Consumer Trend Predictions 2015 – How Mintel's E@sy Street trend has already started to play out in 2015

At this week’s Futuretail event in London, Mintel presented E@sy Street, one of our four key consumer trend predictions for 2015, offering us an opportunity to catch up on how this has already played out so far this year.

The contention of E@sy Street is that the on-demand, instant gratification culture of the digital world will spread to the high street, built upon the notion that we inhabit a digital era of instant gratification, where we can browse and buy at speed and where – online at least – the shops never close. As a result we expect to see a flurry of fast and flexible solutions to bridge the gap between online and physical shopping.

We are already in the midst of a roll-out of click-and-collect offerings from Asda and Tesco, collection lockers from Amazon and Waitrose and parcel collection points from newcomers like Doddle and it is precisely this that has caused our analysts to confidently predict that click and collect will account for 17% of all internet retail sales in 2015.

We predict that click and collect will account for 17% of all internet retail sales in 2015

We are seeing how this mode of shopping is quickly outgrowing the confines of convenience grocery shopping to embrace higher end gifting at John Lewis, as well as a slower, more considered form of fashion purchasing at The Dylan Hotel in Amsterdam – where guests can order garments from the boutiques of the nearby 9 Straatjes District – and at Gu in Tokyo, where customers are encouraged to try on outfits and leave the store to test them in public for a day. With 80% of consumers agreeing that sizing is a major obstacle to online shopping, we are expecting fashion click-and-collect hubs – as well as body sizing technologies – to pop-up and multiply.

We’ve also predicted a rise in 3D print shops seeking to tap into the creative side of the click-and-collect mentality and since seen Royal Mail team up with iMakr to offer “ready to print” or customised items from its New Cavendish Street delivery office in London.

In groceries we’re seeing Sainsbury’s test out how far we’ll go in the name of convenience, with an that app fills a virtual basket, guides you to items in the store and lets you scan and pay, skipping the checkout. However convenience needn’t be confined to the chains, and we expect something like Hubbub – which offers all-in-one online deliveries from multiple, independent food and drink retailers – to appear in a click and collect guise soon.

Beyond retail goods, we are also predicting an increased craving for instant access to the human element in service as well, with consumers expecting and demanding expertise advice on tap – whether it be through services offering financial, fashion or medical advice – delivered on site at transport hub pop ups or via video chat 24/7.

To find our more about Mintel’s 2015 Consumer Trends and download a free copy of our report – click here.

With over a decade of experience in market research, Richard works as a Trends Analyst, helping clients understand how global consumer trends impact their business. As a globally recognised leading trends commentator, he is regularly called on by media worldwide to provide insight and analysis into consumer trends, with recent highlights including the Guardian and BBC Radio 2.