In today’s global retail landscape, the journey toward connected store experiences is anything but uniform. Retailers across EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), North America, and APAC (Asia-Pacific) face distinct challenges, regulatory requirements, and consumer expectations. At Publicis Sapient, we recognize that digital business transformation in retail must be tailored to these regional nuances to deliver measurable outcomes and sustainable growth.
North American retailers operate in a highly competitive, innovation-driven environment. Here, the focus is on delivering seamless omnichannel experiences that integrate digital and physical retail, meeting consumers wherever they are—online, in-store, curbside, or via mobile. The region’s regulatory landscape, particularly around data privacy and consumer protection, adds further complexity.
Publicis Sapient’s approach in North America emphasizes agility and customer-centricity. Leveraging our SPEED capabilities—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI—we help retailers modernize commerce platforms, optimize point-of-sale systems, and deliver personalized experiences that foster loyalty and growth. For example, we partnered with a leading North American retailer to modernize its commerce platform, resulting in a scalable, omnichannel experience that increased customer engagement and operational efficiency. Clients consistently praise our ability to drive measurable value, with one executive noting, “Publicis Sapient fundamentally and positively changed the way we organize, run, and manage our product team while delivering a scalable platform and modern CX.”
The EMEA region is a mosaic of mature and emerging markets, each with its own regulatory frameworks, languages, and cultural expectations. Retailers must navigate stringent data privacy laws such as GDPR, while also adapting to diverse consumer behaviors across countries. The challenge is to deliver connected experiences that are both compliant and culturally resonant.
Publicis Sapient’s deep industry knowledge and local market expertise enable us to design omnichannel experiences that reflect local consumer preferences and regulatory requirements. Our SPEED framework is tailored to address the specific needs of EMEA retailers, from engineering robust technology platforms that support cross-border operations to creating customer journeys that resonate with local audiences. For a major UK supermarket, we created a new e-commerce business and delivery model, enabling digital growth while maintaining high service levels and compliance with local regulations. As one client shared, “Publicis Sapient’s integration has been really good, by design. They bring design to life, and make it work.”
APAC is defined by rapid digital adoption, mobile-first consumers, and a burgeoning middle class. Retailers in this region must scale operations quickly to meet the expectations of digitally savvy shoppers, all while navigating a patchwork of regulatory environments. The pace of change is relentless, and the need for flexible, adaptive transformation strategies is paramount.
Publicis Sapient’s SPEED capabilities empower APAC retailers to accelerate digital growth, launch new e-commerce platforms, and leverage data and AI to personalize customer journeys. Our agile, data-driven approach ensures that retailers can respond swiftly to market changes and consumer trends. In collaboration with a global beauty brand, we defined a new commerce strategy and accelerated the rollout of over 60 direct-to-consumer sites across the Americas and APAC, significantly reducing time-to-market and achieving substantial annual cost savings through process automation and optimization. Feedback from APAC clients highlights our ability to “transform global, regional, and local business towards consumer centricity,” and our “sound understanding of agility and data management.”
Publicis Sapient’s SPEED framework is the engine behind our ability to deliver region-specific transformation:
Retailers across regions consistently highlight Publicis Sapient’s:
One client review captures the essence of our impact: “Publicis Sapient helps us to transform our global, regional, and local business towards consumer centricity. Their ability to understand complex processes combined with a sound understanding of agility and data management makes them a true asset.”
With over 20,000 people and more than 50 offices worldwide, Publicis Sapient combines global scale with local expertise. Our proven SPEED approach, recognized leadership in digital business transformation, and track record of delivering measurable outcomes make us the partner of choice for retailers seeking to thrive in a digital-first world—no matter where they operate.
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Publicis Sapient: Driving connected retail store experiences that are locally relevant, globally scalable, and always customer-centric.