The consistency and efficiency of e-commerce – with one-click ordering and same-day delivery – is driving greater expectations of traditional retailers. How are brick-and-mortar stores adopting features of online shopping, and what digital services do people want to see on the high street?

With their perfectly made beds and wafts of incense, Muji stores leave most shoppers wanting to have a clear-out to recreate the peaceful minimalism in their own home. The Japanese brand is opening showroom hotels so that they can experience products before buying them.

Perks like free and next-day delivery have become the norm in online shopping, but returns are lagging behind. Aiming to make the process faster, easier and smoother is Happy Returns, which lets shoppers take unwanted items to Return Bars located in malls and stores to get an instant refund.

What’s behind the proliferation of alternative retail spaces? Why are people still spending like they’re stuck in a recession? How has shopping becoming an ‘anytime activity’? And why are so many people flocking to one-stop shops?