# Smart Retail Stores that fully integrate smart features are increasingly common. By [Mishal Omar](https://www.trendhunter.com/MishalO) | Published Oct 10, 2018 | Category: [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/business-trends) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/smart-retail ## Key Figures - Trend score: 6.4/10 - Evidence articles: 4 ## What is the Smart Retail trend? **Smart Retail:** Brands have been incorporating smart elements into their retail spaces, or toying with the idea, for some time. Some are taking it to the next level with stores that fully integrate smart functions, much like many homes now do. ## The consumer insight behind the Smart Retail trend Now that online shopping has become so mainstream, consumers are not as drawn to in-store shopping experiences as they once were. With the necessity of an in-store visit often out of the equation, stores need to offer something memorable and experiential in order to motivate today's consumer to visit a brick-and-mortar retail location. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 4 featured examples - Articles from: Mar 21 to Oct 10, 2018 - Published: Oct 10, 2018 - Patterns: [Divergence](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/divergence), [Acceleration](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/acceleration) - Megatrends: [Catalyzation](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/catalyzation), [Artificial Intelligence](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/artificial-intelligence), [Personalization](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/personalization) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Themes within the Smart Retail trend ### Smart Retail Integration Retail stores are fully integrating smart functions to create memorable and experiential experiences for consumers. ### Tech-Powered Beauty Experiences Innovation opportunities for personal care and cosmetics industries lie in the use of everything from in-store robots to AI-powered apps and smart color-matching tools for an immersive and highly customized shopping experience. ### Checkout-Free Retail Frictionless shopping experiences that use AI, machine learning and visual cognition technology for fast and efficient checkout-free stores are game changers for the retail industry. ## What the Smart Retail trend means for industry ### For Retail Industry Retail industry players should consider incorporating smart functions into their retail locations in order to create experiential shopping opportunities that will draw in consumers to brick-and-mortar stores. ### For Cosmetics and Personal Care Industry Incorporating the latest smart tools and technology can streamline the shopping process, create highly tailored experiences and deliver customized shopping options that meet specific needs and preferences of consumers. ### For AI and Machine Learning Industry The checkout-free retail store concept is an innovative way of using AI, machine learning and visual cognition technology to create fast and efficient frictionless shopping experiences that save consumers time and energy. ## Workshop question Conceptualize a retail space for your products/services that would incorporate smart features. ## Trend signals for Smart Retail Trend score 6.4 out of 10, from popularity 94%, activity 89%, freshness 8%. - Popularity: 94% - Activity: 89% - Freshness: 8% ## Examples of the Smart Retail trend 4 featured examples from Mar 21 to Oct 10, 2018. - [Smart Skincare Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-store): SK-II's Smart Store in Shanghai Lets Customers Shop with High-Tech Bracelets (Category: Marketing) Implication: Incorporate interactive technology and personalized experiences to create an immersive shopping experience for consumers in physical stores. - [Smart Store Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biu): Suning's Biu Smart Store Shows the Future of Retail Technology (Category: Business) Implication: Retailers can leverage advancements in facial recognition and artificial intelligence technology to automate payments and provide personalized shopping experiences. - [High-Tech Beauty Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/voice-activated-beauty-shop): The L.O.V Voice Activated Beauty Shop Has a POS Smart Assistant (Category: Fashion) Implication: The beauty and personal care industry is being disrupted by smart beauty tools that offer personalized shopping experiences and streamline the product selection process. - [Checkout-Free Retail Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zippin): Zippin's Concept Store Shows a Next-Gen AI-Powered Shopping Platform (Category: Tech) Implication: Zippin's checkout-free retail concept presents an opportunity for companies in the retail technology industry to develop and offer AI-powered shopping platforms. ## Recent trend clusters - [Assisted Conversion](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/ai-assisted-checkout) (Business) - [Occasion Commerce](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/occasion-commerce) (Business) - [Autonomous Merchandising](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/autonomous-merchandising) (Business) - [Assisted Choices](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/weight-loss-medication-support) (Lifestyle) ## Trending in Business - [Performance-Based Creator Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creator-ad-platforms) - [MIami Pop-Culture Shirts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miami-pop-culture-shirts) - [Natural Deodorant Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-beauty-studios) - [Mini Beauty Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/little-luxuries-store) All articles: [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business)