The future of retail is always hotly debated. The digital revolution has obviously changed many industries, and the way we shop is one of them. My bet is that every one of you has purchased something online in the past year (I’d be shocked if you hadn’t). But what will the shopping experience look like in 2020? We did some investigating.
Keep scrolling to find out how we’ll be shopping in the next few years.
Renting fashion pieces popped up a few years ago via sites like Glamcorner and Rent the Runway, and now consumers are increasingly adopting this trend. Why splash out on a designer gown for a weekend wedding that you’ll only wear once? Renting (exactly like you would a video in the ’90s) pieces for special events is how the service is mostly used now, but we’re predicting people will rent more casual pieces like a beautiful blazer or a tote bag when they want to try a new trend before making the investment, or if they just want to refresh their wardrobe for something like a business conference or holiday.
The Daily Edited is leading the way in Australia, but customising pieces upon checkout is becoming increasingly more popular overseas, so we predict it will soon be the norm here too. Not just reserved for accessories, but apparel too, like denim shorts and leather jackets.
We obviously live in a digital world, so when you step into a physical store, you need something more than just clothes on a hanger and products on a shelf. Consumers today want a sensory overload (you know, to make it worthwhile changing out of your PJs and turning off Netflix) by way of attentive staff, over-the-top floral displays, interesting music—things that will make your shopping trip a memorable experience, and make you want to come back for more.
Sure, there are more and more retailers offering up three-hour delivery for metropolitan areas, but there's talk that by 2020, it will be commonplace to have same day (or even same hour) delivery via drones. Robots delivering your online purchases? The future is almost here.
Now this is the most terrifying. That mobile phone you’re (probably) reading this story on right now, knows more about you than you do. Did you walk into a shopping centre recently, log onto the free WiFi, browse some products online from the comfort of a cosy lounge chair, then walk into the store and buy it? Your shopping centre now knows a little bit about your shopping habits. And it will know more and more about you every time you visit—to the point where you’ll be able to receive notifications when you’re in the vicinity of a store you like to shop in, if it has a sale or a pair of shoes in your size it thinks you’ll like.
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What do you think the retail industry will look like over the next few years? Share in the comments below.
Opening image: Splash News
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