The store of tomorrow–a symbiosis between the real and the virtual

At the end of the twentieth century new technologies have revolutionized the economic life but also the consumer behavior. Everything has been accelerated, leading to the development of a new relationship between customer and time. The customer in this new relationship wants to save time and spend it as he pleases, to be able to order anywhere, instantly and with ease. He doesn’t want only products, but also complementary services which will make his life easier. He no longer wants to be passive, but instead to be actively involved in his commercial relationship. He wants to be listened to and to have access to a customized offer. To meet these new customer demands, retailers use multichannel direct marketing strategies, which combined with new technologies, will radically change the nature of the client-retailer interaction. Shops and the act of buying will become a symbiosis between the real and the virtual, online retailers will open showrooms while network operators will increasingly integrate the Internet into their strategy.