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Table of Contents
Key Findings
The Infuence of the Connected Lifestyle and the
Changing Buyer Landscape
The Evolution of Traditional Retail Fueled
by Amazon
Voice-controlled Devices Go Beyond a
Personal Assistant
The Growing Opportunity for Brands and
Retailers that Optimize the Supply Chain
Retail of the Future
Methodology and About the Author
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Commerce isn’t what it used to be.
Over the last fve years, we’ve dedicated
our annual Future of Retail report to
uncovering how the retail landscape has
changed, and this year’s report found that
the retail industry is more complicated than
ever. If the changes we saw in 2018 are any
indication of what’s to come, the future of
online commerce is much bigger than
just retail.
With power players like Amazon, Walmart
and Target expanding into everything
from grocery to pharmaceuticals to bees1,
innovation is happening across the retail
industry on a larger scale. Brands and
retailers that fnd new ways to engage
consumers beyond the traditional commerce
experience will continue to drive forward.
Last year, the most striking fndings showed
how quickly consumers have embraced
voice-activated interactions. A year later,
it’s clear that Amazon Echo was just the
beginning of a voice-activated future across
several industries. Now, we’re seeing more
investments in technology that can facilitate
an integrated lifestyle through digital
assistants and hands-free devices.
At the same time, fast shipping has become
an essential part of the retail and supply
chain process, largely due to Amazon’s
lightning-fast shipping capabilities and the
rising number of brands and manufacturers
selling direct to consumers.
All of this is supported by a seemingly
endless supply of data, which makes it easier
for businesses to connect with consumers
at every touchpoint. The key to success will
be for brands and retailers to use this data
to power more immersive experiences —
without compromising consumer trust.
As the lines between retail and other
industries blur, brands and retailers need
to transform the commerce experience into
a more integrated part of the consumer
lifestyle. The Future of Retail 2018 study,
based on a survey of 1,600 U.S. consumers,
outlines key insights about the rise of
connected experience and Amazon’s
infuence in a new era of commerce.
1 cnet/news/walmart-to-make-autonomous-robot-bees-pollen-drones/Wa
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Key
Findings
Politics plays a leading role
in commerce.
Two-thirds (65 percent) of
consumers report the current
presidential administration has
impacted their shopping behavior,
up from 40 percent last year.
Fast delivery is no longer
optional. It’s a must.
Forty-four percent of consumers
have used some kind of same-day
delivery service in the past year,
indicating they are growing more
comfortable with and reliant on
these services.
The popularity of connected
devices has skyrocketed.
Seventy-two percent of consumers
under the age of 36 own some kind
of connected home device (beyond
smartphones and tablets). Ninety-
three percent of those ages 18-25
own some kind of smart device
(including smartphones).
Amazon’s dominance forces
competing retailers to evolve.
On average, two in fve consumers
(41 percent) receive 1-2 packages
from Amazon per week. That
number jumps to half (50 percent)
for consumers ages 18-25, and 57
percent for consumers ages 26-35.
Consumers are more
comfortable using voice-
controlled devices to shop.
Of the consumers who own a voice-
controlled device, 64 percent use it
at least once a week. Fifty percent
have made a voice-controlled
purchase in the past year.。