Future Retail Newsletter #127

In a time when physical presence is challenging, the potential for virtual reality is growing: Gucci is venturing into digital avatar fashion, social VR is changing the future of media marketing, and a virtual influencer is part of IKEA’s Tokyo store.

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jingdaily.com RETAIL // Why Luxury Brands Must Be Innovative One critical driver of extreme luxury value is the desire to be inspired. So if brands become predictable and stop surprising, customers move on. Read More econsultancy.com RETAIL // Travel Retail Needs To Embrace Omnichannel After Covid-19 Covid-19 has hugely hampered the growth of travel retail. As restrictions lift, what is the state of the sector, and how are travel retail hubs adapting to the new normal? Read More forbes.com TRENDS // Social VR, Facebook Horizon And The Future Of Social Media Marketing The future of connection will push the boundaries of today’s technology, one virtual world at a time. Social virtual reality is gaining steam and marketers should pay attention. Read More thinkwithgoogle.com CX // 4 Ways Retailers Can Future-Proof Their Businesses The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decade’s worth of retail disruption in just a matter of months. For consumers, this crisis has made necessity more important than choice, resulting in digital shopping behaviors and expectations that are more sophisticated than ever. Read More fastcompany.com CX // What It’s Like To Attend Burning Man In VR This surprisingly effective reimagining of a real-world community can teach a few things to other events forced to reinvent themselves for the COVID-19 era. Read More centraltrack.com DESIGN // What An Interactive Art Experience Is Like In A Pandemic Sweet tooth hotel’s latest immersive installation provides for a safe, fairytale-like fiber escape from these gloomy times. Read More fastcompany.com BRAND HIGHLIGHT // Would You Spend $10,000 On A Virtual Dress? Gucci Is Betting On It As the physical and virtual worlds become increasingly blurred, Gucci is designing with your avatar in mind. Read More theverge.com BRAND HIGHLIGHT // This Giant Glowing Orb Is The World’s First Floating Apple Store The iPhone maker’s newest retail location, located in Singapore on the city-state’s waterfront and known officially as Apple Marina Bay Sands, is the only Apple retail shop on the planet that floats on water. Read More wersm.com BRAND HIGHLIGHT // A Virtual Influencer Stars In This IKEA In-Store Installation IKEA launched something unique in Tokyo this past weekend: a physical in-store installation featuring a virtual influencer. Read More jingdaily.com BRAND HIGHLIGHT // Farfetch Launches Curated Galleries In addition to physical connections that Chinese consumers are craving, Farfetch community gallery events were also highlighted by intelligent partnerships. Read More outform.typeform.com OUTFORM // Newsletter Survey How are we doing? Please take a moment to provide your feedback on our Future Retail Newsletter. Read More outform.com OUTFORM // Get More Innovation News Check out previous editions of the Future Retail Newsletter for even more on tech, innovation, design, and retail. Read More