In the ever-evolving retail landscape, staying ahead of the curve is essential to maintaining business relevance and performance. We’re always keeping tabs on the latest trends and tech shaping the future of retail and the customer journey, so we can ensure our content agenda aligns to the industry’s most pressing issues. The 4 trends on our radar are crystal clear, but we wanted to hear, directly from our community, which trend landed at the top of the list. That’s why we took to our social channels and hosted a poll to determine which of our top 4 trends would be most essential for brands in 2024 and beyond. Curious about the results? Let’s dive in:
- Shoppable Content Experiences
The top industry trend selected (by a long shot!) was shoppable content experiences. This comes as no surprise to us. Shoppable content experiences have been gaining momentum through avenues such as: connected tv (CTV), social media advertising and retail media, among others. Retailers will continue to find new and innovative ways to embed commerce moments directly into content-driven experiences, so they can accelerate the purchase journey and close the gap between education and transaction.
2. Artificial Intelligence
Coming in at number two on the list was artificial intelligence, which has undoubtedly been the biggest buzzword of the past year. The momentum for AI is only intensifying, and there are tangible ways it can be implemented within retail organizations to boost productivity in CRM, strengthen creative work, and scale personalization across channels. We’ll be covering AI in a few of our sessions at the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo, so be sure to review the full agenda and check out our recent AI coverage here!
3. Organizational Agility
The third trend selected was organizational agility. Although this isn’t necessarily a “buzzy” topic, agility is central to implementing innovative tools and techniques successfully in modern organizations. In fact, before brands even invest in the next technology hype cycle, they must effectively assess changing customer needs and expectations. Then, through iterative testing, retailers can better adapt to market changes and make more informed decisions without hurting the quality of their products, services and experiences. Leading-edge brands, such as Liquid Death, will continue to put agility at the center of their strategies to develop a culture of innovation. We’re excited to have the brand’s SVP of Marketing, Dan Murphy, on stage at #RICE24 this year to discuss this very topic!
4. Purpose-Driven Environments
Last, but certainly not least, the fourth trend voted on was purpose-driven environments. As consumers learn more about new brands and products from visiting stores, intentional design of stores is more vital than ever. According to a recent article by eMarketer, physical retail has the overall advantage for upper-funnel awareness. By leaning into immersive and experiential elements with a focus on accessibility, wellness, inclusion, and seamless tech integration, retailers can create a frictionless path to purchase for consumers.
These trends represent exciting opportunities for retail and brand leaders to stay competitive and drive growth. By aligning your strategies with shoppable content experiences and AI opportunities, you can create a more agile and customer-focused experience that resonates with today’s consumers.
If you’d like to explore how to harness these trends from leading retailers and brands, we will be covering these topics at our annual event, The Retail Innovation Conference & Expo, taking place in Chicago this June. Get your ticket today and register before the Early Bird pricing ends on Thursday, March 21!
