After two years without a face-to-face event, NRF 2022: Retail's Big Show is bringing together more than 15,000 retailers, suppliers, and retail experts since Sunday the 16th, and will continue until Tuesday the 18th, in New York, USA.
Our team is following everything to bring here the main news and trends presented in this edition of the fair that promises many insights. During the three days of the event, we are expecting lectures from Target's president and CEO Brian Cornell; and Best Buy's CEO, Corie Barry, besides many other lectures with specialists.
On the first day subjects such as metaverse, sustainability and diversity were highlighted, in addition to lectures about the evolution process in face of the new consumption scenario and some new concepts directed towards empathy with the consumer and internal team. Check out the main highlights below.
Online and offline united
The solutions that allow real integration between the physical and digital worlds have moved the market in recent years during the pandemic. In her lecture about retail trends 2022, the CEO of GDR Creative Intelligence, Kate Ancketill highlighted the change of concept from e-commerce to out-of-commerce, more intuitive and interactive aiming mainly the new generations.
Kate also mentions the transformation of physical stores that are increasingly being used to support digital retail, the idea is that online and offline are treated as one thing and not two types of sales channels.
Metaverse is coming
In the face of trends that aim to integrate the physical and digital worlds, the metaverse is gaining momentum and attracting brands and consumers.
Despite being a trend for the next 5 or 10 years, companies are already moving to insert this technology in their strategies, because they are already looking at the future generations who are digital natives and who will be more than 50% of the consumers in the next years.
In addition, the metaverse brings more interactivity to the user, being a space that allows co-creation with the user, which goes along with the greater participation of people in the product creation process.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
James Rhee, founder of the consulting firm Red Helicopter, talked about the efforts of companies driving retail to become a more inclusive and empathetic environment for the consumer.
This is because consumers are increasingly connected to brands that represent or support their beliefs, positionings, and understand them as individuals. Having empathetic communication that includes minorities, technology that allows navigation and usability for people with disabilities or reduced mobility, and many other concerns that encompass this core of making digital retail an environment for everyone.
Besides being something expected for retail, companies are also generating effort for their internal teams, associating these themes to growth, curiosity and creativity.
Sustainability
Talking about sustainability, Zach Freeze, senior director of Strategic Sustainability Initiatives at Wallmart, talked about the status quo and the future of environmental sustainability in retail.
Wallmart's initiatives to meet its goal of zero emissions by 2040 have prompted the giant to team up with external partners as about 5% of the company's carbon footprint is due to its own operations and the other 95% comes from its suppliers.
The constant changes and climate impacts on the planet, added to the greater awareness of the consumer, has been making brands work to reduce their impacts on nature, as well as to find viable alternatives for the health of the planet.
The first day of NRF 2022 Retail's Big show yielded many interesting topics, didn't it! We are following the next lectures to bring the best insights to you. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a first-hand account.
