Top 7 retail trends to watch for 2023

Analysing trends is something that Cegid continually does in an effort to stay ahead and adapt its product roadmap to address any new challenges. More than ever, retailers need modern, open and adaptable tools and IT systems. To learn more about retail trends in 2023, download our ebook.

Unravelling the retail trends in 2023:

1. Mobile is becoming the preferred personal shopper and training tool for store staff.
2. There’s been a breakthrough in payment methods, driven by numerous innovations (Tap to Pay, Pay by link, instant payments, BNPL, cryptocurrencies, QR codes etc).
3. Consumers care more about the environment and seek value for money, so second hand and renting apparel is increasingly popular.
4. The employee experience (or EXTech) has become one of the main priorities for companies wanting to retain talent, says the latest Hype Cycle report from Gartner.
5. IT security and compliance are increasingly important as cyber-attacks continue to rise. According to Gartner, 68% of companies will invest more in 2023 on cybersecurity than previous years; and 89% of them will move to a “distributed cloud” model by 2025.
6. The future of retail belongs to “Composable Business”: with 42% of companies investing in more open IT systems, micro-services and APIs during 2023, says Gartner.
7. Despite tentative steps, there’s still likely to be further experimentation in Web 3.0, the metaverse and cryptocurrencies as consumers move towards a third wave of the internet.

Consumers embrace mobiles as their personal shopper

The amount of time we spend on our mobiles continues to grow at a rate of about 25% each year. Over half the time we spend surfing the web is now done via a mobile device: 55.5%, according to a report by We Are Social and Hootsuite published in July 2022, up from 52% the previous year. And consumers (as well as retailers) are embracing mobile devices as personal shopping assistants online and in stores.

Mobile services are another big growth area, with 59% of companies planning to invest in new applications and more modern technology in 2023, predicts research from Gartner.

The store of the future will be one that offers the best customer experience and relies on mobiles for heightened employee engagement.

Second hand, CSR and renting: new business models in retail

People are switching their allegiance to greener and more sustainable shopping options and retailers need to take heed. Market Data Forecast predicts that the global rental market for clothing will be worth around $2bn by 2026, twice the amount today. Current estimates put the second-hand market for clothing, shoes and accessories as representing 3 to 5% of the total revenue of the retail sector, according to a study by Boston Consulting Group and Vestiaire Collective.

Retail Trends 2023: Customer and employee experience are equally important

Employee satisfaction and workforce management (EXTech) are to become high priorities for retailers, says Gartner’s latest Hype Cycle for Retail Technologies 2022.

The recent crisis and digital technologies have fundamentally changed the way employees view their relationship with their employer. During 2021, nearly 50 million people left employment in the United States. It’s become a worldwide phenomenon known as the “the great resignation” or “The Big Quit” as people sought new meaning and balance from traditional working lives. The issue of retaining talent is now a major concern.

To attract talent and retain quality staff, Gartner advocates a more “human-centric” and less “transactional” management approach.

Retailers are also coming to realise that the employee experience should be considered as important as the consumer one. After all, a better trained employee using modern-day technologies (real-time information on stocks and orders, click & collect etc.) will serve customers well and they’ll feel more committed.

The store of the future will be one that offers the best customer experience through sound employee engagement.