A tech reboot of retail With 2020 having been the toughest year on record for bricks and mortar retailers, we look at some tech innovations that may be heading for the high street Share this item with your network: By Published: 14 Dec 2020 There are reports of doom and gloom in the retail sector almost weekly. Earlier this year, analyst Forrester predicted that in 2020, there would be a significant decline in global retail sales, particularly with non-essential items sold offline, which will be a big challenge for bricks-and-mortar retailers. The forecast, published in April 2020, suggests that, due to the coronavirus, global retail sales in 2020 will decline by an average of 9.6% globally – a loss of $2.1tn. Forrester also predicts that it will take four years for retailers to overtake pre-pandemic levels.