From smart mirrors that help consumers shop, to conveyor belts that showcase different menu items, the July 2018 retail trends reveal how brands are making the in-store experience easier and more convenient than ever before -- especially in the age of e-commerce.
On the one hand, technology been instrumental in improving the in-store shopping experience. For instance, Perch Interactive uses technology to detect when consumers pick up or put down products, and then triggers "delightful and informative experiences at that critical moment when they consider purchase." Similarly, Mastercard and OAK are using digital smart mirrors paired with RFID technology to identify products as they are brought into the dressing room.
However, not all in-store changes are so futuristic. On the simpler side, Japan's Maison Able Cafe Ron Ron is shaking up the way consumers enjoy dessert, but bringing out different menu items via conveyor belt.
Top 35 Retail Ideas in July
From Smart Shopping Mirrors to Conveyor Belt Dessert Bars:
Katherine Pendrill — Jul 29, 2018 — Business
34
80s-Inspired Fashion Pop-Up Stores
STAYCOOLNYC Hosts Its First Pop-up Location in New York
33
Award-Winning Beauty Pop-Ups
This Experiential Vogue Pop-Up Showcases the Beauty Award Winners
32
Smart Store Concepts
Suning's Biu Smart Store Shows the Future of Retail Technology
31
Celebratory Store Openings
Yorkdale's Lacoste Concept Store is the First of its Kind in Canada
30
Minimalist Sustainable Fashion Businesses
Unrecorded Focuses on the Clean, Simple and Sustainable
29
Smart Shopping Mirrors
Mastercard and OAK Created a Mirror That Works with RFID Technology
28
Package-Free Cosmetic Shops
Lush Cosmetics Unveiled Its First "Naked Shop" in Milan, Italy
27
Mind-Bending Shoe Stores
The Vog Vault in Toronto's Fluevog Store is a Unique Optical Illusion
26
Artful In-Store Pop-Ups
Project Shop's ARTSPACE Shares Brand and Artist Collaborations
25
Spanish-Style Retail Spaces
Kettal Studio Opened a New and Modern Showroom in New York City
24
Essential eCommerce Fashion
Amazon's Private-Label 'Meraki' Offers Classic Styles & Quality Fabric
23
Fresh Protein Bar Shops
Macaw! Foods Sells Protein Bars Out of a Brick-and-Mortar Shop
22
Interactive Airport Robot Kiosks
The 'Robin' Robot Guide Offers Consumers Directions and More
21
Fast Casual Asian Restaurants
Social Monk Asian Kitchen is a New Concept by The Cheesecake Factory
20
Shifting Retail Shelving Solutions
The 'SHIFT' Shelving Unit Enables More or Less Storage
19
Fragrance Line Pop-Ups
A New Packaging-Themed Pop-Up Will Celebrate a New Fragrance Line
18
Conveyor Belt Dessert Bars
Maison Able Cafe Ron Ron is a Conveyor Belt Restaurant Serving Dessert
17
Curated Sneaker Marketplaces
eBay is Launching Its First-Ever Community Sneaker Drop
16
Indoor Garden Shop Displays
Ladies & Gentlemen Studio Create a Tranquil Ambiance for Muji
15
AR Product Discovery Apps
Lush's 'Lush Lens' is an Augmented Reality Product App
14
Glow-Boosting Cosmetic Bars
Becca Cosmetics Launched an In-Store 'Glow Bar' at John Lewis
13
Clothing Buy-Back Programs
John Lewis is Testing a Service to Reclaim Unwanted Clothing
12
Guilt-Free Luxury Retailers
The Cashmere Platform Helps Users Save for Fab Purchases
11
Stockless Cosmetic Shops
Ceramiracle's Clever Pop-Up Shares Cruelty-Free Products in China
10
Cooking Show Host Pizzerias
The Pioneer Woman is Set to Open a Pizza Shop Called P-Town Pizza
9
Hand-Crafted Fragrance Boutiques
Le Labo Sells Unique Unisex Scents That are Crafted in Canada
8
Referral-Earning eCommerce Solutions
'Wildlink' Rewards Those Who Share Links that Result in Sales
7
Crowdsourced Scholar Discount Sites
'Studddent' Helps Students Find the Best Discounts Online
6
Contemporary Bookstore Concepts
Athenaeum is a Millennial-Created Library-Themed Destination
5
Incentivised Local Shopping Discounts
eBay Offers Canadians 110% Discounts to Incentivise Shoppers
4
Universal E-Commerce Wishlists
ShopToList Saves Any Product and Sends Deal Notifications
3
3D Sensor Retail Displays
Perch Interactive's Smart Technology Merges Digital and Physical Worlds
2
Inclusive Wine Bars
Lady of the Grapes Boasts a Collection of Female-Produced Wines
1
Superstore Shopping Services
Walmart 'Jetblack' Offers an Effortless Way for Busy Moms to Shop
Related Ideas
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
Technology-Driven Retail Spaces
ARK Visual Unveils Future Stores as an Immersive Retail Identity
Robotic Restaurant Technology Upgrades
Happy Joe's is Bringing Robotics and AI to its Dining Room
GenAI Shopping Assistants
Shopping Muse Supports Michael Kors US Website Visitors
Autonomous Micro Markets
Micromart Features Digital Price Tags & AI Product Recognition Sensors
Grocer-Inspired Beauty Retail Pop-Ups
The Benefit Benemart Holiday Concept Shop is at Selfridges
AI Healthy Living Assistants
Hungryroot's SmartCart Simplifies Shopping and Meal Planning
AI-Powered Smart Trolleys
Instacart Unveils a New AI-Powered Shopping Cart Partnership with Aldi
Parisian Airport Pop-Ups
Moët Hennessy's Paris Concept Event Featured Travel Exclusives
AI-Powered Bakery Pop-Ups
The Betty Crocker Dream Bake Studio Beats "Baker's Block" with AI
5g-Enabled Retail Showcases
Singtel is Surpassing Consumer Expectations with 5G Retail
Digital Cosmetics Pop-Ups
Oh My Cream! Launched a Digital Pop-Up to Showcase Nine Brands
Sculptural Luxury Fashion Stores
Burberry's New Store in Milan is Situated at Via Sant' Andrea 2
Virtual Holiday Shopping Experiences
Amazon Introduces a New Holiday Shop with 3D Technology
Grab-and-Go Employee-Free Retailers
Lotus Launched a 'Pick & Go' Location in Thailand
Personalized Customer Service Tools
Walmart Launched 'Wallaby' Powered by Generative AI
Engaging Shelf Displays
Netvisual is Elevating In-Store Advertising with its Shelf Edge Displays
Interactive VR Styling Apps
'J.Crew' Launched a Closet Management and Shopping App for Vision Pro
Athletic Apparel Interactive Billboards
Gymshark Unveils the Shoplift Campaign Ahead of Sale
Fridge-Decorating Social Trends
Bed Bath & Beyond Participated in 'Fridgescaping' Trend
AI-Powered Shopping Tools
Google AI Now Allows Shoppers to Browse AI Product Recommendations
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
Convenient Store-Themed Pop-Ups
Lee Kum Kee Showcased its Ingredients with Retro Flare
Phygital Beauty Store Experiences
Sephora's Store of the Future Locations are Immersive
AI-Backed Pizza Campaigns
Pizza Hut's 'Your Mood, Your Pizza' Campaign Uses AI to Suggest Items
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
GenAI Retail Chatbots
Target's Store Companion Supports Team Members
AI-Powered Virtual Closets
Stylitics' Products Support Next-Gen Personalized Shopping
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
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
AI-Augmented Retail Checkouts
This Checkout Solution Helps Prevent Theft and Scanning Errors
AI Retail Wearables
Augmodo SmartBadges Track Tasks and Inventory in Real Time
AR Shopping Malls
American Express' Door to Shop Small Highlights 10 Small Businesses
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
Computer-Vision Self-Service Kiosks
Toshiba's Vision Kiosk Identifies Items Without Barcodes
Magazine-Integrated QR Features
ARCADE Launches the ELLE x Clarks Shoe Visualiser and Experience
Luxury Department Store Takeovers
Burberry and Harrods Offer an Immersive Shopping Experience
Personalized Ecommerce Updates
Google Shopping Introduces a 'For You' Feed for its Ecommerce App
Localized Retail Experiences
UNIQLO Sherway Blends Japanese Tradition with Toronto Culture
AI-Enhanced Shopping Experiences
Coveo’s Collaboration with Shopify Seeks to Streamline Shopping
Historic Fashion Try-Ons
The Design Museum's London Fashion Exhibition Integrates AR Mirrors
AI-Enhanced Grocery Apps
Instacart Unveiled a Suite of AI Features Coming to its Mobile App
Mental-Health Smart Mirror Concepts
The Mio Smart Mirror Encourages Self-Motivation
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
Automated Hot Food Kiosks
Sodexo and Automated Retail Technologies Teamed Up for New Kiosks
Future-Proof POS Systems
Metcalfe's Market is Expanding Toshiba Self Checkout System 7 Solutions
Tech-Centric Automotive Retailers
Mercedes-Benz Kelowna Unveils a Futuristic Showroom Concept
Rebranded Food Delivery Apps
Skip Revamps Its Brand Identity to 'Skip to the Good Part'
Experiential Airline Stores
The Emirates World Travel Store Features Lounge Displays
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
Digital Travel Retail Experiences
Clarins Debuted an Initiative at the Airport in Hainan, China
Immersive VR Shopping Apps
Mytheresa Worked with Obsess on New Apple Vision Pro App
Attention-Grabbing Retail Displays
Auo's Smart Shelf Displays Enhance the Customer Experience
Hyper-Personalized AI Campaigns
Tesco's Stronger Starts Uses AI to Recognize Customers by Name
Jewelry Retail Expansions
Mejuri Opens 40th Location at Major Canadian Shopping Center
Mixed-Reality Shopping Apps
StockX Launched an Immersive Way to Shop with the Apple Vision Pro
AI-Driven Fashion Platforms
HeyBeauty Offers a Virtual Fitting Room Where Users Can Try on Clothes
Barcode-Less Product Scanners
SeeChange Taps Diebold Nixdorf to Create AI Checkout Tools
Immersive Virtual Pop-Ups
Benefit Launches Virtual 'Benemart' Concept for Holiday Shopping
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
Enhanced Omnichannel Experiences
Lightspeed Commerce Addresses Challenges in Retail & Hospitality
Tech-Driven In-Store Events
Dyson Launches an Interactive Event at Harrods Department Store
Leisure Activity Grocery Stores
The FreshTake Concept Grocery Store Blends Experiences
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
Idol Singer Breakfast Promotions
Mos Burger Offers Dining Experience with Idols via AR
Collaborative Cosmetic Concept Shops
Hourglass and Barneys New York Partnered for a Concept Store
AI-Driven Convenience Stores
GS25 Launched an Autonomous Convenience Store Powered by Fainders.AI
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
AI-Assisted Cooking Partnerships
Unilever and Be My Eyes Partnered to Support Shoppers
Hybrid Self-Checkout Systems
The Mini Bora Bora POS System Sits on a Swiveling Base
Automated Ice Cream Restaurants
The ColdSnap Will Be Offered in Restaurants in the Near Future
In-Store Audience Engagement Solutions
Social Shelf® Has a Novel Approach to Customer Engagement
Artisan-Inspired Summertime Cafe Menus
This New Dunkin’ Menu Offers New Twists on Classics
Record-Breaking AR Mirrors
Maybelline New York & FFFACE.ME Debuted a Large Interactive Experience
Product Exploration Retailer Tools
These New Instacart Discovery Tools Connect Brands to Retailers
3D Beauty Shopping Experiences
Benefit Cosmetics and Obsess Team Up on a 3D Shopping Experience
2D-to-3D Jewelry Try-Ons
Perfect Corp.'s Newest Virtual Try-On Technology Empowers Jewelry Brands
Loneliness-Combatting Grocery Shopping Experiences
Oma's Soep Debuted a Shopping Basket Initiative
Stretched Retail Shelf Displays
The P1.875 HD from MDS Rise Enables Real-Time Marketing In-Stores
Navigational Protein Bars
Perfect Bar Created a Bar with a GPS to Lead Shoppers to Its Product
Value-Minded Convenience Store Promotions
The Lawson Morisugi Challenge Has Extra-Large Products
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
Digital Delivery Service Storefronts
Instacart Storefront Lets Retailers Customize the Interface
Autonomous Retail Solutions
Simbe Robotics Debuts a New Tool to Remotely Monitor Store Shelves
Shoppable Luxury Fashion Films
Louis Vuitton Delivers Resort 2024 with an Interactive Experience
Retail Body Cam Initiatives
Pret a Manger Employees are Testing Out Body Cams for Personal Safety
Omnichannel Automotive Services
Automotive Mastermind has Adapted to Modern Consumer Patterns
Small-Format Retailers
Nordstrom’s Small-Format Strategy 'Closer to You' is Expanding Until 2025
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
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
AR Pizza Menus
Hungry Howie's Uses AR to Promote a Secret Pizza Menu
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
AI-Powered Automation Tools
LightSpeed Debuts a New AI Platform for Businesses to Automate Tasks
Cloud-Based Grocery Technology
Pricer Plaza Signs an Agreement with a Tier 1 North American Grocer
Self-Guided Cannabis Retail Experiences
BLAZE ECOM Revolutionizes In-Store Cannabis Retail
Recipe-Recommending Smart Fridges
Samsung's Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator Offers "AI Vision"
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
Geo-Targeting Store Advertisements
Tesco Recommends Ads Based on a Shopper's Location in a Store
Checkout-Free Grocery Stores
ALDI Launches the Innovative 'ALDIgo' Checkout-Free Grocery Store
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
Checkout-Free Campus Retail Experiences
Grubhub Will Use Amazon Just Walk Out Technology on Campus
Exploratory Art Exhibits
The Saga of the Department Stores Exhibit Explores Shopping’s Evolution
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
Flashlight Experience Stores
Olight Combines In-Store Shopping Experience with Digital Tools
AI-Powered Search Features
Shop Premium Outlets Enhances its Online Shopping with AI-Powered Tools
AR-Powered Shopping Apps
Walmart Releases a New Augmented Reality Feature for its iOS Application
Furniture Retailer Matcha Menus
The 2024 IKEA Japan Matcha Fair Has Five Exclusive Sweets
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
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
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
Video Call Shopping Services
Apple's Specialist over Video Service Enhances Personalization
Curated Autumnal Retailer Collections
ALDI Finds for September Help Shoppers Kick Off Fall