Connected and integrated technology in real physical environments. A marriage between physical and digital taken to the extreme. With the aim of improving shopping and purchasing experiences: according to the predictions of Ericsson’s “10 Hot Consumer Trends”, this will be one of the common elements of daily life for the next decade.
The study, now in its eleventh edition, collects the point of view of consumers on 2030. In particular, this year it deals with hybrid shopping experiences inside an imaginary shopping center called “Everyspace Plaza”.
Consumers were asked to rate 15 hybrid shopping malls, where the physical consumption experience is extended thanks to digital technology.
On the one hand, it can be difficult to imagine, before 2030, large numbers of consumers in possession of expensive technological equipment such as augmented reality glasses, waterproof virtual reality goggles, haptic suits and tactile gloves. However, if this equipment were to be made available at a lower cost, it is plausible to imagine that many will have it to improve everyday experiences even in shopping centers “says Michael Björn, head of Hot Consumer Trends since 2011, who then adds:” The 35 % of consumers surveyed think shopping malls are more likely to have next-generation technologies than apartments, while only 14% disagree. Shopping malls have long been high-tech places, with many cinemas, arcades, concert halls, bowling alleys, and more. They will probably continue to play this role ».
Here is the top 10 of the trends
1) The arena where everything is possible – The All-Now Arena
You may be both an actor and a spectator, but will the immersive experience thrill you or scare you? Nearly 8 out of 10 consumers envision event rooms where telepresence technology will allow artists to perform digitally as if they were there in person.
2) The Immersive Beauty Salon – The Immersive Beauty Salon
Avoiding the needle and scalpel is an attractive beauty option for many. Beauty salons that use volumetric modeling technology to digitally enhance the look are expected in shopping malls by 7 out of 10 consumers.
3) The Meta Tailor – The Meta Tailor
Fast fashion tailored for you – and your avatar. More than 7 out of 10 AR / VR users expect a tailor to use fabrics that can transform, becoming waterproof or providing cooling when needed.
4) The pool of dreams – The Anyverse Pool
Many imagine the exploration of impossible worlds. Two-thirds of consumers believe there will be swimming pools where they can use an oxygenated VR headset to experience the cosmos in zero gravity.
5) La palestra ibrida – The Hybrid Gym
For many, physical vigor and mental health are inextricably linked. Seven out of ten consumers expect mental fitness centers equipped with multi-sensory and personalized AR / VR environments to help improve mental health.
6) The Wish Factory – The Print-a-Wish Multifactory
On-demand repair and manufacturing are the future. More than half of consumers want to make sustainable purchases in a store that also recycles their old products.
7) The restaurant at the center of the universe – The Restaurant at the Node of the Universe
Many prefer virtual company, without any distractions. Half of consumers want restaurants where they can virtually eat with friends in other restaurants, anywhere else in the world.
8) The Neverending Store – The Neverending Store
Try before you buy – at least virtually. Three-quarters of consumers expect to be able to project their home into the store when they try new products.
9) The Personal Medical Center – The Medical Multiplex Center
We are used to everything being instantaneous. Why wait when it comes to health? 77% of consumers expect to find drop-in AI health scan medical centers that provide near-instant health status updates.
10) The Natura + park / The Nature + Park
For people forced to live in the city, nature can be what is missing. 42% of consumers want to visit a park inside the mall where they can feel closer to nature through digital and programmable materials that provide hybrid experiences.