2018 is drawing to a close. Th is is the year which saw Indian retail emerging as one of the most dynamic and fast-paced industries in the country due to the entry of several new players. Th e year has been lively, with the Indian Retail Industry growing at a CAGR of 13 percent to reach US 950 Billion. Moreover, the industry was at its peak as far as technology was concerned. Humanoid Intelligence, Artifi cial Intelligence, Bots, Cloud, Data, Magic Mirrors, Beacons … every day there are additions to the list of new technologies in the retail industry. While replacing manpower with technology is not a new concept in retail, the human touch of the business cannot be completely ignored. People have always been the appeal of the retail industry. Every shopper wants special treatment in a store. Th ey want to talk to retail associates who are attentive and well-informed about the product, while helping them choose what suits their requirements the most. Th e cover story of the December issue will walk readers through creating a balance between technologies and human beings – an equilibrium which will ultimately help retailers achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction. Apart from retail expert views, there is also a detailed report on what companies are doing to ensure friendly HR policies for their employees to bring down attrition rates. Th e issue also brings readers a special feature on Retail Employees’ Day RED, focusing on retail associates – the real brand ambassadors – who help businesses grow. In an exclusive interview, BS Nagesh, Founder, TRRAIN and the man behind RED talks about the initiative, conceptualisation and popularity of the day. In our year-ender section, we bring you a curated list of some of the top fashion brands that debuted in India in 2018. As always, we hope you fi nd this issue informed and benefi cial. We look forward to renewing our relationship with you in the coming year. We welcome 2019 and hope it brings with a plethora of new ideas, concepts, technology and innovations for the retail industry globally and India. Do log on to our website, www.indiaretailing.com to read great features and analyses of the industry.