Simulated shop assistants, virtual fitting rooms and interactive window displays are just some of the department store innovations that are changing the way we look at retail.
These non-traditional examples utilize modern technology to sell a product and range from art installations to sophisticated mannequin machines that are making futuristic shopping experiences a reality rather than a mere dream.
Memorable examples from this list include movement-mimicking mannequins that were introduced by fashion retailer United Arrows. Named 'Marionettebots', these robotic mannequins were programmed to replicate human movement and created and interactive experience for surprised shoppers.
Another favorite from this list of department store innovations is the Selfridges' luxury fashion drive-through. The London retailer allowed its consumers to make their orders via iPad or pre-order items online without having to deal with the stresses of in-store shopping. Once inside the drive-through, one's orders were bagged, processed and given to shoppers inside their vehicle, a process that is a popular practice in most fast food locales.
35 Department Store Innovations

35
Responsive Fitting Room Booths
Urban Research's Wearable Clothing is Portable and Interactive

34
Hyper-Connected Dressing Rooms
The Connected Fitting Room Lets Consumers Take Control of Shopping
33
Yeti Storybook Window Displays
The Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Window is an Interactive Experience
32
Men-Only Shopping Services
Selfridges' Personal Shopping Service Caters Specifically to Men
31
Playful Spring Retail Displays
The ROLLOUT Holt Renfrew Walls are Youthful & Energetic
30
Manga Princess Clothing Boutiques
'Girls Love Mode' is Every Sailor Moon Fans' Dreams Come True
29
Personal Fragrance Finder Shops
The Fragrance Lab by Selfridges Perfectly Matches You to a Perfume
28
Cascading Ceiling Displays
The Alter Concept Store Features Sideways Staircases
27
Couture Pastry Shops
Prada Not Only Sells Clothes, But It Will Soon Sell Prada Pastries
26
Champagne Vending Machines
Moet & Chandon Unveil Their Champagne Dispenser for Christmas
25
Retro Sci-Fi Retailers
The Dover Street Market London Makeover by Rei Kawakubo is Eye-Catching
24
Avian-Inspired Accessory Displays
The Brand New Selfridges Accessory Display Calls Upon the Wild
23
Heavenly Shoe Shops
Harrods' New Shoe Department Has Been Dubbed 'Shoe Heaven'
22
Adventurous Shopping Centers
This German Studio Has Designed a Concept for a Berlin Shopping Mall
21
Shoe-Obsessed Retail Displays
The Selfridges Christian Louboutin Store Window is Whimsical
20
Luxury Fashion Drive-Throughs
One London-Based Department Store Created a Fashion Drive-Through
19
Data-Transmitting Mannequin Apps
VMBeacon Allows Users to Find More Information About Products
18
Department Store Sneaker Collaborations
New Balance and Harrods Team Up to Create the New USA 574s
17
Oversized Designer Installations
The Hermes Kellydoscope Bag Set-Up Will Draw Plenty of Attention
16
Gender-Neutral Toy Stores
Shed Architects Designs Harrods Toy Kingdom for Both Boys & Girls
15
Inflatable Shop Displays
The 2013 Selfridges Pop Up Store by Bonsoir Paris is Retro-Futuristic
14
Social Media Department Stores
Upside is a Market Where You Can Experience the Web in Real Time
13
Outrageous Textile Displays
Yang Yang Makes an Impression with Crazy Prints and Mannequins
12
Pop Art Beauty Parlors
The Mic Styling Hair Salon by Kitsch-Nitsch Revives a Retro Aesthetic
11
Pop-Up Designer Nail Bars
The Les Vernis Couleurs Culte de Chanel Nail Bar is Coming to Selfridges
10
Festive Augmented Reality Windows
This Year's Holiday Window from La Rinascente is Interactive
9
Simulated Shop Assistants
Clarins Promotes the Alien Eau Extraordinaire with a Virtual Assistant
8
Movement-Mimicking Mannequins
The United Arrows Marionettebots Attract Customers Through Motion
7
Projected Snowflake Shows
The Saks Fifth Avenue Light Show Gets Shoppers in a Festive Mood
6
Opulent Nature Storefronts
The Bergdorf Goodman Carnival of the Animals Display is Grand
5
Massive Cosmetic Installations
The Selfridges Beauty Workshop Display by StudioXAG is Life-Size
4
Dog-Filled Department Stores
Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Video Has Canines Indulging in Luxury
3
Robotic Shopping Dummies
Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro's Android Mannequin Interacts with Consumers
2
Gold-Plated Gaming Consoles
The Gold-Plated Xbox One is All the Rage at Harrods Department Store
1
Augmented Reality Retail Shops
The Imagine Shop Takes Retail Shopping for Watches & Yachts Online
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AI-Generated Fashion Campaigns
Mango Debuted Its First AI Campaign for Its New Teen Line
Luxury Bag Pop Ups
Hermès Debuted a Designer Bag Installation Pop Up in Manhattan
Recruitment Metaverse Shops
IKEA on Roblox Merges Virtual Gaming and Real-World Job Opportunities
Cashmere-Centric Pop-Ups
Loro Piana X Harrods Join Forces for an Enchanting Anniversary Takeover
Technology-Driven Retail Spaces
ARK Visual Unveils Future Stores as an Immersive Retail Identity
AR Retail Kiosks
BIG Digital and DeepAR Bring Mobile & Desktop Try-Ons to Store Settings
AI Retail Assortment Tools
dunnhumby Assortment Uses Advanced AI to Enhance Customer Experiences
Immersive 3D Fashion Exhibits
Portal:M x Virtual Fashion Exhibition Host a Phygital Experience
AI-Powered Shopping Experiences
SOOT Introduced Moodboard-Inspired Shopping
Cinematic Holiday Retail Pop-Ups
Bloomingdale's Announced a 'Wicked Good Holiday' Campaign
GenAI Flip Phone Campaigns
Motorola's Styled with Moto Features AI-Generated Virtual Models
Grocer-Inspired Beauty Retail Pop-Ups
The Benefit Benemart Holiday Concept Shop is at Selfridges
Autonomous Micro Markets
Micromart Features Digital Price Tags & AI Product Recognition Sensors
GenAI Shopping Assistants
Shopping Muse Supports Michael Kors US Website Visitors
AI-Powered Ecommerce Technologies
Hugo Boss Launches a New AI-Powered Product Content Feature
Grab-and-Go Employee-Free Retailers
Lotus Launched a 'Pick & Go' Location in Thailand
Retail Store Revamps
H&M Updates Shopping Experience with Luxe, Tech-Savvy Store in London
Parisian Airport Pop-Ups
Moët Hennessy's Paris Concept Event Featured Travel Exclusives
Immersive Spatial DIY Apps
Lowe's Companies, Inc. Debuts Lowe's Style Studio for Apple Vision Pro
Experiential Intimates Spaces
Knix Opens Immersive Retail Location at Premium Shopping Centre
AI-Powered Bakery Pop-Ups
The Betty Crocker Dream Bake Studio Beats "Baker's Block" with AI
Immersive High-Fashion Retail Experiences
Alaïa Opens a Bookstore and Café at Its Flagship Store
Digital Cosmetics Pop-Ups
Oh My Cream! Launched a Digital Pop-Up to Showcase Nine Brands
State-of-the-Art Retail Fragrance Dispensers
iRomaScents Enhances the Retail Experience with Tech
Instant Virtual Fitting Tools
HeyBeauty AI Try-On Copilot Let's You Try on Clothes With a Click
Wearable AI Retail Assistants
Augmodo Unveils a New Pilot Affecting Four Warehouse Locations
90's Archival Footwear Pop-Ups
Dr. Martens Hosted a 'Buzz Bus' in NYC
Demystifying Skincare Pop-Ups
The Power Of Simple Experience Pop Empowers Consumers
Selective Retail Pop-Ups
'Woolrich Black Label' by Todd Snyder is Taking a New Retail Approch
5g-Enabled Retail Showcases
Singtel is Surpassing Consumer Expectations with 5G Retail
Sculptural Luxury Fashion Stores
Burberry's New Store in Milan is Situated at Via Sant' Andrea 2
Exaggerated Holiday Displays
Nordstrom NYC's 'Wonder All the Way' Campaign is Larger-Than-Life
Efficiency-Driven AI Retail Models
Google Cloud's New Retail Solutions Seek to Optimize Workflow
Gamified Beauty Pop-Ups
The Players' Lounge Pop-Up by NARS Spotlights Complexion Products
Interactive VR Styling Apps
'J.Crew' Launched a Closet Management and Shopping App for Vision Pro
Virtual Holiday Shopping Experiences
Amazon Introduces a New Holiday Shop with 3D Technology
AR-Enhanced Hair Dye Boxes
L’Oréal & Snapchat Brought an AR Packaging Experience to Walmart
Immersive Fragrance Retail Locations
The Perfume Shop Experiential Store is Located in Stockport
AI-Powered Shopping Tools
Google AI Now Allows Shoppers to Browse AI Product Recommendations
Multi-Sensory Flagship Stores
KATE Shibuya Offers Immersive Digital and Physical Experiences
Phygital Beauty Store Experiences
Sephora's Store of the Future Locations are Immersive
Virtual Try-On Services
SpreeAI is Making Significant Strides in the Fashion Industry
AR Locker Rooms
Snapchat and Selfridges Created a Pop-Up for Virtually Trying on Sports Kits
Transformative AI Shopping Experiences
Omoda and Google Cloud Partner for Generative-AI Shopping
Experiential Retail Destinations
Lacoste Opens Interactive Vancouver Store with Custom Options
Futuristic Imaginative Design Concepts
Toyota Introduces the Unique E-Collection of Products
Personalized Customer Service Tools
Walmart Launched 'Wallaby' Powered by Generative AI
Holographic Fragrance Installations
The Perfume Shop Stores Incorporate Holographic Technology
AI Virtual Try-On Tools
Outfit Changer AI Represents the Future of the Fashion Industry
GenAI Virtual Shoppers
Cindy by Imaginuity Boots Online and In-Store Foot Traffic
AI Beauty Shopping Experiences
Revieve x Google Cloud Launch the Next Gen AI Advisor Series
Retail-Focused AI Blueprints
NVIDIA Will Transform Shopping Experiences Online & in Stores
Shoe Retailer AI Apps
SuperStep Partnered with 'IMSHOP' to Create a Convenient Mobile App
AR Retailer Haircare Experiences
Walmart Beauty Virtual Try-On Now Includes Hair Color Products
Culturally Rich Sports Stores
adidas' New 'Home of Sport' Flagship Features Unique Digital Tools
Physical Metaverse Merchandise Stores
Roblox will Sell Physical Goods with Shopify
AI Retail Wearables
Augmodo SmartBadges Track Tasks and Inventory in Real Time
Record-Breaking Autonomous Supermarkets
Sensei Debuted a Groundbreaking Supermarket at NRF 2025
Art Gallery-Inspired Luxury Shops
Proenza Schouler is Gearing Up to Open Its Flagship Store
Digital Travel Retail Experiences
Clarins Debuted an Initiative at the Airport in Hainan, China
Small-Format Department Stores
Macy’s Unveils Plan to Open Up to 30 Small-format Stores
Uniquely Designed Airport Stores
Tiffany & Co’s Changi Airport Store Boasts a Recycled Storefront
Digital Try-On Solutions
Bariano Uses Try with Mirra Technology for its New Virtual Fitting Rooms
Colorfully Immersive Retail Experiences
Al-Jawad Pike Designs a Athletic Propulsion Labs Store
Playful Retail Pop-Up Installations
Selfridges Unveils the Joke Shop with a Slapstick Generator
AR-Powered Try-On Rooms
Snapchat Unveils a New AR Locker Room at Selfridges Oxford Street London
Employee-Free Smart Stores
The 'Teo' Employee-Free Store in Germany is a Success Story
Influencer-Focused Retail Stores
Princess Polly is Adding New Stores with Selfie Mirrors, Events
Computer-Vision Self-Service Kiosks
Toshiba's Vision Kiosk Identifies Items Without Barcodes
Luxury Department Store Takeovers
Burberry and Harrods Offer an Immersive Shopping Experience
Authentication Awareness Pop-Ups
The RealReal Pop-Up Showcases Handbags at Dupe Store Installation
Live Shopping Flagships
Outlandish's Santa Monica Location Supports Live Social Media Shopping
Immersive Intimate Brand Pop-Ups
The Knix Pop-Up in Yorkdale Shopping Centre is Exciting
AI-Enhanced Shopping Experiences
Coveo’s Collaboration with Shopify Seeks to Streamline Shopping
AI-Enhanced Grocery Apps
Instacart Unveiled a Suite of AI Features Coming to its Mobile App
Virtual Interactive Shopping Experiences
Appy Pie Endpoint Launches Suite of Virtual Try-On APIs
Tech-Centric Automotive Retailers
Mercedes-Benz Kelowna Unveils a Futuristic Showroom Concept
Interactive Cosmetics Retail Stores
Watsons Upgrades its Stores for Gen Z and Gen Alpha Consumers
Immersive VR Shopping Apps
Mytheresa Worked with Obsess on New Apple Vision Pro App
Localized Retail Experiences
UNIQLO Sherway Blends Japanese Tradition with Toronto Culture
AI-Powered Retail Solutions
SymphonyAI is Carrefour Italy's Newest Retail Technology
AI Shopping Customization Tools
The Zegna X Experience Merges AI Technology & Traditional Retail
AI-Driven Fashion Platforms
HeyBeauty Offers a Virtual Fitting Room Where Users Can Try on Clothes
Mixed-Reality Shopping Apps
StockX Launched an Immersive Way to Shop with the Apple Vision Pro
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Experiential Airline Stores
The Emirates World Travel Store Features Lounge Displays
Luxury AR Packaging Solutions
Mytheresa Released App-Controlled Innovative Product Packagings
Immersive Virtual Pop-Ups
Benefit Launches Virtual 'Benemart' Concept for Holiday Shopping
AI Thrifting Assistants
ThredUp Debuts New AI Features to Enhance Consumers' Shopping Journeys
Holographic Health Concierges
Immertia Created an AR Assistant for One A Day's Packaging
Size-Replicating Try-On Technologies
Google Shopping Debuts Virtual Dress Try-Ons in the U.S.
Inventive Retail Strategies
H&M is Working to Localize Its Shopping Experience
AI Fashion Photography
Adstronaut AI Creates Stunning eCommerce Images for Fashion Brands
AI-Enabled Retail Partnerships
Sainsbury’s and Microsoft Partnered to Elevate Shipping Experiences
Web3 Fashion Show Initiatives
Runway Magazine Launches Re-Inventing the Runway
Collaborative Cosmetic Concept Shops
Hourglass and Barneys New York Partnered for a Concept Store
Mid-20th-Century Holiday Campaigns
Saks Fifth Avenue Unveiled its 'Gifts of Delight' Campaign
Approachable Retailer Branding Updates
The Latest Walmart Brand Refresh Reflects its Legacy
Influencer-Led Virtual Shops
Walmart Launches the New Walmart Realm Digital E-Commerce Experience
AI-Powered Digital Employees
Product Genius Transforms How Small Businesses Connect with Customers
Retail Innovation-Focused Events
Spar International Hosts the Spar Transform Event to Boost Retail
In-Store Audience Engagement Solutions
Social Shelf® Has a Novel Approach to Customer Engagement
Personal Shopping Apps
Beamble is Redefining Luxury with On-Demand Personal Shopping
Generative AI Shopping Assistants
SoftServe Debuts a New Gen AI Retail Shopping Assistant
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Tom Ford Allows Consumers to Seamlessly Shop Its Spring 2024 RTW
3D Beauty Shopping Experiences
Benefit Cosmetics and Obsess Team Up on a 3D Shopping Experience
Imaginative Shopping Platforms
Walmart Realm Shares Influencer-Curated Shopping Environments
Rewarding AI Shopping Apps
The ShopUp App Revolutionizes In-Store Shopping with AI Data
Gamified Shopping Carts
Instacart Unveils New Updates to its Smart Shopping Carts
Virtual Eyewear Retailer Experiences
Walmart Optical Virtual Try-On is Available Online
Exploratory Art Exhibits
The Saga of the Department Stores Exhibit Explores Shopping’s Evolution
Shoppable Fridge Screens
Samsung Unveils a New Partnership with Instacart for On-Fridge Shopping
Autonomous Retail Solutions
Simbe Robotics Debuts a New Tool to Remotely Monitor Store Shelves
Updated Pet Store Concepts
Pets at Home Unveils New Interactive Screens at its Relaunched Location
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Louis Vuitton Delivers Resort 2024 with an Interactive Experience
Geo-Targeting Store Advertisements
Tesco Recommends Ads Based on a Shopper's Location in a Store
Next-Generation Mall Campaigns
Simon's Meet Me @themall Targets Gen Z Shoppers
Small-Format Retailers
Nordstrom’s Small-Format Strategy 'Closer to You' is Expanding Until 2025
Streamlined POS Experiences
Instacart, DUMAC and TRUNO Enhance AI-Powered Smart Cart Adoption
24-Hour AI-Powered Stores
REWE To Go and Lekkerland SE Open Germany's First Autonomous Store
Immersive Store Screens
Hays Travel Introduces Immersive Technology to Transform Holiday Planning
Scandinavian Aesthetics-Forward Shop Designs
Quadrant Design Shapes the Atmosphere in Eton's Shop
AI Shrink Reduction Tools
Groupement Mousquetaires Debuts a Partnership to Address Checkout Fraud
QR Code Shopping Assistants
Nintendo Implemented Icecat Tech to Enhance In-Store Shopping
Efficient On-the-Go Stores
Parfetts Shop & Go Store Concept Responds to Consumer Demand
Loss Prevention AI Checkouts
Vynamic Smart Vision Shrink Reduction Addresses Self-Checkout Issues
Gridded Immersive Retail Experiences
Studio Lotus Designs the New Ekaya Banaras Retail
Asian Retail Automation Technologies
Ikea South Korea is Using Automation for Online Ordering
Digital Retail Mapping Solutions
Living Map Installs Screens at Metrocentre Shopping Centre
AI-Powered Checkout Models
Amazon's Just Walk Out Technology Supports Seamless Checkouts
Checkout-Free Convenience Systems
7-Eleven Australia Integrates a Checkout-Free Shopping System
Multi-Brand E-Commerce Expansions
Multiple Grocers are Adapting Instacart's Storefront Pro Tool
Visual Merchandising Planning
Visulon Inc.'s is a Cloud-Based Enterprise Solutions Platform
Checkout-Free Theme Park Stores
LEGOLAND Windsor Now Offers a Checkout-Free Store for Visitors
Efficiency-Driven Digital Ad Solutions
ShopLiftr is Revolutionizing Digital Advertising
Multi-Brand Shopping Hubs
Boohoo Opens the Boohoo Marketplace for Easy Access to Over 150 Brands
Virtual Retail Solutions
Simbe's Store Intelligence™ Solutions Provide Results on a Global Scale
Video Call Shopping Services
Apple's Specialist over Video Service Enhances Personalization
AR Merchandising Tools
Instore Activation Enhances Trade Marketing With Real-Time AR Solutions
3D Asset-Focused Retail Solutions
Best Home Furnishings Works with 3D Cloud on New Shopping Tools