Some of the highlights of the top July 2021 retail ideas include stores (online and off) that implement cutting-edge technology, sustainable initiatives and next-generation experiences for Gen Z.
With in-store refill stations, recycling centers and the use of environmentally friendly materials, many retailers are making their commitments to the environment visible before consumers' eyes. The first physical retail space from Google in New York City is an example of this, thanks to sustainable elements woven throughout the warm and welcoming tech store design.
New retail experiences are being created for a new generation, as seen in Yoox's new retail hub for digital natives called Hi_GuyZ!, as well as Afterpay's GenderFree shop to support authentic and creative self-expression.
Top 55 Retail Trends in July
55
Contactless Product Testers
GK Concept's Dropper Provides Touch-Free Testing Experiences In-Store
54
Zero-Waste Beauty Hubs
AROMATICA ZERO STATION is a Sustainable Space in South Korea
53
Healthy Plant-Based Snacks
The BitesWeLove Crunchy Peas Healthily Satisfy Snack Cravings
52
Greenery-Accented Retail Spaces
IKEA Copenhagen Employs Dorte Mandrup for a Green Rooftop Park
51
Sustainable Delivery Service Solutions
BrightDrop's Neighborhood Delivery Hub is Eco-Friendly
50
Thoughtful Private Label Rebrands
Coop Netherlands Tapped Customers for its Private Label Rebrand
49
Body Care Refill Stations
The Body Shop's Store Refill Scheme Supports a Circular Economy
48
Global Flagship Beauty Stores
The Valentino Beauty Flagship Store is Located at the JFK Airport
47
Gen Z Fashion Hubs
Yoox Created a Dedicated Section for Young Consumers Called Hi_GuyZ!
46
Eco-Friendly Tech Shops
The Google Store NYC Features Cork & Recycled Materials
45
Uplifting Lifestyle Pop-Ups
Christopher Kane's More Joy Pop-Up Inspires Daily Positivity
44
Balanced Prebiotic Health Products
Waitrose's Holistic Living Range Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle
43
Branded Virtual Shopping Events
Bayview Village Debut a Live Virtual Shopping Event, Covet & Click
42
Wizard-Themed Retail Experiences
The Harry Potter New York Store Offers Exclusive VR Adventures
41
Non-Binary Style Shops
The Afterpay GenderFree Shop Encourages Purchases to Support Expression
40
Shoppable Toy Video Platforms
The Kitoons OTT Platform Combines Content and E-Commerce
39
Automated Grocery Stores
The Full-Size Amazon Fresh Grocery Store Has Just Walk-Out Technology
38
Autonomous Community Markets
Valet Market is a Modern Amenity for Apartment Buildings
37
Refined Rebranded Supermarket Products
The Salling Group's Private Label Products Got a New Look
36
Award-Winning Private Label Products
Retailer Rimi Baltic Won Two European Private Label Awards
35
POS Solution Boxes
Visa's Tap to Phone Turns Phones Into POS Devices
34
Restaurant Wine Shop Pivots
Bottega Volo Pivoted to an Exclusive Wine Shop Amid the Pandemic
33
Drone Retail Delivery Services
Walmart Partners Up with DroneUp Service Provider for Deliveries
32
Desert Planet-Inspired Skincare Stores
Lialawlab Has Outdone Itself with the Design of Formoral
31
Sustainable Retail Goals
Target Launches New Sustainability Goals as Part of "Target Forward"
30
Retailer EV Charger Expansions
7-Eleven will Install 500 EV Charging Stations at 250 Locations
29
Milk Bottle Recycling Initiatives
Morrisons is Reintroducing Glass Milk Bottles into Circulation
28
Rapper-Backed Entrepreneurial Platforms
Diddy Launches SHOP CIRCULATE for Black-Owned Businesses
27
AI-Integrated Retail Systems
Walmart's New AI System Helps Consumers Make Shopping Substitutions
26
Orange Wine Shops
Orange Glou is the First and Only Wine Store Dedicated to Only Orange Wines
25
Retail Revival Announcements
Glossier Announced That the DTC Brand Will Get New Retail Locations
24
Retail Remodeling Campaigns
Target Released Photos of Updated Stores with More Renovations to Come
23
Private Equity Brand Acquisitions
Iconix Brands Will Be Acquired by a Firm Named Lancer Capital
22
Historic Theater Tech Stores
The Apple Tower Theater Mixes Modern Style with Historic Architecture
21
Authenticated Luxury Bags
Select Luxury Handbags on eBay are Now Professionally Authenticated
20
Online Marketplace Expansions
GoDaddy Announced Sellers Can Leverage Amazon and eBay for Sales
19
Compostable Retailer Carrier Bags
Sewell On The Go is Launching Bags Made with Potato Starch
18
Plant-Based QSR Expansions
'Odd Burger' Recently Announced Plans to Expand to New York
17
Versatile Connected Drink Machines
The IBD Bold 30i Beverage Dispenser Offers IoT Connectivity
16
Digital Retail Investments
Neiman Marcus Group Acquires Stylyze to Bolster Digital Capabilities
15
Climate-Neutral Private Label Products
Lidl Germany Launched a Range of Eco-Friendly Products
14
Converted Natural Wine Shops
Paradise Grapevine Offers a Selection of Natural Wines
13
Same-Day French Delivery Services
Instacart Launches in Quebec in Partnership with Costco
12
Speedy Grocery Delivery Services
Tesco Expanded its Whoosh Delivery Service Outside Wolverhampton
11
Pollution-Reducing Private Label Products
Żabka Reached Plastic Neutrality for its Own Products
10
Retail Employee-Focused Apps
Walmart Launches Its Me@Walmart App and Gives Devices to Employees
9
Smart Market Intelligence Platforms
The EDITED Platform Provides AI-Powered Market Intelligence
8
Digital Vaccination Retail Initiatives
Walmart is Offering Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Records
7
Retail Pharmacy Saving Programs
Walmart Added a New Perk to Its Walmart+ Membership Program
6
Limited-Edition Grocery Store Gins
Aldi Launched the Solar Gin to Celebrate the Solar Eclipse
5
Office Building Grocery Pickups
Lowes Foods Offers Grocery Pickup Lockers in Office Buildings
4
Retail Nutrition Product Deals
GNC Will Expand Its Wholesale Presence with a New Deal with Walmart
3
Regional Retail Distribution Partnerships
Hudson's Bay Entered into a New Forever 21 Partnership
2
Historic Architecture-Accenting Renovations
Fosters + Partners Restored the Palazzo Marignoli
1
Reactive Frozen Yogurt Packaging
The TCBY Magical Collectible Color-Changing Bowl is Chromatic
Related Ideas
Luxury Holiday-Themed Pop-Ups
Loro Piana Unveils its Holiday 2025 Pop-Up Store at Yorkdale
Modular Store Concepts
Aldi South Group Introduced a New Store Format
Retail-Integrated EV Charging Hubs
Circle K Combines Fast Charging With Food and Convenience Stops
Gen-Z-Focused AR Campaigns
American Eagle Launched an AE Jeans Try-on Haul Lens
Summer Fragrance-Inspired Pop-Ups
Maison Margiela Launched a Pop-Up Café in Amsterdam
Automated Retail Concepts
VenHub Smart Stores Use Ai & Robotics to Redefine a Shopping Experience
Luxury Menswear Apparel Pop-Ups
Louis Vuitton's Soho Pop-Up Showcases the Fall/Winter 2025 Vision
Social Media-Inspired Retail Apps
Depop Outfits Lets Users Create Moodboards and Collages
Experiential Convenience Stores
FamilyMart Announced IP-Centered Store Experiences in Japan
Hyper-Personalized AI Shopping Tech
OTB Group Embraces Hyper-Personalization with Google Cloud
Curated Store Concepts
A New Target Soho Store Opens in New York with Design-First Looks
AI-Driven Shoppable Catwalks
Topshop and THG Studios are Hosting a Next-Gen Fashion Experience
Dynamic Running-Focused Retail Concepts
Nordstrom Debuts Nike Running @ the Corner
Design-Forward Concept Stores
Target SoHo is Immersive, Experiential and Shoppable
Community-Driven Shopping Experiences
A TikTok Shop Pop-Up is Coming to Westfield Stratford
Mobile Cafe Pop-Ups
Coach Introduced a Vibrant Coffee Truck in Gotemba, Japan
Digitally Enhanced Shopping Experiences
The Ray-Ban Boutique Opened at Royalmount Shopping Complex
Global Beauty Campaigns
L’Oréal Marks World Refill Day With a Global Campaign
K-POP Group Retail Pop-Ups
The BLACKPINK Pop-Up Store Features Limited Edition Merchandise
AI Chat Shopping Systems
Shopify Brings Retail to ChatGPT
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
Faux Food Pop-Ups
MoMA Design Store Unveils an Immersive 'MoMA Mart' Pop-Up for NYC
Creator-Led Beauty Retail
rhode Expands Across Sephora Europe After Strong Viral Demand
Immersive K-Beauty Pop-Ups
TIRTIR Brings Jeju Matcha Skincare to NYC with a Sensory Experience
Autonomous Smart Store Installations
VenHub Global and Circa Introduced the VenHub Smart Store
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
Summer-Ready Fashion Pop-Ups
SHEIN is Hosting a Four-Day Toronto Summer Trends Pop-Up
Colorful European Retail Experiences
Marimekko Opens Its New Location in Paris
Generative AI Retail Strategies
Kroger & Google Cloud Enhance Growth and Personalization
Annual Summer Pop-Ups
Dior’s Lucky Collection Enters Harrods with Starry Retail Experience
AI-First Shopping Experiences
Walmart and OpenAI are Partnering to Simplify Purchases
Immersive Video Shopping Experiences
ASOS Live Blends Creator-Led Content with Real-Time Shopping
Clinical K-Beauty Pop-Ups
Rejuran Debuts Science-Led Skincare Through a Sephora LA Activation
Sensory Retail Experiences
Claire’s Launches ASMR-Inspired Stores for Gen Alpha Shoppers
Upgraded AI-Powered Grocer Platforms
Retail Insight Significantly Enhances Its WasteInsight Tool
Takeout-Style Serum Sets
Glow Hub’s Skin Sips to Go are Packaged Like Cups in a Carrier
Beauty Retailer Partnerships
CJ OLIVE YOUNG x SEPHORA Announced a Global Partnership and Expansion
Grocery-Inspired SPF Pop-Ups
Beauty of Joseon's Morning Moisturizer SPF Grocery is Experiential
Festive Airport Pop-Ups
Urban Outfitters' Club Holiday Pop-Up Entices Gen Z Travelers
Experiential Brand Stores
New Era Creates Interactive Retail Space With Custom Cap Design
Flagship Value Fashion
Primark expands affordable fashion with a major Manhattan flagship store
Sci-Fi Series Shopping Experiences
Stranger Things 5 at Target Invites Fans into Hawkins
AI Retail Forecasts
Experts Outline how AI will Reshape Commerce By 2026
Artistically Expressive Multi-Brand Stores
Sanjay Puri Architects Has Redefined Retail Design
AI Shopping Integrations
Sephora’s ChatGPT App Enables AI-Powered Product Discovery
Enhanced Office Retail Experiences
Staples Canada Opens a New Retail Location in Burlington
AI-Powered Product Discovery Tools
The Vitamin Shoppe's Shoppe Advisor Supports In-Store Education
Luxury Eyewear Pop-Ups
Prada Opens an Immersive Eyewear Boutique at The Grove
shop-in-shop streetwear installations
U Urban Outfitters debuts the Vans 'On Rotation' experience
Industrial-Inspired Brand Events
Reitmans Reimagined its Distribution Centre for a Curated Event
Shelf-Scanning Robot Services
ShelfOptix Helps Retailers Access Insights with a Subscription
Freshness-Focused Perishable Goods Tools
Simbe Recently Enhanced Its Data Analytics Platform
Grocer-Inspired Installations
FREITAG Launches Mini Market Pop-Up at Dover Street Market Ginza
AI-Powered Shopping Features
John Lewis Launches a TikTok Shop Trial
Renaissance-Inspired Curated Beauty Marketplaces
Rennaï Has Launched an E-Commerce Website
DTC Physical Retail Expansions
Povison Opens Its First Permanent Store in Los Angeles
Beauty Retail Delivery Partnerships
Ulta Beauty Has Added 1500 Stores to the Uber Eats Marketplace
Mobile Beauty Pop-Ups
Henkel’s göt2b Debuts a Citywide Mobile Beauty Experience
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
Interactive Juice Boxes
Suntop's Mega Back to School Campaign Integrates Connected Packaging
Omnichannel Grocer Experiences
Instacart and Allegiance Retail Services Expand Their Partnership
AI-Powered Shopping Features
Target is Making Seasonal Gifting Easier, Personalized and More Fun
Slick Monochromatic Retail Boutiques
The Tom Ford Boutique at Yorkdale Shopping Center is Chic
Consumer-Driven Grocery Stores
The Waitrose Home of Food Lovers Concept Store is in Newbury
AI-Driven Wholesale Platforms
Hypedrop Validates, Designs and Develops Products in Six Weeks
Residential-Inspired Beauty Stores
The Tom Ford Beauty Brand Opens in the SoHo District
Social-First Retail Commerce
Shoezone expands TikTok Shop through creator-led shopping
Beauty Shopper Transports
Sephora & Lyft Media's Delivered to Beauty Sent Shoppers to Stores
Smart Retail Technology Expansions
A2Z Cust2Mate Secures Advertising Agreements with Major Brands
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
AI-Enabled Personalized Retail Experiences
Honeywell Implements an AI-Driven Retail System
Curated Discovery Stores
The Shelf Spotlights Emerging Food, Drink and Wellness Brands
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
Digitally Native Fragrance Stores
The Dossier Flagship Boutique Inspires Discovery & Education
Experiential Running Shoe Shops
House of SportsShoes Merges Digital Presence & Physical Experience
AI Checkout Kiosks
Retailers Embrace AI Vision To Speed Self-Checkout Lines
Novel Multi-Brand Retail Experiences
Lightspeed Commerce Debuts Multi-Brand Shopping and Ordering
Playful Tokyo Pop-Ups
Duomart Introduces a Themed Convenience Experience in Tokyo
Modern Luxury Retail Concepts
The New BOSS Boutique Opened at Montreal's Royalmount
All-White Contemporary Retail Designs
The White is Good Shop Was Designed by designRESERVE
Direct-to-Consumer Storefront Debuts
William-Sonoma’s GreenRow Opens a Physical SoHo Store
Ai-Powered Freshness-Monitoring Grocery Platforms
Afresh Expands Its Service Coverage
Retail Tech Revamps
Claire's Invests in Modern POS and Data Integration
Luxury Design-Led Retail
ALAÏA Opens a Bangkok Boutique Featuring Collectible Design Pieces
Hyper-Realistic Premium Eyewear Stores
Gentle Monster Opens its First Canadian Flagship in Toronto
Wellness Shop-in-Shops
Wellness by Ulta Beauty Shares Immersive, Informative Experiences
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
Accessible Self-Checkouts
Target Launched a New Experience for Guests with Disabilities
Curated Resale Storefronts
eBay's The NYC Edit Storefront Shares Tastemaker Selections
Low-Cost Summertime Merchandise
The Dollar General Summer Collections are Arriving This Month
Shops-In-Shop Openings
Maje X Holt Renfrew Partner for a New Era in Canada
Compact In-Retail Designs
IKEA Shop-In-Shop Adds Home Planning with Tech in a Compact Space
Low-Cost Back-to-School Campaigns
Target Back-to-School-idays Offers Discounts Up to 30%
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
Social-First Beauty Retailers
Sally Beauty Joins TikTok Shop
Interactive Beauty Destinations
Superdrug Beauty Playgrounds Inspire Fun & Product Discovery
Expanded Wellness Retail Assortments
Target Added 30% More Wellness Products to Its Shelves
Drive-Thru Markets
Goods Offers Instant Grocery Pickup from an Underground Delivery System
Retail Design Landmarks
D14.2 Concept Store in Oslo Rethinks the Shopping Experience
Compact Urban Grocery Retail
Whole Foods Expanded Daily Shop Stores into Three U.S. Cities
Spatial Commerce Platforms
Curie Shop Brings Interactive Product Exploration To Sneaker Shopping
Retail Beverage Experiences
The Paper Store Uses Custom Drink Stations to Boost Engagement
Immersive Tech Retail Experiences
The Latest Xiaomi Store in London Showcases Tech and Lifestyle
Online Luxury Lifestyle Shops
Quince Gourmet Food & Wines is Launching in Time for the Holidays
Grocery Store Accessibility Models
Tesco Enhances Its Self-Service Checkout Experience
AI-Powered Try-On Shopping Features
The 'Doppl' App Now Features a Discovery Feed
AI Retail Infrastructure Platforms
Huawei Expands Intelligent Retail Systems Across Europe
Automated Micro-Grocery Retail Tech
GrocerIQ Holdings is Working on a Physical AI Technology
South Korean Monotone Shop-In-Shops
juun.j Debuted a Shop-In-Shop at The Hyundai Seoul
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
Women-Focused Curated Pop-Up Experiences
tm:rw Introduces the Bloom Pop-Up Concept Until April 15
Gallery-Like Retail Floors
Tutto Bene Redesigns Globus Basel Fashion and Private Shopping Floors
Valentine's Day-Ready Grocery Deals
Natural Grocers Debuts Valentine's Hot Deals
Retail AI Assistants
Retail AI Council Develops AI Tailored to Industry-Specific Needs
Futuristic Commerce Spaces
Deji Plaza Phase II Brings Deep-Sea Wonder to a Retail Environment
Hybrid Party Retailers
Staples and Party City combine event supplies with print services in-store
AI-Native Store Research
Vusion and Qualcomm Released the AI-Native Store™ White Paper
Future-Facing Food Retailer Ranges
The Ocado Future of Food Edit Aisle Spotlights Modern Varieties
Experience-Focused Retail Carts
Target Redesigned Shopping Carts for Comfort and Convenience
Global Brand Refresh Systems
'Face the Future' Announces Rebrand With ShopTalk Studio
Elemental Retail Spaces
Goldwin Creates a Multi-Sensory Retail Environment in New York City
Healthcare Apparel Retail Concepts
Kindthread Opens an Omnichannel Scrub Store
Luxe Concept Retail Spaces
Saint Laurent Rive Droite Opens a Flagship Store in Beijing
Boutique Grocery Makeovers
This Women’s Clothing Boutique is Charming and Thoughtful Design
Community Hub Convenience Stores
Co-op turns local stores into delivery and service hubs
Digital-First Furniture Stores
Article Debuted Its Direct-To-Consumer Furniture Stores in the U.S.
Australian Designer Pop-Ups
WeWearAustralian Opens its WeWearAustralian Soho Store
Retail Marketing Advancements
Westfield Rise Debuts a Programmatic Targeting Solution For Malls
Purpose-Led Emerging Brands Initiatives
7-Eleven Taps 27 Brands for Its 2026 Brands with Heart™
Real-Time Grocery Personalization Platforms
Birdzi’s Journey Tool Delivers Automated Behavior-Base
Campus Convenience Hubs
Co-op Expands Self-Service Stores Across Russell Group Universities
Discovery-Led Beauty Zones
Watsons Launches BeautyVerse And Jubilee Wellness Corners
Agentic Local Stock Finders
Google AI Mode Calls Stores To Locate Items