From virtual apartment tours to virtual cooking services, the May 2020 market trends showcase how businesses across various industries are responding to the impacts presented by the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent social distancing regulations.
Notably, the service industry is still looking for ways to connect to consumers and have implemented an array of online services including ChowNow. The platform allows restaurants to add an ‘Order Food’ button to their Instagram page, or through stickers in their story, so when they showcase a dish, customers can easily order it without having to shift through various delivery platforms.
The May 2020 market trends also showcases ways brands are optimizing freelance-employees, with British online cosmetic retailer Lookfantastic debuting an influencer program to showcase new products while maintain social distance.
Top 30 Market Trends in May
30
Virtual Apartment Tours
The Zillow Platform Facilitates Rentals During Social Distancing
29
Freelancer Beauty Opportunities
Lookfantastic Opens Influencer Programme to Struggling Freelancers
28
Beauty Retailer Subscription Boxes
Sephora is Replacing Its Play! Box with the Sephora Luxe Box
27
Bulk Food Ingratiate Platforms
The Pepper App Will Now Deliver Bulk Food Items to Consumers
26
Locally Oriented Shopping Apps
Shopify Has a New Shopping App with a Faster Checkout Experience
25
Social Media Food Ordering
ChowNow Added a Food Ordering Feature for Restaurants on Instagram
24
Hospital Convenience Pop-Ups
7-Eleven and Children's Health's Store Supports Healthcare Workers
23
Virus-Related Hospitality Resources
The Hotels Network Launched a Series of Best Practices
22
Pre-Paid Consumer Support Inniatives
East Fork is Asking Fans to Purchase Future Products
21
Integrated Food Deliveries Services
Tagme Food Solutions is a Management Platform for Restaurants
20
Crowdsourced Shopping Apps
The Live Lineups App Tracks Wait Times at Grocery Stores
19
Virtual Cooking Services
MilkCrate Launches a Virtual Culinary Service with a Professional Chef
18
Biometric Onboarding Platforms
IDEMIA Launched a New ID.X Identity Platform for Digital Security
17
Interactive Game Streaming Platforms
Genvid Technologies is Integrating Phones into Streaming
16
Sustainability-Focused Clothing Badges
Nike Created Branding for Sustainability-Focused Products
15
Marketing Platform Acquisitions
TapClicks Recently Purchased the AdStage Marketing Platform
14
Anti-Virus E-Commerce Initiatives
Amazon is Using Thermal Cameras to Screen Warehouse Employees
13
Search Engine Shopping Tabs
Google is Letting Businesses on the Shopping Tab Free of Charge
12
Remote Call Center Startups
JobHome Hires Motivated Employees Via a Home Office Work Model
11
Volunteer Grocery Vouchers
Aldi Launched a Volunteer Voucher Initiative for Vulnerable Customers
10
Small Business Credit Lines
Mercado Libre's Mercado Pago is Extending a R$600 Million Credit Line
9
AI-Integrated Sports Broadcasts
The NBA and Microsoft Will Collaborate on AI-Powered Game Viewing
8
Work-Finding App Sections
Uber Added a Work Hub to Its Platform for Temporarily Displaced Drivers
7
Nationwide Prescription Deliveries
Instacart is Expanding Delivery Options from Costco Pharmacy
6
Commission-Eliminated Music Platforms
Bandcamp Removed Commission Fees to Support Artists
5
Global Music Streaming Deals
Spotify and Warner Recently Entered into a Global Licensing Deal
4
Reduced Advertising Services Fees
Google is Eliminating Ad Fees for Select News Organizations
3
Intricate Multi-Layered Paint Jobs
Tesla Will Be Customizing Paint Jobs at Its Giga Berlin Factory
2
E-Commerce Virus Protections
Amazon Will Complete Temperature Checks on Warehouse Employees
1
Eclectically Powered RWD Vehicle Releases
Tesla is Releasing Its Long-Range RWD Model 3 in China
Related Ideas
Newsstand-Style Pop-Up Series
Uber Eats x ALDI Celebrated Their Partnership with 'The Daily Feed'
Social Media-Inspired Retail Apps
Depop Outfits Lets Users Create Moodboards and Collages
Trend-Aligned Menu Launches
Jamba's New Summer Bundles are Inspired by Gen Z and Millenial Trends
Show-Inspired Marketplace Campaigns
Facebook Marketplace x Netflix Launch a Bridgerton Experience
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
Creator-Led Beauty Retail
rhode Expands Across Sephora Europe After Strong Viral Demand
AI-Driven Shoppable Catwalks
Topshop and THG Studios are Hosting a Next-Gen Fashion Experience
AI Merchant Onboarding Tools
DoorDash Launches Its AI Merchant Tools
Community-Driven Shopping Experiences
A TikTok Shop Pop-Up is Coming to Westfield Stratford
Real-Life Mood-Board Transformations
Pinterest Launches the 'Bring My Pinterest to Life' Series
Faux Food Pop-Ups
MoMA Design Store Unveils an Immersive 'MoMA Mart' Pop-Up for NYC
Drone Home Touring Tools
Zillow Unveils a New Tool That Makes Property Buying Seamless
Gamified Condiment Experiences
HEINZ’s Ketchup Blast Turns Meals Interactive
Live Social Shopping Expansions
QVC® Announces New Brands That Will Join Its Roster in 2026
Rural Running Vacations
Airbnb and Strava are Motivating Gen Z to Book Run-Cations
Gourmet Lunch Pop-Ups
Uber Eats' Sandwich Studio Elevated the Classic Combo Meal
Immersive Video Shopping Experiences
ASOS Live Blends Creator-Led Content with Real-Time Shopping
Social-First Local Shopping Schemes
Shop Local by Tiktok Shop Makes Homegrown Goods Accessible
Experiential Student Activations
Just Eat's Hey U Up Campaign Coincides with Freshers’ Week
Marketplace-Based Auto Retail
Hertz Expands Certified Car Sales Through eBay’s Digital Platform
Beauty Retail Delivery Partnerships
Ulta Beauty Has Added 1500 Stores to the Uber Eats Marketplace
AI Beauty Assistants
Sephora Launched Advanced Chatbot Features for Virtual Try-Ons and Bookings
Mobile Beauty Supply Pop-Ups
Sally Beauty Enters into a Collaboration with DoorDash in NYC
Design Food Exhibitions
IKEA's Food for Thought Exhibition in Milan Explores Cooking Rituals
AI Retail Forecasts
Experts Outline how AI will Reshape Commerce By 2026
Imaginative Fantasy-Inspired Campaigns
Canva Spotlights its Creative Tools Ahead of Halloween
Grocery-Inspired Beauty Pop-Ups
The Markup Marché by The Ordinary Challenges Industry Buzzwords
AI Shopping Integrations
Sephora’s ChatGPT App Enables AI-Powered Product Discovery
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
Bookable Kitchen Pop-Ups
KitchenAid Room To Host Elevates Holiday Hosting
AI-Assisted Marketing Tools
YouCam AI Pro Offers AI Business Avatar & AI Product Staging Tools
Festival Beauty Activations
Medicube Brings Skincare Tech and Experiences to Coachella
Mobile Beauty Pop-Ups
Henkel’s göt2b Debuts a Citywide Mobile Beauty Experience
AI-Enabled Takeout Services
Uber Eats AI Tools Will Help Embellish Menus for Better Visuals
Shoppable Beauty Routine Apps
BeautyShelf Helps Users Discover Authentic Recommendations
DTC Physical Retail Expansions
Povison Opens Its First Permanent Store in Los Angeles
Meal Kit Installations
HelloFresh's Giant Delivery Box Features a Real Family Sharing Dinner
AI Beauty Apps
Refresh App Combines Hair, Makeup and Styling in One AI Platform
Virtual Clothing Tools
Virtual Try On Generates Realistic Clothing Images For Marketing And Social
Social Commerce Integrations
Ulta Beauty Launches a Creator-Driven TikTok Shop
Renaissance-Inspired Curated Beauty Marketplaces
Rennaï Has Launched an E-Commerce Website
AI Menu Optimization
Doordash Uses AI to Improve Menu Descriptions and Food Visuals
AI Agent Booking Systems
Fresha, Which Operates in Beauty & Wellness, Signals the Prevalence of AI
Website-Based Restaurant Customizations
The 'Wix Restaurant Experiences' Enables Unique Dining
Production-Led Live Commerce Events
P.Louise Launches Get Unteddy With Me on TikTok Shop
Feedless Social Platforms
Bond Eliminates Feeds to Focus on Real-Life Experiences
Throwback Grocery Campaigns
Economic Nostalgia Inspired Instacart's Summer Like It’s ‘99
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
Virtual Student Snack Stores
Fizz and Gopuff Partnered to Offer Quick Access to Snacks and More
AI-Powered Grocery Apps
Tre'dish's Transparent Pricing Offers Real-Time, Geo-Targeted Comparisons
Integrated Grocery-Shopping Apps
Airbnb is Testing an Integration with Instacart for Customers
Co-Branded Shopper App Partnerships
Grubhub and Instacart Partnered to Offer a Wider Selection
Curated Resale Experiences
Poshmark Blends Community Curation with Personalized Shopping
Behavior-Based Smart Homes
Google Home automations adapt to routines, moods, and behaviors
Experience-Enhancing POS Retail Apps
MomentScience Reveals MomentApps
Offline Dating Experiences
Beyond Debuts Social Club Prioritizing In Person Connections
Lightweight Restaurant Apps
Curate Boosts Restaurant Loyalty with No-Download Apple App Clips
Virtual Watch Parties
Together Watch Enables Synchronized Streaming And Chat With Friends Online
Real-Time Restaurant Reservation Services
Deliveroo Reservations Lets Users Browse Availability
Powerful Household Appliance Lines
Maytag Spotlights Top-Rated Kitchen and Laundry Appliances
Anniversary-Celebrating Marketplace Events
eBay Inc. is Commemorating Its Thirtieth Anniversary
Shoppable Recipe Collaborations
ALDI and Digitas Launch ALDIfy to Deliver Trendy Shoppable Recipes
Streaming Series Food Ranges
Waitrose and Disney+ Partnered for an Exclusive Rivals Range
Girl Dinner Experiences
Waverly Kitchen + Bar Curates Shareable Comfort Food Plates
Dining Delivery Platform Partnerships
Toast and Uber Partnered to Streamline Operations
Culinary Tradition Food Campaigns
The Merchant Gourmet 'Yes Chef!' Campaign is Running Now
Multi-Revenue Fashion Platforms
Rent the Runway expands into resale, ads and cleaning services
Video-First Food Ordering Experiences
CookUnity Acquired flavrs to Enhance Its Meal Service
Customized Restaurant Campaign Platforms
OpenTable Has Launched OpenTable Media
Conversational Rental Finders
The RentCafe App in ChatGPT Helps with Finding a New Apartment
Curated Resale Storefronts
eBay's The NYC Edit Storefront Shares Tastemaker Selections
Experience-Driven Photo Booths
Future Flicks Introduced an AI Photo Booth Feature
Workplace Meal Culture
ezCater Shows Employee Food Programs Driving Office Engagement
Athlete-Branded Outdoor Appliances
Ninja Launched a New Campaign For Upgraded Backyard Cooking
On-Demand Content Creation Apps
Social Agent Connects Users to Certified Content Creators
Expanded Tech Marketplaces
Best Buy Unveils a Digital Marketplace with New Possibilities
Shopping Campaign Optimizers
Productsup Introduced AI-powered Google Shopping Enhancement Tools
AI-Powered Home Staging Tools
Zillow Virtual Staging Helps Home Shoppers Imagine the Potential
Menu Discovery Challenges
Original ChopShop's Feel Good Foodie Challenge Rewards Menu Exploration
Shoppable Cooking Platforms
Studiolink Recipe Connects Creators with Monetized Recipe Platforms
Food Sharing Platforms
TotallyChefs Connects Users to Share and Discover Recipes Globally
Social-First Beauty Retailers
Sally Beauty Joins TikTok Shop
Local Food Discoveries
Streeats Helps You Find Hidden Street Food Gems Recommended By Locals
In-Store Creator Commerce
Mac Cosmetics Turns Retail Employees into Live-Streaming Creators
Expansive AI Product Catalogues
Morrisons and Google Cloud Launch an AI-Powered Product Finder
Focused Fashion Feeds
Clone Helps You Stay Updated with Fashion Trends Sustainably
All-in-One Digital Dining Marketplaces
This OpenTable Marketplace is for Private and Group Dining
AI-Powered Try-On Shopping Features
The 'Doppl' App Now Features a Discovery Feed
Social Food Delivery Apps
The 'Zesty' App from DoorDash Helps Users Find New Restaurants
Foodie-Themed Singles Events
Knorr and Eventbrite are Connecting Singles in and Out of the Kitchen
AI Ordering Assistants
Alexa+ Introduces Conversational Food Ordering
AI-Driven Platform Updates
Yelp Spring Product Release 2026 Introduces the Yelp Assistant
City-Focused Influencer Platforms
Storytime Launches Storytime Marketplace in Cities
Food-Focused Social Platforms
Flavorist Expands Flavorist Food App Access to the General Public
Physical-World Data Marketing
WPP Uses Google Earth AI to Predict Real-World Consumer Behavior
Galentine’s Hosting Kits
HelloFresh and Betches Media Curated The Galentine’s Dinner Edit
Digital Dining Platforms
Menu Restaurant Combines Online Ordering And Real Time Invoice Tracking
Seasonal Reservation Street Installations
Uber UK Launches 'Reserve' by Mother
Attention Economy Agencies
VaynerX Launches Tamara Group to Drive Social-First Brand Relevance
Cost-Effective Confectionery Items
World of Sweets Highlights Key Easter Trends Amid Rising Costs
Social Media-Inspired Streaming Apps
The Netflix App Feed Will Introduce a TikTok-Like Style
Access-Focused Digital Platform Evaluations
Zomato and Blinkit Hosted an ‘Access-Ability’ Conclave
Omnichannel Seasonal Support Campaigns
Bestway Wholesale Launches 'Buzz About the Sweetest Deals'
Video-Based Mystery Shopping Technologies
Blaze Pizza Partners with Reality Based Group
Virtual Dining Platform Expansions
GreetEat Corp. Expands to All Users in North America
Health-Focused Meal Planners
Kitchen Savvy App Helps Plan Meals And Track Nutrition
Restaurant Opening Lead Service
Flhip.com Offers Ready-to-Use Restaurant Opening Leads
Future-Facing Food Retailer Ranges
The Ocado Future of Food Edit Aisle Spotlights Modern Varieties
Restaurant Profitability SaaS Platforms
Linked Eats is Partnering with Olo to Assist Restaurants
Private Chef Marketplaces
ChefMaison Connects Clients With Home Cooks, Chefs, And Caterers
Service-Backed Recommerce Platforms
Commonplace Launches Marketplace With Built-In Delivery
Ready-Made Brand Marketplaces
Brands Like These Sells One-Off, Agency-Quality Brand Kits
Food Delivery Solutions
'Food Delivery App Development Solutions' Help Businesses Launch Apps
AI-Powered Superapps
Grab Introduces AI Features That Simplify Decisions and Automate Daily Tasks
Food Image Enhancement Tools
AI Menu Photo Turns Food Images Into Professional Marketing Visuals
Recipe Conversion Tools
CookTok Turns TikTok Cooking Clips Into Clear, Step-By-Step Recipes
Market Demand Checks
Buildpad Helps Validate Business Ideas Using Real-World Reddit Data
AI Adoption Insights
The 2025 State Of AI Development Reveals Key Industry Trends
Single Cook Connections
Knorr's #ServingSingles Empowers People to Spotlight Foodie Friends
Seasonal QSR Menu Options
bellagreen Launches its New Spring Seasonal Menu Across Texas
Valentine's Day Dining Research
OpenTable Compiles Data on Valentine's Day Dining Trends
Real-Time Video Matching
Call Me Maybe Connects Singles Through Fast, Fun 15-Minute Video Chats
Conversational Booking Assistants
The New Yelp Assistant Helps Consumers Go Beyond Discovery
Swipe Interface Restaurant Platforms
'Foodie Call' Helps Users Find Options for Meals
Commission-Free Food Marketplaces
Lunchbox & OPA! Deliver Alternative to Third-Party Marketplaces
Retail Marketing Advancements
Westfield Rise Debuts a Programmatic Targeting Solution For Malls
Event-Centric Camping Experiences
Huttopia Hosts World Cup Viewing and Activities at Its Campsites
Hyper-Local Guided Culinary Experiences
Tasty Tours Toronto Debuts New Guided Experiences
Rapid-Dispatch Domestic Services
Pronto Launches Pro Home 10-Minute Service Platform
Meal Delivery Brand Advantages
Clean Eatz Kitchen Signals to Its Advantages in the Market
Global Chef Marketplaces
Magical Chefs Connects Employers With Skilled Culinary Professionals
Food Delivery Platforms
Food Devilery App Development Builds Smart Secure Food Ordering Platforms
Elevated At-Home Dining Subscriptions
The Gousto Premium Range Features Three Tiers
Celebrity Chef Meal Kits
Celebrity Experiences' Meal Boxes are Curated by Industry-Leading Chefs
Unified Restaurant Management
FoodChow Streamlines POS, Ordering, And Marketing For Restaurants
Retail Conversation Marketing Campaigns
Tesco Launches 'Need Anything From Tesco' Platform
Restaurant App Templates
Restaurant Food Ordering App Enables QR-Based Menus With Flutter Code