For years, retailers have been trying to mitigate the effects of inherent bias or unintended discrimination in their physical shopping experiences. And while no one would claim the problem has been solved entirely, many retailers are now taking steps to make sure their customers aren’t profiled by the way they look, who they’re with, or how they dress or act when they walk into a store.
But with shopping becoming an increasingly digital experience, retailers must confront a new and perhaps more unfamiliar challenge: digital bias. Instead of combatting prejudice or unconscious bias among frontline workers, retailers must now look to eliminate bias in their own data, in the related algorithms, and the use of these in their digital practices.
New retail, new risks
This is a growing issue. More and more shopping is moving online, a trend that was supercharged by the massive digital acceleration seen during the pandemic. At the same time, retailers are looking to ramp up their abilities to personalize their offers and interactions — searching for that sweet spot of understanding that builds a stronger and more profitable bond with a customer.
What’s more, retailers are faced with a more competitive digital arena to search for net new customers

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