2021 trends: technological innovations for retail

With the arrival of a new decade, the retail industry is undergoing a profound transformation, thanks to the addition of new technologies that have made it possible to optimize the way companies work, and also improve interaction with the end consumer.

In this sense, the incorporation of these digital innovations has brought renewed, since despite the rise of digital commerce, customers continue to favor the fact of being able to look, touch, smell and taste what they want to buy, experiences that they cannot achieve through a screen.

Trends that will change retail in 2021

Retail trade is one of the industries that has experienced great changes in recent years, due to the rise of e-commerce and the arrival of new technologies.

And although initially, the shopper’s relationship with physical stores was affected, the truth is that in recent times, the modern channel has been recovering its influence thanks to the advantages they offer to the consumer, which translates into   delivering a better live and direct shopping experience.

In this sense, trends emerge that have already begun to be implemented and that will change retail this 2021.

Experience store

Sales stores are becoming a place that provides more than just the opportunity to purchase a product, creating spaces where the customer can make a better purchase decision. This is what happens with Apple experience store. Thanks to this, the store can better connect with shoppers, offering an exceptional shopping experience, which facilitates loyalty.

Immersive technologies

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) stopped being a futuristic fantasy to become a powerful present that has transformed the retail industry. While AR allows virtual elements to be superimposed on their physical environment, VR helps them to “live” an experience thanks to a viewer, which allows the shopper to try a product as if it were in a store, without having to go to it.

No plastics

Concern for the environment has generated a change in the mentality of shoppers, who are more aware of the repercussions that their consumption habits have on the planet. That is why companies have taken initiative to replace plastic with more Earth-friendly packaging.

Immediate dispatch

When it comes to buying online, shoppers have become much more demanding with dispatch times, and if possible, have their orders as soon as possible.

Mini warehouses

This trend seeks to bring products closer to final consumers, through “micro fulfillment” centers in cities, which in the case of the food industry, allows them to shorten costs and dispatch times, in addition to facilitating delivery.