Insights

Despite numerous claims that brick and mortar retail is dead, research is showing that success lies in exceptional in-store experiences. And while driving sales is vital, retailers and brands must also give customers a compelling reason to visit their stores. Jack Morton said it best, “Retailers need to focus less on selling us something, and more on making us feel something. Storefronts need to transform from a place to buy…to a place to be.”

The next generation of breakthrough brands is coming to market with a wide breadth of retail trends, from sustainability and transparent pricing to women and influencer-owned. This group of up-and-comers will be some of the most exciting brands to watch in 2019:

Our most read articles in 2018 covered topics and trends including emerging retailers, millennial shopping trends, in-store experiences, social media best practices and Crate and Barrel’s mobile app case study.

1. 2018 HOT LIST – Emerging Retailers to Watch in the Coming Year

This year, our top story highlighted emerging brands that deliver unique and authentic experiences to their customers. Be on the lookout for our 2019 list coming in January.

Let’s cut straight to the chase…the retail landscape is ultra-competitive and continuously changing. To stay relevant, more and more retailers will be implementing these 8 shopping features in 2019.

Encourage Customers to Recycle Old Textiles

Last month, I attended REMODE 2018. The content focused heavily on the hot topic of sustainability the fashion industry. Research shows that the Gen Z consumer in particular is passionate about sustainable products, and smart brands like H&M and Madewell are incentivizing customers to recycle old textiles by offering a discount on future purchases.

GPShopper, the leading mobile commerce and engagement platform for retailers that want to create custom app experiences for customers, released new research into consumers’ holiday shopping preferences and found that Americans that shop for gifts during the holidays prioritize convenience. Sixty-two percent said they would not wait in an hour-long line to purchase a gift and a majority (67 percent) of those interested in using tech in-store are interested in buying online and picking-up in-store to ease their experience this year.