A Look at the Coolest Things Being Cooked up by Retail Innovation Labs

As retailers strive to stay ahead of trends and technology, many are now setting up “innovation labs.”

These labs, which usually operate as separate divisions of the company, serve as incubators for new ideas. They are expected to cook up forward-thinking (sometimes even sci-fi-esque) solutions that the retailer can put into action in the real world.

Retail innovation labs can come up with anything from new products to out-of-the-box shopping experiences, and many of the apps and products we use today have actually stemmed from these entities. 

For example, Cartwheel, one of the most popular shopping apps in the market, was born in Target’s Innovation Center two years ago, while Amazon’s Kindle was a project developed by its own innovation lab, Lab126.

It’s clear that some of the products and ideas these labs are coming up with can give us a glimpse into the future of retail. This is why it’s worth checking out what these centers are up to now. Paying attention to the experiments and innovations happening here can give us an idea of what to expect from retailers going forward. 

In this post, we’re going to do just that. Below are some new and upcoming innovation lab ideas that are worth checking out: 

@Walmartlabs

Last month, @Walmartlabs debuted a new mobile feature for its Sam’s Club division, to supplement its buy online, pick-up in-store service. 

As FierceRetail reports, the new capability “prompts shoppers to check in and estimate their time of arrival before heading out to the membership club. Once customers cross the geofence in the parking lot, the store is notified and associates can quickly gather any perishable items that require refrigeration, which dramatically cuts down on the shopper's wait time.”

Lowe’s Innovation Lab

Last year, the team at Lowe’s Innovation lab created The Holoroom, “a home improvement simulator which provides homeowners a 3-D model of their room remodel.”

The Holoroom enables customers to not just visualize, but actually see (in digital form) what a particular room will look like once it’s remodeled. When customers use the Holoroom, the first thing they need to do is recreate the space they want to renovate, and then add in the furniture, equipment, tiles, and anything else that they’d like to purchase from Lowe’s.

A tablet then augments those elements into the Holoroom so that people can see—in its actual size—what the room will look like. Check out the demo below:

Amazon Lab126

Lab126, Amazon’s innovation center, has come up with some cool products over the past few years, including the Kindle, Amazon Echo, the Fire TV Stick, and Fire HD, among other things. 

Most recently, Lab126 unveiled the Amazon Dash Button, a solution that allows users to replenish products such as coffee, detergent, and paper towels with (literally) a push of a button. 

Just pair the Dash Button with your Amazon app, stick it near in the pantry, laundry room, or bathroom—or anywhere else you store your favorite products—and push the button when you’re running low. Amazon then will deliver those products right to your doorstep.

iRLabs (Sears)

Sears’ Integrated Retail Labs recently unveiled the Connected Solutions shop in San Bruno, CA. Connected Solutions is “a 4,000 square-foot flagship experience” that showcases different connected home solutions.

Think of as an IoT hub, in which shoppers can interact and test various “smart” devices for their home and life. It’s a space where they can demo products, see how those products are installed, and get a glimpse of how they can fit into their everyday lives.

Check out the video below for a tour of Sears’ Connected Solutions shop.

Your turn

Got any other notable innovations to add to this list? Share them in the comments.

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