Six retail experts predict 2019

Will even more fashion chains go bankrupt? Is Amazon really tackling the Benelux? Will Blokker survive 2019? Will Jumbo’s entry into Belgium be a walk in the park? Six retail experts look into their crystal ball.
“More retailers get started with voice assistants”
What was the most important retail event, trend or development in 2018 according to Gino Van Ossel, retail professor at the Belgian Vlerick Business School? “The market will continue to polarise, with a growing gap between the winners and the losers. Unfortunately, the number of losers turns out to be higher than the number of winners.” Speech technology is one of the evolutions to keep an eye on next year, according to the expert: “Up to now, a lot has been said about artificial intelligence and speech assistants, but they have largely bypassed our country. With the arrival of Google Home in Dutch, and the accessibility of AI software, more and more Belgian retailers will get started in 2019.” Read more…