From cashier-free beverage shops to geo-targeting store campaigns, the October 2018 retail trends demonstrate how companies are using technology to blur the lines between the online and the in-store shopping experiences.
Perhaps the most visible shift apparent from the October 2018 retail trends is that retailers are attempting to reduce the barriers to purchase by going cashier-free. For instance, San Francisco's Standard Market concept uses AI technology so that consumers are able to shop without having to stand in line, scan items, or even stop to check out. Similarly, the The Drug Store by the beverage brand Dirty Lemon, allows customers to "stop by and take what you need" from a tiny retail window and then simply text their purchase after to be charged through the brand's SMS-based order system.
Top 30 Retail Ideas in October
From Cashierless Beverage Shops to Geo-Targeting Store Campaigns:
Katherine Pendrill — Oct 28, 2018 — Business
30
Best-Selling Product Stores
The Curated 'Amazon 4-Star' Store Contains Only Top-Selling Items
29
Localized Convenience Stores
EAT17 in London is Redefining the Familiar Convenience Store Format
28
Paper-Made Window Display Installations
Helen Musselwhite's Art is Whimsical & Multicultural
27
Augmented Reality Online Shopping
Opendesk Allows Its Customers to Choose Furniture with AR
26
Cashierless AI Stores
San Francisco's Standard Market Offers a Seamless Shopping Experience
25
Whimsical Family-Run Kid Shops
Treehouse Offers Eclectic Collections and Creative Spaces for Kids
24
Celebrity-Owned Lifestyle Pop-Ups
Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop Opened a UK Pop-Up Store
23
Omnichannel Beauty Concepts
Sephora's Omnichannel Retail Concept Uses an App, Website & WeChat
22
Design-Friendly Floral Shop Hybrids
PlantShed is a Luxe Boutique Destination for Your Plant Needs
21
Multifunctional Golden Cubic Buildings
Stefano Boeri Architetti Designs a Geometry-Inspired Facade
20
Cashierless Beverage Shops
'The Drug Store' by Dirty Lemon is a Tech-Enabled Cashless Concept
19
O2O Eco Beauty Shops
Zalando's Beauty Station Boasts Stainless Steel Cubes & Recycled Cup Shelving
18
Charming Cartoon Cat Cafes
The New Hello Kitty Grand Cafe is Set to Open in Irvine, California
17
Historic Fashion House Popups
Toronto's Louis Vuitton Time Capsule Exhibit Boasts Archival Pieces
16
Social Media E-Commerce Platforms
IG Shopping Lets Buyers Purchase Directly on the New Platform
15
Thoughtfully Accented Sneaker Shops
Sole Finess Opened a Unique Women's Sneaker Shop
14
Successful Geo-Targeting Store Campaigns
IKEA Drives More Customers to Its Store with Data
13
Personalized In-Store Wishlists
The Conran Shop & Pinterest are Simplifying Shopping Experiences
12
eCommerce Fashion Collaborations
Amazon Fashion is Launching a New J.Crew Mercantile Collection
11
Curated Vintage Furniture Shops
Homestead Seattle is a Store That Sells Beautiful Retro Pieces
10
Shoppable Department Store Screens
Harvey Nichols' In-Store Touchscreens Share Shoppable Videos
9
Kid-Friendly Colorful Restaurants
The Pop Shop Offers a Unique Menu of Modern Comfort Food
8
Better-for-You Checkout Stands
Raley's New Check Stands Feature 25% Less Candy & Mindful Snacks
7
Inspiration Paint Pop-up Showrooms
Behr's Color in Action Pop-Up Promoted the Brand's New Color
6
Convenient Cashless Payment Apps
NETSpay is a Popular Digital Payment App from Singapore
5
Intuitive Personal Shopper Services
'MYSHOPOVER' Connects Shoppers with Premium Services
4
Charitable Stylish E-Commerce Lines
eBay & Karla Welch Collaborate on a Fashion-Forward Range
3
Purse-Promoting Pop-up Experiences
Janis Studios are Revealing Its Pre-Fall 2018 Collection
2
Visually Impaired Grocery Aids
Wegmans Supermarkets Offer a More Accessible Way to Grocery Shop
1
Smart Shopping List Apps
The 'Aisle Shopper' App Organizes Your Shopping List by Aisle
Related Ideas
Modular Store Concepts
Aldi South Group Introduced a New Store Format
Spatial AI Shopping Technologies
VusionGroup EdgeSense AI Immerses Shoppers
Automated Retail Concepts
VenHub Smart Stores Use Ai & Robotics to Redefine a Shopping Experience
Seasonal Shopping Occasions
Sephora Canada Spotlights Must-Haves for the Sephora Savings Event
Grocery-Inspired Beauty Pop-Ups
The Markup Marché by The Ordinary Challenges Industry Buzzwords
Connected Beverage Platforms
Coca-Cola Uses Freestyle Data to Create New Drinks Faster
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
Springtime Cafe-Inspired Coffee Products
Starbucks Spring Grocery Range Embraces Lighter Flavors
Design-Forward Concept Stores
Target SoHo is Immersive, Experiential and Shoppable
Fashion-Branded Café Experiences
Vogue Blends Retail with Immersive Hospitality Spaces
Prestige Beauty Storefronts
Ulta Unveiled Its Times Square Experiential Store
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
AI Merchant Onboarding Tools
DoorDash Launches Its AI Merchant Tools
Gen Z Concept Stores
UO Insiders Insights Informed the UO x Glendale Store Experience
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
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
Entertainment-Powered Retail Experiences
AT&T Brings Toy Story 5 to Interactive Store Activations
Modern Zero-Proof Spirit Marketplaces
The Zero-Proof Retailer Clearsips Boasts an Expansive Range
AI-Driven Fragrance Concept Stores
My Scent Edit Offers Digital Consultations & an AI Photo Booth
Grocery-Inspired SPF Pop-Ups
Beauty of Joseon's Morning Moisturizer SPF Grocery is Experiential
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
Sci-Fi Series Shopping Experiences
Stranger Things 5 at Target Invites Fans into Hawkins
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
Conversational AI Customer Service
Home Depot Uses AI Voice Agents to Replace Phone Menus
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
Experiential K-Beauty Retail
Yepoda Opens an Immersive Flagship Store in Seoul
Festive Convenient Store Offerings
7-Eleven Gears Up for the Holidays with Food, Beverages & More
AI-Powered Shopping Features
John Lewis Launches a TikTok Shop Trial
DTC Physical Retail Expansions
Povison Opens Its First Permanent Store in Los Angeles
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
Autonomous Inventory Robots
B&R Stores Introduced Its Shelf-Scanning Robot
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
AI Retail Experiences
RELEX Solutions Uses AI to Elevate In-Store Customer Journeys
Omnichannel Grocer Experiences
Instacart and Allegiance Retail Services Expand Their Partnership
Compact IKEA Retail Spaces
IKEA Launches Smaller Stores Focused on Quick Visits and Essentials
AI-Powered Shopping Features
Target is Making Seasonal Gifting Easier, Personalized and More Fun
Agentic Commerce Platforms
Google Introduced an AI-Powered Universal Cart for Smarter Shopping
Consumer-Driven Grocery Stores
The Waitrose Home of Food Lovers Concept Store is in Newbury
Content-Driven Flagship Retail
GARAGE Builds an Immersive Flagship in New York's Flatiron District
AI Dessert Store Concepts
Châteraisé Opened Its 24-Hour Unmanned Dessert Shop in Tokyo
Mood-Based AI Product Discovery
Starbucks Uses ChatGPT to Recommend Drinks Based on User Mood
Smart Retail Technology Expansions
A2Z Cust2Mate Secures Advertising Agreements with Major Brands
Customer-Led Loyalty Programs
The Iconic Unveils a Loyalty Program Built on Community Insight
Coordinated Convenience-Focused Promotional Campaigns
7-Eleven Runs Promotions for Two Events
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
Experiential Grocery Campaigns
No Name launches a multi-city grocery goss campaign
AI-Assisted Pricing Systems
Academy Sports + Outdoors Launches Its Dynamic Pricing Feature
AI-Native POS Systems
Tote.ai Supports Fuel and Convenience Stores
Social-First Retail Commerce
Shoezone expands TikTok Shop through creator-led shopping
Collab Retail Formats
Bed Bath & Beyond And The Container Store Open Its First Co-Branded Location
Refined Outdoor Retail Concepts
Tilley Opens New Its Store Under Unity Brands
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
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-Enhancing POS Retail Apps
MomentScience Reveals MomentApps
Playful Tokyo Pop-Ups
Duomart Introduces a Themed Convenience Experience in Tokyo
Activity Gear Billboards
Ocean Spray's Reclaim Happy Hour Activation Got Australians Up & Moving
Autonomous Menu Systems
Deliverect AI Optimizes Restaurant Menus in Real Time
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
back-to-school retail campaigns
Target rolls out its back-to-school & back-to-college campaigns
Seasonal Cocktail Solution Platforms
Lucas Bols Launches Its Stock Your Home Bar Incentive
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
Mobile-First POS Systems
Boot Barn Launches Its Mobile POS Platform
Emotional Delivery Campaigns
Shipt’s 'No Order Is Ordinary' Campaign Emphasizes Connection
Digital Twin Retail Technologies
Hanshow and Microsoft Explore the Store Digital Twin Technology
Curated Resale Storefronts
eBay's The NYC Edit Storefront Shares Tastemaker Selections
Store Experience Platforms
Cegid Launches Its Cegid Retail One to Consolidate In-Store Tools
AI Retail Experts
Ant by 11Ants Supports Faster, Evidence-Led Decision-Making
All-Hours Micro Markets
Healthy Smart Mart is Enticing Entrepreneurs with Its New Model
Retail-Style Hotel Commerce
Aven Hospitality Embeds E-Commerce Features into Hotel Journeys
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
Social-First Beauty Retailers
Sally Beauty Joins TikTok Shop
Drive-Thru Markets
Goods Offers Instant Grocery Pickup from an Underground Delivery System
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
In-Store Creator Commerce
Mac Cosmetics Turns Retail Employees into Live-Streaming Creators
Expanded Visual Search Features
Amazon Unveiled Its Visual Search Capabilities in Shopping App
Hybrid Beauty Discovery
Ulta Beauty Finds Gen Alpha Blends AI Tools with In-Store Shopping
Grocery Store Accessibility Models
Tesco Enhances Its Self-Service Checkout Experience
Intelligent Retail Infrastructure
Supermicro Spotlights Its Intelligent In-Store Retail Solutions
Automated Micro-Grocery Retail Tech
GrocerIQ Holdings is Working on a Physical AI Technology
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
Spatial Commerce Platforms
Curie Shop Brings Interactive Product Exploration To Sneaker Shopping
Embedded Safety Networks
‘Ask for Angela’ Builds Retail-Based Support Systems Across Toronto
In-Store Retail Media Networks
Raley's Expands Shopper Advertising Through Grocery TV
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-Powered Retail Analysts
Bluecore's Marketing Agent is Poised to Revolutionize Retail
Ad-Friendly Vertical Video Feeds
Instacart Debuts the Immersive Feed Feature on Its Platform
AI-Powered Store Manager Features
The Decision Logic AI Tool Seeks to Simplify In-Store Operations
Retail Beverage Experiences
The Paper Store Uses Custom Drink Stations to Boost Engagement
AI Grocery Ordering
Grocery Outlet Deploys Afresh Across More Than 500 Stores
Omnichannel Seasonal Support Campaigns
Bestway Wholesale Launches 'Buzz About the Sweetest Deals'
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
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
AI-Native Store Research
Vusion and Qualcomm Released the AI-Native Store™ White Paper
Nostalgia-Powered Retail
Zellers Revives a Canadian Favorite With New Ontario Stores
Retail THC Beverage Offerings
Target Expands its In-Store THC Drinks Selection
Future-Facing Food Retailer Ranges
The Ocado Future of Food Edit Aisle Spotlights Modern Varieties
Ultra-Fast Retailer Deliveries
Walmart 30‑Minute‑or‑Less Delivery Maximizes Access to Essentials
In-Store Ad Networks
ISM Powers Programmatic Advertising Across Retail Locations
Digital Shelf Edge Labels
James Hall & Co. Rolls Out the SOLUM Electronic Shelf Edge Labels
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
Strategic Reward-Focused Retail Campaigns
WeShop Launches 'Shopping Starts Here' Campaign
Brandless Packaging Campaigns
McDonald’s Tested a Name-Free 'Famous Order' Promotion
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
Premium Beverage Counter Concepts
Bambu Launches Inside the Walmart Westminster Location
Retail Conversation Marketing Campaigns
Tesco Launches 'Need Anything From Tesco' Platform
iPad Vision Self-Checkout Systems
VisioLab Launches Its AI-Powered iPad Checkout Interface
Celebrity-Backed Non-Alcoholic Beers
BERO Expanded Its Retail Push Into Walmart, Kroger And Publix
Agentic Local Stock Finders
Google AI Mode Calls Stores To Locate Items
Digital Store Mappings
Birdie Store Locator Map Shows Locations And Provides Actionable Insights
AI-Enabled POS Features
Pilot Standardizes Operations With Gilbarco Veeder-Root POS Platform