The Forum Retail event, organized by iKN Italy and now in its 24th edition, brought together almost 4.000 participants, over 280 speakers and offered 40 hours of conferences. During the plenary session, analyses for 2024 and forecasts for 2025 were presented, exploring the new trends in Italian consumer behavior.
The BVA Doxa research, presented at the forum, highlights consumers who are increasingly aware and attentive to the shopping experience. 70% of Italians are looking for innovative ways to purchase, while 88% express the desire for a seamless and consistent experience between online and physical channels. Personalization is a priority for 75% of consumers, and 63% are willing to share their data in exchange for concrete benefits. Even in the Fashion and Pet sectors, consumers appreciate an ecosystem of advanced services, such as digital payments and home delivery, which enrich the shopping experience. In particular, the preparation and empathy of sales staff are crucial: 86% of buyers in the Fashion sector and 92% in the Pet sector choose the store based on the quality of human service, underlining the central role of animals in the family.
KPMG outlined six key trends that will shape the retail industry. First, 64% of global CEOs plan to invest in AI, which is seen as crucial to innovation regardless of economic conditions. Omnichannel integration, already used by 70% of consumers, is the second relevant trend, followed by the rise of mobile shopping, which will constitute 62% of e-commerce. Immersive technologies will be relevant by 2027, representing 7% of sales interactions. Other key elements will be data management and the replacement of obsolete systems, a current issue for 52% of companies. KPMG predicts that by 2025, investing in technology will become essential to remain competitive. In the last two years, 87% of companies have leveraged technology to increase revenue by improving customer experience and profitability.
Finally, GELLIFY presented for the third consecutive year its Start Up Gate, which highlights the most innovative startups in the retail sector. The event included the study “How will we buy in 2050” by GELLIFY and ARAD Digital, which anticipates how advanced technologies will influence future consumer habits.
