Global Retail Trends & Innovation (2017)
20-01-2017
The 4 Retail Trends of 2017
Smart Shopping is key. Make it as efficient and convenient to shop in-store as it is to shop Amazon. R1 12 features several cases showing how the online/offline experience can be more fluid, often thanks to the smart use of technologies (i.e., Canada Post, Eatsa).
Interactions focus on what the internet struggles to provide: interaction with products (test, customize, make), interaction with staff (human relationships, personal shopper), interaction with the company (co-creation) and interaction with other clients (communities).
Some concepts are clearly dedicated to new forms of interaction (i.e., VOID, the trendy Brazilian concept coffee store; Vita Mojo), but, more widely, numerous concepts step it up with customization and community.
Brand Intensity delivers emotions and “proofs of brand.” Savvy retailers know they magnify their brand intensity through storytelling.
The amazing transformation of Lidl is one such inspiring example And, manufacturers keep testing “brand experience places,” such as Crayola and Adidas.
Responsibility remains a priority factor in many concepts, most often as the cherry on top, but sometimes as the cake itself. Northern European countries are the clear leaders in this trend, experimenting with bold models like Retuna, the groundbreaking shopping mall dedicated to recycling.