View From the UK: Retail Tech Trends to Try

Since the onset of the pandemic, retail tech trends have accelerated almost exponentially, says UK retail expert Wizz Selvey.

“The way people shop has changed, as has what they are looking for, their budgets and what they want from an omnichannel experience,” says Selvey, former head buyer at famed British retailer Selfridges who now runs the Wizz&Co. consultancy.

Writing in the April edition of Maddyness, Selvey says traditional retailers now find themselves sharing the stage with hot new players, with metaverse capabilities, as well as frictionless shopping experiences.

Given that, here are the strategies she sees growing in importance going forward:

Reinvent yourself:

“Physical retail is crucial to brands, and shoppers will always crave personal interaction, so I predict that we’ll see a rise in experience-led pop-ups, as brands get creative with adding more experience and personalization to their offerings.” 

Create destination shopping

“Activations like store takeovers and collaborations with creatives mark the path for a tech trend this year, which could see bricks and mortar retail destinations like this blend seamlessly with social media and the metaverse, engaging shoppers in a totally new way, while they learn about brands and retail offerings.”

Delve into deep digitization

“With some retailers investing in diversity, inclusion and engaging personally with each customers, brands like Levi are testing the capabilities of AI-generated models in order to show shoppers clothes on being more body-inclusive. I think the digitization of models, photoshoots and clothing could be a real asset to some brands, as this will also allow shoppers to virtually try on items (decreasing return rates) in store or in time at home.”

Click here for the full article by Selves.