Announcing the Upcoming Release of Our Leading Insights Publication, Retail Innovations 2022!

Read on for a Preview of Dominant Themes Covered in the 2022 Edition of our Global Retail Insights

Since 2005, we have published the Global Retail Trends & Innovations Report in collaboration with Ebeltoft Group, a consortium of international retail consultancies of which we are a founding member. In this year’s edition of the international report, Retail Innovations 2022, we explore new stores and retail concepts on the cutting edge of global retailing through 50 detailed case studies representing winning ideas and innovations gathered from hundreds of entries. We will officially release Retail Innovations 2022 at the end of this month, on January 28^th, 2022.

This year’s publication highlights innovations from mature companies like Walmart and Ikea as well as emerging startups, such as Dom’s Kitchen & Market, Foxtrot and GoPuff.  Altogether, the winning case studies shed light on five key elements driving rapid change in the modern retail matrix:

1. Engagement Out-of-Store: When shopping and operating an in-store business became more challenging under the pressures of the global pandemic, the ability to engage with customers outside of the four walls of a retail store became imperative to retailer strategy and success. Leaders in the Engagement Out-of-Store category demonstrate advanced capabilities, such as livestream commerce, unboxing experiences, online and in-app customer experience personalization, virtual personal shopping, influencer engagement, and virtual and augmented reality.
2. Engagement In-Store: Retailers with outstanding in-store experiences use new tactics to tell compelling stories, create a destination, and inspire lifetime value. Retail innovators in the Engagement In-Store category build and exemplify superior in-store capabilities, such as community building initiatives, personalization options, entertainment and education, brand showcases, gamification, valuable services and true expertise.
3. Efficiency Out-of-Store: Throughout the course of the pandemic consumers increasingly demanded seamless omnichannel capabilities from retailers they shopped and relied upon for basics like food and household goods. Innovative retailers in the Efficiency Out-of-Store category offer new levels of convenience to today’s consumer, including fast delivery, curbside delivery, smart orders, subscription flexibility, virtual product experiences, and added out-of-store services like installation.
4. Efficiency In-Store: The ideal in-store experience has changed immensely during the pandemic, as retailers work to streamline shopping and remove points of friction – often utilizing new technologies and dynamic changes in customer service. Efficiency In-Store innovators offer game-changing in-store digital tools, smart services, robotics, smart shelves and communications, omnichannel pick-up points, and cashier-less payment to foster a highly efficient in-store experience.

5. Sustainability: Retailers and brands continue to align their business models with elevated consumer and societal goals to invest in companies that share their values and make an impact. New concepts, processes, and technologies are emerging to move the needle on creating a more sustainable global retail industry and are highlighted throughout the report. Inspiring leaders in the Sustainability category this year offer new tactics, including use of sustainable materials, circular incentives, supply chain transparency, repair services, recycling and upcycling methods, and a focus on making a difference in the local markets they serve.

This year’s class of retail innovators represents the 17^th annual edition of Retail Innovations.  In the coming weeks, we will be highlighting select cases from each of the five thematic categories that characterize the New World Matrix for global retailing.  Stay tuned for case briefs from each theme, and don’t hesitate to follow or DM us on our Instagram account for more visual and interactive content we will be sharing from each of these retail innovations that we will cover alongside the January 28^th official launch of Retail Innovations 2022.