Category
Business
Assisted Conversion
Trend cluster
Category
Retail
Symbiosis
Retail spaces blur the line between production and consumption.
5.8
Trend score
Trend
What is the Retail Symbiosis trend?
Retail Symbiosis: Blurring the line between production and consumption, retail brands are emerging with forward-thinking retail concepts that provide shoppers with an opportunity to engage with interactive elements that hint at the research and development of new products. In addition to providing brands with an opportunity for real-time feedback, such concepts highlight the continued progression of the consumer-brand relationship into the realm of symbiosis.
Trend themes
Themes within the Retail Symbiosis trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Interactive Retail
Retail spaces that provide shoppers with an opportunity to engage with interactive elements or participate in workshops to gain real-time feedback, leading to a progression of the consumer-brand relationship into the realm of symbiosis.
02
Community-Centric Retail
Retail spaces evolving into a community hub where customers can shop while also connecting with like-minded individuals through art, fashion, music, and workshops.
03
Rapid Prototyping
The use of prototyping studios to create exclusive capsule collections and then using customer feedback to determine what works best before making any items available in a permanent collection.
Industry implications
What the Retail Symbiosis trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Art Supplies Retail
Opportunity for art supplies retailers to enhance their customer experience by offering interactive workshops and classes with skilled artisans.
For
Speciality Coffee Shops
Opportunity for coffee shops to differentiate themselves by focusing on quality beans, offering cold brew, and creating a welcoming atmosphere where customers can learn more about each roast.
For
Retail Design and Architecture
Opportunity for retail designers and architects to promote an interactive shopping experience in an open-concept space that offers patrons a unique visual, encouraging interaction with brand representatives and powerful education courses.
Workshop question
How can your brand incorporate more real-time feedback to better understand the current market, as well as involve your consumers on a deeper level?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Retail Symbiosis
Trend score 5.8 out of 10, from popularity 83%, activity 82%, freshness 8%.
Popularity83%
Activity82%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
South America
Evidence
Examples of the Retail Symbiosis trend
5 featured examples from Dec 7, 2015 to Jan 13, 2017CategoryLifestyle
Open-Concept Coffee Shops
'Capriole Café' Features Roastery Equipment Out in the Open
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Transform coffee shops by adopting open-concept designs, elevating the coffee production process, and offering educational experiences for custo…
CategoryBusiness
Activewear Prototyping Studios
The Lululemon Lab in NYC is an Experimental Retail Concept
The athletic apparel industry can capitalize on creating experimental retail spaces to gather valuable feedback and engage with customers on a more personal level.
CategoryArt & Design
Art Supply Laboratories
This New Art Supplies Store in Tokyo Seeks to Inspire Young Artists
Creating disruptive innovation opportunities by offering expert-level advice, workshops, and classes on traditional methods of production.
CategoryLifestyle
Quality-Forward Coffee Shops
Orlando's 'Lineage Roasting' is Bringing Quality Coffee to Florida
The coffee industry has an opportunity to embrace quality-forward approaches and elevate the coffee experience.
CategoryArt & Design
Communal Retail Shops
'Cornerstore' Houses Its Retail and Textile Production in One Space
Fashion retailers can take advantage of communal retail spaces to connect with local communities and foster brand loyalty through transparency and the incorporation of workshops.
