Weekly Newsletter

Why retailers should embrace data and technology, IKEA’s expansion into wearables, and combining science and design to elevate the customer experience. This and more in this week’s edition of The Future Retail Newsletter.

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RETAIL // 50 Retail Innovation Stats That Prove The Power Of Customer Experience Retail technology and customer demands may be constantly changing, but one thing that will always be vitally important is customer experience. These statistics show the changing retail landscape and just how much customers depend on personalization, convenience and great relationships with brands. forbes.com RETAIL // Target is winning: hiring up 36%, new stores, and growing workforce Target is showing signs of growth — in terms of job openings, stores and staff size — and these alternative data points may shed some light on what is driving changes at the company. media.thinknum.com RETAIL // How Technology Can Create Transformation In Store Brick-and-mortar retail stores need to up their game. Technology could give them significant boost. mckinsey.com TRENDS // Millennials Shaping U.S. Retail Trends Millennials have been trendsetters since they’ve come of age. Now, they’re changing the face of retail as a new study shows how they’re outspending other generations and shifting the way consumers shop. finance.yahoo.com CX // How Digital Can Save Brick-And-Mortar Retail with Customer Experience Objectives Retailers still need to deliver a differentiated customer experience, and that means connecting and engaging customers in the most relevant and timely ways possible – often through the digital channel. martechseries.com CX // Elevating the Art of CX to Design Retail’s Future There’s a clear trend at the moment for dramatic art installations in retail. However, we shouldn’t forget about the “science” dimension of retail design that plays an increasingly important role these days in the form of data, analytics and smart tech. mytotalretail.com CX // Shanghai Hip-pop Studio completed a new ethereal eatery that delivers beyond food The surroundings in this new 160 square-metre restaurant are surprising, taking the guests on a visceral journey to the romance of Sakura, the Japanese cherry blossom festival and all the romantic stories and even computer games that it has inspired. thecoolhunter.net TECH // IKEA Expands Use of Wearables in internal operations Following a successful pilot IKEA is scaling its use of glove based wearable scanners in its warehouses. The most obvious benefits of the industrial wearables is the ability of workers to have their hands free and better ergonomic workflows. risnews.com TECH // This Boxing Robot Punches You While You Play VR When it comes to interactive entertainment, nothing immerses users in an experience better than providing consequences to their actions. In the world of VR, these moments are even more important for developing an engaging immersive experience. vrscout.com DESIGN // To Design a Better Future, Embrace the Uncomfortable So much of being a designer is being willing to embrace the uncomfortable. We create new products, experiences and systems for people whose needs are different than ours—sometimes really different. ideo.com DESIGN // Ministry of Design completes futuristic Durasport store in Singapore Airport Interiors firm Ministry of Design has completed an immersive ultra-performance sports store. Designed to resemble a futuristic research and development lab environment, the store is tailored to sports enthusiasts who want to try out sportswear and equipment in simulated environments before buying them. dezeen.com BRAND HIGHLIGHTS // Nordstrom Expands Its Inventory-Free Retail Strategy Nordstrom plans to open two new Nordstrom Local service hubs in NYC this fall. The inventory-free stores offer services such as online order pickup, alterations, styling and more, tailored to reflect the unique needs of local customers. risnews.com OUTFORM // GET MORE INNOVATION NEWS Check out previous editions of the Future Retail Newsletter for even more on tech, innovation, design, and retail. outform.com OUTFORM // HOW ARE WE DOING? TAKE OUR SURVEY We’d love to know what you think of Outform’s Future Retail Newsletter. It only takes 5 minutes and will help us improve our content to fit your interests better. outform.typeform.com