The Future Of Retail

This project is a documentary that explores the narratives and trends surrounding the retail industry, and how the role of physical stores is changing in this internet / digital-heavy world we live in today. The documentary reflects my personal observations on how stores are changing and my research process on various perspectives on the current retail situation. It raises questions like “What is the future of retail?”, “What will stores look like?” and “What are brands trying to achieve through retail?” etc.

The project was inspired by the phenomenon that even though we can virtually achieve anything online (entertainment, shopping, socializing etc.), people are still looking for new, fun, physical experiences and the social aspect they come with – whether it is face-to-face interaction or sharing the experience on social media. There have been so many successful pop-up museums taking advantage of this behavior by making their experiences very “Instagram-able” – so why couldn’t retailers do something similar? In fact, quite a few of them already are. This documentary confirms the value of retail for those who are convinced that e-commerce is taking over, and maybe get those who prefer shopping online off their couches to go experience new things.