PSFK has released an excellent and very comprehensive “Trends & Inspiration Report” on the future of (brick and mortar) retail.

Where this report succeeds and is far too seldom elsewhere seen, is that the analysis is free from current industry hypes (eg. mobile commerce, location based services, augmented reality, etc.). The effort is made to dig beneath the surface level and decipher the basis trends and underlying structural changes:

For example, many in the industry are still considering the topic “mobility” as an end on its own, rather than just as a means to an end. The PSFK report therefore speaks about “connected technologies”. How and where can shopping worlds and shoppers themselves be better networked?

Here is an overview of the most exciting trends from the industry report:

Next week there will be a related presentation in London - with Polyvore, Starbucks and others.

Originally posted in German by Jochen Krisch, adapted for excitingcommerce.com by Jason Soo.