Lately, retailers have manifested a growing interest concerning shopper experience in physical and online stores. Innovations in sensory technology play an important role in this respect. For instance, retail transaction auditory confirmation (RTAC) determines customer trust in the retailer, enhancing it, since the sound associated with purchases on mobile devices when scanning an article at the point of sale reduces the ambiguity and risk associated with the purchase.

Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and Cortana are a few voice assistants that convey information regarding daily news by intelligently interacting with clients, catching their attention, and improving their experience. Technological development engaged with artificial intelligence (AI) allows the pairing of various devices, from computers and smartphones to Bluetooth speakers and home appliances, thus shaping the Internet of Things. Voice chatbots are now taking over many of the duties of the traditional shop assistant and are able to offer compelling arguments, enabling the completion of transactions. Virtual reality (VR) allows the reconstruction of physical objects and space through their digital representation; individuals are introduced to the digital space through a head-mounted display. The more real their virtual experience is, the greater their gratification and desire to keep experimenting with digital media. This implicitly contributes to enhancing the customer experience when shopping and saves time. VR stimulates the perception and physiological reactions of individuals, allowing users to navigate the reconstructed space and interact with various products or situations. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have emerged as new technologies employed both online and in physical commerce due to their potential to improve the sales environment and customer experience.

This Special Issue aims to highlight how AI-related topics can be implemented in retailing. We welcome original research and review articles.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• The present state and probable evolution of AI in retail
• Can AI analyze customer communication and other information in ways to maintain, persuade, and boost customer engagement in transactions?
• Can AI offer real-time feedback to retailers to help them improve their performance based on evaluations of facial and verbal cues of the customers?
• How can AI combine the text with other communications to identify real-time customer behavior and/or predict customer satisfaction and/or loyalty?
• How should companies implement AI sales bots efficiently?
• In what way will AI change organizations’ marketing strategies, customer behavior, and issues regarding confidentiality, bias, and ethics?