The Future of Shopping

Consumer trends are constantly changing and it is vital that businesses are able to stay current in order to keep their target market happy. In recent times, there has been a rise in technology that has changed the way in which people shop and this has now been accelerated by the pandemic where people want a contact-free experience. So, what does this mean for the future of shopping?

 

Amazon Fresh

One clear example of the way in which the wind is blowing is the recent opening of Amazon Fresh till-less grocery store in London. This innovative store is the first “just walk out” store outside of the US and involves visitors scanning an app when they enter and being automatically billed when they leave. This eliminates the checkout experience entirely and involves the use of hundreds of cameras, depth sensors and software using deep-learning AI techniques.

 

A New Experience

This has led to some concerns over privacy, but facial recognition is not used and other supermarkets are developing their own checkout-free experiences, including M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. This suggests that this could be the future of grocery shopping with many of these places looking to expand these services and Amazon even offering to sell the Just Walk Out technology. Following the pandemic, it is likely that people will want a contact-free and fast experience which this technology certainly allows for.

 

New Businesses

Flyer printing specialists instantprint analysed new business registrations in 2020 and the future looks bright for retail as it came out on top by far with 22,011 new registrations (including online businesses). Despite the apparent exodus of London, over a quarter of all the businesses set up in 2020 were registered in London so it is clear that London is still appealing for business owners and those in the capital are optimistic about the economic recovery.

 

Tech

Obviously, many of these new retailers will provide an online shopping experience but it is also likely that people will want to be able to shop in-store again, especially when it comes to buying items like clothing. Tech will have to play a major role in this, so it is likely that you will see these innovative new technologies in more and more stores as the economy reopens which will completely change the shopping experience and make it more efficient for people.

According to SabinoDB, e-commerce personalization is becoming more and more important for online brands. Companies implementing AI personalization strategies are seeing a lift in their profits.

 

It will be interesting to see the landscape once restrictions begin to lift and it is clear which way retail is going. Technology can provide consumers with a convenient, safe and private shopping experience and this is likely to become the norm as time goes by. The new Amazon store is a clear indication of the future and with so many new retailers setting up in London and beyond, it seems that shopping will be changed for good in the future.

Stewart Thurlow

Stewart Thurlow

I once shared a lift with Meryl Streep & Julianne Moore. Oh, & Victoria Beckham smiled at me. UK Editor for ADDICTED.
Stewart Thurlow

@stewartthurlow

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