The world’s biggest retail brands have dedicated billions to achieving seamless, personalized, AI-powered experiences. But customers seldom enjoy seamless, personalized retail experiences.
In fact, the typical consumer experience has never felt more automated. Some leading brands are making strides by using AI to enhance human connection, but most are stuck in a cycle of hype and innovation silos.
Ninety-three percent (93%) of retailers report having implemented digital transformation initiatives, and they’re proud of them. In fact, more than four in five (83%) retailers believe they’re ahead of their competitors.
But behind the scenes, the cracks are showing.
Just one in seven (14%) retailers actually delivers advanced personalization across all channels and touchpoints. While 20% continue to scale advanced personalization across touchpoints, 65% are relying on basic personalization that creates experiences that feel anything but personal to shoppers.
Retailers have mastered the art of presence, but not connection. Shoppers aren’t thinking about channels or in-store vs. digital experiences. They see one brand. But retailers have yet to unify their experiences accordingly.
Retail leaders know their investments aren’t driving the results they’d hoped for, but they’re unable to push their transformation agendas further.
They must find a way to orchestrate their technology into unified retail ecosystems that create positive loops. Every customer interaction should generate data that improves the next shopping moment. Every operational innovation should unlock capital that funds better experiences.
The next three years will belong to retailers who stop planning transformation and start living it.
The Retail at the Crossroads survey was independently conducted by Vanson Bourne and commissioned by Valtech in August 2025 to understand how retailers are navigating digital transformation, AI and omnichannel strategies.
The findings are based on responses from 700 retail decision makers across North America, Europe, LATAM, Asia and MENA regions, representing C-suites and senior managers involved in digital transformation, at organizations with over $500 million in revenues.
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