Retail is evolving in a context of rapid transformation, where the customer now arrives well informed through research guided by an AI assistant, autonomous and often already convinced. This new reality profoundly redefines the role of the merchant: it is no longer just a matter of selling, but of confirming, supporting and offering added value to the customer experience.

Through the concrete reality of the pharmacist owner in Quebec, the real manager of a complex commercial “factory”, this conference highlights the current tensions in the field: operational pressure, security, shoplifting and constant adaptation of spaces.

She also explores the impact of technology, including invisible and automated systems, as well as ethical issues related to privacy.

Furthermore, click & collect is approached as a distinct transformation of physical commerce, still unevenly developed in Quebec, requiring a logistical and structural overhaul.

Finally, the conference opens on the new expectations of consumers: experience, meaning, responsibility, design and ecology. Commerce becomes a living place, where people, emotion and overall coherence take a central place.

A reflection anchored in reality, which questions the future of retail and its ability to remain human in an increasingly automated world.