The single most underrated source of retail innovation

The single most underrated source of retail innovation

When retailers think about innovation, they usually benchmark against direct competitors. Yet the most valuable lessons often come from outside the sector altogether. The overlooked truth: adjacent industries are the single most underrated source of retail innovation.

Why adjacent sectors matter

Industries like hospitality, quick-service restaurants, or fashion deal with the same challenges: customer flow, experience, loyalty, and efficiency. But they experiment with solutions under different pressures and timelines. When retailers look sideways, they find tested models they can adapt, often before their peers notice.

Three practical takeaways

1. Borrow the service model.
   Quick-service restaurants have mastered throughput while maintaining consistency. The same logic applies to in-store service counters, grab-and-go food, or click-and-collect.
   

2. Adopt design signals.
   Fashion retailers understand theatre, sightlines, and visual rhythm. Translating these cues into grocery or big-box creates emotional pull, not just functional flow.
   

3. Translate digital-first thinking.
   Pure-play e-commerce companies are experts in frictionless checkout, personalisation, and upselling. These lessons reshape physical stores when applied to layout, digital signage, or loyalty apps.

From observation to advantage

Looking beyond your own category forces you to think like a customer, not just a retailer. Consumers don’t silo their expectations — they carry them from hotels, restaurants, or online into every store they visit. Retailers who scan these horizons regularly gain foresight, spotting shifts before they hit their own sector.

The lesson is clear: don’t just watch your rivals. Look sideways. The next breakthrough for your store might already be proven in another industry.