Retail Tech Trends for 2022

Retail Tech Trends for 2022
Photo : Rodion Kutsaev via Unsplash

Technology seems to advance each time we blink. From smart phone apps to new devices, even the retail world is changing to adapt to these new trends.

"Tech has really started to change the way we look at retail industries," says Andrea Xu, CEO of Umamicart. "AI, programs, and devices are being created for everything from enhancing the supply chain to providing a better shopping experience for your customers."

No industry has been left out of tech trends and advancements. Retail is no exception. So, what does it look like the tech trends are going to be? Will we continue down some of the same paths we are on now or will there be new tech avenues to explore? Continue reading to learn what our experts had to say on this matter.

Self Check-Out

This isn't a new trend, but it's something that will probably continue to grow in popularity this year. The convenience, cost-effectiveness, and speed that they operate through a self-checkout has led it to become the preferred checkout method among many consumers and businesses alike.

"Self-check-out saves money for the business and time for the shopper so it seems to be a win-win in that department," says Amanda E. Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer for Nailboo. "People, especially younger generations, appreciate the efficiency of getting in and out of a store quickly and don't necessarily want to make small talk at the register with a cashier, making self-checkout an attractive feature of a store."

"We see more and more stores adding self-check-out lines to the front of their stores and I think this is going to continue to become a norm in 2022," says Zach Goldstein, CEO of Public Rec. "At this point, everyone knows how to use them so there's not as much of a concern about people not using them for that reason like there was a decade or so ago. We live in a time where people don't like to wait for anything, and if the self check-out saves us time, we'll use it."

Mobile Order, Pickup, and Delivery

Mobile ordering and grocery pickup were already becoming a trend, but when the pandemic hit us in 2020, so many more businesses started allowing for pickup and orders. This, alongside the delivery services that people take advantage of, allows for people to maintain distance from stores if they're not comfortable shopping or be able to buy something when they don't have time to go into the store themselves. 

"I think the pandemic has shifted how we think about mobile ordering apps," says 

Ricky Nariani, President and Co-Founder of WANTD. "When I first heard of big chain stores allowing for pickup, I thought 'that's nice for older people or parents with busy schedules' but never thought I'd use it. It seemed like such a strange concept to have someone shop for me. Now I think we all understand the value of this service and more stores are jumping on this bandwagon than ever before. I see ordering through mobile apps and websites continuing to trend upward through 2022."

"We've all used mobile ordering over the past few years and I think it's one of those things that once you try it, you don't want to go back," says Dan Potter, Managing Director and CEO of CRAFTD. "Our younger generations are all about convenience and saving time so that we can prioritize the things that are most important to us. If we can make it to our kids' soccer game (without sprinting through the store to grab school project supplies for the next day), why wouldn't we take advantage of mobile ordering and pick up or delivery? Some of us are even going above and beyond and offering personal shoppers who can pick out the items for you so you don't even have to scroll through the entire website to find something."

Smart Shopping Devices

We've reached a point in time that people are using smart devices to help them in nearly every aspect of daily life. Now that products like Siri or Alexa can create shopping lists for us, the next step seems to be that there's a product to help you shop once you arrive at the store.


"We're already starting to see things like smart carts and apps that help you navigate the store and your shopping list," says Jack Gindi, CEO of Pori Jewelry. "It wouldn't be surprising to see more devices that retailers and other companies design to assist shoppers in their shopping experience. Even in-store shopping will be able to be improved through the addition of digital technology."

"The use of technology has been steadily growing and infiltrating the shopping process," says Nick King,CEO of Vint. "For some time, it's been in two separate categories: in-store and online. Now, we're seeing a merging of the two through new technologies and apps that retailers are developing to make a more convenient and engaging shopping experience for their consumers."

AI in the Supply Chain

AI, or artificial intelligence, is becoming more common every year. This year, we expect to see AI infiltrate the supply chain process even further to help us with efficiency and problem solving. These programs are saving companies money while ensuring that productivity is at an all-time high. 

"AI is not a new concept, but the way it's being implemented along the supply chain is growing into new territories," says Max Spielberg, President of Genexa. "AI is allowing brands to manage their supply chain so efficiently that they're able to grow faster than ever before. Supply chain management practices that wouldn't have been possible for a smaller company just a few years ago can now be managed through a few clicks."

"One of the most impressive things about AI is the speed that it's able to do things that would normally take longer for us to do," says Shaun Price, Head of Customer Acquisition at MitoQ. These aren't necessarily big tasks, but they're freeing up the people who otherwise would have the responsibility of checking these supply chain details or sending off a notification so they can work on more advanced issues."

Conclusion

Retail tech trends for 2022 look like they're going to grow from some of the trends we saw pick up through 2021. Ideas like smart shopping, AI technology, and smart devices have allowed consumers and retailers alike to create a convenient and efficient shopping experience. 

"These trends are leading us into the future," says Eric Elggren, Co-Founder of Andar. "They're allowing us to gather information and provide the best customer experience to our customers. We're taking advantage of these advancing technologies to grow and expand in ways we never could before."

Overall, it sounds like these trends will lead us into a more efficient year where we can expect some exciting developments in our retail shopping experiences due to the technological advances being made.

© 2024 iTech Post All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of itechpost.com

Tags

Company from iTechPost

More from iTechPost