NEW ONLINE, MOBILE AND SOCIAL SHOPPING TECHNOLOGY: WHERE FUTURE TRENDS IN RETAIL WILL TAKE ECOMMERCE

You don’t have to be a futurist to see future trends in retail taking space. The shopping landscape is transforming rapidly fueled by changing consumer preferences and disruptive technologies. Retailers must innovate to stay relevant in the coming decade by embracing the top future trends in retail that are continuing to pick up steam.

Experiential Retail

With increasing shift towards experiential spending, retail stores must evolve into engaging spaces for customers to not just transact but interact with the brand. Tactics like pop-up stores, product demonstrations, in-store workshops, AR/VR integration and location-based mobile experiences will drive footfall. For instance, AR furniture apps will allow placing virtual furniture in homes. Gaming zones and interactive displays will make stores an exciting destination.

Hyper-Personalization

Granular data insights from online and offline customer behavior will enable hyper-personalized product recommendations and tailored offerings like customized subscription boxes. Connected fitting rooms can suggest items based on preferences. Apps can deliver personalized discounts or free gifts on special occasions all fueled by data analytics.

Omnichannel Experience

Providing seamless customer experience across stores, e-commerce, m-commerce channels will be vital. Tactics like buy online & pickup in-store, easy returns across channels, integrated loyalty programs, mobile payments, personalized messaging will bridge divides between physical and digital channels. Data integration will give associates a single view of customer transactions.

Sustainable Retail

Eco-conscious brands embracing sustainability will enjoy favor with green customers. Concepts like circular shopping through repair, refurbish and resale of used merchandise will gain prominence. Retailers will also focus on renewable energy in operations, recyclable packaging, equitably sourced sustainable materials all aligned to their carbon-reduction goals for promoting responsible consumption.

Advanced Technology

While AI and automation will transform backend operations from supply chain to inventory planning, front-end tech will greatly enhance customer experience. Stores may leverage robotics for last-mile delivery, smart fitting rooms, self-checkout, automated kiosks for quicker payments etc. Leveraging technologies like IoT sensors, blockchain, cloud and data analytics will help retailers to innovatively compete in the e-commerce era where customers enjoy infinite choices.