2025 trends and tips for in-store retailers

Retail is one of many industries affected by reduced consumer spending, but there are trends and processes that bricks-and-mortar retailers can optimise to keep sales coming in.

Here is the second part of our two-part series on the critical trends for retailers in 2025. If you’d like to read the first article on what’s ahead for online retailers, you can find it here.

For in-store retailers, the checkout experience in 2025 is proving just as important as it is for online providers, with shoppers dissatisfied with long queues — they’re seeking intelligent checkouts and tap-to-pay. They also want help from staff who are well-trained and knowledgeable about their products, so staff need to be a value-add when it comes to in-person shopping, and they want real-time inventory, down to the aisle and shelf.

Personalisation is a key trend for in-store retailers as much as it is for online providers, with customers responding to localisation strategies that allow for local preferences and habits, as well as loyalty programs and facial recognition. AI has a huge role to play for all retailers as it does in other industries — repetitive tasks can be automated in-store and the analytics and forecasting tools it offers to retailers allow them to anticipate the market and trends to a level the industry has never experienced previously.

In-store retailers also face challenges that can be turned into opportunities with the right technology and approach to their staff and customer personalisation in particular.

Our predicted trends for in-store retailers are:

AI

In-store retailers will benefit from continuing to automate repetitive tasks like inventory, pricing, and cashless checkout. AI offers retailers analytics and forecasting that can help them navigate the volatile market playing out worldwide right now, while consumers trust AI for assistance, guidance and helping them save.

Up-to-the-minute inventory

Tracking stock levels in real time between online and in-store will continue to be critical for in-store retailers this year ahead, with consumers expecting to be able check stock levels and view where items are located in aisles and on shelves. Out-of-stock incidents are still costing retailers millions, so meeting customer demand on real-time inventory is essential.

Data-driven personalisation

In-store data collection via wi-fi tracking and loyalty programs will become more mainstream as customers reward in-store personalisation with their loyalty. Retailers will also increasingly utilise in-store and online data to provide customers with targeted cross-channel recommendations.

Regional adaptation

Bricks-and-mortar retailers need to incorporate localised strategies that allow for localised markets, product preferences, shopping habits and cultural norms.

Checkout experience

Up to 30% of customers are abandoning their purchase due to long queues at the checkout, so more retailers will be investing in intelligent, in-trolley and in-basket checkouts, as well as mobile point-of-sale systems and native wallet integration for loyalty cards so all customers need to do is tap to pay and claim rewards.

Staff evolution

Shoppers are increasingly valuing in-store staff who are knowledgeable, resulting in in-store retailers investing more heavily in training programs.

While there are other implications for online and in-store retailers, we hope these predictions help you narrow your focus and work the trends that will deliver the greatest market share to your business.

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