Euroshop is the world's largest exhibition for equipment, technology, and marketing in retail. In 2017 the number of participants and visitors broke all records for 50 years of the event's existence: 18 exhibition halls, over 2000 exhibits from 61 countries, 113000 visitors.

The entire space was divided into 7 conventional sections: POP Marketing, Expo & Event Marketing, Retail, Lighting, Shop and Shop Design, Visual Merchandising and FoodTech & Energy Management.

Sergei Zalkin, Director of Ustor, notes that competition between online and offline commerce is growing day by day. That is why exhibitors have paid a lot of attention to how to make stationery shops attractive and interesting for modern customers.

So, we present 6 trends that will help to make the point of sale more profitable.

1. Personalization through design

Functionality, convenience, and quality of the iron construction is the basic minimum. Only at its expense manufacturers will not be able to bypass competitors anymore. The time has come for original design solutions that make the equipment special for the consumer. Therefore, besides interesting decisions in design, manufacturers of the trading equipment should offer retail individual and "tasty" design.

2. Use of eco-materials

Wood, natural veneer, plywood are top materials of 2017 in the production of furniture for shops. Those with a metal frame at the heart replaced the glossy coating with a matte one. The color variety was also reduced. Practical, concise colors are mainly used, in particular black.

3. Impressions in the foreground!

The situation at the stands, where only commercial equipment was presented, confirms this thesis. There were very few visitors at such stands. While on the sites where the show was held — robot demonstration, dancing on the pylon, basket-dancing show — it was impossible to push through.

4. Correct accent placement

Not with a single color! The impact of lighting on shop sales has become a separate theme at Euroshop this year. Light is able to highlight what is needed, hide what the customer should not see, create the right atmosphere for the purchase. Lighting has prevailed over color this year.

5. Shop without sellers

Media screens, self-service cash registers, electronic price tags are tools to reduce the impact of the human factor on sales: avoid problems with sales consultants, cashiers, and other service personnel. And also to increase the involvement of the visitor in the purchase.

6. Augmented reality — yes, but later

Interactive mirrors, virtual reality glasses, robots, and other electronic aids are also popular. But a little later. Now, these tools are used in a point-based way, rather as entertainment and experiment. In order to go to the mass market, all of this must come up with a clearer functional application.

In a store, there should be a holistic concept, implemented to the smallest detail. When entering a point of sale, the buyer should find himself in the right atmosphere for the seller, "count" a certain story. All solutions: from architecture and design to digital technology should be subordinated to the task — to create the necessary mood for the purchase.

"It is important for retailers to understand that in the consumer's mind, the line between online and offline is blurring at an enormous rate. We need to do everything to make people feel interesting and comfortable at all available sites. Emotions — this is where the main battle between online and offline retailers will take place," commented Sergei Zalkin.

According to his words, visiting such events is not a whim, but an urgent necessity for those who want to be the market leader and keep up with the times. Euroshop is an event that sets the trends of industry development for the next 3 years. Participants bring their top products and developments, which reflect the current level of innovation and technology in the production of commercial equipment.