsten D., 2025. "Reimagining retail: Technology at the frontline, across the value Chain, and toward sustainability," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:87:y:2025:i:c:s0969698925002280
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104449
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Grewal, Dhruv & Benoit, Sabine & Noble, Stephanie M. & Guha, Abhijit & Ahlbom, Carl-Philip & Nordfält, Jens, 2023. "Leveraging In-Store Technology and AI: Increasing Customer and Employee Efficiency and Enhancing their Experiences," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 99(4), pages 487-504.
    2. Guha, Abhijit & Grewal, Dhruv & Kopalle, Praveen K. & Haenlein, Michael & Schneider, Matthew J. & Jung, Hyunseok & Moustafa, Rida & Hegde, Dinesh R. & Hawkins, Gary, 2021. "How artificial intelligence will affect the future of retailing," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 28-41.
    3. Nathalie Spielmann, 2021. "Green is the New White: How Virtue Motivates Green Product Purchase," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(4), pages 759-776, November.
    4. Roy, Sanjit K. & Singh, Gaganpreet & Hollebeek, Linda D. & Shabnam, Saadia & Japutra, Arnold & van Doorn, Sebastian & Ray, Subhasis & Appio, Francesco Paolo, 2024. "Smart service value: Conceptualization, scale development, and validation in the retailing context," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. Rösch, Stella Franca & Kopplin, Cristopher Siegfried, 2025. "Time well spent! The role of information presentation and viewing time in sustainable textile online purchase behavior: Insights from an online store experiment," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Shankar, Venkatesh & Kalyanam, Kirthi & Setia, Pankaj & Golmohammadi, Alireza & Tirunillai, Seshadri & Douglass, Tom & Hennessey, John & Bull, J.S. & Waddoups, Rand, 2021. "How Technology is Changing Retail," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 13-27.
    7. Noble, Stephanie M. & Mende, Martin & Grewal, Dhruv & Parasuraman, A., 2022. "The Fifth Industrial Revolution: How Harmonious Human–Machine Collaboration is Triggering a Retail and Service [R]evolution," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 199-208.
    8. Mennekes, Theresia & Schramm-Klein, Hanna, 2025. "Effects of crisis-induced inflation on purchasing and consumer behavior in Germany," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    9. P. R. C. Gopal & Nripendra P. Rana & Thota Vamsi Krishna & M. Ramkumar, 2024. "Impact of big data analytics on supply chain performance: an analysis of influencing factors," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 333(2), pages 769-797, February.
    10. Baier, Daniel & Karasenko, Andreas & Rese, Alexandra, 2025. "Measuring technology acceptance over time using transfer models based on online customer reviews," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    11. Carsten D. Schultz & Saskia Kaiser, 2025. "Consumer value dimensions in conversational and mobile commerce," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(3), pages 587-605, September.
    12. Kristoffersen, Eivind & Blomsma, Fenna & Mikalef, Patrick & Li, Jingyue, 2020. "The smart circular economy: A digital-enabled circular strategies framework for manufacturing companies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 241-261.
    13. Sinemus, Kathrin & Zielke, Stephan & Dobbelstein, Thomas, 2025. "Improving consumer satisfaction through shopping app features: A Kano-based approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    14. Rese, Alexandra & Witthohn, Lennart, 2025. "Recovering customer satisfaction after a chatbot service failure – The effect of gender," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    15. Chenshuo Sun & Zijun Shi & Xiao Liu & Anindya Ghose, 2025. "The Effect of Voice AI on Digital Commerce," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 36(2), pages 1147-1166, June.
    16. Inman, J. Jeffrey & Nikolova, Hristina, 2017. "Shopper-Facing Retail Technology: A Retailer Adoption Decision Framework Incorporating Shopper Attitudes and Privacy Concerns," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 7-28.
    17. Van Droogenbroeck, Ellen & Willems, Kim, 2025. "Unpacking preferences for surprise subscription boxes - A Kano-based study of present, former, and non-users," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    18. Bradlow, Eric T. & Gangwar, Manish & Kopalle, Praveen & Voleti, Sudhir, 2017. "The Role of Big Data and Predictive Analytics in Retailing," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 79-95.
    19. Blut, Markus & Wünderlich, Nancy V. & Brock, Christian, 2024. "Facilitating retail customers’ use of AI-based virtual assistants: A meta-analysis," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 293-315.
    20. Benoit, Sabine & Altrichter, Birgit & Grewal, Dhruv & Ahlbom, Carl-Philip, 2024. "Autonomous stores: How levels of in-store automation affect store patronage," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 217-238.
    21. Vadakkepatt, Gautham G. & Winterich, Karen Page & Mittal, Vikas & Zinn, Walter & Beitelspacher, Lauren & Aloysius, John & Ginger, Jessica & Reilman, Julie, 2021. "Sustainable Retailing," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 62-80.
    22. Tabares, Sabrina & Parida, Vinit & Chirumalla, Koteshwar, 2025. "Twin transition in industrial organizations: Conceptualization, implementation framework, and research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    23. Philipp Brüggemann & Luis F. Martinez & Koen Pauwels, 2025. "Theoretical perspectives and conceptual framework for online grocery shopping: Adapting to environmental circumstances and influencing internal factors," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 2271-2307, June.
    24. Grewal, Dhruv & Gauri, Dinesh K. & Roggeveen, Anne L. & Sethuraman, Raj, 2021. "Strategizing Retailing in the New Technology Era," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 6-12.
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