Physical Retail's Vital Pulse: Why In-Store Experiences Still Matter with James O'Hare

The death of the high street? Not quite.In this episode of The FODcast, we’re joined by James O’Hare - Area VP UK at Sitoo – to explore why physical retail isn’t dying, it’s evolving.From in-store gyms and juice bars to immersive tent villages, retailers creating memorable, experience-led spaces are thriving. And behind it all? A shift from disconnected systems to unified commerce, where real-time data powers seamless, personalised shopping.We cover a LOT in this episode, including:Why in-person shopping still accounts for 75–80% of retail salesThe admin load facing store staff (and how tech is changing that)What unified commerce really means (and why it’s more than just omnichannel)Surprising data gaps between UK and Swedish retailHow smarter POS systems are freeing staff to serve customersJames brings sharp insight and real-world examples that every retail leader should hear.Take a walk, grab a coffee, and tune in.Simply Commerce is the leading supplier of talent into digital commerce across technology, digital marketing, product, sales, and leadership. Find our more about our approach and our services within digital commerce recruitment here: https://simply-commerce.co.uk/