Predictions 2013: Phil Curtis, Managing Director, First Data Merchant Solutions

The retail experience is changing all around us and 2012 has seen consumers utilising a host of different channels to shop. More than ever, customers are researching their purchases, be it at home online or via their mobile phone on the move. Many are seeing something they like in-store and then ordering over the internet so that the product can be delivered to their front door.

Phil Curtis, Managing Director, First Data Merchant Solutions says:

"The retail experience is changing all around us and 2012 has seen consumers utilising a host of different channels to shop. More than ever, customers are researching their purchases, be it at home online or via their mobile phone on the move. Many are seeing something they like in-store and then ordering over the internet so that the product can be delivered to their front door.

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"Consequently, in 2013 we expect to see these various channels continue to blur- propelling what we at First Data call Universal Commerce. This is commerce that happens anytime, anywhere, and on any type of device, in which many aspects of commercial activity are seamlessly integrated into one experience – shopping, payments, marketing (i.e. offers and coupons), loyalty, money management, offline and online experiences.

"While there is still some way to go before Universal Commerce is truly realised, in 2013 retailers and consumers alike will continue to embrace and adopt to new ways to purchase goods and pay for them across both offline and online channels."