Sophos, a global provider of next-generation cybersecurity, released a new sectoral survey report, The State of Ransomware in Retail 2022, which discovered that retail had the second highest rate of ransomware attacks among all sectors surveyed last year, trailing only the media, leisure, and entertainment industry. Globally, 77% of retail organizations surveyed were affected, representing a 75% increase from 2020. This is also 11% higher than the overall attack rate of 66%.

Businesses in the UAE are doubling down on mobile apps in an effort to increase customer engagement and spending, and the overall number of mobile app installs in the country is up 23% in H1 2022, compared to the same period last year. While finance apps were the most successful, with installs increasing by an astounding 183%, other categories that experienced significant app install growth included entertainment (31%), travel (36%), social (30%), and food & drink (15%).

EROS Group, one of UAE’s largest distributors and retailers of consumer electronics, mobility, IT, home appliances, and convergence products, announced that the new store offers UAE residents a seamless and premium shopping experience encompassing world-class consumer electronics and home appliances brands in a premium walk-in retail concept New store offers a diverse selection of world-class consumer electronics and home appliances.

Technology is, without doubt, perpetuating change in retail, but it’s an ever-spinning wheel that cannot – should not – displace the role of humans. Whether it’s helpful customer service staff, knowledgeable experts or just good, old-fashioned shop assistants there remains a place for people to enable the sector to gradually build consumer trust in its use of data.

Alshaya Group will be able to conduct rapid experimentation and receive clear guidance on how to deliver impactful customer experiences thanks to Optimizely, the experimentation platform.According to Gala Blasco Marco, Head of Conversion Revenue Optimization, Alshaya Group, To better serve our customers across every digital touchpoint, we have decided to collaborate with Optimizely and Conversion.com powering our experimentation programme.