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Top 100 Retail Trends in 2018

From In-Store AR Clothing Apps to Checkout-Free Retail Concepts

— January 26, 2019 — Business
These 2018 retail trends span across a wide range of industries, many of which elevate the shopping experience with technological elements. The intersecting concept between all these trends simply focuses on a seamless experience, delivering products and services to meet the accurate needs of their consumers.

Fashion retailer Zara contributed from a high-tech perspective by blending the offline experience with augmented reality. It introduced its own AR app to be used in stores, showcasing models walking around in the clothing. This allows consumers to select virtual clothing to be showcased and also enables online payments directly on the phone. Zippin also highlighted technological advancements in the retail landscape. It opened up a concept store powered by artificial intelligence to create what it calls a "frictionless shopping experience." It relies on visual cognition and machine learning to eliminate the check-out experience. To pay, visitors simply use the app, connect their payment option, and scan their own QR code to initiate a seamless shopping experience.

For more retail ideas in the year ahead, check out Trend Hunter's 2019 Trend Report.
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
96
Cost-Conscious Minimalist Fashion
Cost-Conscious Minimalist Fashion
The Merona Collection Boasts an Affordable Minimalist Aesthetic
<
95
Weight Loss Drive-Thrus
Weight Loss Drive-Thrus
The Weight Watchers Drive-Thru Serves "Healthy & Happy Meals"
<
94
Interactive Store Shelves
Interactive Store Shelves
'Kroger Edge' Technology Communicates with a Shopper's Smartphone
<
93
Pasta-Inspired Pizza Bowls
Pasta-Inspired Pizza Bowls
The Olive Garden Meatball Pizza Bowl is Part of the Lunch Duos Menu
<
92
Meditation-Paired Minimalist Swimwear Lines
Meditation-Paired Minimalist Swimwear Lines
Balance Builds Its Business Around Simplicity & Style
<
91
Shoppable Health Hubs
Shoppable Health Hubs
'Clean Market' Offers a Curated Range of Health Products and Services
<
90
Health-Focused Convenience Pop-Ups
Health-Focused Convenience Pop-Ups
Lawson Inc. Spotlighted Better-for-You Goods for Businesspeople
<
89
Expansive Coffee Halls
Expansive Coffee Halls
The New Starbucks Reserve Store is Open at the Brand's Seattle Headquarters
<
88
Shoppable Fashion Storefronts
Shoppable Fashion Storefronts
Fred Segal and Mastercard Created a 'Rock ‘n Roll Holy Land'
<
87
Disney-Branded Homewares Stores
Disney-Branded Homewares Stores
The New Disney Home Store Sells Glassware, Kitchen Goods, and More
<
86
Experiential Menswear Shops
Experiential Menswear Shops
Ben Sherman's NYC Concept Store Boasts a Full-Service Shirt Bar
<
85
Low-Cost Essential Brands
Low-Cost Essential Brands
Target's 'Smartly' Sells a Wide Range of Goods for Under $2
<
84
Self-Serve Chicken Wing Bars
Self-Serve Chicken Wing Bars
B-Dubs Express Features a Wing Sauce Wall and Self-serve Beer
<
83
Cashierless AI Stores
Cashierless AI Stores
San Francisco's Standard Market Offers a Seamless Shopping Experience
<
82
In-Store AR Clothing Apps
In-Store AR Clothing Apps
Zara's AR App is Available for a Limited Time
<
81
Checkout-Free Retail Concepts
Checkout-Free Retail Concepts
Zippin's Concept Store Shows a Next-Gen AI-Powered Shopping Platform
<
80
Entrepreneurial Concept Shops
Entrepreneurial Concept Shops
eBay's 'The New Stand' Store Spotlights Innovative Small Businesses
<
79
Vegan Beauty Pop-Ups
Vegan Beauty Pop-Ups
The 'Little Vegan Pop-Up' by Superdrug Spotlights Plant-Based Beauty Products
<
78
Next-Gen Donut Shops
Next-Gen Donut Shops
Dunkin' Donuts' Concept Store Features Mobile Pickup and Drinks on Tap
<
77
Reconfigurable In-Store Magnetic Displays
Reconfigurable In-Store Magnetic Displays
Daylesford Creates a Modular & Aesthetic-Forward Display
<
76
Millennial Start-Up Services
Millennial Start-Up Services
Office Depot's BizBox Empowers Business Owners with Growth Tools
<
75
Pampering Personal Care Stores
Pampering Personal Care Stores
L'Occitane's Experiential Concept Store is Indulgent & Immersive
<
74
Modernized QSR Restaurant Locations
Modernized QSR Restaurant Locations
This Chicago McDonald's Location is Airy and Futuristic
<
73
Comfort-Focused Nap Lounges
Comfort-Focused Nap Lounges
The Casper Nap Lounge Lets New Yorkers Get Some Peace and Quiet
<
72
Health-Focused Convenience Stores
Health-Focused Convenience Stores
'The Goods Mart' is an Eco-Friendly, Better-for-You Shop
<
71
Multi-Sensory Beehive Pop-Ups
Multi-Sensory Beehive Pop-Ups
Pandora Created a Gilded Hive for a New Jewelry Launch
<
70
Cashless Grocery Concepts
Cashless Grocery Concepts
Tesco's Self-Serve Concept Grocery Store Adopts a Cash-Free Model
<
69
Breakfast Chain Food Trucks
Breakfast Chain Food Trucks
The Waffle House Food Truck Brings the Restaurant to Consumers
<
68
Sophisticated Outdoorsy Fashion Lines
Sophisticated Outdoorsy Fashion Lines
Reserved Taps into the Modern Day Sensibilities of Warsaw
<
67
Sensory Whisky Labs
Sensory Whisky Labs
The Glenfiddich Aroma Lab Helps Consumers Tap Into Scent and Taste
<
66
Package-Free Cosmetic Shops
Package-Free Cosmetic Shops
Lush Cosmetics Unveiled Its First "Naked Shop" in Milan, Italy
<
65
Explorative Bookstore Photography
Explorative Bookstore Photography
Franck Bohbot & Philippe Ungar Honor Indie Bookstores
<
64
Immersive Furniture Stores
Immersive Furniture Stores
Roman and Williams Guild Combines with a Restaurant to Sell Furnishings
<
63
Celebratory Store Openings
Celebratory Store Openings
Yorkdale's Lacoste Concept Store is the First of its Kind in Canada
<
62
Best-Selling Product Stores
Best-Selling Product Stores
The Curated 'Amazon 4-Star' Store Contains Only Top-Selling Items
<
61
Stylish Contemporary Designer Furniture
Stylish Contemporary Designer Furniture
Jonathan Adler's 'Now House' is Available on Amazon
<
60
Exclusive In-Store Sneakers
Exclusive In-Store Sneakers
The Exclusive 'Balenciaga Track' Can Only Be Bought by Appointment
<
59
Dropshipping Management Platforms
Dropshipping Management Platforms
DSM Tool Helps With Your Business's Dropshipping Marketing
<
58
Alternative Mobile Retail Methods
Alternative Mobile Retail Methods
Solebox Sells an Nike Air Max Silhouette from a Matching Van
<
57
Physical Crowdfunding Stores
Physical Crowdfunding Stores
This Retail Space Only Sells Kickstarter-Crowdfunded Products
<
56
Smart Store Concepts
Smart Store Concepts
Suning's Biu Smart Store Shows the Future of Retail Technology
<
55
Futuristic Online-Only Fashions
Futuristic Online-Only Fashions
The Neuro Studio SOLVENTUS 2019 Collection is Created on-Demand
<
54
Multi-Brand Pharmacy Concepts
Multi-Brand Pharmacy Concepts
'Le Drugstore Parisien' Offers Dry Cleaning, Cosmetics & More
<
53
Collaborative Creative Projects
Collaborative Creative Projects
Peanuts Global Art Collective & STORY Boast Community Enhancement
<
52
Next-Gen Shopping Systems
Next-Gen Shopping Systems
SwiftGo Enhances In-Store Shopping with Carts, Apps and Weighing Devices
<
51
Whimsical Fairy Tale Bars
Whimsical Fairy Tale Bars
Brooklyn is Set to Host an Alice in Wonderland Pop-Up Bar on a Bus
<
50
Award-Winning Beauty Pop-Ups
Award-Winning Beauty Pop-Ups
This Experiential Vogue Pop-Up Showcases the Beauty Award Winners
<
49
Automated Healthy Eateries
Automated Healthy Eateries
Amsterdam's 'Health Food Wall' Will Provide Takeaway Plant-Based Food
<
48
Youthful Vintage Fashion Lookbooks
Youthful Vintage Fashion Lookbooks
The HBX Editorial Spotlights the FW2018 Lines of a Few Brands
<
47
Customizable Clear Labels
Customizable Clear Labels
Sticker Mule's Clear Roll Labels Give Small Businesses a Clean Look
<
46
Futuristic Fashion Store Makeovers
Futuristic Fashion Store Makeovers
Zara is Combining Online and Offline Retail in Its Stores
<
45
Youthful Cosmetic Stores
Youthful Cosmetic Stores
Flormar's Retail Space Embodies Friendly, Approachable Design
<
44
Modern Youth Fashion Brand
Modern Youth Fashion Brand
Youth-Centric COLLUSION Celebrates Millennials & Gives Them a Voice
<
43
Bizarre Multifunctional Dress Designs
Bizarre Multifunctional Dress Designs
PrettyLittleThing's Offering Both Stuns & Delights Instagram
<
42
AI Beauty Retail Mirrors
AI Beauty Retail Mirrors
HiMirror's Enterprise Lite and Pro Use AI to Assess One's Skin Needs
<
41
Minimalist Sustainable Fashion Businesses
Minimalist Sustainable Fashion Businesses
Unrecorded Focuses on the Clean, Simple and Sustainable
<
40
Iconic Cartoon Convenience Stores
Iconic Cartoon Convenience Stores
A Real-Life Kwik-E-Mart Has Been Opened in Myrtle Beach
<
39
Low-Cost Pop-Up Stores
Low-Cost Pop-Up Stores
Bookline Created a Dynamic Temporary Shop with Affordable Raw Materials
<
38
Mixed-Reality Makeup Mirrors
Mixed-Reality Makeup Mirrors
The Coty Magic Mirror Launches a Try-On Following Product Interaction
<
37
Self-Serve Convenience Stores
Self-Serve Convenience Stores
Irispay's "E-Concept Store" in Malaysia is a Self-Service Store
<
36
Digitally Interactive POS Displays
Digitally Interactive POS Displays
Johnson & Johnson's Multi-Brand Marketing Wall is Informative
<
35
AR Fitting Room Mirrors
AR Fitting Room Mirrors
Amazon's Augmented Reality Mirror Patent Transforms the Try-On Experience
<
34
Stylish Designer Pet Fashion
Stylish Designer Pet Fashion
Moschino Collaborates with H & M on Chic Outfits for Furry Friends
<
33
Warehouse-Inspired Concept Shops
Warehouse-Inspired Concept Shops
E-Retailer Howdy's Store Envisions a "Futuristic Warehouse"
<
32
Smart Shopping Mirrors
Smart Shopping Mirrors
Mastercard and OAK Created a Mirror That Works with RFID Technology
<
31
Co-Working Community Shops
Co-Working Community Shops
WeWork's WeMRKT Showcases Products Made by Members
<
30
Library-Inspired Retail Decors
Library-Inspired Retail Decors
Neri & Hu Develops a Library-Style Interior for the Valextra Shop
<
29
Shipping Container Cafes
Shipping Container Cafes
The Hualien Bay Mall Starbucks by Kengo Kuma is Located in Taiwan
<
28
Ultra-Small Beauty Shops
Ultra-Small Beauty Shops
The ISEI Store in Kiev is Just 30 Square Meters in Size
<
27
Brand Logo Mashup Marketing
Brand Logo Mashup Marketing
Quickteller Debuts Its Global Mall with a Entertaining Print Campaign
<
26
Coffee Lounge Tech Shops
Coffee Lounge Tech Shops
'The Lounge' by AT&T is a Hybrid Retail Store and Coffee Shop Hangout
<
25
Experiential Skincare Shops
Experiential Skincare Shops
The Gallery M MISSHA Flagship Store Design is Millennial-Targeted
<
24
Tech-Infused Concept Stores
Tech-Infused Concept Stores
Nike by Melrose Uses Customer Data for Personalization
<
23
Kid-Focused Department Stores
Kid-Focused Department Stores
'Kid Cavern' is Launching a Department Store for Kids in Liverpool
<
22
Paper-Made Window Display Installations
Paper-Made Window Display Installations
Helen Musselwhite's Art is Whimsical & Multicultural
<
21
Grocery-Hauling Car Concepts
Grocery-Hauling Car Concepts
The Robomart Brings Vegetables and Produce To Your Door
<
20
Localized Convenience Stores
Localized Convenience Stores
EAT17 in London is Redefining the Familiar Convenience Store Format
<
19
Vending Machine Cafes
Vending Machine Cafes
Chef-in-Box's VendCafes are Disrupting the Industry in Singapore
<
18
Two-Storey Boxy Houses
Two-Storey Boxy Houses
Suzuki Architects' Latest Design is a Home-Workspace Hybrid
<
17
Party-Inspired Retail Spaces
Party-Inspired Retail Spaces
Bangkok's What-The-Forest Club Engages Shoppers with AR Tech
<
16
Bodega-Inspired Streetwear Shops
Bodega-Inspired Streetwear Shops
Bodega's Los Angeles Flagship Store Mimics the Mini-Mart Style
<
15
Stylish Transparent Trousers
Stylish Transparent Trousers
PrettyLittleThings’ Design is Bold, Crazy and Waterproof
<
14
Reimagined Retail Spaces
Reimagined Retail Spaces
Retail Design Collective Transform Loft into Hub for Community Engagement
<
13
Grunge Icon-Inspired Fashion Capsules
Grunge Icon-Inspired Fashion Capsules
Midnight Studios Revives Courtney Love Fashion with New Line
<
12
eCommerce Bargain Shops
eCommerce Bargain Shops
Items from Amazon's '$10 & Under' Collection Ship for Free
<
11
Play-Integrated Retail Spaces
Play-Integrated Retail Spaces
Supermoments' Retail Space Has Climbing Structures and Video Games
<
10
Bamboo-Detailed Green Retail Spaces
Bamboo-Detailed Green Retail Spaces
The New Apple Store in Macau is Created by Foster + Partners
<
9
Chic Whimsical Fashion Identities
Chic Whimsical Fashion Identities
Antonio García Cárceles Creates a Youthful Aesthetic for KLING
<
8
Designer Department Store Cafes
Designer Department Store Cafes
An Off-White Cafe Pop-Up Opened Its Doors at the Bon Marché
<
7
Smart Skincare Shops
Smart Skincare Shops
SK-II's Smart Store in Shanghai Lets Customers Shop with High-Tech Bracelets
<
6
Futuristic Beauty Showrooms
Futuristic Beauty Showrooms
The Mußler Beauty by Notino Concept Caters to the Consumer of Tomorrow
<
5
Naturally-Inspired Artistic Boutiques
Naturally-Inspired Artistic Boutiques
Zak Ik Boasts a Wonderful, Natural and Immersive Environment
<
4
Gen Z-Targeting Makeup Brands
Gen Z-Targeting Makeup Brands
Marta Veludo & Another Studio Produce a Whimsical Brand Identity
<
3
Emotion-Evoking Retail Space Concepts
Emotion-Evoking Retail Space Concepts
Andrés Reisinger Puts Emphasis on Meditation in His Designs
<
2
Cosmetic Brand Arcades
Cosmetic Brand Arcades
Chanel's 'Coco Game Center' in Tokyo Pairs Retro Games and Makeup Tables
<
1
Multi-Functional Concept Spaces
Multi-Functional Concept Spaces
Rachel Schechtman's STORY Embraces the Spirit of Entrepreneurship
<