Reflecting on the Top Technology Trends in Retail
Perhaps the biggest adjustments we as consumers had to make at the start of the 2020 pandemic was learning how to gain access to essentials such as healthcare and groceries during times where we were advised not to leave our homes. Since then, in the grocery retail space, technology has become a huge player in the sector. Melissa Kress, Executive editor at Convenience Store News, shares how the top technology trends this year affected convenience and grocery stores for the both the business and consumer sides – and for the better.
Enhanced Mobile Apps. “One thing that stands out is that many convenience store retailers upped their mobile game.”
New Checkout Options. “Making the shopping experience more convenient for the time-strapped consumer is a main priority for c-store operators, and some began investing in checkout-free technology to provide a seamless c-store trip.”
Change on the Forecourt. “The electric vehicle (EV) industry received a boost this summer when the Biden Administration set a goal to create a national network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030. As we all know, c-stores are uniquely positioned to take advantage of this market. Some operators are taking big steps now to prepare.”
Kress concludes that more and more retailers are embracing these technology trends, fast becoming the new normal for your shopping experience. This, Kress notes, is just the beginning for technology retail.
