Retail of the future

The department store is considered to be the first modern form of retail, the first such unit opened in 1890 in the USA, under the still going Macy’s brand name. Hypermarkets are today’s successors of department stores and this type of store is about to undergo major changes because the old concept of ‘let’s lead the shopper through refrigerators before they reach bread, so that they might spend more’ only works to a limited extent. In the near future hypermarkets will transform: future store features, tasting sessions, experience shopping – these will be the building blocks of future hypermarkets. Instead of self service well-trained shop assistants and their advices will be valued. Daily groceries and hygiene products will be sold by supermarkets and hard discounters, due to their technological developments, targeted assortment and rapid checkout. Corner shops will be used as convenient, ‘I almost forgot to buy’ type of units.