The Big Players in the Big Apple: Ten Shopping Innovations From New York.
What We Want: Innovations That Inspire — The Highlights From New York.
Christmas time is shopping time — and we didn’t expect so many of our wishes to come true. But we discovered numerous inspiring innovations that hit the mark: ultra-modern and genuinely exciting. Many of these highlights appear just in time for the festive season.
Trend researcher Cate Trotter reports on ten standout ideas from New York department stores. We've summarized her key findings:
1. The Very Personal Gift. 3D Printing at Macy’s.
At Macy’s flagship store, customers can design and 3D print personalized items such as jewelry boxes or smartphone cases. Every gift becomes a one-of-a-kind keepsake.
2. Personalized E-Commerce Services. Saks Fifth Avenue.
Saks Fifth Avenue aims to give online shoppers the same high-quality experience as visiting in-store. To do this, partner brands can create their own curated, personalized boutique pages within the Saks platform.
3. Full of Energy. Charge Smartphones at Bergdorf Goodman.
The smartphone is an essential shopping companion. When the battery runs low, shoppers can head to Bergdorf Goodman, where charging stations encourage them to browse the store while powering up.
4. Best Taste. Shopping at the Barney’s Coffee Table.
Barney’s in Manhattan features a nearly 10-meter-long café table that seats up to 28 guests. The twist? It has an integrated touch interface that allows customers to order food, drinks, and browse the store’s product catalog.
5. Once Again Saks. Always Looking for New Shoes.
Saks Fifth Avenue stocks around 4,000 shoe models. Staff can instantly check if a particular size is available by scanning the RFID tags of display items — making the experience faster and more convenient.
6. Looks Like a Great Idea. Digital Mirrors at Neiman Marcus.
At Neiman Marcus, smart mirrors take photos of customers trying on different outfits. This lets shoppers compare looks, experiment with colors, and even share options with friends via social media.
7. A Like in Return. Digital Outfit Recommendations at Bloomingdale’s.
The larger the selection, the harder it is to choose. Bloomingdale’s solves this with Me-ality: A body scan system in the fitting room suggests clothing that best fits each customer’s measurements.
8. Always a Good Helper. SMS Shopping Assistant at Nordstrom.
Short on time? Shoppers can send a text message to Nordstrom listing what they're looking for. A conversation follows, and when the right item is found, it can be purchased directly via SMS.
9. Play Big. Snapchat Scavenger Hunt at Bloomingdale’s.
Bloomingdale’s makes exploring the store fun with a Snapchat-based scavenger hunt, turning shopping into a playful experience.
10. A Successful Concept. Beacons at Lord & Taylor.
We've seen beacons before. What’s special at Lord & Taylor is their integration with third-party apps. Shoppers don’t need a dedicated app to receive location-based updates on promotions and product info — convenience at its best.
Our Conclusion: Innovations and Ideas for Retail That We Love.
These inspiring retail concepts aren't just exciting during the holiday season — they represent innovations we’d love to see more of year-round. Definitely on our wish list!
