The history of retail shopping has taken a cutting edge turn as new technology comes to life. It raises the question of where the retail experience will be in 10 years. Now – the internet, RFID, self-serve kiosks & the application of mobile both in-store and at home are shaping the ways in which we shop. With technology moving at an unstoppable rate, it begs the question how much more can the industry change? A lot, is precisely the answer! Now I don’t think we are going to be purchasing everything from a mall lined with vending machines carrying anything from personal items to electronics. But there are a few noteworthy ways in which our experiences may evolve.
One of these technologies is known as ‘holostores’. The concept is being able to see and perhaps touch a holographic representation of a product from the comfort of your couch. Intelligent shelves is another luxury we may soon see, particularly in grocery stores. These shelves will have the ability to read our unique profiles as we browse various aisles, and if we are known to a purchase specific brand or stick to a particular dietary following; related price tags would signal and guide our way. Imagine this, a store that changes as it analyses a customer through a series of sensory measurements. These ‘sentient stores’ would adapt to every single customer enticing them with tailor-made offers and products as they browsed.
If this is the next 10 years of retail, imagine the magic of the next 20.
