In a tech-enabled world, it's easy to wake up and check your phone for emails and the latest social media updates. After which, you head to your makeshift desk or home office with a cup of coffee to begin a round of virtual meetings.

Before you know it, you're three hours into your day.

For many people that's now the reality of working from home. Even if you've been commuting to work during the pandemic, laptop screens, tablets and mobiles have come to dominate our lives. Cinemas closed? Watch Netflix on TV; Gym gated? Workout with a YouTube instructor; Shops shut? Browse and buy on your mobile.

Screen Free Experience

But for every action, there is a reaction. While people have become increasingly happy to shop online, we know almost 75% of shoppers have missed the in-store experience - picking something up, feeling it, and even smelling it. People are desperate to get away from their screens.

Many customers will be planning a revamp of their wardrobes now they have the chance to dress to impress. Nothing beats trying on something new and walking out of the shop with it a few minutes later.

Another spending priority will be travel. So as shoppers head back to the store, it’s vital retailers have the data at hand to help them make the most of the opportunities in front of them.

Brexit Opportunity

One area where you can focus on is UK shoppers in the EU.

Thanks to Brexit, for the first time in a generation, shoppers from England, Scotland and Wales are eligible to claim a VAT refund payment.

This year won't meet 2019 levels of travel when UK residents made 67 million visits to EU countries. Even so, millions of UK shoppers will be jumping on planes, trains or simply in their cars to get to the continent. And those driving will have plenty of space in the boot to bring their purchases back.

An early indicator of how good this opportunity is for EU retailers comes from Portugal where the VAT refund market has recovered well. Our data shows that at least a third of these Portuguese sales came from UK consumers.

What did they buy? Well, just over half of sales were either for watches or jewellery and a quarter on luxury goods. Our data scientists tell us that most of this spending came from younger Brits.

It's this sort of information that can be invaluable when it comes to landing your marketing messages – and we can help you prepare for this with precision data and insight, marketing services and cultural sales training for your in-store staff.

Tax Free Shopping Bounces Back

But it's not just UK travellers on the move. According to June's Planet Intelligence report, Tax Free sales in France are showing strong signs of recovery. Although still way below 2019 levels, there’s evidence US tourists are beginning to re-emerge. In June, 18% of sales were to Americans.

Talking of Americans, Iceland is also busy welcoming back US tourists who are visiting and shopping again, providing opportunities for Icelandic retailers.

France and Italy are also benefitting from an increasing volume of VAT refund payments business with Swiss shoppers. By simply crossing the border, the Swiss can enjoy Tax Free shopping in the two countries.

We help you understand the data, what it means for your businesses and how you can use the data and insight to increase your sales. But we know data only goes so far, so we also help you bring that information to life – from shopping patterns to retail behaviour. We wrap that up in our unique real-time performance benchmarking reports so you can measure sales right down to street level.

Don't forget our targeted marketing and sales training is just waiting to be called in to action too as we continue to help our Retail partners recover from the pandemic and return to growth.