The Top 5 Emerging Technologies in Retail

Keeping up with retail technology trends means learning what’s working today and adapting it to your brand. At CommerceNext, we learn from hundreds of retail brands each year, and we’ve identified five emerging technologies reshaping retail for 2025. Here’s how to integrate them into your business.

 

Sustainability-Focused Retail Technology 

Sustainability continues to be a priority, pushing brands to partner with new technology in retail and develop global impact programs.

Patagonia’s “Worn Wear” initiative promotes sustainability by letting customers trade used gear for credit. Similar campaigns include Lululemon’s “Like New,” The North Face’s “Clothes The Loop” and REI’s “Used Gear.”

Startup Trashie offers mail-in recycling for clothing, textiles and electronics. Customers fill a “Take Back Bag” or “Tech Take Back Box” and earn “TrashieCash” for brand rewards. Since 2023, Trashie has diverted 2.9 million pounds of textiles and aims to collect 2 million pounds of e-waste next year.

Landing AI focuses on real-time quality control. Their platform, LandingLens, uses computer vision to detect defects in manufacturing, minimizing waste. Electronics manufacturers especially have integrated Landing AI to streamline sustainability initiatives within everyday operations.

Everledger leverages blockchain technology to enhance supply chain transparency. Through their partnership, Fred Meyer Jewelers’ customers can trace diamonds’ origins and journeys via unique digital identities. Everledger promotes ethical consumption, ensuring retailers meet sustainability goals and builds trust.

 

 

 

AI-Powered Personalization Tools in Retail

With 3,000+ tools available, AI’s impact on retail is undeniable: it helps retail brands deliver timely, targeted messages, improving shopping experiences and revenue.

Bath & Body Works launched their AI-powered Gingham Genius app in September 2024. It uses large language models and the brand’s scent library to recommend perfumes based on customer input. While data about the app isn’t public, we’re sure it played a part in driving Q4 net sales up 0.8% YoY.

Lane Bryant faced declining in-store sales as shoppers shifted online. They partnered with Bluecore in 2019 to turn customer data into personalized marketing. By predicting shopper intent and automating product recommendations, Lane Bryant saw a 5x increase in revenue per email, a 63% conversion boost and a 5% increase in media spend efficiency.

Tidio’s AI chatbots automate interactions, recommend products and drive upselling. Bella Santé cut its call volume and added $66,000 in sales through Tidio’s partnership. Wulff Beltton also embraced new retail technology to strengthen lead generation, earning a 4.5/5 customer satisfaction rating.

 

 

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Try-On Technology within Retail

AR has helped apparel, beauty and furniture retailers reduce return rates and improve customer satisfaction.

Sephora’s Virtual Artist is a leader in this space, providing AR solutions for makeup, skincare and hair color try-ons. By leveraging real-time facial mapping technology, customers can visualize beauty products on their faces, simplifying online purchasing decisions.

For apparel, Walmart leveraged Zeekit to launch “Choose My Model” in 2022. In an AI-driven virtual fitting room, customers select models of various heights and sizes, envisioning merchandise on themselves.

In 2017, IKEA launched its app, IKEA Place, with Apple’s ARKit. Customers can preview true-to-scale furniture in their homes for perfect design layouts. IKEA reduced returns by 20% and increased online sales by 35%, especially for big-ticket items. 

AR also introduced 3D planograms: digital models that optimize product placement in physical stores. 

Samsung added holographic displays of electronic products in its flagship locations. This new retail technology offers a futuristic, immersive shopping experience, highlighting product features without physical handling. 

Alternatively, Coca-Cola prioritizes product display compliance. Field teams use AR-enabled devices to overlay 3D planograms onto physical shelves, reducing errors and setup time. 

 

 

 

Retail Omnichannel Integration and Technologies

Consumers expect seamless transitions between online and offline shopping. Brands that excel in omnichannel integration meet diverse customer preferences and drive repeat business.

Target’s Order Pickup and Drive Up services employ retail tech trends to their advantage. Having driven $2 billion in growth since 2019 (a 400% increase), Buy Online Pickup In Store offers the convenience of online shopping without the hassle of wait time. 

AI-powered self-checkout systems accelerate in-store transactions, matching that of online. Uniqlo uses RFID tags to identify items, removing the need for barcode scanning. Mashgin kiosks leverage computer vision to scan multiple items at once. Both eliminate checkout lines, improving speed and customer experience.

New technologies in retail focus on seamless shopping experiences across web, mobile, social, IoT and in-store. John Lewis & Partners (JLP) re-platformed their website using Commercetools, customizing ecommerce experiences across various touchpoints. After migration, JLP’s process of ingesting 325,000 products, previously taking days, reduced to 15 minutes.

 

 

 

Wearable Tech for Retail Staff Productivity & Warehouse Efficiency

DHL’s voice-directed wearable tech and AR headsets enable touchless, real-time guidance for warehouse order picking. Workers’ gloves integrate barcode scanners to reduce time spent with inefficient, handheld devices. This implementation led to a 25% boost in productivity, while intuitive designs decreased training time for new employees.

Lowe’s piloted exoskeletons for retail store and warehouse workers with Virginia Tech. Exosuits with soft robotics help employees lift heavy objects with reduced strain, enhancing customer service and safety. 

Amazon employees utilize smart glasses, wrist-worn scanners and RFID-enabled badges to track inventory and restock shelves. Future patents include wearable devices for customers (smartwatches, rings, etc.) to check out faster with biometric verification.

 

 

 

Sneak Peek: The Retail Stores of 2030

What’s ahead is just the beginning—tech in retail will continue to innovate, seamlessly blending AI, automation and immersive experiences for unparalleled personalization and convenience.

Picture this: as you step into your favorite store, smart mirrors and AR displays let you virtually try on outfits, eliminating fitting room hassles. AI-driven robots and chatbots ensure your size is always available, restocking shelves and streamlining order fulfillment.

That couch you’ve been eyeing? Holographic projections bring it to life in your living room, right from the store. No cart? No problem. Voice commerce enables hands-free shopping. However, if you do want one, smart carts can navigate aisles based on your purchase history.

Your smartwatch? It’s announcing real-time offers and AI-assisted recommendations. And forget checkout lines—biometric payments and RFID tracking make purchases instant, secure and fraud-protected.

By 2030, digital intelligence will merge with physical shopping to give you, the consumer, a frictionless, immersive and completely personalized experience.

 

 

Several of the solution providers and major retailers mentioned in this blog are attending the 2025 CommerceNext Growth Show this June 24-26 in NYC. With 2,700+ attendees, 150+ speakers and 75+ sessions, our annual conference meshes top retail and DTC executives with leading technology providers for facilitated partner relationships and community building.

If you’re a retailer and interested in attending, you can register for the conference here. 

If you’re a solution provider and want to get involved with our retail community, explore our sponsorship opportunities. Book an intro call with CommerceNext––we’d love to meet you!