Beacons and Augmented Reality: Retail's Future

Contactless payments, click-and-collect and 3-D printing are just some examples of how the retail industry is embracing the latest technology in the hope of stopping the decline of traditional brick-and-mortar stores. In December 2013, nearly 20 percent of non-food items in the United Kingdom were bought online, according to the British Retail Consortium. In the U.S., meanwhile, suburban shopping malls are fast becoming relics, reminders of a bygone era when consumers shopped on foot and paid with cash.