RETAIL TRENDS

2020 vision to the future in retail

& consumer market
ABOUT THIS REPORT
The world is changing rapidly and so are consumers’ behaviours
and expectations. At Futurice, we have put together a collection of
trends that formulates a clearer point-of-view of the future up to
2020, with a focus on the retail sector. By looking at trends from a
customer-centric view, we hope to bring a human touch to seeing
the future.

In this report, you can learn about

• How the world is changing
• The innovative breakthroughs around us
• What opportunities retailers should pay attention to

Gain a thorough understanding on the implication and impact of

the market shift in order to shape a vision for the future. Develop
an awareness of consumer behaviour changes in the market in
order to build context for new opportunities.

This report aims to inspire retailers when they are setting the
strategic vision for customer engagement. The report should help
set the vision, while bringing direction both to immediate work and
by providing an actionable roadmap for the future. With 2020 just
around the corner, this is the best time to plan ahead and
challenge the marketplace.

RETAIL TRENDS
INTRODUCTION
We have developed eight main trends, each with three sub-trends:
• Masters of time and space
• Machines at your service
• Innovation along the value chain
• Bringing humanity back
• Not your grandma’s currency
• Luxjoyment
• Power to the people
• Shifted Identity
The trends look at broad areas of technical development, human
behaviour, and social shifts. If you are expecting to read about the
latest developments around disruptive technology, this report is
not it. Instead, we are taking a step back to provide a bird’s eye
view on how our society is evolving, using a technical
anthropological lens. This is an opportunity for us to step away
from the technology buzzwords, and look at our world from a
human point of view.
The premise of the trends project into short-term customer
opportunities in 2020. The trends are what we see as the driving
forces in IT, cultural, and social developments running up to 2020.
We don’t have a crystal ball but we can reliably predict that these
trends will drive mainstream development, based on our research
and insights. We have traced the trends back to how similar
services or products have developed throughout the years in
different markets, in order to pinpoint the point where a viable
market begins to develop, and the trends become visible.
CONTEXT
In today’s multi-channel retail environment, consumers are faced
with more options and services than ever before. Retailers are
riding the wave of rapid technical development in order to
transform their businesses and gain a competitive edge.
WE ARE AT THE AGE OF OF SHIFTING VALUES.
THE PERCEPTION OF VALUE IS CHANGING.
The value of time, convenience and emotional engagement. These
values are reflected in how companies conduct their businesses
strategically and operationally, and in the ways they deliver
experiences to their customers.
Change is a continuous path and right now we are at the tipping
point just before disruptive technologies reach their full coverage
and capacity. What makes this day and age interesting is the fact
that we are about to start seeing the maturing process of
technologies and new dynamics. These shifting values will soon
reach critical mass. Retailers need to react to this transformational
time starting now in order to benefit from this uprising wave.
RETAIL TRENDS
OPPORTUNITIES
It’s motivating to be inspired by the changes happening around us.
We can use these insights to capture or pursue specific
opportunities in the future. For each one of the trends, we have
formulated a specific Futurice point-of-view to guide retailers
through this thinking in a more actionable manner. We have
included:
Key drivers
The key drivers act as a KPI for organisations to create focus and
develop a strategy for. Each trend is related to a couple drivers. We
believe that these are the pillars for any organisation going
through, or starting, a transformative journey or building an
innovative business. 


Short term opportunities 1. Customer engagement

Achievable and highly relevant opportunities that we believe no 2. Cost efficiency
retailer should miss out on. These opportunities will help retailers to 3. Business model innovation
stay ahead of the competition today. 4. New market reach
5. Product / service enhancement
Exploratory questions 6. Organisational culture shift
Provocative and important questions for retailers to ask 7. Operational optimisation
themselves, to brainstorm on different areas of the trend and
broaden their thinking.

Trend maturity
We have indicated the maturity of each trend. 1 being the least
mature and 10 being the maturest. The maturity score indicates
how penetrated and readily adopted by the current market (2016)
is, and a estimate on how long we believe it will take for the trend
to become fully matured.

RETAIL TRENDS
 FUTURICE RETAIL TRENDS

2020 vision to the future in retail
& consumer market

MASTER OF TIME MACHINES AT INNOVATION ALONG BRINGING

AND SPACE YOUR SERVICE THE VALUE CHAIN HUMANITY BACK
RETAIL TRENDS

NOT YOUR
 LUXJOYMENT POWER TO SHIFTED

GRANDMA’S CURRENCY THE PEOPLE IDENTITY

RETAIL TRENDS
 FLEXIBLE CUSTOMER JOURNEY
MASTER OF TIME
AND SPACE BUYING TIME
IMMEDIACY OF NOW
 MASTER OF TIME
AND SPACE

We no longer function within the constraints of time and A winter 2015 survey from digital
marketing agency VML Qias found:
space. Customers can now get what they want, when they

“ 70%
want, how they want. The customer’s experience is no longer
a linear narrative happening at a specific touchpoint, but a of affluent Indians
flexible customer journey offering freedom and
customisation. Value is now placed in buying time rather than aged 18-35 agree that
goods. Make time for your family? How about buying time for luxury related to how much
your family? The proliferation of on-demand services has
brought immediacy of now to the customer’s experiences. free time one enjoyed,
Mastering space and time allows customers to choose what rather than an individual’s
they value and forget the rest.
purchasing power.
Source: Euromonitor
 MASTER OF TIME AND SPACE
FLEXIBLE CUSTOMER JOURNEY

Unless you’re waiting for a meteor shower, there’s no need for

customers to be in a specific place at a specific time in order for
something to happen! Flexible services for deliveries, pick-ups,
returns of goods recognise that time is valuable and no two
schedules are the same. Consumers are taking control of their
Starbucks allows customers
freedom in life through hassle free deliveries and returns, line- In Germany, Amazon Prime is piloting
throughout the U.S. to skip the line by
a partnership with Audi to deliver
skipping benefits, and subscription services. Going into the shop ordering and paying in advance on
orders directly to the boot of your car.
isn’t always necessary when we have e-commerce magic! their phones.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
By giving consumers the most convenient method of purchasing
tailored to their specific needs, retailers create more opportunities
for them to purchase. It’s also extremely powerful to have such
deep penetration into different untouched parts of the customers’
lives.

Swedish ICA customers will soon be

able to have their groceries delivered
directly into their fridge.

RETAIL TRENDS
 MASTER OF TIME AND SPACE

BUYING TIME
Micro task services that give consumers more time to do what
they want to do, are proliferating.Increasingly popular day-to-day
and specialised services are allowing consumers to outsource
washing laundry, walking the dog, building Ikea furniture, or
choosing their clothes. Services at our fingertips allow us the
Mini Fashion Bar is bringing the experience of
luxury of choosing how we want value our time. Forget about
shopping to hotel rooms to take some hassle
making time for things, we are buying more time for ourselves. out of both packing and shopping, personalised
to weather, location and events.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Time is money. When micro task services takes over time-
consuming tasks, consumers receive the most precious value -
Time. It’s an intangible yet extremely empowering gift to the
consumers.

Paw Shake allows pet parents in

Competition over which laundry app Australia to connect with trustworthy
should pick up your dirty laundry is tight walkers, so that they don’t need to rush
in San Francisco, as people are placing home at lunch every day to take their
more value on their time. dog on a walk.

RETAIL TRENDS
 MASTER OF TIME AND SPACE

IMMEDIACY OF NOW
Everything is on-demand now. By clicking a few buttons
consumers can instantly get the things that they want or need.
On-demand services have been so successful because they
provide convenience, comfort and instant gratification. Once
time-consuming activities such as waiting for a doctor’s
Everlane, a transparent online-only Companies like Doctors on Demand
appointment or spending hours travelling to a shopping centre clothing company, provides clothing are bringing the doctor into the
can now be done instantly. Netflix style entertainment and Uber- delivery within an hour to consumers home, providing assessment,
like efficiency all add up to the consumers taking control of their in San Francisco and New York City. diagnosis and prescriptions.
time, while minimising waiting.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
As the concept of waiting becomes a distant memory, attention
spans will deteriorate, so from a commercial perspective, goods
and services will increasingly need to be instantly available.

Delivery company UPS teamed up with

SAP to create an on-demand 3D
printing network

RETAIL TRENDS
 MASTER OF TIME AND SPACE

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
Decentralised supply chain to offer flexible, penetrating, on-demand services

FLEXIBLE CUSTOMER BUYING TIME IMMEDIACY OF NOW

JOURNEY
The concept of location-specific tasks
will slowly fade, and the future will
heavily encourage lifestyle convenience.
Which different activities can be
combined together in space / time? How
can retailers shift their existing
businesses to become lifestyle-centric?
The market is spoiling consumers by
offering absolute freedom around
purchases: how can retail businesses
keep up with consumers’ high
expectations? Satisfying spoiled brats
may require a continuous effort but it
could be the key to undivided devotion
from customers.
What are the different things that can be
outsourced? On-demand will become a
norm and no longer be the premium
service, what will be the one-up
premium version of on-demand? Could it
be something more effortless?

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

6 Customer engagement Cost efficiency

Business model innovation

RETAIL TRENDS
 THE ALL SEEING,

MACHINES AT ALL KNOWING HAL
YOUR SERVICE AUTOMATION

ROBOTICS
 MACHINES AT
YOUR SERVICE

Machines have evolved from passive objects that require

“ 24%
being told what to do, to digital assistants that know our
needs before we do. Thanks to analytics and big data,
machines are increasingly able to get a good idea of what
of tweets are
the consumers want, bringing us one step closer to Space created by bots
Odyssey’s all seeing, all knowing HAL 9000. Predictive services
can help consumers to navigate the sea of content they are Source: Wikipedia

presented with. Automation of cars, homes, and work-tasks is

lightening our load to allow time to focus on our lives. We
have created robotic tools that can perform tasks large and
small, cumbersome or repetitive, more precisely and
efficiently than we can. With so many tricks up their sleeves,
machines are at your service.
 MACHINES AT YOUR SERVICE
THE ALL SEEING, ALL KNOWING HAL

We spend a lot of time interacting with the machines, while the

machines passively observes our behaviour and our environment.
They gather tremendous amount of data about us and use this
big data to work out more details about us. Machine learning
technology pushes the boundaries of how our technology
Chevrolet is working on releasing Netflix has recently changed its
understands us. Proactive Alerts in their cars, which recommendation section from
will predict when certain regional to a global system
components need attention. focused on subscribers’ interests.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Big data does not only include data from the us, it involves
machines talking to each other as well.

With so much music, it is difficult to discover anything new.

Stay up-to-date on your home security Spotify launched the DiscoverRepetitive
Weekly playlist, personalised
and automation devices, so you’ll know AT&T Employees Automate
toTasks
eachwith
userSoftware
based onBots
their habits, for a perfect personal DJ
what’s happening at home. to successfully and effortlessly bring you music you will love.

RETAIL TRENDS
 MACHINES AT YOUR SERVICE

AUTOMATION
We have built machines to not only fulfil our human needs, but
also to act as our substitutes for those jobs that are tedious and
time-consuming. With the rise of IOT services, our machines talk
to each other to perform these tasks better and more efficiently
than we can ever do. Automated check-out systems in-store are
In Australia and New Zealand, Insteon is
already a norm, but continue to be pushed towards an even more AT&T is making their employees
providing automated home security so
more efficient by creating software
seamless execution, minimising manual labour. Our cars and you’ll be able to know and control what is
bots to complete mundane tasks.
homes are well on their way to being fully autonomous. going on in your home from anywhere.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Automating services means less manual labour and safer
services. We don’t need to think too much about our lives
anymore and our hands are free for different kinds of multi-
tasking.

Stay up-to-date on your home security
and automation devices, so you’ll know
what’s happening at home.
Volvo will be testing self-driving cars
AT&T Employees Automate Repetitive
on the streets on London with real
Tasks with Software Bots
families by next year.

RETAIL TRENDS
 MACHINES AT YOUR SERVICE

ROBOTICS
As technology matures, warehouse and logistic systems are
already run by robots. This is no longer just a luxury for large
enterprises; many SME adopt to the trend. The robots will handle
the majority of business logistics as well as some customer-facing
Amazon Robotics, a wholly owned Across the world, construction is
operations. Robots are so adaptable that they can make fresh subsidiary of Amazon.com, becoming automated with 3D
meals, perform surgery, and build houses. empowers a smarter, faster, more printers, brick-laying robots, and
consistent customer experience drones that can work far faster than
through automation. a construction crew.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Robotics bring a level of precision to the table that humans cannot
compete with. It introduces a more efficient ways to complete
tasks, and opens up new opportunities for creating more things,
more quickly.

In Abu Dhabi, a Smart Tissue Autonomous

Stay up-to-date on your home security Robot has been successfully performing
and automation devices, so you’ll know AT&T Employees Automate Repetitive
precise and safe surgeries in vivo, taking us
what’s happening at home. Tasks with Software Bots
closer to having real life robot surgeons.

RETAIL TRENDS
 MACHINES AT YOUR SERVICE

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
Using machines to optimise costs while eliminating pain points and human errors.

THE ALL SEEING, ALL AUTOMATION ROBOTICS

KNOWING HAL
What will machines learn about
consumers? What other input points can
be used as a way for machines to gain
more understanding of consumer
behaviour?
What other tasks can machines do for
consumers? Could they build your next
dream house, without having to ask you
what you dream of? How would this
affect our enjoyment of daily activities?
Be mindful of the balance.
As robots increasingly take different
forms and serve different purposes, how
will this change the way consumers
interact with machines? Will we devote
our loyalty to machines and cherish them
to the end of days, or could it be a
complete cold isolation of humanity and
machines.

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

7 Operational optimisation Customer engagement

Cost efficiency

RETAIL TRENDS
 PLAYING EVEN BETTER

INNOVATION WITH OTHERS
ALONG VALUE LARGER SERVICE
CHAIN ECOSYSTEM

NEWCONOMY OF
COLLABORATION
 INNOVATION ALONG
VALUE CHAIN

1 + 1 = more than 2. Retailers are forming business

“ More
partnerships that support better customer experience, by
combining services that can leverage strengths to deliver
than 110 million North
Americans are now part of
more values and fulfil more of the customer’s needs.
Companies may be able to deliver optimal experience to
consumers on their own, but they may find that they can be
the collaborative economy.
Participation has grown by
playing even better with others.These partnerships will
contribute to building a larger service eco-system in which
businesses team up with players from across the customer 25 percent in the past year.
journey to create a truly flexible network that can serve both
the B2C and B2B market. It might even be a way to spark
innovation! A collaborative economy has been a continuous Source: Vision Critical
trend that is taking over the market, creating a newconomy
of collaboration through peer-based systems.
 INNOVATION ALONG VALUE CHAIN
PLAYING EVEN BETTER WITH OTHERS

Industries no longer need to show competitive advantage by

competing head-to-head with each other; instead, collaboration
and partnerships are being formed to deliver greater value.
Companies come together and leverage each other’s strengths to
The Mac maker and enterprise
drive innovation forward. Not only can all parties meet their
You can now pay for your software titan SAP have joined forces
commercial goals but more importantly consumers end up Wagamama meal whenever you are in a partnership that will see SAP
receiving much greater benefits and get to enjoy better services. ready on convenient app Qkr! In building corporate apps tailored for
It’s a win that keeps on multiplying. partnership with MasterCard. Apple’s mobile devices like the iPhone
and iPad.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Innovation doesn’t happen in an isolated vacuum. Companies
might not be able to achieve all their goals on their own, so why
not have a collaboration model? Openness goes a long way, just
look at how Tesla has opened up all its patents.

ASOS and Telefónica’s Wayra have

launched an accelerator for those in
the fashion tech and ad spaces.

RETAIL TRENDS
 INNOVATION ALONG VALUE CHAIN
LARGER SERVICE ECOSYSTEM

Companies are focusing on delivering one service or product well,

but at the same time creating a larger service system by including
partners who can deliver added value at specific points in the
In 2000, MinuteClinics opened in CVS
service journey. Think ‘before, during, after’ moments and micro
Pharmacy locations across the US,
moments within specific interactions. Think different customer Under Armour has partnered
offering quick healthcare services. By
groups. By forming strategic partnerships, a consumer-focused with Residence Inn to create
2007, in-store full-service clinics were
custom two-mile runs at each of
product can be shifted to be more enterprise facings. Retailers no popularised by big box stores
its locations across the globe.
longer need to just think-outside-the box, they also need to think Walmart and Target. They are just
in different shapes and develop new ways of delivering value. coming around to the UK.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
By combining services that may seem distinct, but which are
somehow connected to form a larger system, customers benefits
from a lot of added value without having to go to different
sources. This represents a new level of convenience and ease.

Porch.com is launching Porch Retail Solution, a service that allows

online
AT&Tretailers to offer installation services for their shoppers. The
Employees Automate Repetitive
company’s partnership with Wayfair serves as competition for
Tasks with Software Bots
Amazon, which launched its own home-services division last year.

RETAIL TRENDS
 INNOVATION ALONG VALUE CHAIN
NEWCONOMY OF COLLABORATION

You have probably used peer-to-peer services like Airbnb and

Uber. These platforms, allow incredibly specific transactions
focusing on arbitrary goods and services, and enable customers
to double as suppliers. Sharing rather than owning is key. This
creates a collaborative economy that empowers consumers to
take control.
Cargomatic is connecting Still White allows brides worldwide
shippers with licensed carriers to to pass on the dress they wore on
revolutionise local trucking. their wedding day to brides-to-be
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
“Good services are verbs, and bad services are nouns.” Retailers
are becoming a ‘way’ for consumers to buy instead of merely
providing a destination that consumers buy from.

Fon aims to blanket the world with WiFi,

AT&T Employees
creating Automate
hot spots all over theRepetitive
streets of world
Tasks with Software Bots
by crowdsourcing WiFi from user’s homes.

RETAIL TRENDS
 INNOVATION ALONG VALUE CHAIN

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
Partnership network and platform for both B2C and B2B offerings.

PLAYING EVEN BETTER LARGER SERVICE NEWCONOMY OF

WITH OTHERS
As more coherent service ecosystems
become the norm, consumers might stop
distinguishing between different service
providers. How can service providers
ensure the experience stays fluid?
Consumers will have high expectations
of a comprehensive service system, how
would inter-enterprise collaboration
work in order to deliver such experience?
ECOSYSTEM
Consumers will increasingly expect
values to be created around them, or
services that enable them to exchange
value with others.
COLLABORATION
Enterprises as a platform or enabler are
becoming a norm. How to make sure this
enabling-focused business model stays
one step ahead? Can this platform
business take care of customer
expectations without damaging overall
user experience. In order to keep up with
changing consumer expectations?

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

5 Operational optimisation Business model innovation

Organisational culture shift

RETAIL TRENDS
 I COMMUNICATE IT MY WAY
BRINGING
HUMANITY BACK THE FRIENDLY MACHINES
EMPATHETIC SERVICES
 BRINGING
HUMANITY BACK
According to an April 2015 study of marketing executives
in North America from Forbes Insights and predictive
Looking through the human-computer interaction lens, it's analytics vendor Lattice,
important to acknowledge the emotional exchange that

“ the
happens between us and machines. In the increasingly
technical world we live in, there’s an interesting balance at
most common types of
data used for predictive
work when it comes to preserving our human ways.
Consumers are claiming “I communicate it my way” and
demand understanding from machines. Friendly machines marketing included
don’t just respond to to our needs, they go one step further
by fulfilling our needs without us asking for it. To take this
relationship to a two-way emotional exchange, machines will website data (47%)
demographics (44%)
start to provide us with empathetic services that allow us to
rely on them. In doing so, our human-machine relationship
will take a big step towards with the machines taking care of digital transactions (41%)
and social (39%)
our emotions.

Source: emarketer
 BRINGING HUMANITY BACK
I COMMUNICATE IT MY WAY

In the early days of computers we spoke the machine’s language ChatClass is an online tutor tool in
by learning programming languages or carefully typing in search Nigeria that uses WhatsApp to send
terms in a browser. Now it’s time for machines to learn who we text, audio, images and videos to
deliver learning content.
are and how we communicate as humans. Thanks to natural
language interfaces such as Siri we can communicate with
technology just by speaking normally or by using emojis. Learning Gesture control and its far-
reaching possibilities to
a new language can be as intuitive as making plans with friends.
what it can do.
Talking with our hands can easily be interpreted by machines and
with a point of a finger we become the wizard of our
surroundings.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
It’s not just about how machines understand us. It’s also about the
different ways in which a machine can understand us. The future
seems a lot friendlier knowing that we can keep communicating
the way we do, naturally, as humans.

Quartz’s new app texts you the news

in digestible text, gifs, and emojis. It’s
like your friend texting you highlights
from an old school newspaper

RETAIL TRENDS
 BRING HUMANITY BACK
THE FRIENDLY MACHINES

With the extensive knowledge that machines have about us (and

also our loved ones), it makes sense for machines to cater to our
needs. Services are going one step further than just understanding
us; different smart algorithms are being implemented in order to
teach machines how to react to us. With the targeting ads and Retailers are using location
IBM Watson Trend helps shoppers based beacon technology to
predicting emails, machines are proving to us that they are our
understand what is trending and target customers to the areas
friends rather than just a cold technology.
why, creating a smart gift giving they really want to see in in-
guide to make you a holiday hero. store shopping.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Our relationship with machines is an emotional exchange of give and
take. If I have told you that I like blue things, why haven’t you done
anything about it?

Amazon

Google can now respond to your emails for

you. Or rather, Smart Reply can suggest
three responses to emails which you can
choose from to edit or send as is!

RETAIL TRENDS
 BRING HUMANITY BACK
EMPATHETIC SERVICES
“Hey K.I.T.T, come get me now.” Ok, we are not quite there yet;
however, we are heading towards this kind of sci-fi vision where
our interactions with technology are extremely tailored. It doesn’t
stop at predicting human needs; a certain level of empathy from Xiaoice is a virtual girlfriend to
thousands of users in China. She’s
machines will solidify the relationship. Instead of just reacting to
more than just a chatbot, she
human emotions, machines take one step further by anticipating
remembers information from your
Hiya identifies the calls you want to
our needs and taking care of our emotions. We rely on our friendly past conversations to make for
pick up and automatically blocks
machines and they open their arms wide for us to feel safe in. personal and meaningful
the ones you want to avoid.
conversation.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The next level of emotional comfort with machines is not just about
us humans relying on them. Machines will take a proactive role in
giving us back more than we have given them.

Artificial intelligence taken further with mood

detection. Opening up tremendous opportunities
in helping people’s everyday lives.

RETAIL TRENDS
 BRINGING HUMANITY BACK

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
A ubiquitous emotional companion that focuses on listening to humans and building
trust proactively. 360 Big data service learning from consumer lifestyle and friends/
family activities.

I COMMUNICATE IT MY THE FRIENDLY MACHINE EMPATHETIC SERVICES

WAY
While mind-reading is still a thing of the
future, what other human actions and
behaviour could machines interpret?
Remember, sometimes non-verbal
signals can be the most important form
of communication.
At what point is the friendly machine too
friendly? Everyone has different
boundaries.This also triggers the delicate
balance of privacy concern and trust
issues. How can retailers make sensitive
advances in this area?
It’s not time to worry about minority
report scenario yet, but can predictive
technology really take care of
consumers? We can barely predict
ourselves sometimes, to come to a
reliable prediction we must look at data
from market benchmark, historical
patterns, customer behaviour, and
undiscovered needs through one holistic
lens.

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

4 Customer engagement

Product / service enhancement

RETAIL TRENDS
 NEW MONEY
NOT YOUR

GRANDMA’S YOU ARE THE PAYMENT

CURRENCY MOBILISE IT
 NOT YOUR

GRANDMA’S CURRENCY

Look Ma! No cash. These days, new money make us see our
money in a completely different way and reconsider the
definition of “currency”. You are the payment, not your cash.
We are seeing different ways to authenticate payments,
either via the trusty phone or simply by taking a selfie. A
“ About 21% of Starbucks’
U.S. transactions are now
frictionless payment process has become front-and-centre
in retailers’ business strategies. Retailers should think beyond
done via mobile application.
just payment and include the auxiliary activities. If you can
imagine it, you can mobilise it. Customer loyalty and Source: Bloomberg
incentives are reinvented as they become integrated with
mobile payments.
 NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S CURRENCY

NEW MONEY
Cash? That’s so 1995. Credit card? That sounds a bit old school.
Alternative currencies and forms of transactions are becoming
more widely accepted. New systems allow payments to be
specific to micro tasks while catering to a global reach. You can
pay for your fitness clothes using the miles you’ve just run or you Imagine Curve is more than just a Athena Bitcoin, a bitcoin ATM
can transfer money between three different currencies in one card, it is a singular card that company in the U.S. has added a
combines all your other cards to digital exchange service so you
simple transaction.
increase rewards and track can physically or digitally obtain
payments globally. the currency.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
We have come a long way from worrying about the security of
online transactions to using virtual currencies.

Spice Time Credit swaps one

hour’s volunteering in the
community for a time credit for
each hour given.

RETAIL TRENDS
 NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S CURRENCY

YOU ARE THE PAYMENT

Completing a transaction can already be done through different
action triggers and devices. Paying without a password or a PIN is
on the rise: transactions can be authorised just by being you. Pay Citigroup Inc. is testing new
with just a smile or a selfie makes the payment process more technology with automated-teller-
human. Biometric and facial recognition are already taking over machine maker Diebold Inc. that
would allow customers to withdraw Mastercard is the forefront of
the secured payment market. Soon enough, just being you is
money with an eyeball scan or a code different payment
enough for authentication.
on a smartphone instead of a card authentication methods,
swipe. including selfies and fingerprints.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Payment is really a series of micro-processes performed in a
sequence. Authentication and security play a huge part in it and
that is unlikely to fade away soon. We have come a long way from
watching retina-scan in Mission Impossible to where we are now.

Alibaba is testing facial

recognition to allow you to make
mobile purchases by smiling.

RETAIL TRENDS
 NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S CURRENCY

MOBILISE IT
Mobile payments are still on the rise and have huge market
potential. But mobile devices can do more than simply handle the
specific moment of payment. All other actions from the wider
journey can be handled on a screen in your palm. Think of the
magical device in your hand as a tool to facilitate all the other
activities related to payments such as customer loyalty.
Lidl was the first Danish Walgreens was the first store
supermarket chain to introduce to integrate a loyalty program
contactless payments. into ApplePay.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The benchmark for mobile payments has been set, but the
technology has still yet to reach mass market. Could customer
loyalty and added convenience be the key to push the buy-in of
the technology to a new level?

In competition with Apple Pay, CurrentC

gives big box retailers such as Walmart an
app allowing customers to pay from their
phones while gaining loyalty points.

RETAIL TRENDS
 NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S CURRENCY

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
Monetised auxiliary activities around payment that deliver convenience to consumers
while building new services.

NEW MONEY YOU ARE THE PAYMENT MOBILISE IT

Consumers expect to be paying with
whatever method is most convenient
and natural to them. What can
companies and service providers do to
make it even more convenient?
As consumers get more used to different
type of currencies, how will their sense of
security change? How can customer
data be translated into transactional
currencies?
Providing mobile payment for consumers
is a must. What other services can be
included in mobile that are related to
payments?

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

8 Product / service enhancement New market reach

RETAIL TRENDS
 PERSONALISED
LUXJOYMENT SNOWFLAKE

BRINGING THE 1% TO
AVERAGE JOES

INSTALUXE
 LUXJOYMENT

Everyone can enjoy a slice of the luxurious lifestyle we see in

movies without having to hide our guilty-pleasure yearning
for materialistic fulfilment. Everything is a tailor-made
“ Sales growth of personal
luxury goods — from
experiences in the shape of a personalised snowflake served
by our wonderful technology. Our perception of “luxury” has
handbags and shoes to
changed while accessible luxury is bringing the 1% to average Prêt-à-Porter — slowed to
Joes. Pipe dreams, like riding in a private jet, are only clicks
away from becoming reality. Aside from materialistic luxury,
1-2 per cent in 2015 from 7
consumers are increasingly experiencing luxury in more per cent in 2013 at constant
superficial ways. This is the generation of mass social media,
where we can become celebrities of a sort by broadcasting
currency rates.
details our lives to our followers/fans on Facebook or
Source: Financial Times
Instagram. This is the era of instaluxe, where consumers
themselves become the luxury through the power of the
internet.
 LUXJOYMENT
PERSONALISED SNOWFLAKE

We spend most of our lives trying to figure out our unique

personality and we tell ourselves that we are special, why
wouldn’t we expect the same from the services we receive? We
American Express plans to launch a
are individuals who want to feel empowered and in control. The
partnership with Facebook
new services are releasing us from being slaves to capitalism or Muzeums is changing the way we Messenger where a bot sends friendly
being told how to act. People are getting validation of their experience museums and purchase alerts, restaurant
uniqueness through personalised services and no longer need to destinations by curating tours and recommendations, and benefits
games according to the user’s profile. directly to their Messenger app.
be squeezed into one size fits all experiences.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Everyone likes to feel special. The emotional value of making
customers feel special is tremendous.

Never shop for clothes again. Services like Trunk

Club pair you with an expert stylist who finds you
premium clothes from a range of brands to fit your
style, budget and existing wardrobe.

RETAIL TRENDS
 LUXJOYMENT
BRINGING THE 1% TO AVERAGE JOES

Luxury has never been more accessible and mainstream.

Luxurious enjoyment is no longer reserved for the top 1% and the
normal-everyday-folks can now enjoy its essence/aspects of
luxury. Options are out there for accessible ways to get on a
private jet or to wear top-of-the-range designer clothing. Car
manufacturers, hotel chains and restaurants are releasing price- The Opulent Box is the latest luxury Hyundai Motors is planning its
conscious luxury lines to cater to a larger audience base. subscription service, making buying release of a luxury electric
designer jewellery a fresh surprise car under a new brand,
every time. Genesis.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
A chance to experience luxury is a great way to use lifestyle as an
anchor to sell.

No need to be rich and famous to

fly in style, you can book a seat on
a private jet for for affordable
rates.

RETAIL TRENDS
 LUXJOYMENT

INSTALUXE
The power of the internet has amplified the voice of individuals.
Everyone can become an influencer or advocate. Social media
gives an equal platform for big box advertisements to exist
alongside real human customers. In this culture, real people are as
A woman became famous after a
followed / adored as celebrities . Anyone can be famous and This six-year-old boy in India was paid Facebook video of her wearing a
enjoy the instant fame and look-at-me-now famewhore rush $2,000 by Facebook for non-exclusive Chewbacca mask went viral, and now
without being the elite. Influential Instagrammers and YouTubers rights to a video of him making Mickey Hasbro toy company has made a doll
have a wide reach, and anyone can be the next superstar for that Mouse Mango Ice Cream. of her dressed up as Chewbacca.
brief 60 seconds on social media. In an instant, life becomes a
simulacra of a luxury dream.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
This is a transitional time of exposing humanity to its shallow ends
while offering the access to exposure and opportunities like never
before.

Lord & Taylor paid 50 influential

fashionistas to post a photo of
themselves wearing the same dress,
which then sold out within days.

RETAIL TRENDS
 LUXJOYMENT

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
Personalised, VIP-like services available to all customer base. Social channels and
social PR dominated experience strategy.

PERSONALISED BRINGING THE 1% TO INSTALUXE

SNOWFLAKE
Consumers will continuously expect
personalised services delivered to them,
and also to feel special. How can retailers
deliver that “special” feeling? How to
watch out for the balance of knowing-
too-much v.s. Doing-too-little?
AVERAGE JOES
Can there be a sustainable business
model in delivering luxury to everyday
Joes? Is it possible to create affordable
luxury services while maintaining the
bottomline?
What will we do with this twisted morph
of humanity? How do retailers handle this
new breed of VIP consumers now that
everyone's a VIP? Other than utilising the
insta-crowd for financial gains, how can
retailers use the democratisation of
luxury as an opportunity to promote
better social values?

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

8 New market reach Product / service enhancement

Customer engagement

RETAIL TRENDS
 CROWDSOURCED
POWER TO
THE PEOPLE BE THE ENABLER
GLOBAL LOCALIST
 POWER TO
THE PEOPLE

Things are powered by people. As Aesop once said: “In union

“ In
there is strength”. By coming together to support common
goals, we bring our values to life. Businesses are beginning to order to have a presence
realise this by building services that are crowdsourced, that
we can all benefit from. By shifting objectives away from a
in your local community, you
purely commercial focus to include social issues and actually need to be present
objectives, companies can enable can build networks to be
the enabler for a wider impact than one would expect.
as a part of your local
Fostering individuality and bringing inclusion to local community.
communities are the key to developing sustainable large-
scale business. The future is global localist focused - it’s all
Source: fanbridge
about big business providing local services with global
support.
Fostering individuality and bringing inclusion to local
community are the winning keys to develop sustainable
large-scale businesses.
 POWER TO THE PEOPLE

CROWDSOURCED
It’s not just about consumers lending hands to each other,
enterprises are building up service platforms using the power of
the crowd. The crowd becomes a building block of the business
and more opportunities are given to the people to participate. Ambriosa Labs sells breast milk to
mothers unable to produce milk for
their baby in the US from donors in
Cambodia in a regulated manner in
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Indian e-commerce site Flipkart is to order to avoid dangerous disease
The movement towards CrowdSourcing everything is empowering use the dabbawalas of Mumbai to spreading peer-to-peer
individuals both as consumers and providers. Companies no start delivering goods. transactions.
longer have to own things in order to sell things.

After successful trials in Seattle, Amazon plans to

expand their Uber-like ‘Flex’ package delivery
service where drivers deliver packages whenever
suits them.

RETAIL TRENDS
 POWER TO THE PEOPLE

BE THE ENABLER
Bringing people together through common goals is powerful.
Companies are now utilising their corporate reach and customer
base to bring social impact to life. Imagine a concentrated and
focused network working towards building something together.
France is the first country to ban
Companies will become the platform to enable people, but also a
supermarkets from throwing away
source for these different networks. Metro Bank refunds new and existing food. Instead all unsold food must be
customers when they rehome a dog donated to charities. Tesco in the UK
or a cat from Battersea Dogs & Cats has launched an initiative to donate
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Home. unsold food to 5000 different charities.
Doing good feels good. Instead of just selling to customers,
enterprises has the power to become an enabling platform for
groups of people dedicated to good causes.

The “buy one, give one” model, made

popular by companies like Warby Parker,
has helped retailers stand out from the
competition.

RETAIL TRENDS
 POWER TO THE PEOPLE

GLOBAL LOCALIST
Bringing global business into the local market is not a drag-and-
drop procedure. The outcry against gentrification and the rapid
The Icelandair travel buddy
adoption rate for the next Starbucks-McDonalds-Walmart work in programme allows
separate directions. Building a healthy local economy not only passengers to share their
The Autograph Collection by Marriott
enhances the experience offered to customers, but also nourishes stay in Iceland with an
International offers independent and
sustainable business eco-systems. Icelandair employee.
unique hotels worldwide that offer local
Ranging from adventure,
relevance while capitalising on the
culture, food, health, lifestyle,
global resources of such a trusted brand.
and nature buddies.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Local businesses do not need to be squashed by global outfits;
building a healthy local economy should be supported by the big
names. It’s a relationship that’s mutually beneficial.

When you next travel, take advantage of

insiders knowledge on Voyable by
booking unique experiences only locals
could give you.

RETAIL TRENDS
 POWER TO THE PEOPLE

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
Decentralised services supplied by crowd knowledge. Boutique / local lifestyle
experience offering.

CROWDSOURCED BE THE ENABLER GLOBAL LOCALIST

As things become more and more
powered by peers, what are the different
implications for consumers? What do
trust and loyalty look like in a
crowdsourced market?
How can corporations use their power
and utilise their network better? Putting
customers to work can be an active and
passive effort.
Consumers trust traditional brands and
are simultaneously excited by the
boutique / bespoke experiences. The
future might bring a flip of the two. This is
a shift that companies can start
preparing now.

Business model innovation, Organisational culture shift, Cost efficiency

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

4 Business
New market
model reach
innovation Organisational culture shift

Cost efficiency

RETAIL TRENDS
 CONSUMER GROUPS
SHIFTED REDEFINED
IDENTITY GENDER ROLE SHIFT

NEW CONVENTIONS
 SHIFTED
IDENTITY

“ the
The construct of a family has shifted. We are seeing
consumer groups redefined into more intricate and all- growth in women
inclusive population segments. Gender roles are on their way
out the door, LGBT marriages are legal in over 20 countries,
buyers online has increased
and fewer women are having babies.The growing-old-but- by 58 per cent more than
not-grown-up generation and the continuously ageing
double that of men two
years ago.
population have ever-changing needs to be taken care of in
the context of new conventions. Say goodbye to our norm.
Hello people of the future.

Source: Daily Record

 SHIFTED IDENTITY
CONSUMER GROUPS REDEFINED

There is a huge opportunity for businesses to target specific

consumer groups outside cliched and outdated socio-economic
definitions,especially those previously overlooked by marketers.
The edge-case user groups are getting noticed and this HelloFresh in the UK says that this
movement brings forward a welcome wave of change to social cardboard box is the food of the Curated monthly packages cater
norms. future, and such meal subscriptions to the most niche consumer
Self-driving
are curated specifically to the dietary groups, like Nerd Block which
needs and preferences of the delivers toys to unleash your inner
household. nerd.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Retailers who accurately define their consumers in line with
current social norms and trends in population, are more likely to Wine lovers can enjoy a glass of wine without
keep them happy. corking the bottle using a device by Coravin, who
are working on making it work for sparkling wines so
you don’t have to drink Champagne by the bottle.

RETAIL TRENDS
 SHIFTED IDENTITY
GENDER ROLE SHIFT

Mum doesn’t have all the recipes and wife doesn’t do all the
cooking. Men are stay-at-home dads and aren’t necessarily the
decision-makers when it comes to buying a car. Gendered tasks
and expectations are converging. Being gender neutral is the new
wave of campaigning for equality. Services are changing, but they
need to continue adapting with the times.
In the US, nearly half of San Francisco will soon mandate
women between 15-44 are fully paid maternity and paternity
childless. leave for up to six weeks.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
With gender roles and family dynamics constantly shifting,
targeted products and services must start shifting alongside in
order to match consumers’ needs.

Gender neutral and fair payment

systems are slowly being introduced for
haircuts in salons all over the world.

RETAIL TRENDS
 SHIFTED IDENTITY
NEW CONVENTIONS

The singleton demographic will grow older but they don’t need to
grow up. Professional Aunt or Uncle with No Kids (PANK / PUNK)
has been coined as a term and enterprises are targeting this
growing demographic. The idea of a family trip is no longer the
preserve of the traditional mum, dad plus kids. Family dynamics
Travel companies are targeting A transgender man is pregnant by his
are changing-parents do not necessarily comprise your 70s-
Professional Aunts / Uncles with No female transgender partner, though
picture-ready social unit of a mum and a dad, it could be two
Kids, as they have money to spend the couple said 'the process to get
mums, two dads and so forth. On top of this we are seeing gender and want to be included in family trips. here was complex’.
in a whole new way.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Redefining the family - and conventional socio-economic
groupings is a slow movement but one that is on the verge of
becoming mainstream. Non-conventional family archetypes
challenge us to rethink the construct of society. We are forced to
open our minds and adopt to new conventions while learning to
adapt to it.

The show ‘Grace and Frankie’ is revealing

the trend towards a new lifestyle
developed by the ageing population.

RETAIL TRENDS
 SHIFTED IDENTITY

2020 OPPORTUNITIES
Gender neutral services replacing gender-specific targeting. Services / products for
single parents or co-parents.

CONSUMER GROUPS GENDER ROLE SHIFT NEW CONVENTIONS

REDEFINED
Niche consumers will have niche needs.
How can retailers and corporations
identify and keep fulfilling these
changing needs?
As family needs and structures change, Consumers’ sense of convention is being
new products / services will have to challenged everyday. How can retailers
catch up. How can retailers be a step help society progress along this
ahead and predict future customer unavoidable wave of change?
archetypes? Can the heritage brands
bring a modern twist to the ‘family value’
that it has promoted for so long?

MATURITY KEY DRIVERS

3 New market reach Customer engagement

RETAIL TRENDS
LOOK FORWARD.
AND PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE
Rethink customer journey.

Set in motion the machines.

Experiment with business boundaries.

Remember what it means to be human.

Explore new definition of currency.

Create sense of luxury.

Utilise human capital / network.

Understand, really understand customers.

RETAIL TRENDS
If you have questions or would like to discuss this
report, please contact:

Cathy Wang
Director, Business design & transformation
+44 7721 164 094
cathy.wang@futurice.com
REFERENCES
 MASTER OF TIME
AND SPACE
Starbucks allows customers throughout the U.S. to skip the line by ordering and paying in
advance on their phones. Handy provides cleaners to customers, but also connects to painters, electricians and
https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-mobile-order-pay-now-available-to- plumbers for day-to-day needs.
customers-nationwide https://www.handy.com/services

Swedish ICA customers will soon be able to have their groceries delivered directly into Delivery company UPS teamed up with SAP to create an on-demand 3D printing
their fridge. network.
http://www.ica.se/infridge/infridge-in-english/ http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-united-parcel-sap-se-3dprinting-idUKKCN0Y90BR

In Germany, Amazon Prime is piloting a partnership with Audi to deliver orders directly to
the boot of your car.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/23/amazon-deliver-parcels-
directly-to-car-boots-audi
Doddle allows customers to collect all of their online shopping from one location.
https://www.doddle.com/
Companies like Doctors on Demand are bringing the doctor into the home, providing
assessment, diagnosis and prescriptions.
http://www.doctorondemand.com/
Everlane, a transparent online-only clothing company, provides clothing delivery within
an hour to consumers in San Francisco and New York City.
https://www.everlane.com/now

Competition over which laundry app should pick up your dirty laundry is tight in San Takeaway, parking, haircuts, cleaners -- anything is now available in Uber-style on-
Francisco, as people are placing more value on their time. demand apps.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/techflash/2016/06/washclub-laundry- https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/may/03/an-uber-for-everything-the-
locker-washio-rinse-technology.html surge-in-on-demand-apps

Paw Shake allows pet parents in Australia to connect with trustworthy walkers, so that
they don’t need to rush home at lunch every day to take their dog on a walk.
https://www.pawshake.com.au/

Mini Fashion Bar is bringing the experience of shopping to hotel rooms to take some
hassle out of both packing and shopping, personalised to weather, location and events.
http://minifashionbar.com/en

RETAIL TRENDS
 MACHINES AT
YOUR SERVICE
With so much music, it is difficult to discover anything new. Spotify launched the Discover
Weekly playlist, personalised to each user based on their habits, for a perfect personal DJ
to successfully and effortlessly bring you music you will love.
https://techcrunch.com/2016/05/25/playlists-not-blogs/
Chevrolet is working on releasing Proactive Alerts in their cars, which will predict when
certain components need attention.
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/chevrolet-launches-onstar-proactive-alerts-
predictive-technology-ar173212.html
Netflix has recently changed its recommendation section from regional to a global
system focused on subscribers’ interests.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/17/11030200/netflix-new-recommendation-system-
global-regional?
In Australia and New Zealand, Insteon is providing automated home security so you’ll be
able to know and control what is going on in your home from anywhere.
http://www.insteon.com.au/
AT&T is making their employees more efficient by creating software bots to complete
mundane tasks.
http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2016/05/15/att-employees-automate-repetitive-tasks-with-
software-bots/
Across the world, construction is becoming automated with 3D printers, brick-laying
robots, and drones that can work far faster than a construction crew.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35746648
In Abu Dhabi, a Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot has been successfully performing
precise and safe surgeries in vivo, taking us closer to having real life robot surgeons.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160504151855.htm
http://theweek.com/articles/623399/robot-surgeon-could-revolutionize-operations
Amazon Robotics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon.com, empowers a smarter,
faster, more consistent customer experience through automation.
https://www.amazonrobotics.com/#/vision
MIT students invented Spyce, a robotic kitchen that makes fresh meals in under five
minutes, with the goal of revolutionising fast food.
http://www.techinsider.io/mit-students-invented-a-robotic-kitchen-2016-4
Metail and other online garment fitting companies are personalising online shopping, by
allowing users to virtually try on clothes to fit their body type.
http://metail.com/about/

Volvo will be testing self-driving cars on the streets on London with real families by next
year.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/27/volvo-test-self-driving-cars-
london-2017

RETAIL TRENDS
 INNOVATION ALONG
VALUE CHAIN
You can now pay for your Wagamama meal whenever you are ready on convenient app
Qkr! In partnership with MasterCard.
http://newsroom.mastercard.com/press-releases/wagamama-and-mastercard-
launch-qkr-with-masterpass-for-customers/
Asos and Telefónica’s Wayra have launched an accelerator for those in the fashion tech
and ad spaces.
http://techcrunch.com/2016/05/03/asos-wayra/
The Mac maker and enterprise software titan SAP have joined forces in a partnership
that will see SAP building corporate apps tailored for Apple’s mobile devices like the
iPhone and iPad.
http://fortune.com/2016/05/05/apple-sap-partnership/
Porch.com is launching Porch Retail Solution, a service that allows online retailers to offer
installation services for their shoppers. The company’s partnership with Wayfair serves
as competition for Amazon, which launched its own home-services division last year.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/porch-partners-with-wayfair-to-
take-on-amazon/
Under Armour has partnered with Residence Inn to create custom two-mile runs at each
of its locations across the globe.
http://www.travelpulse.com/news/hotels-and-resorts/residence-inn-teams-with-
under-armour-to-help-guests-run-like-locals.html
In 2000, MinuteClinics opened in CVS Pharmacy locations across the US, offering quick
healthcare services. By 2007, in-store full-service clinics were popularised by big box
stores Walmart and Target. They are just coming around to the UK.
http://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/visit/about-us/history
http://www.startribune.com/target-inches-into-medical-clinic-business/102656069/
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/your-practice/practice-topics/premises/sainsburys-
plans-a-rapid-expansion-of-in-store-gp-surgery-programme/20001839.fullarticle
You can now buy products from Target and Lancôme directly from Snapchat ads. More
ecommerce partnerships to come!
http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/snapchats-first-e-commerce-ads-target-
and-lancome-go-live-171157
Cargomatic is connecting shippers with licensed carriers to revolutionise local trucking.
https://www.cargomatic.com/
Fon aims to blanket the world with WiFi, creating hot spots all over the streets of world by
crowdsourcing WiFi from user’s homes.
https://fon.com/
Still White allows brides worldwide to pass on the dress they wore on their wedding day
to brides-to-be.
https://www.stillwhite.com/
RETAIL TRENDS
 BRINGING
HUMANITY BACK
Quartz’s new app texts you the news in digestible text, gifs, and emojis. It’s like your friend
texting you highlights from an old school newspaper.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/11/10963794/quartz-app-iphone-ios-the-atlantic-
download
ChatClass is an online tutor tool in Nigeria that uses WhatsApp to send text, audio,
images and videos to deliver learning content.
http://chatclass.ng/
Gesture control and its far-reaching possibilities to what it can do.
http://logbar.jp/ring/en
http://www.wired.co.uk/article/bird-gesture-based-tech
Have a two-way conversation with Google Assistant, who will find you whatever
information you need.
https://techcrunch.com/2016/05/18/google-unveils-google-assistant-a-big-upgrade-
to-google-now/
IBM Watson Trend helps shoppers understand what is trending and why, creating a
smart gift giving guide to make you a holiday hero.
http://www-01.ibm.com/software/marketing-solutions/watson-trend/
Retailers are using location based beacon technology to target customers to the areas
they really want to see in in-store shopping.
http://app.ft.com/cms/s/658a5f98-0103-11e5-a60e-00144feabdc0.html?
sectionid=stream/organisationsId/T05fYWRkLUV1cm9uZXh0X2Zldi0yMDA4Xzk2OA==-
T04=
Google can now respond to your emails for you. Or rather, Smart Reply can suggest
three responses to emails which you can choose from to edit or send as is!
http://www.wired.com/2016/03/google-inbox-auto-answers-emails/
Xiaoice is a virtual girlfriend to thousands of users in China. She’s more than just a
chatbot, she remembers information from your past conversations to make for personal
and meaningful conversation.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3181882/Microsoft-s-Chinese-
girlfriend-app-huge-hit-Xiaoice-listens-asks-feeling-makes-jokes.html
https://mic.com/articles/123232/this-chinese-chatbot-is-turning-the-movie-her-into-
real-life
Hiya identifies the calls you want to pick up and automatically blocks the ones you want
to avoid.
http://www.geekwire.com/2016/whitepages-spins-caller-id-spam-blocking-app-
startup-hiya/
Artificial intelligence taken further with mood detection. Opening up tremendous
opportunities in helping people’s everyday lives.
Emotional Intelligence Speaker: Emi learns different moods and plays music and lighting
accordingly.
http://www.mymoodbox.com/
Microsoft's new emotion-detecting AI can be hilariously bad at detecting emotions
http://www.cbc.ca/news/trending/microsoft-ai-picture-tool-1.3314852
Apple Buys Artificial-Intelligence Startup Emotient
http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-buys-artificial-intelligence-startup-
emotient-1452188715
RETAIL TRENDS
 NOT YOUR

GRANDMA’S CURRENCY
Imagine Curve is more than just a card, it is a singular card that combines all your other
cards to increase rewards and track payments globally.
https://www.imaginecurve.com/
Spice Time Credit swaps one hour’s volunteering in the community for a time credit for
each hour given.
http://www.justaddspice.org/about-us
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jun/28/community-currencies-local-
economy-volunteering
Athena Bitcoin, a bitcoin ATM company in the U.S. has added a digital exchange service
so you can physically or digitally obtain the currency.
http://www.coindesk.com/us-bitcoin-atm-network-acqui-hires-exchange-startup-
bitquick/
In Russia, 30 squats can get ou a train ticket
http://www.wired.com/2013/11/squats-train-ticket/
Alibaba is testing facial recognition to allow you to make mobile purchases by smiling.
http://uk.businessinsider.com/alibaba-jack-ma-shows-facial-recognition-for-mobile-
payments-2015-3
Citigroup Inc. is testing new technology with automated-teller-machine maker Diebold
Inc. that would allow customers to withdraw money with an eyeball scan or a code on a
smartphone instead of a card swipe.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-eye-scanning-atm-is-here-1445815637
Mastercard are the forefront of different payment authentication methods, including
selfies and fingerprints.
http://techcitynews.com/2016/02/22/mastercard-confirms-biometric-payments-will-
launch-in-uk-this-summer/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/mastercard-selfie-pay-1.3459740
In Kansas, students at Southwestern College are already paying for their meals using a
selfie provided by Lucova.
https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/28112/lucova-brings-selfie-payments-to-
college-campus
Walgreens was the first store to integrate a loyalty program into ApplePay.
http://www.macworld.com/article/3002080/apple-phone/you-can-finally-rack-up-
loyalty-points-in-apple-pay-starting-at-walgreens.html
In competition with Apple Pay, CurrentC gives big box retailers such as Walmart an app
allowing customers to pay from their phones while gaining loyalty points.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-wal-mart-mobilepayment-
idUSKBN0TT0E620151210
https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/25/currentc/
Lidl was the first Danish supermarket chain to introduce contactless payments.
https://www.verifone.dk/Global/Denmark/Pressemeddelelser/Swipp%20and
%20Verifone%20testing%20mobile%20payment%20in%20Lidl.pdf
http://scandinavianretail.com/lidl-ready-to-launch-contactless-mobile-payments/
Thai restaurant group Busaba Eathai partners with MyCheck to set the hospitality
industry benchmark for mobile loyalty.
http://www.realwire.com/releases/Busaba-Eathai-and-MyCheck-set-hospitality-
industry-benchmark
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 LUXJOYMENT
Muzeums is changing the way we experience museums and destinations by curating
tours and games according to the user’s profile.
http://muzeu.ms/index.html
Never shop for clothes again. Services like Trunk Club pair you with an expert stylist who
finds you premium clothes from a range of brands to fit your style, budget and existing
wardrobe.
https://www.trunkclub.com
American Express plans to launch a partnership with Facebook Messanger where a bot
sends friendly purchase alerts, restaurant recommendations, and benefits directly to
their Messenger app.
http://venturebeat.com/2016/06/23/american-express-and-facebook-into-
messenger/
No need to be rich and famous to fly in style, you can book a seat on a private jet for for
affordable rates.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-fly-on-a-private-jet-for-under-200-per-
person-2014-07-01
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6800d2a-27e3-11e6-8ba3-cdd781d02d89.html
The Opulent Box is the latest luxury subscription service, making buying designer
jewellery a fresh surprise every time.
https://www.opulentjewelers.com/opulent-box/
Hyundai Motors is planning its release of a luxury electric car under a new brand,
Genesis.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-genesis-electric-idUSKCN0YP07Q
Residents of the new 111 Murray Street in Manhattan will be the first to enjoy concierge
services including private jet services.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kristintablang/2015/10/26/111-murray-street-new-york-
blue-star-jets-private-plane-concierge/#2ff2c8b11689
A woman became famous after a Facebook video of her wearing a Chewbacca mask
went viral, and now Hasbro toy company has made a doll of her dressed up as
Chewbacca.
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/20/us/chewbacca-mom-gets-action-figure/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewbacca_Mask_Lady
This six-year-old boy in India was paid $2,000 by Facebook for non-exclusive rights to a
video of him making Mickey Mouse Mango Ice Cream
http://www.indiatimes.com/news/world/facebook-paid-this-kid-rs-13-000-for-
making-mango-ice-cream-we-can-t-stop-feeling-jealous-257374.html
Lord & Taylor paid 50 influential fashionistas to post a photo of themselves wearing the
same dress, which then sold out within days.
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/lord-taylor-got-50-
instagrammers-wear-same-dress-which-promptly-sold-out-163791
Social media is creating a different facet of reality. Parallel universe of luxurious life are
broadcasted on instagram. Fake vacations can be achieved easily with social media.
http://uk.businessinsider.com/rich-kids-of-instagram-spring-break-2016-3?r=US&IR=T
http://matadornetwork.com/life/hipster-barbie-proves-easy-fake-compelling-travel-
photos/
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 POWER TO
THE PEOPLE
After successful trials in Seattle, Amazon plans to expand their Uber-like ‘Flex’ package
delivery service where drivers deliver packages whenever suits them.
http://www.geekwire.com/2015/amazon-plans-to-expand-uber-style-crowdsourced-
delivery-network-to-millions-of-drivers/
Ambriosa Labs sells breast milk to mothers unable to produce milk for their baby in the
US from donors in Cambodia in a regulated manner in order to avoid dangerous disease
spreading peer-to-peer transactions.
http://ambrosiamilk.com/our-donors/
http://www.sltrib.com/news/3340606-155/got-breast-milk-if-not-a
Indian e-commerce site Flipkart is to use the dabbawalas of Mumbai to start delivering
goods
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/04/10/flipkart-to-deliver-using-mumbais-
dabbawalas/
Indiegogo CrowdFunding campaign to help bail out Greece.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/greek-crowdfund#/
Watsi is a platform for patients all over the world to find funding to fit their healthcare
needs.
https://watsi.org/
France is the first country to ban supermarkets from throwing away food. Instead all
unsold food must be donated to charities. Tesco in the UK has launched an initiative to
donate unsold food to 5000 different charities.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/04/french-law-forbids-food-waste-by-
supermarkets
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/tesco-to-give-all-unsold-food-to-
charity-after-finalising-deal-a6925971.html
The “buy one, give one” model, made popular by companies like Warby Parker, has
helped retailers stand out from the competition.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2016/05/19/how-geoffrey-beene-patagonia-
and-warby-parker-gain-by-giving/#3a4aec6f7963
Metro Bank refunds new and existing customers when they rehome a dog or a cat from
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/Discover-Metro-Bank/DogsRule/
The Autograph Collection by Marriott International offers independent and unique hotels
worldwide that offer local relevance while capitalising on the global resources of such a
trusted brand.
http://www.autograph-hotels.marriott.com/
When you next travel, take advantage of insiders knowledge on Voyable by booking
unique experiences only locals could give you.
https://www.vayable.com
The Icelandair travel buddy programme allows passengers to share their stay in Iceland
with an Icelandair employee. Ranging from adventure, culture, food, health, lifestyle, and
nature buddies.
http://www.icelandair.co.uk/stopover-buddy/
Maxime Buchi's tattoo revolution comes to Selfridges
http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/20186/1/maxime-buchis-tattoo-
revolution-comes-to-selfridges
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 SHIFTED
IDENTITY
HelloFresh in the UK says that this cardboard box is the food of the future, and such meal Gender neutral and fair payment systems are slowly being introduced for haircuts in
subscriptions are curated specifically to the dietary needs and preferences of the salons all over the world.
household. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35541970
https://www.thememo.com/2016/06/29/we-asked-hellofreshs-uk-boss-whether-a-
cardboard-box-of-food-is-the-future/ Travel companies are targeting Professional Aunts/Uncles with No Kids, as they have
http://www.chefsplate.com/ money to spend and want to be included in family trips.
https://www.plated.com http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/themes/family/71097432/New-breed-of-traveller-
aunties-with-time-and-money
Curated monthly packages cater to the most niche consumer groups, like Nerd Block
which delivers toys to unleash your inner nerd. The show ‘Grace and Frankie’ is revealing the trend towards a new lifestyle developed by
https://www.nerdblock.com/ the ageing population.
http://www.btchflcks.com/2015/06/grace-and-frankie-sexuality-for-seniors-and-life-
Wine lovers can enjoy a glass of wine without corking the bottle using a device by after-marriage.html
Coravin, who are working on making it work for sparkling wines so you don’t have to
drink Champagne by the bottle. A transgender man is pregnant by his female transgender partner, though the couple
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/02/coravin-sparkling-wine-device-our- said 'the process to get here was complex'.
absolute-priority/ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/transgender-man-pregnant-female-
https://www.coravin.co.uk/ transgender-7050883

In the US, nearly half of women between 15-44 are childless.

http://time.com/3774620/more-women-not-having-kids/

San Francisco will soon mandate fully paid maternity and paternity leave for up to six
weeks.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-04/22/c_135302063.htm

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