Before we decided what we would focus on in a group my original research mainly consisted of material led innovations mainly to do with sustainability. I found it inspiring how artists were making sustainable materials for day to day use and I am really looking forward to how it progresses over the years to come. However, as a group we decided to look further into retail and the future of retail, where will it be in three years’ time or even ten. I have found researching this subject exciting but scary. The first bit of research I found was about Amazons same day drone delivery, which is currently in the trail process as they have claimed that they have successfully delivered to two different customers by drone which the first one was delivered within 13 minutes (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/14/amazon-claims-first-successful-prime-air-drone-delivery).
I then started to look at other predictions of retail which is where I came across a very in depth forecast for the future of retail by 2030. I am very sceptical that much of this will happen by 2030 but I do see how our lives will eventually progress to this outcome. A few of these outcomes include instead of shops where you can pick up what you want straight away, stores will become more like show rooms where you can then go to get your size or even get it 3D printed to your exact size with alterations if you request, retailers will roll out more loyalty programmes to reward customers for coming back time after time, Virtual reality and haptic technology will allow people to experience items without buying them. (http://www.cbre.us/real-estate-services/real-estate-industries/retail-services/retail-innovation-hub/retail-2030). I found looking at this website interesting due to how much will change in just over ten years, but it is achievable, especially at the rate technology is progressing.
Most research I have found has been to do with 3D printing. It is going to become such a huge part of our lives over the coming years without many people knowing about it. People have already started to 3D print houses and buildings, and other materials. It is becoming so achievable to 3D print everything which is why a lot of the research I have come across believes that everything we buy in the future will be 3D printed and can be tailored especially to us if we like. This can be anything from shoes, clothes and other accessories to prosthetic limbs, fabricated firearms, electric vehicles or even body parts. Another interesting fact I found is that engineers are in the making of designing a way for cupboards/fridges to restock themselves. The concept is that when you are running low or have ran out, it will automatically buy more and be delivered to your door.
Most of this research is looking further into the future so here are some interesting ideas that I found that will most likely start to happen by 2020:
- Retail stores will embrace showrooms
“Stores will become like museums—we will go to see something, to learn and be entertained,” predicted Thomas Keenan
- Analytics will become commonplace in physical stores
Data will be used to understand customers and increase sales.
- Payments and transactions will become totally transparent
“By 2020, not only will more transactions take place via our mobile devices, whether it's our smartphones or wearable technology leveraging near-field communication (NFC) technology, we'll also see the emergence of even more streamlined payment experiences.”
- Retailers will make better use of sensory technology
Retail stores will have more awareness of our emotions and how to excite our.
- Technology will become the new sales assistant
Technology will increasingly automate a lot of routine and mundane work that happens in retail institutions.
Overall my interpretation is that retail becoming increasingly more online and technological, which could result in the loss of many jobs and a complete new way of shopping. After our group had gone away and done our own original research, that was when we decided that we would make a publication homing in on the four topics; The Future of Retail, Sustainability and Ecomas, Data Collection and Change of Retail Spaces.
(Below are mind maps that I had taken down in the first initial meetings of our groups, on how we started to gather ideas)
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