Sales promotion in retail in the 2020's

Abstract

This thesis is about sales promotion in retail. It is a qualitative study including background theory and three independent interviews with professionals within the industry. The aim of the study is to present how sales promotion may change overall in the upcoming years and how digital elements can be introduced in sales promotion in retail. Its research questions are: “What scenarios could develop in sales promotion in retail between 2020 and 2030?” and “How can digitalization and modern technology be implemented to further strengthen the effectiveness of sales promotion in retail?“ This study is limited by it only providing indications about changes in retail sales promotions. It cannot directly prove however, why A is leading to B. It uses theme interviews as the primary method. The main theory is about the essentials of sales promotion, sales promotion tools and the marketing mix. Principles of Marketing by Kotler et al. (2011) is among the most important sources. The results say there will not be too big of a difference in future sales promotion, since human interaction cannot yet be replaced. Many small changes might still occur. As a conclusion, sales promotion in retail is likely to decrease due to increased online marketing.