Techniques for providing retail customers a seamless, individualized discovery and shopping experience between online and physical retail locations

A computer-implemented method for improving interactions between a vendor and customer users over a plurality of retail transaction channels, the method comprising:

• providing for a vendor a plurality of retail transaction channels including (1) a first retail channel for connecting a user and the vendor online using a browser or a mobile application connecting a user client computing device to a vendor server, (2) a second retail channel comprising a physical store, stand or kiosk, (3) a third retail channel comprising a call center connection from a user over a cellular network or data network, and (4) a fourth retail channel comprising a voice channel using voice sensors connecting a user to a vendor server;
• wherein a unique identifier is used to provide cross-channel linkage of information from product discovery sessions on such channels, such that a first user has a first unique identifier aggregating the product discovery sessions said first user conducts over a multiple of said plurality of retail transaction channels;
• detecting, by at least a first processor, said first user engaging in a first product discovery session using a first one of said plurality of retail transaction channels;
• identifying, by the at least a first processor, a first unique identifier that distinguishes said first user from other users;
• saving, in a memory associated with the at least first processor, data describing the first product discovery session of the first user in said first one of said retail transaction channels, wherein said data describing the first product discovery session includes information of at least one product or product category in which said first user has indicated interest, and linking said data to said first unique identifier, thus saving data of said first product discovery session;
• detecting, by at least a second processor, said first user initiating a second product discovery session using a second one of said plurality of retail transaction channels;
• identifying, by the at least a second processor, said first unique identifier that distinguishes said first user from other users;
• retrieving, in real-time and in response to detecting said first user initiating said second product discovery session, and based on the identified first unique identifier, stored information of said first product discovery session;
• loading said retrieved information of said first product discovery session for presentation to said first user in said second product discovery session, said loaded information of said first product discovery session thus facilitating said first user's continued discovery concerning the at least one product or product category;
• presenting said retrieved information of said first product discovery session to said first user during said second product discovery session;
• saving, in a memory associated with the at least second processor, data describing the second product discovery session of the first user in said second one of said retail transaction channels, wherein said data describing the second product discovery session includes information of said at least one product or product category;
• wherein said information of said first product discovery session using said first retail transaction channel and said second product discovery session using said second retail transaction channel are stored in a vendor server and are linked by said first unique identifier.