It’s hard to believe, but some people still shop in physical stores. In fact, brick-and-mortar retailers make a significant contribution to the global economy. However, well aware that online sales have doubled in the last five years, retailers (rather unsurprisingly) are paying attention to how they market their products online, to knowledgeable, fickle and often distracted retail-gone-digital customers.

So how do the two worlds co-exist? And what can they learn from the one another?

In order to learn from the experts, HVO Search gathered 10 senior executives (from co-founders of start-ups to CEOs) for breakfast on the top floor of Google Campus to discuss the biggest challenges to retail and digital businesses. Attendees and biographies are listed at the end of the article.   

With social and mobile shopping becoming the biggest trade drivers to physical stores, the discussion about omnichannel approaches is omnipresent.

Maria Hvorostovsky, Director of HVO Search, posed some questions around the issue.