This collection of February 2021 retail trends identify some of the most futuristic ways that we'll see the shopping experience change in both the short-term and the long-term. The overarching theme for the short-term is the continued shift towards offering alternative ways for consumers to get their essentials and maintain their safety amidst the ongoing pandemic. However, this appears to be permeating into the long-term with initiatives like smart shopping carts that will guide shoppers around a store to quickly pick up essentials and get out in a timely manner.
These February 2021 retail trends also highlight how brands are paying more attention to rewarding consumer loyalty and offering them personalized rewards that can be redeemed either in-store or online for enhanced convenience.
Top 30 Retail Trends in February
From Self-Checkout Shopping Carts to Modular Self-Service Kiosks:
Michael Hemsworth — Feb 28, 2021 — Business
30
Self-Navigating Shopping Carts
The Conceptual 'Mobi' Smart Shopping Cart Easily Navigate Aisles
29
Self-Checkout Shopping Carts
Kroger's KroGo Smart Shopping Cart Provides a Seamless Experience
28
Meat-Free Butcher Counters
The Asda 'Veelicious' Vegan Butcher Counter Addresses Consumer Demand
27
Convenience Store Accommodations
7-Eleven and Airbnb are Opening a New Luxury Store to the Public
26
Contactless Shopping Experiences
Hudson Will Use Amazon's Just Walk Out Technology at Its Stores
25
AI Beauty Recommendations
Kiehl’s Enables Consumers to Discover Uniquely Matched Products
24
Luxury E-Commerce Partnerships
A New Gucci Tmall Store Alongside Alibaba Targets Chinese Consumers
23
Social Media Shopping Experiences
Youtube Tests New Feature to Buy Products Shown on Video
22
Modular Self-Service Kiosks
DN Series EASY Enhances Efficiency and Keeps Costs Low
21
Body Shape Analytics
3DLOOK Unlocks a New Layer of Body Data for Apparel Manufacturing
20
Small Creative Business Platforms
Great Hill Partners Aim to Acquire NotOnTheHighStreet Platform
19
Resort-Created Convenience Stores
Deli-Xoxo is a Convenience Store from the Five-Star Casa Dorada
18
Innovative Digital Factories
Alibaba Group Debuted Its Xunxi Digital Factory in September, 2020
17
Movie-Themed Smoothie Shops
Groovy Smoovies Shares a Fun and Family-Friendly Experience
16
Contactless Perfume Samplers
SCENTER Safely Updates In-Store Experiences with Fragrance
15
Temperature-Controlled Delivery Boxes
The Walmart HomeValet Service is Being Updated
14
Omnichannel Airport Retailers
Auckland Airport's The Mall Platform is Boosting Post-COVID Sales
13
Luxury Chinese Mall Complexes
Wuhan’s Second K11 Art Mall Taps into Luxury Market Potential
12
Immediate Cash Reward Programs
Shoprite's Xtra Savings Program Provides Benefits to Shoppers
11
Pandemic Loyalty Contests
SPAR's Shop, Save & Win Campaign Rewarded Winners in South Africa
10
Festive Grocer Rewards
Asda's Christmas Savings Club Let Shoppers Earn Big This Past Holiday
9
Refillable Skincare Fountains
The Life Plankton Elixir Blue Fountain is an In-Store Solution
8
Essential Goods Loyalty Programs
The Bonga For Good Initiative Was Launched in Response to COVID
7
Festive Loyalty Card Promotions
Sainsbury's Launched it Nectar Double Up Event This Past Christmas
6
Goal-Oriented Grocery Rewards
myLidl Rewards Features Monthly Games to Save Shoppers on Costs
5
Throwback QSR Promotions
The McDonald's Throwback Thursday Promotion is Available on the App
4
Health-Focused Retailer Menus
The goPuff Better For You Product Menu is Available for Delivery
3
Streamlined Return Solutions
Happy Returns and FedEx Make it Easier for Consumers to Return Items
2
Efficient Return Strategic Partnerships
Amazon Debuts New Return System for Whole Foods Market
1
Low-Cost Family Meal Deals
This New Nisa Family Meal Deals Promotion is Priced at Just £5
Related Ideas
Technology-Driven Retail Spaces
ARK Visual Unveils Future Stores as an Immersive Retail Identity
Next-Gen Sneaker Stores
Foot Locker's Store of the Future Concept is Bolder and Easier to Shop
AR Retail Kiosks
BIG Digital and DeepAR Bring Mobile & Desktop Try-Ons to Store Settings
Immersive 3D Fashion Exhibits
Portal:M x Virtual Fashion Exhibition Host a Phygital Experience
Autonomous Micro Markets
Micromart Features Digital Price Tags & AI Product Recognition Sensors
GenAI Shopping Assistants
Shopping Muse Supports Michael Kors US Website Visitors
Grocer-Inspired Beauty Retail Pop-Ups
The Benefit Benemart Holiday Concept Shop is at Selfridges
AI-Powered Smart Trolleys
Instacart Unveils a New AI-Powered Shopping Cart Partnership with Aldi
Virtual Holiday Shopping Experiences
Amazon Introduces a New Holiday Shop with 3D Technology
5g-Enabled Retail Showcases
Singtel is Surpassing Consumer Expectations with 5G Retail
Recycling-Focused Store Concepts
COS Adopts Recycled Materials to Enhance its New Store Locations
Intuitive Self-Service Order Kiosks
The GoTab Self-Ordering Kiosks Support Quick Service and More
Cost-Conscious Cashierless Microstores
Fainders.AI Launched a Prefab MicroStore Within a Gym
Traveling Luxury Retail Events
The Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-Up Tour is a Unique Concept
Discount Retailer Mobile Apps
Family Dollar Debuted a New Mobile Shopping App for Customers
Engaging Shelf Displays
Netvisual is Elevating In-Store Advertising with its Shelf Edge Displays
Fridge-Decorating Social Trends
Bed Bath & Beyond Participated in 'Fridgescaping' Trend
Revitalized Shopping Destinations
Foot Locker's Home Court is a Basketball-Inspired Retail Space
In-Store Beauty Sampling Kiosks
Ulta Beauty and SOS are Partnering to Promote Product Discovery
Multi-Sensory Flagship Stores
KATE Shibuya Offers Immersive Digital and Physical Experiences
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
Gen Z-Centric Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' Shift Happens Campaign Has Three Phases
AI-Powered Virtual Closets
Stylitics' Products Support Next-Gen Personalized Shopping
GenAI Virtual Shoppers
Cindy by Imaginuity Boots Online and In-Store Foot Traffic
AR Retailer Haircare Experiences
Walmart Beauty Virtual Try-On Now Includes Hair Color Products
AI-Augmented Retail Checkouts
This Checkout Solution Helps Prevent Theft and Scanning Errors
Physical Metaverse Merchandise Stores
Roblox will Sell Physical Goods with Shopify
AI Retail Wearables
Augmodo SmartBadges Track Tasks and Inventory in Real Time
Grocery-Themed Holiday Cosmetics
Benefit Cosmetics Presents the Playful Benemart Collection
Phygital Beauty Store Experiences
Sephora's Store of the Future Locations are Immersive
AR Shopping Malls
American Express' Door to Shop Small Highlights 10 Small Businesses
Digital Travel Retail Experiences
Clarins Debuted an Initiative at the Airport in Hainan, China
AI Beauty Shopping Experiences
Revieve x Google Cloud Launch the Next Gen AI Advisor Series
Computer-Vision Self-Service Kiosks
Toshiba's Vision Kiosk Identifies Items Without Barcodes
Personalized Ecommerce Updates
Google Shopping Introduces a 'For You' Feed for its Ecommerce App
AI-Enhanced Shopping Experiences
Coveo’s Collaboration with Shopify Seeks to Streamline Shopping
Employee-Free Smart Stores
The 'Teo' Employee-Free Store in Germany is a Success Story
Sustainable Fashion Stores
Cos Unveils Two Stores in Stockholm and Mexico City
AI-Enhanced Grocery Apps
Instacart Unveiled a Suite of AI Features Coming to its Mobile App
Refreshed Retail Initiatives
Target is Improving its Customer Experience Journey in 2024
Smart Shopping Cart Ads
Instacart Unveiled Ads for Its AI-Powered Caper Carts
Future-Proof POS Systems
Metcalfe's Market is Expanding Toshiba Self Checkout System 7 Solutions
Shoppable CPG Ads
Instacart-Powered Shoppable Video Ads are Coming to YouTube
AI-Powered Retail Tools
Walmart is Introducing a New Series of AI Tools for Customer Experience
Interactive Cosmetics Retail Stores
Watsons Upgrades its Stores for Gen Z and Gen Alpha Consumers
Attention-Grabbing Retail Displays
Auo's Smart Shelf Displays Enhance the Customer Experience
Localized Retail Experiences
UNIQLO Sherway Blends Japanese Tradition with Toronto Culture
Home Decor Concept Stores
Fable will Offer Simplistic Possibilities with its New Retail Location
Mixed-Reality Shopping Apps
StockX Launched an Immersive Way to Shop with the Apple Vision Pro
AI-Powered Marketing Tools
This E-Commerce Tool Uses Customer Data to Project Reward Impacts
Digitized Retail Shelf Labels
Lidl GB is Rolling Out Electronic Shelf Labels to All Its Stores
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Aesthetic Interior Fridge Trends
Country & Town House Published a Guide to 'Fridgescaping'
Mindful-Shopping Campaigns
The Ordinary’s 'Slovember' Campaign Promotes Intentional Shopping
Recurring Grocery Delivery Features
Amazon Recurring Reservations Enhances Shopper Convenience
Enhanced Omnichannel Experiences
Lightspeed Commerce Addresses Challenges in Retail & Hospitality
Shoppable Travel Storefronts
Expedia Travel Shops Make It Easy to Book Recommended Getaways
Leisure Activity Grocery Stores
The FreshTake Concept Grocery Store Blends Experiences
Curated Online Shopping Events
Walmart+ is Offering an Online-Only Shopping Event for Members
Inventive Retail Strategies
H&M is Working to Localize Its Shopping Experience
Rapid Grocery Delivery Services
Instacart and Albertsons Companies Have Expanded Their Partnership
Pre-Loved Shoppping Events
eBay's Recommerce Day Champions Sustainable Shopping
Phygital Fashion Retail Experiences
Macy's mstylelab Digital Shopping Platform is Immersive
Influencer-Led Virtual Shops
Walmart Launches the New Walmart Realm Digital E-Commerce Experience
Tech-Enhanced Grocery Retail Experiences
RSA America & the California Grocers Association Partner
In-Store Audience Engagement Solutions
Social Shelf® Has a Novel Approach to Customer Engagement
AI-Powered Supermarkets
Green Picks Market Autonomous Grocery Store is Frictionless
Accessible Fashion Tours
The Walmart Style Tour Shares Personalized Color Analysis & Styling Tips
Immersive Virtual Pop-Ups
Benefit Launches Virtual 'Benemart' Concept for Holiday Shopping
Self-Ordering Table Systems
GoTab Launches the Self-Ordering Kiosks for Table Service Businesses
Product Exploration Retailer Tools
These New Instacart Discovery Tools Connect Brands to Retailers
Instant Retail Savings Platforms
formi by Patron Points Offers Universal Savings for Shoppers
Loneliness-Combatting Grocery Shopping Experiences
Oma's Soep Debuted a Shopping Basket Initiative
3D Beauty Shopping Experiences
Benefit Cosmetics and Obsess Team Up on a 3D Shopping Experience
Cashier-Free Grocer Expansions
Aisle 24 Continues to Expand in Canada Amid Success
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Tom Ford Allows Consumers to Seamlessly Shop Its Spring 2024 RTW
Geo-Targeting Store Advertisements
Tesco Recommends Ads Based on a Shopper's Location in a Store
Eco-Minded Malaysian Markets
ECO-SHOP Opens its Doors to Sustainability-Focused Malaysian Shoppers
Imaginative Shopping Platforms
Walmart Realm Shares Influencer-Curated Shopping Environments
Rewarding AI Shopping Apps
The ShopUp App Revolutionizes In-Store Shopping with AI Data
Revamped Private Label Ranges
The Target up&up Collection Has Been Expanded and Updated
Enhanced E-Commerce Customer Services
Fluent Enhances Customer Experience for Online Shoppers
Gamified Shopping Carts
Instacart Unveils New Updates to its Smart Shopping Carts
Smart Shopping Cart Rollouts
ZeroQs Raised Over €457 Thousand to Invest in Smart Shopping Carts
Digital Delivery Service Storefronts
Instacart Storefront Lets Retailers Customize the Interface
Life-Size In-Store Countdowns
Toys R Us Asia and Craig & Karl Created an Advent Calendar for All
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
Wasteful Fashion Campaigns
Vestiaire Collective Reminded People to Shop Mindfully on Black Friday
Low-Waste Shopping Solutions
ASDA, Avery Berkel & Hanshow are Enhancing Sustainability in the UK
Omnichannel Automotive Services
Automotive Mastermind has Adapted to Modern Consumer Patterns
Next-Generation Mall Campaigns
Simon's Meet Me @themall Targets Gen Z Shoppers
Same-Day Beauty Deliveries
Sally Beauty and Instacart Expanded Their Partnership with New Offers
Automated Retail Receipt Checkers
Sam’s Club Receipt Verification Was Announced at CES 2024
Customized Convenience Retailer Apps
Family Express is Introducing a Personalized App Experience
Elevated Private Food Ranges
Bettergoods is the First New Store Brand from Walmart in 20 Years
Social Shopping Features
YouTube Introduces a New 'Shopping Collections' Feature for Creators
Smart Grocery Shopping Support
SmartChef Converts Grocery Lists Into Actionable Data
Digitized Retail Shelf Labels
Croatian Retailer Studenac is Implementing Electronic Shelf Labels
QR Code Shopping Assistants
Nintendo Implemented Icecat Tech to Enhance In-Store Shopping
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
Short-Form Foodie Feeds
Uber Eats is Testing Out a New Vertical Feed Like TikTok and Instagram
Simplified Loyalty Programs
CVS Pharmacy Adds Two More Membership Tiers to its Reward Program
Self-Guided Cannabis Retail Experiences
BLAZE ECOM Revolutionizes In-Store Cannabis Retail
Loss Prevention AI Checkouts
Vynamic Smart Vision Shrink Reduction Addresses Self-Checkout Issues
Personalized Retail Media Networks
Thrive Market Collaborates with Instacart on a New Network
Asian Retail Automation Technologies
Ikea South Korea is Using Automation for Online Ordering
Gamified Shopping Experiences
Browse Booster Rewards Coupons for Product Views
AI-Powered Retail Payments
Focalpay's New AI Features Streamline Retail and E-Commerce Operations
Alcohol Cashback Programs
Swiftly's Alcohol Cashback Program Redefines the Rebate Process
Personal Shopping Assistants
Klarna Debuts a More Personalized Shopping Feature Dubbed Ask Klarna
Sponsored Retail Product Partnerships
Selfridges and Criteo Partner to Offer Sponsored Products
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
Global Food Retail Expansions
Supermarket Italy Emphasizes Global Flavors from Around the World
Advanced Retail Campaign Kiosks
Freeosk and Place Exchange Partnered for Integrated Campaigns
Taiwan-Based AI Shopping Carts
Innolux Debuts a Smart Shopping Cart at FamiSuper Stores
Christmas Shopping Centers
Staples Canada Launches Holiday Gift Centre for Personalized Shopping
Same-Day Grocer Delivery Benefits
Instacart and SNAP Will Offer Same-Day Delivery for Recipients
Multi-Brand E-Commerce Expansions
Multiple Grocers are Adapting Instacart's Storefront Pro Tool
AI-Powered Search Features
Shop Premium Outlets Enhances its Online Shopping with AI-Powered Tools
Updated Fresh Food Lines
One Stop Refreshes its Product Range to Offer Healthier and Fresher Items
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
Beauty Retailing Expansions
Revolution Beauty Joins Amazon Distribution
Third-Party Coupon Providers
Instacart Taps Ibotta to Provide Customers with Digital Coupons
Halloween-Inspired Retail Capsules
Target Debuts a New Private-Label Halloween Capsule for October
Retail Food Expiry Tools
Gander Taps C-Store Collective to Launch a New Service Partnership
Immersive Spring-Themed Exhibits
Colors in Bloom Features 12 Immersive Rooms
Temp-Controlled Smart Containers
Tower Cold Chain Debuts New Upgrades to its ‘Smart’ Containers
Virtual Retail Solutions
Simbe's Store Intelligence™ Solutions Provide Results on a Global Scale
Retailer-Backed Holiday Experiences
J. Crew Launches a New AI-Powered Holiday Experience
Inclusive Shopping Carts
Walmart is Introducing Caroline’s Carts for Caregivers of Adults & Kids
Expiration Management Tools
East of England Co-op Taps Retail Insight for a New Waste Solution
Curated Autumnal Retailer Collections
ALDI Finds for September Help Shoppers Kick Off Fall
Christmasy Convenience Retailer Promotions
The 7-Eleven Holiday Deals are Here for 2023
Same-Day Holiday Deliveries
Amazon Releases a New Same Day Shopping Filter for Valentine’s Day
Festive Value-Minded Retail Campaigns
The Spar BIG Deal of Christmas Campaign Launches This Month
Comprehensive Checkout Tools
TreviPay Launches an All-in-One Checkout Solution to Reduce Friction