From self-driving stores on wheels to high-tech cannabis dispensers, the august 2021 retail trends reveal that shopping can increasingly be done with zero in-person interaction.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's clear that there are many benefits to a self-serve retail model. As a result, there have been many innovations in retail concepts that cut back on, or completely eliminate the human element. For instance, an increasing number of products are now getting the vending machine makeover. For example, the Cultiva Wellness Wellness Pantry allows people to get cannabis without visiting an actual retail store.
Perhaps the most innovative example of self-serve retail highlighted by the August 2021 retail trends is the Robomart self-driving retail vehicle. This store on wheels can be summoned to a specific location and allows for a full shopping experience from the back of a vehicle.
Top 30 Retail Trends in August
From Self-Driving Retail Vehicles to High-Tech Cannabis Dispensers:
Katherine Pendrill — Aug 28, 2021 — Business
30
Self-Driving Retail Vehicles
Robomart Brings Goods to Consumers When Prompted via an App
29
Sustainable Grocery Concepts
Asda's Sustainability Trial Store Focuses on Plastic Waste Reduction
28
Mood-Themed Virtual Shops
Verishop Mini Offers a Curated Shopping Experience Within Snapchat
27
High-Tech Cannabis Dispensers
The Wellness Pantry Uses Blockchain Tech for Age Verification
26
Zero-Waste Beauty Hubs
AROMATICA ZERO STATION is a Sustainable Space in South Korea
25
Touchless Fragrance Testers
Coty & Êverie Developed a Smart Device for Safe In-Store Sampling
24
Nature-Mirroring Home Additions
F2A Architecture Completes an Extension to a Private Home in BC
23
Surprise Collectible Vending Machines
MINISO's Contactless Blind Box Vending Machine Targets Gen Z
22
Sustainable Styling Pop-Ups
Rotaro is Sharing Eco-Friendly Fashion Experiences on Airbnb
21
Autonomous Community Markets
Valet Market is a Modern Amenity for Apartment Buildings
20
Ultra-Elegant Marble Retail Stores
Giada Forte and Robert Vattilana Deck Out the Forte Forte Store
19
AR Advertising Deals
Brookfield Properties and the Aria Network Will Offer AR Ad Opportunities
18
Social Shopping Experiences
FabFitFun Recently Debuted the Shop with Friends Feature
17
Secondhand Denim Platforms
Madewell Forever Helps to Give New Life to Old Pairs of Jeans
16
Compact Footprint Food Stores
The ALDI Corner Store Offers a Convenient Way to Access Products
15
AI-Integrated Retail Systems
Walmart's New AI System Helps Consumers Make Shopping Substitutions
14
Historic Theater Tech Stores
The Apple Tower Theater Mixes Modern Style with Historic Architecture
13
Plant-Based QSR Expansions
'Odd Burger' Recently Announced Plans to Expand to New York
12
Livestream Shopping Solutions
Streams.Live Updates the Traditional Teleshopping Channel Experience
11
Tree-Free Toilet Paper Partnerships
DTC Brand Reel Announced New Partnership with with Target
10
Reversible Cap Cannabis Containers
The Reversible Cap Vials Have a Child-Resistant Locking Top
9
Instant Delivery Firm Funding
Jokr Delivery Recently Secured $170 Million in Series A Capital
8
Private Label Brands
Macy's Launches Its New 'And Now This' Brand for Fashion-Forward Consumers
7
Streamlined Loyalty Programs
Gap Launched Its New Integrated Rewards Program Across Brands
6
Micro-Fulfillment Grocery Centers
SpartanNash Aims to Better Serve Online Grocery Shoppers
5
Hand-Picked Summer Essential Sets
Sephra’s Sweet Picks Summer Essentials Set Boasts Six Products
4
Retail Distribution Deals
Nordstrom Purchased a Minority Stake in Topshop to Expand Partnership
3
Express Shipping Shopping Apps
Sam's Club Expands Scan & Go App with the new Scan & Ship Feature
2
Zipper-Locked Cannabis Bags
ClearBags' Child-Resistant Locking Pouches Keep Cannabis Secure
1
Child-Proof Cannabis Packaging
Atlantic Packaging Teamed with Locked4Kids on its Secure Packaging
Related Ideas
Reconfigurable Travel Pod Vehicles
The PIX Robobus Changes According to Passenger Needs
Smart Fridge Vending Machines
Subway is Testing a Vending Machine Filled with Pre-Made Sandwiches
AI-Powered Fresh Food Vending Machines
Daily Blends Debuts Smart Vending Machines
Autonomous Vehicle Coffee Makers
The 'DOTS' Vehicle Coffee Machine by Junseo Oh is Compact
AI-Generated Fashion Campaigns
Casablanca Spring/Summer 2023 Conveys a Hopeful Future
AI-Powered Weeding Robots
The 'Vulcan' Uses Machine Learning to Precisely Extract Weeds
Sustainable Cannabis Packaging
Autumn Brands Launched New Branding and Sustainable Packaging
Hot Sandwich Vending Machines
The Toastyfresh AutoServe Offers Patrons a Self-Serve Experience
Unified Grocery Shopping Platforms
Instacart Debuts New All-in-One 'Connected Stores' Platform
Shapeshifting Restaurant Robots
The Conceptual Rotating Table Service Robot is Efficient
Convenience Store Metaverses
7-Eleven is Unveiling an Immersive Virtual World at CES 2023
Ultra-Accessible Kiosks
'The 46' Kiosk is the Most Accessible in the Micro Market Industry
State-of-the-Art Retail Fragrance Dispensers
iRomaScents Enhances the Retail Experience with Tech
AI-Powered Shopping Apps
Shoptrue Curates Personalized Fashion Picks with Artificial Intelligence
In-Store Beauty Sampling Kiosks
Ulta Beauty and SOS are Partnering to Promote Product Discovery
AI-Powered Shopping Tools
Google AI Now Allows Shoppers to Browse AI Product Recommendations
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
AI-Powered Virtual Closets
Stylitics' Products Support Next-Gen Personalized Shopping
GenAI Virtual Shoppers
Cindy by Imaginuity Boots Online and In-Store Foot Traffic
Ethical Neighborhood Convenience Stores
The Goods Mart is a Curated Better-for-You Store
Autonomous Showroom Concepts
JIDU's Dealership Experience Lets Buyers Watch Their Car Pilot Itself
Revolutionary THC Beverages
Cann Social Tonic Enters Total Wine & More Across Minnesota
AR Retailer Haircare Experiences
Walmart Beauty Virtual Try-On Now Includes Hair Color Products
AI-Augmented Retail Checkouts
This Checkout Solution Helps Prevent Theft and Scanning Errors
Text-to-Shop Retail Services
Walmart Text to Shop Makes it Easier Than Ever to Shop
AR-Based Store Replicas
Lowe's Will Create a 'Digital Twin Store' Using Augmented Reality
AR Shopping Malls
American Express' Door to Shop Small Highlights 10 Small Businesses
Small-Format Department Stores
Macy’s Unveils Plan to Open Up to 30 Small-format Stores
Computer-Vision Self-Service Kiosks
Toshiba's Vision Kiosk Identifies Items Without Barcodes
Autonomous Food Delivery Robots
The ITRI Cubot ONE Autonomous Mobile Robot Works Indoors or Out
AI-Powered Snack Shops
The Aramark Quick Eats Store Has a Checkout-Free Layout
E-Commerce Beauty Packaging
Aptar Beauty + Home's Redesigned Packaging is "E-Commerce Capable"
Self-Service Commerce Kiosks
Cantaloupe Go Brings Buy-and-Go Expereinces to Customers
Interactive Autonomous Delivery Vehicles
The Conceptual ROBO A2Z Delivery Vehicle is Advanced
AI-Enhanced Grocery Apps
Instacart Unveiled a Suite of AI Features Coming to its Mobile App
Friendly Business Delivery Trucks
The 'ORCA' Autonomous Delivery Truck Has a Friendly Form
Iconic Toy Retailer Expansions
Toys"R"Us Canada Amplifies Retail Presence Ahead of Holiday Season
Tech-Centric Automotive Retailers
Mercedes-Benz Kelowna Unveils a Futuristic Showroom Concept
AI-Powered Retail Tools
Walmart is Introducing a New Series of AI Tools for Customer Experience
Circular Fashion Pop-Ups
The Coachtopia Pop-Up Brings Luxury Circular Fashion to Gen Z
Inviting Contemporary Auto Dealerships
Rivian’s Spaces Aims to Disrupt the Auto Retail Space
Attention-Grabbing Retail Displays
Auo's Smart Shelf Displays Enhance the Customer Experience
Advanced Adaptive Retail Experiences
Walmart Unveiled New Retail Technologies at CES 2024
Mixed-Reality Shopping Apps
StockX Launched an Immersive Way to Shop with the Apple Vision Pro
AI-Powered Marketing Tools
This E-Commerce Tool Uses Customer Data to Project Reward Impacts
Shelf-Mounted Robots
Deming Allows Retail Managers See Shelves & Get Real-Time Data Remotely
Spatial Computing Shopping Apps
'Alo Yoga' Debuted a New App for the Apple Vision Pro
Automated Retail Stores
Muffato Launches Brazil’s First Automated Store Without Physical Checkouts
Autonomous Agricultural Robots
Chipotle Mexican Grill is Investing in Greenfield Robotics
Leisure Activity Grocery Stores
The FreshTake Concept Grocery Store Blends Experiences
Self-Service Retail Smoothie Systems
The Fresh Blends Blender Plus Has a Self-Cleaning Function
Inventory-Scanning Retail Robots
Sam’s Club Confirms the Launch of Inventory-Scanning Robots
Gen Alpha-Targeted Ice Cream Trucks
Unilever Taps Robomart to Launch 'The Ice Cream Shop'
AI-Driven Convenience Stores
GS25 Launched an Autonomous Convenience Store Powered by Fainders.AI
Phygital Fashion Retail Experiences
Macy's mstylelab Digital Shopping Platform is Immersive
Curated Grocery Delivery Lists
Instacart Carts Offer Themed Shopping Lists Packed with Items
Beverage Dispensing Robots
Ottobot Brew is Ultra-Capable Beer Dispensing Robot
Autonomous Gas-Pumping Robots
Autofuel is a New Robotic Refueling System Catered for Drivers
AI Grocery Assistants
'Ask Instacart' is a Time-Saving AI-Powered Search Tool
Compact Mini Pre-Rolls
Autumn Brands Recently Launched the 10-Pack Mini Pre-Rolls
Unstaffed Grab-and-Go Stores
ITRI and 7-Eleven Collaborated on X-STORE 7
Robot-Enabled Locker Deliveries
Ottobot Lockers Brings a Delivery Innovation to CES 2024
Check-Out Free Convenience Stores
QuickTrip Integrates Amazon's 'Just Walk Out' Tech
Autonomous Robotic Pizza Deliveries
Pizza Hut and Serve Robotics Have Teamed Up in Canada
Refreshing Cannabis Brand Identities
RISE Dispensaries Taps Turner Duckworth and Brand Bureau
Custom Men's Footwear Services
Robert August Fuses 21st Century Technology with Craftsmanship
AI-Powered Supermarkets
Green Picks Market Autonomous Grocery Store is Frictionless
Voice-Based AI QSR Services
Valyant AI and Paerpay Tansform Drive-thru Experience with AI
Boomer-Focused Grocery Services
Baby Boomers Continue to Dominate in Online Shopping Post-COVID
Compartmentalized Robotic Delivery Vehicles
The 'Buzzy Bot' by Marko Lukovic Has a Geometric Form
Robotics-Equipped Deliveries
Swedish Grocer ICA & Cleveron are Revolutionizing Parcel Delivery
AI-Powered Cannabis Chatbots
Spark by Jointly Educates & Informs Cannabis Consumers of All Levels
Product Exploration Retailer Tools
These New Instacart Discovery Tools Connect Brands to Retailers
AI-Powered Drive-Thrus
Vox AI is Coming to CES 2024 to Revolutionize Drive-Thru Orders
Wellness-Focused Retailer Ranges
Target is Welcoming More Than 1,000 Wellness Products
Women-Targeted Cannabis Retreats
moodRXtreats Invites Cannabis Lovers and Explorers on a Journey
Loneliness-Combatting Grocery Shopping Experiences
Oma's Soep Debuted a Shopping Basket Initiative
Meatless Vending Machines
Meatless Farm's APM Dispenses Free Veg & Plant-Based Food
Tropical Cannabis-Infused Beverages
Vacay's New Hybrid Beverages Play with Tart, Tangy Flavors
Cannabis Marketplace Apps
Jane Technologies Launches Its First iOS Shopping App
AI Clothing Try-Ons
Google's AI Shopping Feature Shows How Apparel Looks on Real Models
Streamlined Shoppable Video Ads
Instacart Launches New Shoppable Video Ads in 'Ads Manager'
Elderly Customer-Reserved Retail Zones
JD Announced Exclusive Service Zones for Elderly Customers
Portable Autonomous Mini Marts
JUXTA's Nomad Offers Autonomous Mini Mart for EV Charging Stations
Omnichannel Grocery Technologies
Instacart Launches the New Omnichannel Solutions for Grocers
Digital Delivery Service Storefronts
Instacart Storefront Lets Retailers Customize the Interface
Beauty-Focused Shopping Apps
The 'Trendio' Live Shopping App Offers Access to Beauty Content
Smart Shopping Cart Initiatives
These Cust2Mate Smart Carts are Arriving at Morton Williams
Cashier-Free Grocery Chains
Automated Grocer 'Aisle 24' Opens a New Location in Toronto
Low-Waste Shopping Solutions
ASDA, Avery Berkel & Hanshow are Enhancing Sustainability in the UK
AI-Powered Retail Try-Ons
Walmart is Adding an AI-Based Try-On Technology for Online Consumers
AI-Driven Grocery Services
Hungryroot is a First-of-Its-Kind Grocery and Recipe Delivery Service
Customized Convenience Retailer Apps
Family Express is Introducing a Personalized App Experience
Robotic Convenience Store Deliveries
7-Eleven is Testing Autonomous Robot Delivery in Los Angeles
Curated Cannabis Subscriptions
HighHello Makes Discovering Cannabis Products Fun and Educational
Checkout-Free Grocery Stores
ALDI Launches the Innovative 'ALDIgo' Checkout-Free Grocery Store
Automated Functioning QSRs
A Robotic McDonald's May be Slowly in the Works with New Location
Innovative SCO Kiosks
Austrian Brand Shopreme Debuts a New Self-Checkout Kiosk for Retailers
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
AI-Powered Automation Tools
LightSpeed Debuts a New AI Platform for Businesses to Automate Tasks
Cannabis Delivery Expansive Features
CannSell and Uber Eats will be Launching Cannabis Deliveries
Self-Guided Cannabis Retail Experiences
BLAZE ECOM Revolutionizes In-Store Cannabis Retail
Expanded D2C Deliveries
Kroger Debuts Two New Spoke Factories to Improve White Glove Deliveries
Connected Vending Freezers
The Selfly Freezer Offers Access to a Variety of Frozen Fare
On-Site Avatar Workers
DeepBrain AI Offers Lifelike Avatars for Remote Workers to Operate On-Site
Digital Retailer Strategy Updates
This Walmart eCommerce Update Refreshes the Website and App
Curbside Cafe Retail Services
Target Drive Up with Starbucks Offers Drinks with Purchases
Wellness-Focused Demure Apparel
Crop Shop Boutique Launches New Wellness Collection for Fall
AI-Powered Cannabis Platforms
'Flora Match' Offers Personalized Recommendations to Cannabis Users
Retailer-Backed Digital Collectibles
Walmart Launches New Digital Collectibles Platform, 'AutoT'
Text-Based Shopping Features
Walmart Unveils a New Shopping by Text Feature for Mobile Shoppers
Checkout-Free Campus Retail Experiences
Grubhub Will Use Amazon Just Walk Out Technology on Campus
Self-Driving Food Delivery Services
Uber Eats is Launching Waymo Delivery Services in Phoenix
Virtual Convenience Stores
The Instacart-Powered ALDI Express Offers 30-Minute Deliveries
AI-Powered Retail Payments
Focalpay's New AI Features Streamline Retail and E-Commerce Operations
AI-Powered Inventory Tech
Google Cloud is Introducing AI-Powered Inventory Tracking Technology
4/20-Ready Rewards Programs
Curio Wellness Offers a New Loyalty Program Ahead of 4/20
Automotive Parking Lot Pop-Ups
Mercedes-Benz Turned Parking Lot Spaces into a Mini Showroom
Self-Driving Delivery Truck Solutions
Waabi Announces its New Plug-And-Play Autonomous Trucks
Offline Shopping Campaigns
'Shop Offline' Helps People Rediscover the Joy of Real-World Shopping
Taiwan-Based AI Shopping Carts
Innolux Debuts a Smart Shopping Cart at FamiSuper Stores
Robotic Locker-Style Deliveries
Ottonomy Teams Up with Harbor Lockers for the 'Ottobot Locker'
Precision Robotic Weeding Services
This Platform Carries Out Weeding and Real-Time Crop Modelling
Partially Autonomous Touring EVs
Arcimoto Designs the New Electric Vehicle to Tour Around Vegas
Robotic Pizza Shops
The Mia V4.5 Robotic Pizza Shop Features Fresh Dough & Stone Hearth Ovens
Stigma-Reducing Period Brands
August Relies on Playful and Wholesome Branding
Virtual Convenience Store Concepts
Aldi Launches a Virtual Convenience Store Called Aldi Express
AR-Powered Shopping Apps
Walmart Releases a New Augmented Reality Feature for its iOS Application
Compact Automated Retail Checkouts
The OneView Self-Checkout Offers Advanced Features
Halloween-Inspired Retail Capsules
Target Debuts a New Private-Label Halloween Capsule for October
Retailer-Backed Holiday Experiences
J. Crew Launches a New AI-Powered Holiday Experience
Lifestyle-Conscious Cannabis Products
Trailblazer Cannabis Products Have Been Relaunched
Autonomous Robot Taxis
Uber Partners with Motional to Become Completely Driverless by 2023
Mental Health Branding Initiatives
L.L.Bean Digitally Detoxed for Mental Health Awareness Month
Last Mile Delivery Enhancements
Oracle Taps Uber to Enhance its Uber Direct Delivery Service
Inclusive Try-On Programs
Perfect Corp. Connects Beauty Brands with Digital Beauty Innovation
E-Commerce Optimizing Platforms
Lily AI Use Algorithms to Help Retailers Improve Their Webstores
Convenience Store Cannabis Outposts
Green Thumb and Circle K Launch RISE EXPRESSES Outposts
Merchandising AI Bots
ChatCBDW is an AI-Driven Online Merchandising Technology for CBD & Wellness
Magazine-Curated Cannabis Products
In July 2023, MARY Magazine Debuts Its Partnership with NTWRK