Tech race is pitting customer against retailer, says expert

The main street is the setting for a technological arms race pitting customers against retailers, with both trying to gain the upper hand.

BT futurologist Dr Nicola Millard said the constantly connected consumer has changed his/her shopping pattern and is often more informed than the frontline sales staff with whom they are dealing.

“We are seeing consumers doing things like show-rooming in the retail space. Where we have people scanning bar codes and we have people using location-based software in shops. They are effectively in the physical and virtual world at the same time,” she said.