10 shopping trends which will go main stream

Let me share with you 10 shopping trends which will go main stream in coming time, turbo-charged by technology!

1. The personal assistant will go mainstream: Many more e-commerce sites will provide a shopping personal assistant, inspired from Apple’s Siri or Microsoft’s Cortina. These personal assistants will make recommendations and facilitate cross-selling of merchandise.

2. Self checkout in bricks-and-mortar stores: Stores, powered by technology, will introduce self checkout. This will allow shoppers to self scan their purchase, generate a bill, pay using mobile wallet and walk out. This will eliminate endless waiting in line to make a payment.

3. Big Data analysis to see relationships between unknown variables and leveraging them to ring in sales: Take this case where, based on weather reports, Big Data predicts a storm. It will also tell store managers the product categories to stock up on: battery, candles, mineral water, beer. Yes, beer. Past sales data indicate that when people are forced to stay indoors because of a storm, they get a bit nervous and also have time to kill—and beer helps both. Hence beer sales witness an upward spike when storms hit an area!

4. Leveraging technology to become more agile and lean: In other words, retailers will leverage technology to become 'agile' - respond to customers desire at lightening quick speed while maintaining embracing 'lean' strategy for inventory management - result improved customer satisfaction and bottom line.

5. Wish lists: More sites will offer shoppers the option of sharing their wish list, so that the e-tailer can make it available and not lose sales.

6. Review and rating by customers will assume greater importance: Retailers will keep an eagle eye on how shoppers review their products and rate their shopping experience. Why? Other shoppers will refer to them while taking decisions.

7. Rise of fit-lifters / web-lifters: More shoppers will visit bricks-and-mortar stores to physically try on product for style and fit, then visit price comparison sites for best deals and place order online. Bricks-and-mortar retailers call such shoppers as fit lifters. When the reverse happens, e-tailors call them web lifters.

8. Omni channel retailing will go mainstream because shopper will want to move seamlessly between various channels.

9. Online-to-offline will go mainstream: Shoppers will place orders on retailer’s site (and not just at online marketplaces), and the retailer will deliver it offline—to their home.

10. Show-rooming: Bricks-and-mortar stores will devolve to being merely showrooms—shoppers will come to the showroom to touch and feel the product, try them on for style and fit, but will place orders online. Result: More and more sales will move online.

Do you agree with these shopping trends? Please feel free to share your views. I also invite you to share, with all of of us, emerging shopping trend that you see taking root...around you.