How are data and digital touchpoints changing retail? On 7 October 2026, Touchpoint Talks “Retail meets Data” took place for the fourth time, hosted by eyefactive and Key-Work at the eyefactive Office & Showroom in Hamburg[1]. Experts, customers and partners from retail, customer experience, digitalisation and data came together to discuss current trends, innovative technologies and practical solutions. The focus was on concrete use cases from retail, unified commerce and store environments. Once again, the event showed how much potential lies in personal encounters and in connecting data, technology and customer experiences.
Kick-off with exclusive insights
A special programme awaited participants on the evening before, 6 October. At “The Lighthouse” on Spielbudenplatz, Germany’s largest immersive XXL LED screen installation with impressive 3D effects, Christian Heimeier (blowUP media) and Heiko Wandrey (Intermedia Engineering) gave us exclusive insights into the installation, the technology behind it and the future of immersive outdoor advertising[2]. Afterwards, a guided tour of Panik City with Damian Rodgett (pilot screentime) let participants dive into the interactive, multimedia world of Udo Lindenberg.
The perfect setting for a relaxed evening with good conversations and new contacts, complete with the obligatory fish rolls and local drinks.
Interactive experiences to touch and try
With the impressions and conversations of the evening before, the next day continued in beautiful Hamburg autumn weather. Over Franzbrötchen, pretzel sticks and coffee, guests deepened their conversations and explored customer projects such as EDEKA and THREE in our interactive experience area. At discovery tables, virtual shelves, self-service kiosks and a transparent touchbox, visitors could try out the latest technologies and use cases live and talk to our experts. Trying interaction design in person shows reachability, handling and dwell time within seconds.
Impulses for the retail of tomorrow: data, touchpoints and real shopping experiences
Alongside the Explorer Area, Touchpoint Talks offered a varied programme of talks with room for inspiration and new ideas.
Natascha Mahn (Key-Work) and Johannes Ryks (eyefactive) opened the programme. Using the TouchLytics Loop, they showed how anonymous interactions at the point of sale turn step by step into valuable insights, personalised marketing and sales measures and measurable added value: from the touch journey via de-anonymisation, data consolidation and analytics to the campaign.
Next came impulses on connected retail experiences: Manuel Pilz (umdasch The Store Makers) showed how the umdasch eXperience Platform (uXP) lets retailers manage digital touchpoints, content and data centrally across all channels and connect them into seamless, data-driven customer experiences.
Marco Burkhardtsmayer (Grassfish) brought exciting insights from his store visits in the USA and the Far East. He presented current examples, highlights and developments in brick-and-mortar retail, which concepts are shaping stores internationally and which have the potential to be used in the German market as well.
Between customer experience, technology and AI hype
A special highlight was the panel discussion on the question: “How can retailers create measurable customer experiences without getting lost in technologies, data projects and AI hype?”
Anke van Ameide (Floramedia), Irit-Marie Lenz (chocoversum), Matti Heilmann (retail expert with a Globetrotter background) and Nils Karsten (Sharp) discussed the challenges and opportunities of modern retail from different perspectives. One thing became clear: successful retail concepts are not created by technology alone, but by the interplay of benefit, processes and a clear customer experience.
With these impulses, everyone headed into the lunch break. Over currywurst and tasty side dishes, participants carried on the conversations from the talks. The sunny autumn weather provided the perfect setting for networking and an open exchange.
New approaches for the point of sale
Adrian Jokiel and Matthias Woggon (eyefactive) opened the second part of the talks. They presented RemoteFront, an innovative solution that extends classic digital signage applications. It turns digital shop windows into interactive touchpoints that passers-by control directly from their own smartphone, via QR code and without an app. This bridges the physical and the digital world: gamification encourages people to stop, and every session produces measurable user behaviour for follow-up campaigns.
Christian Krafft (Head of Corporate Development, EDEKA Nord), standing in for independent EDEKA retailer Lennart Jensen, and Johannes Ryks (eyefactive) then gave a practical insight into a current project at EDEKA Jensen. An interactive self-order kiosk combines the personal service of a classic fresh counter with digital convenience: customers order products digitally, keep shopping while their order is prepared and benefit from shorter waiting times. The finished order then waits in a refrigerated pick-up compartment. Ordering at the counter remains possible at any time, and staff gain time for customers who want advice.
Patrick Schröder, Retail + Digital Signage Expert, vir2store:
“For us at vir2store, Touchpoint Talks at eyefactive in Hamburg was an all-round successful event.
What I found particularly strong was the combination of well-founded practical talks on smart retail & in-store analytics and trying things out directly in the showroom. On the evening before, the real digital signage installations in the Schanze district and the huge LED board on Spielbudenplatz on the Reeperbahn were a highlight.
Seeing how data and interactive screens at the PoS work seamlessly together delivered extremely valuable impulses for many new ideas.
Big praise to the eyefactive and Key-Work team for the excellent organisation and the inspiring exchange at eye level, on the evening before at Panik City and at the event itself! Thank you very much.”
Retail is data-driven and interactive
Touchpoint Talks is more than a classic networking event. It brings together people who actively shape retail and stands for practical insights. It showed that retail offers a lot of potential for interactive and data-driven experiences. Interactive technologies open up new ways of engaging with customers, while data forms the basis for measurable decisions and seamlessly connected stores. Technology, content, processes and customers have to be viewed holistically in order to understand customers better and design experiences in a targeted way.
We would like to thank all participants, speakers and the organising team for this fantastic event. Special thanks go to Fabian Müller for his confident moderation.
Touchpoint Talks 2027
One thing is certain: Touchpoint Talks will continue next year. Look forward to exciting impulses and new perspectives. Save the date: 2 June 2027, with a special pre-evening programme on 1 June 2027. More information on the programme and the first highlights will follow soon.
FAQ
Touchpoint Talks | Retail meets Data is an event series by Key-Work and eyefactive about data, interactive technologies and store concepts in brick-and-mortar retail. It combines talks, customer use cases, a hands-on Explorer Area and networking. The fourth edition took place on 7 October 2026 at the eyefactive Office & Showroom in Hamburg.
A framework that describes how anonymous interactions at the point of sale become usable data: touch journey, de-anonymisation, data consolidation, analytics and campaign. This makes in-store behaviour comparable to behaviour online. It was presented by Natascha Mahn (Key-Work) and Johannes Ryks (eyefactive).
RemoteFront turns digital signage screens in shop windows into interactive touchpoints that passers-by control from their own smartphone via QR code, without an app. Gamification encourages people to stop, and every session produces measurable user behaviour for follow-up campaigns, even outside opening hours.
Customers order at a touchscreen next to the fresh counter, receive a receipt and keep shopping while staff prepare the order. The finished order then waits in a refrigerated pick-up compartment. Ordering at the counter remains possible at any time, and staff gain time for customers who want advice.
The next Touchpoint Talks will take place on 2 June 2027, with a special pre-evening programme on 1 June 2027. More information on the programme and the first highlights will follow soon.
