The study of how emerging technologies have influenced online and offline shoppers in Malta

Abstract

Emerging technologies refer to the development of new technologies or the continuing development of current technologies. These technologies develop new opportunities for businesses and help to minimise and solve real-world problems in countless industries. Emerging technologies are the most innovative technologies to date. They cause rapid changes in businesses which make use of them. They allow us to communicate and collaborate in new ways, they help us to solve complex problems, and they open up new opportunities for business and industry. They also have the potential to improve our quality of life and make the world a better place. They also help us to stay ahead of the competition, enabling us to create new products, services, and solutions that give us a competitive edge. New technologies can also lead to discoveries and breakthroughs, which can open up new possibilities and opportunities. Furthermore, emerging technologies and innovations can help to reduce waste, pollution, and environmental impacts, thereby ensuring the sustainability of our planet. The retail, hospitality, manufacturing and transportation industries, all having online and brick-and-mortar establishments, were certainly some of the most affected industries by emerging technologies. In the retail industry, new and emerging technologies have not only allowed businesses to better understand their customers but also to provide them with more individualised experiences. These disruptive technologies are regularly being introduced in Malta and in fact, one can see that a lot of retail outlets located in Malta have started implementing these emerging technologies, improving local businesses and increasing local shopper satisfaction in the process. Our study aims to provide a qualitative view on the topic where various participants will take part in a questionnaire which will revolve around how their online and offline shopping has improved/changed/worsened with the introduction of certain emerging technologies. Various new technologies and even improvements from old technologies will be evaluated and studied. Then, Maltese shoppers will be asked a range of very carefully thought-out questions to understand how their shopping experiences have been affected with a primary focus on the industries mentioned above. We will also include quantitative questions which will have a range of possible answers (from highly satisfied to highly dissatisfied) to paint a clearer picture of the extent of the advantages that are provided by emerging technologies and how prominent the effect they have on the shopping habits of Maltese Citizens is.