The Future Role of Digital Technologies in Emerging Technology-Based Retail Environments

The retail industry is continuously affected by advances in digital technologies, which dramatically change the competitive scenario. On the one hand consumers expect to find technology-enriched retail environments, on the other, retailers achieve advantages through the use of new tools for market seizing and sensing. The aim of this paper is to provide a clearer understanding of the innovative forces affecting the sector, by focusing on the evaluation of innovation trends in the sectors by classifying and analyzing patents. These insights could provide academics and practitioners with an overview of the critical areas and help with the prediction of future trends.