<!-- canonical: https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-retail-store-of-the-future -->
<!-- robots: noindex -->

# The Retail Store of the Future

By Greg Ponesse | Published 2006-02-25 | Business
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-retail-store-of-the-future
References: [sunherald](http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/business/13909852.htm)

Tired of going into a store and finding no one to answer your questions?
In the retail store of the future, that problem may disappear. No more hunting down a sales clerk and hoping they know enough to explain the differences between each model of a digital camera or power drill.
Instead, pick up the telephone at a kiosk, where you'll be connected via live video to an expert, who could be hundreds of miles away at a call center. The expert will be armed with a variety of tools to satisfy customer questions, ranging from store maps to product details, inventory status and access to the Web.
These [live customer support kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/product-genius) were one of the newest technologies showcased at the [National Retail Federation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toteai) convention in January. As the nation's largest retailers continue to look for ways to make their business more efficient, they're increasingly turning to technology for help.
"Retail is a pretty simple business, but what adds complexity is the size and scale," said [Home Depot](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/collaboration-with-google-cloud) Chairman and Chief Executive Bob Nardelli, whose company is spending more than $500 million a year on technology.

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 4.9/10
- Popularity: 75% | Activity: 64% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Millennial
- Top markets: North America, Europe

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail)

## Key Themes

### Key Themes Behind This Trend

- **Live Customer Support Kiosks:** Implementing live customer support kiosks in retail stores can provide a seamless and efficient customer service experience.
- **Remote Expert Assistance:** Enabling remote expert assistance via live video connections can bridge the knowledge gap between customers and sales staff, regardless of location.
- **Integration of Technology:** The integration of technology, such as store maps, product details, and web access, in retail stores can enhance the shopping experience and improve efficiency.

### Where This Applies

- **Retail:** The retail industry can leverage live customer support kiosks and remote expert assistance to enhance customer satisfaction and drive sales.
- **Technology:** The technology industry can innovate and provide solutions to support the integration of advanced technologies in retail stores.
- **Customer Service:** The customer service industry can explore opportunities to provide remote expert assistance and training to improve support capabilities.

## Related on Trend Hunter

- [Artificial Intelligence Retail Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-human.md)
- [AI Checkout Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/self-checkout-lines.md)
- [Digital-First Tech Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tech-shops.md)
- [Video Call Shopping Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/specialist-over-video.md)
- [Advanced Adaptive Retail Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retail-technologies.md)
- [Future-Focused Big Box Retailers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/walmart-store-of-the-future.md)
- [AI-Powered Retail Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/deepbrain-ai.md)
- [AI-Assisted Aisles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cantaloupe-smart-aisle.md)
- [AI Retail Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/instore-customer-journeys.md)