From smart mirrors that help consumers shop, to conveyor belts that showcase different menu items, the July 2018 retail trends reveal how brands are making the in-store experience easier and more convenient than ever before -- especially in the age of e-commerce.
On the one hand, technology been instrumental in improving the in-store shopping experience. For instance, Perch Interactive uses technology to detect when consumers pick up or put down products, and then triggers "delightful and informative experiences at that critical moment when they consider purchase." Similarly, Mastercard and OAK are using digital smart mirrors paired with RFID technology to identify products as they are brought into the dressing room.
However, not all in-store changes are so futuristic. On the simpler side, Japan's Maison Able Cafe Ron Ron is shaking up the way consumers enjoy dessert, but bringing out different menu items via conveyor belt.
Top 35 Retail Ideas in July
From Smart Shopping Mirrors to Conveyor Belt Dessert Bars:
Katherine Pendrill — Jul 29, 2018 — Business
34
80s-Inspired Fashion Pop-Up Stores
STAYCOOLNYC Hosts Its First Pop-up Location in New York
33
Award-Winning Beauty Pop-Ups
This Experiential Vogue Pop-Up Showcases the Beauty Award Winners
32
Smart Store Concepts
Suning's Biu Smart Store Shows the Future of Retail Technology
31
Celebratory Store Openings
Yorkdale's Lacoste Concept Store is the First of its Kind in Canada
30
Minimalist Sustainable Fashion Businesses
Unrecorded Focuses on the Clean, Simple and Sustainable
29
Smart Shopping Mirrors
Mastercard and OAK Created a Mirror That Works with RFID Technology
28
Package-Free Cosmetic Shops
Lush Cosmetics Unveiled Its First "Naked Shop" in Milan, Italy
27
Mind-Bending Shoe Stores
The Vog Vault in Toronto's Fluevog Store is a Unique Optical Illusion
26
Artful In-Store Pop-Ups
Project Shop's ARTSPACE Shares Brand and Artist Collaborations
25
Spanish-Style Retail Spaces
Kettal Studio Opened a New and Modern Showroom in New York City
24
Essential eCommerce Fashion
Amazon's Private-Label 'Meraki' Offers Classic Styles & Quality Fabric
23
Fresh Protein Bar Shops
Macaw! Foods Sells Protein Bars Out of a Brick-and-Mortar Shop
22
Interactive Airport Robot Kiosks
The 'Robin' Robot Guide Offers Consumers Directions and More
21
Fast Casual Asian Restaurants
Social Monk Asian Kitchen is a New Concept by The Cheesecake Factory
20
Shifting Retail Shelving Solutions
The 'SHIFT' Shelving Unit Enables More or Less Storage
19
Fragrance Line Pop-Ups
A New Packaging-Themed Pop-Up Will Celebrate a New Fragrance Line
18
Conveyor Belt Dessert Bars
Maison Able Cafe Ron Ron is a Conveyor Belt Restaurant Serving Dessert
17
Curated Sneaker Marketplaces
eBay is Launching Its First-Ever Community Sneaker Drop
16
Indoor Garden Shop Displays
Ladies & Gentlemen Studio Create a Tranquil Ambiance for Muji
15
AR Product Discovery Apps
Lush's 'Lush Lens' is an Augmented Reality Product App
14
Glow-Boosting Cosmetic Bars
Becca Cosmetics Launched an In-Store 'Glow Bar' at John Lewis
13
Clothing Buy-Back Programs
John Lewis is Testing a Service to Reclaim Unwanted Clothing
12
Guilt-Free Luxury Retailers
The Cashmere Platform Helps Users Save for Fab Purchases
11
Stockless Cosmetic Shops
Ceramiracle's Clever Pop-Up Shares Cruelty-Free Products in China
10
Cooking Show Host Pizzerias
The Pioneer Woman is Set to Open a Pizza Shop Called P-Town Pizza
9
Hand-Crafted Fragrance Boutiques
Le Labo Sells Unique Unisex Scents That are Crafted in Canada
8
Referral-Earning eCommerce Solutions
'Wildlink' Rewards Those Who Share Links that Result in Sales
7
Crowdsourced Scholar Discount Sites
'Studddent' Helps Students Find the Best Discounts Online
6
Contemporary Bookstore Concepts
Athenaeum is a Millennial-Created Library-Themed Destination
5
Incentivised Local Shopping Discounts
eBay Offers Canadians 110% Discounts to Incentivise Shoppers
4
Universal E-Commerce Wishlists
ShopToList Saves Any Product and Sends Deal Notifications
3
3D Sensor Retail Displays
Perch Interactive's Smart Technology Merges Digital and Physical Worlds
2
Inclusive Wine Bars
Lady of the Grapes Boasts a Collection of Female-Produced Wines
1
Superstore Shopping Services
Walmart 'Jetblack' Offers an Effortless Way for Busy Moms to Shop
Related Ideas
Experiential Brand Cafés
Nutella Reimagines Its Chicago Café with Digital Ordering and a New Menu
AI-Managed Retail Stores
Andon Labs Deploys an AI Named Luna That Controls Store Operations
Spatial AI Shopping Technologies
VusionGroup EdgeSense AI Immerses Shoppers
Automated Retail Concepts
VenHub Smart Stores Use Ai & Robotics to Redefine a Shopping Experience
Grocery-Inspired Beauty Pop-Ups
The Markup Marché by The Ordinary Challenges Industry Buzzwords
AI Grocery Assistants
Albertsons Debuts Conversational Tool For Faster Grocery Trips
Summer Fragrance-Inspired Pop-Ups
Maison Margiela Launched a Pop-Up Café in Amsterdam
Experiential Convenience Stores
FamilyMart Announced IP-Centered Store Experiences in Japan
Shoppable TV Ads
Samsung and Amazon Enable Remote-Based Shopping Directly on TV
Hyper-Personalized AI Shopping Tech
OTB Group Embraces Hyper-Personalization with Google Cloud
Immersive Luxury Cosmetics Pop-Ups
Louis Vuitton Spotlights La Beauté Louis Vuitton
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
Design-Forward Concept Stores
Target SoHo is Immersive, Experiential and Shoppable
AI Chat Shopping Systems
Shopify Brings Retail to ChatGPT
Mobile Cafe Pop-Ups
Coach Introduced a Vibrant Coffee Truck in Gotemba, Japan
Faux Food Pop-Ups
MoMA Design Store Unveils an Immersive 'MoMA Mart' Pop-Up for NYC
Vision-Based AI Fridges
Samsung Will Unveil the Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub at CES 2026
Immersive K-Beauty Pop-Ups
TIRTIR Brings Jeju Matcha Skincare to NYC with a Sensory Experience
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
AI-Powered Inventory Systems
Iceland Launches invent.ai Platform
Autonomous Smart Store Installations
VenHub Global and Circa Introduced the VenHub Smart Store
Experiential K-Beauty Retail
Yepoda Opens an Immersive Flagship Store in Seoul
Romantic Retailer Basket Campaigns
The Asda Red Baskets are Arriving for Valentine's Day
Fandom Culture Retail Experiences
EB Games x Vibrant Marketing Launch an 'EB Trends' Store Concept
Supermarket Tourism Campaigns
K-Supermarket's Tripadvisor Listings Share a Taste of Food Culture
AI Merchant Onboarding Tools
DoorDash Launches Its AI Merchant Tools
Health-Conscious Grocery Programs
Harris Teeter Launches 'Happier, Healthier with Harris Teeter'
Generative AI Retail Strategies
Kroger & Google Cloud Enhance Growth and Personalization
Gen Z Concept Stores
UO Insiders Insights Informed the UO x Glendale Store Experience
AI-First Shopping Experiences
Walmart and OpenAI are Partnering to Simplify Purchases
Sensory Retail Experiences
Claire’s Launches ASMR-Inspired Stores for Gen Alpha Shoppers
Clinical K-Beauty Pop-Ups
Rejuran Debuts Science-Led Skincare Through a Sephora LA Activation
Entertainment-Powered Retail Experiences
AT&T Brings Toy Story 5 to Interactive Store Activations
Industrial-Inspired Brand Events
Reitmans Reimagined its Distribution Centre for a Curated Event
AI-Driven Fragrance Concept Stores
My Scent Edit Offers Digital Consultations & an AI Photo Booth
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-Powered Grocery Store Tools
Afresh Implements Its AI-Driven Inventory Management Platform
AI Retail Forecasts
Experts Outline how AI will Reshape Commerce By 2026
AI Shopping Integrations
Sephora’s ChatGPT App Enables AI-Powered Product Discovery
Beauty Retail Delivery Partnerships
Ulta Beauty Has Added 1500 Stores to the Uber Eats Marketplace
Mobile Luxury Boutiques
Mytheresa Tours the Hamptons with a Curated Mobile Boutique
AI Retail Concierge Systems
Puma’s In-Store AI Assistant Offers Multilingual Product Guidance
AI-Powered Shopping Features
John Lewis Launches a TikTok Shop Trial
DTC Physical Retail Expansions
Povison Opens Its First Permanent Store in Los Angeles
Autonomous Inventory Robots
B&R Stores Introduced Its Shelf-Scanning Robot
Mobile Beauty Pop-Ups
Henkel’s göt2b Debuts a Citywide Mobile Beauty Experience
AI-Powered Closet Experiences
Google Shopping Aligned Try On in Search with an Anticipated Sequel
Accessible Beauty Consultations
Walmart’s Beauty Experts Offer Personalized In-Store Guidance
AI-Powered Shoppable Runways
Topshop and THG Studios Hosted a Front Row AI Experience
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
AI Retail Experiences
RELEX Solutions Uses AI to Elevate In-Store Customer Journeys
Compact IKEA Retail Spaces
IKEA Launches Smaller Stores Focused on Quick Visits and Essentials
Shoppable Discovery Commerce
SmartCommerce and Ahold Delhaize USA Connect Content to Carts
AI-Powered Shopping Features
Target is Making Seasonal Gifting Easier, Personalized and More Fun
Consumer-Driven Grocery Stores
The Waitrose Home of Food Lovers Concept Store is in Newbury
Urban Food Hubs
M&S Expands City Stores with Bakery, Coffee, Sushi, and Fresh Food
Gourmand Beauty Products
Cake Beauty Brings Dessert-Inspired Haircare to Mass Retail
AI Dessert Store Concepts
Châteraisé Opened Its 24-Hour Unmanned Dessert Shop in Tokyo
Smart Retail Technology Expansions
A2Z Cust2Mate Secures Advertising Agreements with Major Brands
Jewelry Retail Technolgies
A.JAFFE Launched Its AI Custom Jewelry Renderings for Retail Partners
Next-Gen Consumer Goods Technologies
Unilever and Google Cloud Partner to Produce Strong Products
AI-Powered Shopping Tools
Target Partners with ChatGPT to Highlight New AI Shopping Capabilities
AI-Enabled Personalized Retail Experiences
Honeywell Implements an AI-Driven Retail System
Emotionally Intelligent Retailer Platforms
JK Tech Spotlights Its Artificial Intelligence Platform
Curated Discovery Stores
The Shelf Spotlights Emerging Food, Drink and Wellness Brands
Connected Supermarket Platforms
Carrefour and Vusion Loot to the Future of Supermarket Retail
AI-Powered Retail Platforms
Target Introduced a Mobile App Rebuild with AI Coding Companions
AI Checkout Kiosks
Retailers Embrace AI Vision To Speed Self-Checkout Lines
Mobile Retail Terminals
Toshiba Launches the TCx M7 for Flexible In-Store Checkout
Autonomous Retail Merchandising Platforms
Retail Express Uses AI to Automate Pricing and Discounts
Immersive Queue Displays
Samsung Transforms Everland Wait Lines with Interactive 3D Safari Visuals
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
Subway Station Fashion Takeovers
Reitmans Hosts its Spring 2026 Lower Bay Station Preview
Experience-Enhancing POS Retail Apps
MomentScience Reveals MomentApps
Autonomous Menu Systems
Deliverect AI Optimizes Restaurant Menus in Real Time
AI-Powered Personal Shoppers
The New Perplexity Shopping Experience is Conversational
Smart Mirror Platforms
loook.ai Helps Brands and Retailers Transform Retail with AR Mirrors
In-Store Return Kiosks
Save Mart And Amazon Simplify Box Free In Store Returns
Ai-Powered Freshness-Monitoring Grocery Platforms
Afresh Expands Its Service Coverage
Retail Tech Revamps
Claire's Invests in Modern POS and Data Integration
Elemental Retail Spaces
Goldwin Creates a Multi-Sensory Retail Environment in New York City
In-Store Audio Channels
Custom Channels Unveils Unified In-Store Engagement Platform
Nationwide Digital Grocery Experiences
ALDI U.S. Partners with Instacart’s Storefront Pro
Digital Twin Retail Technologies
Hanshow and Microsoft Explore the Store Digital Twin Technology
Retail-Style Hotel Commerce
Aven Hospitality Embeds E-Commerce Features into Hotel Journeys
Viral Bakery Reinventions
Sainsbury's Launches Dipped Croissants Inspired by Social Pastry Trends
Autonomous Grocery Platforms
AI-powered systems automate inventory, pricing, and store operations
Vision AI Restaurants
Berry AI and Culver’s Expand Real-Time QSR Analytics Nationwide
Boutique Grocery Designs
The Meadow Lane Store Introduces a Refined Retail Concept in Tribeca
Shelf-Less Retail Stores
Goody Goody Liquor Uses Robots and QR Codes to Replace Shelving
Grocery Shelf Edge Pilots
Pricer Piloted Its Pricer Avenue™ Platform with East of England Co-Op
Interactive Retailer Screen Installations
Looma Deploys Its In-Store Digital Media System at BJ's
Conversational Visual Shopping
Amazon Lens Live Matches Products Through Real-Time Scanning
Retail Design Landmarks
D14.2 Concept Store in Oslo Rethinks the Shopping Experience
Shelf Digitization Strategies
Coresight Research and Simbe highlight retail shelf digitization
Branded Smart Retail Hubs
Coca-Cola India Has Developed and Widely Implemented Coke Buddy
Tech-Advanced Smart Retail Solutions
ZKONG Showcases Its Smart Retail Solutions in Düsseldorf
Automated Beverage Dispensing Systems
TendedBar is Working on Rolling Out Its Countertop Unit
Expanded Visual Search Features
Amazon Unveiled Its Visual Search Capabilities in Shopping App
Grocery Store Accessibility Models
Tesco Enhances Its Self-Service Checkout Experience
Intelligent Retail Infrastructure
Supermicro Spotlights Its Intelligent In-Store Retail Solutions
Streamlined Payment Integrations
365 Retail Markets Incorporates VisionLink to Its Smart Stores
Digital Shelf Label Systems
Walmart Introduces the New Digital Shelf Labels Nationwide
AI Store Assistants
xPilot Helps Retailers Make Proactive Moves with Digital Twin Technology
Ad-Friendly Vertical Video Feeds
Instacart Debuts the Immersive Feed Feature on Its Platform
South Korean Monotone Shop-In-Shops
juun.j Debuted a Shop-In-Shop at The Hyundai Seoul
Hybrid Beauty Discovery
Ulta Beauty Finds Gen Alpha Blends AI Tools with In-Store Shopping
Touchscreen Retail Ordering Systems
These New MicroTouch Products Help to Optimize Ordering
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
AI Retail Infrastructure Platforms
Huawei Expands Intelligent Retail Systems Across Europe
Gallery-Like Retail Floors
Tutto Bene Redesigns Globus Basel Fashion and Private Shopping Floors
Nostalgia-Powered Retail
Zellers Revives a Canadian Favorite With New Ontario Stores
Retail AI Assistants
Retail AI Council Develops AI Tailored to Industry-Specific Needs
Perishable Food Management Platforms
Afresh Technologies Debuts Fresh Store Suite
AI Grocery Ordering
Grocery Outlet Deploys Afresh Across More Than 500 Stores
Retail Beverage Experiences
The Paper Store Uses Custom Drink Stations to Boost Engagement
Video-Based Mystery Shopping Technologies
Blaze Pizza Partners with Reality Based Group
Community Hub Convenience Stores
Co-op turns local stores into delivery and service hubs
AI Voice Ordering Systems
Casey’s General Stores Uses Conversational AI to Handle Orders
In-Store Retail Media Networks
Raley's Expands Shopper Advertising Through Grocery TV
Future-Facing Food Retailer Ranges
The Ocado Future of Food Edit Aisle Spotlights Modern Varieties
Digital Shelf Edge Labels
James Hall & Co. Rolls Out the SOLUM Electronic Shelf Edge Labels
Elevated Casual Fashion
RetailMeNot Spotlights Capri Pants as a Versatile Summer Staple
Omnichannel Retail Media Networks
Target's Roundel Expands Advertising Across Streaming and Stores
AI Kitchen Design Platforms
3D Cloud Introduces Conversational Tools for Custom Kitchen Planning
Seasonal Discovery Dining
Kura Sushi launches summer menu items and seasonal sushi selections
Elevated By-Appointment Shopping Services
Royalmount Montreal Opens a Shopping and Styling Suite
Digital-First Furniture Stores
Article Debuted Its Direct-To-Consumer Furniture Stores in the U.S.
Experience-Focused Retail Carts
Target Redesigned Shopping Carts for Comfort and Convenience
Data-Led Brand Creation
AS Watson Builds Brands Using Shopper Insights and Loyalty Data
Real-Time Grocery Personalization Platforms
Birdzi’s Journey Tool Delivers Automated Behavior-Base
Autonomous Retail Experiment Stores
Andon Labs Launches the AI-Led Andon Market
Retail Conversation Marketing Campaigns
Tesco Launches 'Need Anything From Tesco' Platform
Discovery-Led Beauty Zones
Watsons Launches BeautyVerse And Jubilee Wellness Corners
iPad Vision Self-Checkout Systems
VisioLab Launches Its AI-Powered iPad Checkout Interface