As the global market becomes more interconnected, the May 2021 market trends highlight e-commerce innovations and smart products for niche demographics. Given the in-person limitations of the pandemic, digital technologies catalyzed new opportunities for businesses to target previously untapped populations through specialized products and services.
Capitalizing on the pandemic's physical limitations, The Gift Card Shop sells digital gift cards from over 100 popular brands such as Mastercard and Walmart. These virtual gift cards can be attached to personalized e-cards that carry thoughtful and celebratory messages. The preloaded cards offer consumers an accessible way to give their loved ones the gift of choice.
Walgreens launched a pandemic-friendly service that offers two-hour delivery on over 24,000 of its products. The contactless delivery service enables consumers to continue to shop for their favorite products in a safe and convenient way.
Top 30 Market Trends in June
From Same Day Retail Deliveries to Eco-Friendly E-Commerce Packaging:
Josh Thompson-Persaud — Jun 19, 2021 — Business
30
Eco-Friendly E-Commerce Packaging
Sleek and Sturdy, Boox Packaging Can Be Reused Multiple Times
29
Ready-To-Grill Asian BBQ Deliveries
The Summer Grilling Essentials Bring Asian Flavors to BBQ
28
Subscription-Based Maintenance Services Startups
Super Raised $50 Million in Funding to Expand
27
Immune-Boosting Ready-to-Drink Shots
ARMR Pro Immunity Shots are Full of Nutrient-Rich Superfruits
26
Health-Conscious Potato Chips
Mindful Snacker Launched the Low-Fat, Low-Salt Simply Roasted Chips
25
Teen-Branded Banking Apps
Step Banking Offers Teens the Tools for Financial Success
24
Small Business-Finding Apps
The Amaze App Helps Locals Discover New Businesses in Their Area
23
Keto-Friendly Superfood Smoothies
Blendtopia Launches a Line of Organic Keto Smoothie Kits
22
Luxury Fabric Resale Platforms
Nona Source Gives Fabrics a Second Chance Through E-Commerce
21
Self-Service AI Chatbots
Verint IVA Chatbots Offer Businesses User-Friendly Automation
20
Ready-to-Drink Coffee Concentrates
Jot Ultra Coffee Dropped the Limited-Edition Daydream Brew
19
Nostalgic NFT Character Collectibles
CryptoPunk NFTs are Rare and Exclusive Character Collectibles
18
Inaugural Sports Apparel Launches
Wilson Sporting Goods Will Expand into Athletic Clothing
17
Fragrance-Free Curl-Friendly Haircare
LUS Brands' Fragrance-Free Haircare Caters to Curls
16
Accessible Eco Produce Distribution
Hilton Hotels Recently Signed an Agreement with FreshOnTable
15
E-Commerce Hiring Expansions
Amazon Will Look to Hire 75,000 for Fulfillment and Logistics Roles
14
Contactless Interactive Bank Machines
Vantage Credit Union Uses Interactive Teller Machines
13
Retail Business Acquisitions
Gap is Selling Its Intermix Business to a Private Equity Firm
12
Digital Device Accessibility Features
New Apple Accessibility Features Enable Hands-Free Control
11
Media Business Acquisitions
A Majority of Verizon Media Was Sold to a Private Equity Firm
10
Fashion Retail Acquisitions
South Moon Under Was Purchased by Ames Watson a Private Equity Firm
9
American Whiskey Expansions
Irish Brand Kirker Greer Spirits Picked Up Bowsaw American Whiskey
8
Same Day Retail Deliveries
Walgreens Launched Its New Two-Hour Delivery Service Across the U.S.
7
E-commerce Return Platform Acquisitions
PayPal Purchased a U.S. Startup Named Happy Returns
6
Inventory Restricted Retail Strategies
Under Armor Will Take on a New Inventory Strategy
5
Retail Eyewear Collaborations
Gap Entered into an Eyewear Deal with De Rigo Launching in 2022
4
Virtual Gift Card Shops
The Gift Card Shop Sells Gift Cards from 100+ Brands in a Virtual Store
3
Bank-Focused Virtual Meeting Services
Better Branches Technology Offers Virtual Visitor Services
2
Paper Retail Acquisitions
Paper Source is Likely to Be Sold to Elliot Investment Management
1
Australian Sunscreen Expansions
Ocean-Safe Sunscreen Brand Blue Lizard is Launching in Canada
Related Ideas
Newsstand-Style Pop-Up Series
Uber Eats x ALDI Celebrated Their Partnership with 'The Daily Feed'
Grocery-Inspired Beauty Pop-Ups
The Markup Marché by The Ordinary Challenges Industry Buzzwords
Private Label eCommerce Groceries
Amazon Grocery Will Feature Over 1,000 items with Many Under $5
Experiential Convenience Stores
FamilyMart Announced IP-Centered Store Experiences in Japan
Curated Store Concepts
A New Target Soho Store Opens in New York with Design-First Looks
Luxury Eyewear Pop-Ups
Prada Opens an Immersive Eyewear Boutique at The Grove
Fake Food Delivery Apps
Korea's Viral Dopamine Shopping Sites Mimic the Online Ordering Experience
Community-Driven Shopping Experiences
A TikTok Shop Pop-Up is Coming to Westfield Stratford
Speedy eCommerce Produce Deliveries
Amazon Same-Day Delivery is Now Available on Fresh Groceries
On-Demand Style Deliveries
Urban Outfitters and DoorDash Partnered Ahead of Graduation Season
Shareable Wishlist Templates
Urban Outfitters and Canva Partnered to Simplify Holiday Gifting
Fandom Culture Retail Experiences
EB Games x Vibrant Marketing Launch an 'EB Trends' Store Concept
Live Social Shopping Expansions
QVC® Announces New Brands That Will Join Its Roster in 2026
Generative AI Retail Strategies
Kroger & Google Cloud Enhance Growth and Personalization
Rewards-Based Beauty Devices
Sephora Expanded its Rewards Catalog With High Tech Skincare Tools
Expansive eCommerce Events
The Amazon Prime Day Promotion Will Offer New Deals Every Five Minutes
Social-First Local Shopping Schemes
Shop Local by Tiktok Shop Makes Homegrown Goods Accessible
Mobile Beauty Supply Pop-Ups
Sally Beauty Enters into a Collaboration with DoorDash in NYC
Connected Grocer Shopping Carts
The New Amazon Dash Cart is Arriving at Whole Foods Market
Experiential Brand Stores
New Era Creates Interactive Retail Space With Custom Cap Design
AI Retail Forecasts
Experts Outline how AI will Reshape Commerce By 2026
Creator-Led Beauty Retail
rhode Expands Across Sephora Europe After Strong Viral Demand
Social Commerce Supplements
youtheory Expands Wellness Sales Through TikTok Shop
Beauty Retail Delivery Partnerships
Ulta Beauty Has Added 1500 Stores to the Uber Eats Marketplace
Freshness-Focused Perishable Goods Tools
Simbe Recently Enhanced Its Data Analytics Platform
AI-Powered Shopping Features
John Lewis Launches a TikTok Shop Trial
Mobile Beauty Retail Activations
Cardi B Debuts Beauty Truck for Her Haircare Brand
Mobile Beauty Pop-Ups
Henkel’s göt2b Debuts a Citywide Mobile Beauty Experience
Accessible Beauty Consultations
Walmart’s Beauty Experts Offer Personalized In-Store Guidance
Menopause-Friendly Online Aisles
Ocado Retail and GenM Launched an MTick-Certified Product Range
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Renaissance-Inspired Curated Beauty Marketplaces
Rennaï Has Launched an E-Commerce Website
Omnichannel Grocer Experiences
Instacart and Allegiance Retail Services Expand Their Partnership
Interactive Juice Boxes
Suntop's Mega Back to School Campaign Integrates Connected Packaging
Pick-Your-Own Bouquet Billboards
5,000 Tesco Mother’s Day Tulips Formed an Interactive Display
Retailer-Led Healthcare Services
Walmart Better Care Services Connects to Healthcare Providers
AI-Powered Shopping Features
Target is Making Seasonal Gifting Easier, Personalized and More Fun
Shoppable Discovery Commerce
SmartCommerce and Ahold Delhaize USA Connect Content to Carts
Social Media-Driven Brand Partnerships
Target and Parke Join Forces on a Limited Style Capsule
Agentic Commerce Platforms
Google Introduced an AI-Powered Universal Cart for Smarter Shopping
AI-Driven Wholesale Platforms
Hypedrop Validates, Designs and Develops Products in Six Weeks
Interactive Shopping Streams
e.l.f. Cosmetics Launches Innovative Partnership with Amazon Ads
Digital Gift Card Services
Ubuy Offers Digital Gift Cards in Three Fixed Monetary Denominations
Connected Grocer Shopping Carts
Instacart and Wegmans Partnered for a Caper Cart Pilot Project
Same-Day Personal Care Deliveries
Instacart Joins Forces with Lush Cosmetics on Same-Day Delivery
Health-Focused Retail Campaigns
Health-E Commerce Encourages a Home Medicine Cabinet Restock
Beauty Shopper Transports
Sephora & Lyft Media's Delivered to Beauty Sent Shoppers to Stores
Strategic Retiler Promotional Events
HomeGoods is Runing Its Third Annual Deck the Everything Day
Smart Retail Technology Expansions
A2Z Cust2Mate Secures Advertising Agreements with Major Brands
Improved Fast-Food Delivery Platforms
McDonald's Announced a New Online Ordering Platform
Customer-Led Loyalty Programs
The Iconic Unveils a Loyalty Program Built on Community Insight
Throwback Grocery Campaigns
Economic Nostalgia Inspired Instacart's Summer Like It’s ‘99
AI-Powered Shopping Tools
Target Partners with ChatGPT to Highlight New AI Shopping Capabilities
Next-Gen Consumer Goods Technologies
Unilever and Google Cloud Partner to Produce Strong Products
Curated Discovery Stores
The Shelf Spotlights Emerging Food, Drink and Wellness Brands
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
Co-Branded Shopper App Partnerships
Grubhub and Instacart Partnered to Offer a Wider Selection
Olympian-Backed Livestream Events
Walmart Hosted Her Day Made Easy With Laurie Hernandez and P&G
Social-First Retail Commerce
Shoezone expands TikTok Shop through creator-led shopping
Community-Centric E-Commerce Initiatives
MyCommunity.Today Delivers Accessible Digital Tools
Compact Urban Grocery Retail
Whole Foods Expanded Daily Shop Stores into Three U.S. Cities
Novel Multi-Brand Retail Experiences
Lightspeed Commerce Debuts Multi-Brand Shopping and Ordering
Experience-Enabled Franchises
Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. Uses Square to Scale Retail Experiences
Experience-Enhancing POS Retail Apps
MomentScience Reveals MomentApps
Same-Day Perishable Deliveries
Amazon Adds Its Same-Day Perishable Delivery to Amazon Business
Lanyard E-Commerce Sites
Lanyards Online Debuts an E-Commerce Platform with Expanded Lanyard Range
Creator-Led Beauty Commerce
Amazon India Combines Creator Content and Beauty Shopping
Content-First Shopping Experiences
Gopuff and SpaceXAI Launched Go, a Personal Shopping Genius
Anniversary-Celebrating Marketplace Events
eBay Inc. is Commemorating Its Thirtieth Anniversary
Retailer-Branded Holiday Apparel
7-Eleven's New Seasonal Merchandise is Themed Around Christmas
In-Store Return Kiosks
Save Mart And Amazon Simplify Box Free In Store Returns
Console-Focused Retail Updates
Walmart and Best Buy are Shifting Store Operations for the Switch 2
Food-as-Medicine Platform Expansions
Fresh Connect Now Offers Four Benefit Cards and an App
Direct-to-Consumer Storefront Debuts
William-Sonoma’s GreenRow Opens a Physical SoHo Store
Peer-Powered Gifting Initiatives
indu and SoPost Encourage Customers to Share Samples with Friends
Nationwide Digital Grocery Experiences
ALDI U.S. Partners with Instacart’s Storefront Pro
Shoppable Microdramas
Crocs and SuperOrdinary Turn TikTok Storytelling Into Shopping Experiences
Emotional Delivery Campaigns
Shipt’s 'No Order Is Ordinary' Campaign Emphasizes Connection
Localized Retail Media Platforms
Snappy Shopper Launches Connect, a Retail Media Network
AI-Powered Shopping Ecosystems
Wayfair Partnered With Google on AI Commerce Infrastructure
Curated Resale Storefronts
eBay's The NYC Edit Storefront Shares Tastemaker Selections
Low-Cost Back-to-School Campaigns
Target Back-to-School-idays Offers Discounts Up to 30%
Expanded Tech Marketplaces
Best Buy Unveils a Digital Marketplace with New Possibilities
Emerging Market Insights
Rising Trends Helps Discover Hidden Markets And Business Opportunities
Integrated Last-Mile Logistics
DHL and USPS Expand Parcel Delivery Through a Long-Term Partnership
Human-Centered Marketplace Campaigns
Etsy's Shop Other Jeffs Celebrates Independent Sellers
Weeklong Retailer Deal Events
Walmart Deals Will Offer Discounts on Thousands of Items This Month
Social-First Beauty Retailers
Sally Beauty Joins TikTok Shop
Curated Newspaper Storefronts
Shreeji Unveiled 'The Village News' as an Offline Summer Ritual
Drive-Thru Markets
Goods Offers Instant Grocery Pickup from an Underground Delivery System
Expanded Wellness Retail Assortments
Target Added 30% More Wellness Products to Its Shelves
Rewarding Dining Gift Promotions
The CRISP & GREEN Wrap Up Wellness Campaign is Festive
Grocery Digital Rewards
Giant Eagle Made Ibotta Its Exclusive Digital Promotions Partner
Social-to-Outdoor Campaigns
Tribesigns Extends TikTok's Super Wish Campaign to Times Square
In-Store Creator Commerce
Mac Cosmetics Turns Retail Employees into Live-Streaming Creators
Circular Fashion Platforms
eBay Acquired Depop to Grow Its Fashion Resale Ecosystem
Real-Time Pricing Marketplaces
RedSail Technologies Has Relaunched RxMarket
Digital Shelf Label Systems
Walmart Introduces the New Digital Shelf Labels Nationwide
Elevated Casual Fashion
RetailMeNot Spotlights Capri Pants as a Versatile Summer Staple
Retail Beverage Experiences
The Paper Store Uses Custom Drink Stations to Boost Engagement
Personal Shopping Carts
The Marketday Cart is Designed to Organize Groceries and Personal Items
Simplified AI Shopping Tools
Target Focuses on Holiday Shoppers with its New AI-Powered Tools
Christmasy Customer-Rewarding Retailer Campaigns
The One Stop 2025 Christmas Campaign Gives Back
Express In-Store Restaurant Orders
Walmart Express Delivery Now Supports Subway Meal Orders
Nourishing Community-Focused Initiatives
Fresh Thyme Market Expands Efforts During the Holidays
Valentine's Day-Ready Grocery Deals
Natural Grocers Debuts Valentine's Hot Deals
Product Discovery Communities
MillionShip Turns Product Discovery Into A Playful Experiences
Multi-Brand Digital Gift Cards
On Me Uplevels Tired, Outdated Gift Card Experiences
Cost-Effective Confectionery Items
World of Sweets Highlights Key Easter Trends Amid Rising Costs
Mom-Focused Grocer Campaigns
Natural Grocers is Honoring Mother's Day from May 8th Until May 10th
Omnichannel Seasonal Support Campaigns
Bestway Wholesale Launches 'Buzz About the Sweetest Deals'
Community Hub Convenience Stores
Co-op turns local stores into delivery and service hubs
Hybrid Party Retailers
Staples and Party City combine event supplies with print services in-store
First-Of-Its-Kind Digital Coupons Programs
Inmar Intelligence Partners with bp and Axonet
30-Minute eCommerce Deliveries
The Amazon Now Delivery Service is Launching in Select Markets
Retail-Style Hotel Commerce
Aven Hospitality Embeds E-Commerce Features into Hotel Journeys
Last-Minute Gift Replacements
DoorDash's Holiday Rescue Sweepstakes Helps to Overcome Delays
Customization-Forward Valentine's Day Gifts
Sugarwish Highlights Customizable Gift Preferences
Global Brand Refresh Systems
'Face the Future' Announces Rebrand With ShopTalk Studio
Service-Backed Recommerce Platforms
Commonplace Launches Marketplace With Built-In Delivery
Ultra-Fast Retailer Deliveries
Walmart 30‑Minute‑or‑Less Delivery Maximizes Access to Essentials
Personalized Greeting Card Kiosks
Expressions Launches the Expressions Gift Card Kiosk
Speedy Seasonal Retailer Deliveries
Boots On-Demand Deliveries are Available from 500 Locations
Healthcare Apparel Retail Concepts
Kindthread Opens an Omnichannel Scrub Store
Experience-Focused Retail Carts
Target Redesigned Shopping Carts for Comfort and Convenience
Marketplace Showrooms
StockX Combines Shopping, Seller Services and Community Events in New York
AI-Powered Customer Personalization Features
eGrowcery and Birdzi Form a Strategic Partnership
Innovative Healthcare Delivery Models
OnMed Opens Two New CareStations in Texas Grocery Stores
Strategic Reward-Focused Retail Campaigns
WeShop Launches 'Shopping Starts Here' Campaign
Retail Marketing Advancements
Westfield Rise Debuts a Programmatic Targeting Solution For Malls
Checkout-Based Micro-Donations
Adyen and adidas expand donation features at checkout
Purpose-Led Emerging Brands Initiatives
7-Eleven Taps 27 Brands for Its 2026 Brands with Heart™
Eco-Designed Sampling Formats
Sampling Innovations Europe Unveiled Easy Dose
Omnichannel Payment Systems
MoneyGram Connects Cash and Digital Payments in One Platform
Streamlined Holiday Shopping
Yes, More & Co Simplifies Holiday Shopping With Daily SMS Deals
Festive Product Launch Events
Love Magenta announces a 10-day Christmas launch event
Retail Membership Ecosystems
Walmart+ Combines Delivery, Shipping, and Streaming Benefits
Same-Day Holiday Deliveries
Shipt Ensures Comfort and Convenience During the Holidays
Meal Delivery Brand Advantages
Clean Eatz Kitchen Signals to Its Advantages in the Market
Category-Focused Ball Retailers
The Ball Depot Launches its New E-Commerce Platform