2016 Trends That Broke the Mold

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By Jasmine Turner

Let’s flash back to captivating consumer trends that broke the mold in 2016.

What were some of your daily shopping routines in 2016?

You probably used your smartphone for just about everything. It seems there’s an app for every daily task, whether you’re shopping, ordering food, paying bills, catching a ride, or banking. In 2016, consumers demanded convenience. Thanks to technology, businesses responded in a big way and delivered personalized solutions right to our phones.

By tapping into our daily use of smartphones, businesses outdid themselves when it came to finding new ways to cater to consumers. Gone are the days of finding yourself at a checkout register without a coupon. With a few taps on your smartphone, you can find that 20-percent-off coupon you left at home and enjoy frustration-free savings on the run.

We’ll have to wait to see what 2017 has in store, so while we wait, let’s take a look back at a few consumer trends in 2016 that transformed the way we shop:

Personalized mobile wallet
In addition to retrieving coupons, you can download apps from your favorite retailers to take advantage of rewards and free promotions. It’s easier than ever to save and organize offers with streamlined and simplified digital loyalty cards. Keep in mind that there are millions of apps to choose from. When making a decision on the best app to download, do your research to find out how the app stores your information.

Mobile click-and-collect
The convenience of shopping online and picking up your items in-store within hours made a lot of consumers smile. Retailers like Kohl’s, Sam’s Club, and DSW Shoes, to mention just a few, use this technology (Vend, n.d.). Consumers love this trend because they can save money on shipping and return items on the spot if they are not completely satisfied. Let’s hope retailers continue the trend in 2017.

Box subscriptions
Do you love wine, popcorn, beauty products, clothing, or toys for your pet? How about shopping for them without leaving the comfort of your home? If so, you’ll appreciate box subscription services for those lazy or crazy days when you don’t want to fight the crowds. Instead, order a personalized box for delivery right to your front door.

By tapping into our daily use of smartphones, businesses outdid themselves when it came to finding new ways to cater to consumers.

Payment options
The rise of mobile payments and the Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) standard in the United States spurred merchants to exchange their old payment terminals for newer models that not only help them with compliance and security, but also allow them to accept more forms of payment and protect consumers (Vend, n.d.). The days of swiping your card to complete a transaction are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. You can now insert your card into a chip reader or make a payment right from your smartphone. These new payment options allow merchants to engage with consumers in new and more secure ways, and we can expect to see further developments in 2017.

These trends caught our eyes in 2016 and evolved the way consumers shop. We can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store for us.

REFERENCES
Vend. (n.d.). Retail trends & predictions 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from https://www.vendhq.com/university/retail-trends-and-predictions-2016