Retail trends to look out for in 2022

The first quarter of the year is a vitally important time in business. The beginning of the year sets the strategic plans in motion and the implementation of new trends.

Like other business sectors, the retail industry is expected to see fresh innovation and embrace new local and international trends and developments in 2022.

What type of retail trends can be expected in 2022?

Brick and mortar stores repositioning

The consumer market has tremendously shifted in the last couple of years. Not only have income levels been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but the residential market has also seen individuals and families moving to cheaper localities.

In response to this, 2022 is likely to witness retail stores diversifying capital allocations and creating tiered resource allocation.

This will be coupled with flagship brick and mortar stores being maintained or established only in areas where there is evidence of a vibrant populace and appetite for certain goods and services. In addition, shoppers can rely on Guzzle, a print and digital catalogue aggregator, to set up notifications for deals and promotions at stores in their location.

Pop-up and pop-in retail shops

Pop-up and Pop-in shops are expected to increase in popularity. A Pop-up shop is a retail outlet that has opened temporarily to increase revenue by taking advantage of social activity, passing trends or seasonal demand.

This is usually done under a marquee or in a van, truck or trailer. On the other hand, a pop-in refers to a store that gets opened inside another store. In short, two retail businesses can agree to share the floor space and sell different products, save on rental fees and leverage off each other’s ability to pull in customers.

Personal shopping services

In 2022, personal shopping services are expected to increase, especially for big-name brands. This is in response to a growing number of busy customers who have significantly less time to shop.

What this means is that retailers will have more staff in place to receive shopping lists electronically. They will then prepare the products for dispatch, and once products are ready for shipping, the retailer will arrange delivery to the customers’ supplied address.

Innovative stores through AI

Innovation through Artificial Intelligence is expected to be a significant driver of retail developments.

An increased number of retailers can be expected to use AI for inventory management, interactive consumer chats, visual product curation, guided store discovery, conversational support, customer engagement, etc.

This means consumers will enjoy immediate attention to requests and concerns, pay faster and also have a multi-sensory brand experience when shopping.

Free shipping

Everybody knows that it’s easier and more cost-effective to buy from a retailer that offers free shipping.

Retailers who offer free shipping record higher conversions than ones where shoppers have to pay for shipping.

2022 is likely to see an increase in free shipping, especially as the retail sector continues to bounce back from the Covid-19 crisis.

Vegan and plant-based foods

A healthy lifestyle which includes healthy eating has become a big part of many people’s lives. While there are numerous food outlets in South Africa, one that’s definitely going to gain momentum in 2022 will be vegan and plant-based food outlets.

This means healthy eaters will not have to search far and wide to find healthy meals.

Buy now, pay later

Many consumers desire to buy but do not have sufficient disposable income to pay once off for a product or service of choice. More retailers and service providers in 2022 will adopt the buy now and pay later service to meet this need.

Consumers can choose to enjoy a service or buy a product and pay for it in instalments over an agreed-upon period.

The above indicators point to the fact that the retail space will continue to evolve in order to overcome emerging challenges and meet consumer needs.

Shoppers can count on Guzzle to plan their shopping, find the best deals, check product availability, compare prices and shop with convenience.

Guzzle Media