New technologies and trends are projected to make big changes in the retail and consumer goods industry for 2015. Trends are going to change the customer experience both in store and from home. Some of the biggest trends include: product customization, increased self-serve options, industry crossover, and increased mobile app usage.
Customization of Products
Products are no longer being made in the masses. Instead, a shift is continuing to occur, allowing customers to add their own preferences to create tailor-made items. And, these “made for me” items are only going to increase in popularity among consumers. This means, other items will be made in smaller runs, with fewer items being made over all.
Self Service
Customers are already enjoying self-serve options in many locations, such as self-check-in at airports and self-scanning at grocery stores. Employees add cost, and having self-serve kiosks makes customers feel like they’re in charge, making self-serve a win-win for all involved. Stores will be implementing more and more self-serve vending in their stores to keep up with technology and save on costs.
Intertwining of Sectors
Stores and brands are offering different products than those for which they are typically known. For instance, Starbucks sells music, Ralph Lauren sells paint, and water companies are selling gas. Brands no longer need to stick to a specialty. More companies are stepping out of the box, and 2015 will see more brands adding new merchandise to their product lines.
Apps
Mobile is going to offer more options for users in 2015 than ever before. Mobile retail services are going to include browsing and shopping, loyalty apps, mobile ordering, and mobile payment. Smart phone technologies are also going to eliminate grabbing wallets by tracking reward points on phones and mobile payment through programs like Apple Pay and more. 2015 is going to introduce plenty of new apps that users will love.
As 2015 arrives, we are going to see more and more new trends emerge in the stores we love. By introducing many of these new trends, stores are going to create better shopping experiences for their customers.
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Thanks for reading!
Caitlin Stewart
Marketing Associate,
MarketResearch.com
