FuturistU > Business > New Business Models > Module 3 / 4

New Business Models and Simplicity

Instructor: Mary Van Puymbroeck
Convenience Culture
Download the Convenience Culture Trend Report
In a world where nearly any product or service is available in an instant, on-demand services hold the upper hand over more traditional business models.
The rise of on-demand services speaks to a growing expectation for access and convenience. This module aims to explore current expressions of the Instant Economy through the lens of our Megatrend, Simplicity.

The Instant Economy is one where access to goods, products and services are delivered just as quickly as a need is identified. With more consumers leaning into and developing an appetite for instant gratification, what are the key expressions and implications of this for your business?
Related Trend Report: Convenience Culture
Workshop Questions:
1. How could you delivery a luxury experience without compromising convenience?
2. When was the last time you experimented with how to delivery your product, and what's changed since?
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Featured Insights

Contact-Less Vending
The traditional vending machine adopts smartphone payment systems
Trend - The convenience of vending machines is being enhanced by brands with the incorporation of contact-less payment systems that can be made through smartphones. This shift comes as this form of retail adapts to meet the demands of consumers’ rituals, with streamlined day-to-day transactions now being the norm.
Workshop Question - How could your brand effectively streamline the purchase journey for its customers?
5.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Everyday Rental
Brands begin to offer everyday items like clothing and home textiles for rent
Trend - Consumers today are increasingly thoughtful with how they spend, leading many companies--especially those whose products are used infrequently--to offer rental options in lieu of expensive purchase items. Brands that sell products used on an everyday basis, like home decor and casual fashion, are pivoting to offer a rental model as well.
Workshop Question - How will consumers' rising expectations when it comes to value and convenience impact your brand?
5.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends

Insights by Trend Hunter AI

AI Intimacy
Retail brands are using AI to create deeper emotional connections with customers
Trend - Retail companies are deploying AI systems that go beyond transactional interactions to build genuine emotional relationships with customers. These technologies learn individual preferences, remember personal details, and anticipate needs in ways that make customers feel truly understood. AI is being used so every interaction feels like a continuation of an ongoing relationship.
Workshop Question - How could your brand use AI to remember and celebrate the small details that make each customer feel uniquely valued?
7.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Hyperlocal Evolution
Brands strengthen community connections through enhanced physical experiences
Trend - As consumers flock to physical retail spaces, both established and emerging brands are reimagining their local presence through enhanced experiential offerings. This shift extends beyond traditional retail to include direct-to-consumer brands creating innovative physical touchpoints.
Workshop Question - How could your brand create meaningful local connections with or without a permanent retail space?
7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Rent Report
Companies create services that help consumers build credit by tracking rental payments
Trend - Banks and fintech companies are introducing services that help tenants report their rental payments to major credit bureaus like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These services enable tenants to leverage their largest recurring expense—rent payments—to build or strengthen their credit profile.
Workshop Question - How does your brand consider its target consumers' estimated income?
5.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Employee-Free Retailer
Brick and mortar stores are turning to AI to mitigate labor costs
Trend - Retailers and grocers are testing fully automated locations to lower costs. By saving on the many complications associated with labor, these retailers are able to offer reduced prices for the benefit of the consumer. These often begin as solo test locations before expanding based on demand.
Workshop Question - How could your brand alter its operations to reduce costs of its products or services for consumers?
6.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Retail Lounge
Retailers are launching experiential events to enhance connections to consumers
Trend - Retailers in various industries, such as department stores, luxury brands, and more, are launching in-store lounges and experiential events. These events are designed to enhance the comfort of shoppers while deepening the connection between the shoppers and the brand.
Workshop Question - How can we create experiential in-store events that enhance consumer engagement and strengthen their connection to our brand?
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Visual Aid
Brands are designing packaging to be accessible for consumers with visual impairments
Trend - Brands are creating packaging designs with smart solutions for consumers with visual impairments. These solutions include scannable codes or symbols that interact with smart applications to provide either easier-to-read or audio-based information, more effectively supporting shoppers.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage technological solutions to make our products more accessible for a wider range of consumers?
6.5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Kiosk
Smart kiosks that provide recommendations and point-of-sale support are being deployed
Trend - Retailers are deploying in-store kiosks powered by artificial intelligence (AI). These AI kiosks interpret and make recommendations for consumers interacting with them, thus streamlining the retail process. The advent of AI kiosks also reduces the required staff and, thus, costs for retailers.
Workshop Question - How could your brand improve its consumers' experiences by employing artificial intelligence, or other, smart features?
6.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Gamified Storefront
Brands are gamifying brick and mortar stores for the retailtainment trend
Trend - Brick-and-mortar storefronts are adding elements of gamification and entertainment to improve the in-store shopping experience. These 'retailtainment' initiatives add immersive experiences and interactive elements to increase consumer engagement and pull the focus away from simply spending money.
Workshop Question - How can we integrate gamification and entertainment into our physical spaces to create a more engaging and immersive experience for our customers?
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Accessible Grocery
Grocery delivery platforms now accept electronic benefit transfers
Trend - Electronic Bank Transfer (EBT) is becoming a standard payment method as consumers seek convenient and secure ways to pay for grocery deliveries. This payment method aims to help individuals relying on government assistance programs access essential food items with ease and dignity.
Workshop Question - How does your brand demonstrate attentiveness to the financial well-being of its customer base?
2.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends