As brick-and-mortar and e-commerce companies continue to fight for consumers’ attention and dollars, today’s customer has a plethora of shopping options at his disposal. Though online sales are expected to reach $414 billion by 2018, according to Retail TouchPoints, the majority of all retail sales still occur in physical stores, pushing companies to try to offer their clients the best of both worlds. Consequently, a lot of companies now use a variety of tools and technologies to attract customers and get them to visit their stores or websites again. Omni-channel retailing Amazon is making a foray into the bookshop business, with plans to open a number of brick-and-mortar bookstores across the country, in order to reach a much wider audience for its products. Expansions such as these emphasize the importance retailers now place on omni-channel retailing, where companies offer customers a variety of ways to shop, whether it’s online shopping through a desktop or mobile device, or the traditional retail store. Often times, a customer will visit a showroom or physical store, then they will order the product online instead, so it’s crucial for retailers to offer both options. Same-day delivery Shipping time is another important factor that customers take into consideration when placing an order. The faster the shipping time, the more satisfied the customer and the more likely they’ll shop again. Amazon is already ahead of the curve with same-day and two-day delivery service, with Sainsbury planning to also launch a grocery same-day delivery service to compete with faster rivals. Fast shipping time is crucial for customers who wish to save time and have their groceries delivered to their doorstep. Chatbots In an effort to come up with new and groundbreaking marketing strategies to attract customers, numerous companies have adopted chatterbots—a new...