Retail Growth in 2025
Five Trends Consumer Electronics Brands need to watch!
The Retail Game is Changing—Fast. Here’s What You need to know!
If there’s one certainty in the world of consumer electronics retail, it’s that nothing stays the same for long.
A decade ago, the big question was whether e-commerce would kill physical stores. Then, the rise of Amazon, direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, and social commerce disrupted traditional retail models. Now, in 2025, the conversation isn’t about “online vs. offline” anymore—it’s about orchestrating every sales channel into one seamless, revenue-driving ecosystem.
For consumer electronics brands, the stakes are high. Those who evolve with these changes will dominate the market. Those who don’t will disappear.
So, what’s next?
These five retail trends are already shaping the future of consumer electronics sales. Understanding them now will determine which brands thrive in 2025—and which ones struggle to keep up.
1. Omnichannel is No Longer Optional—It’s Survival
The old “brick-and-mortar vs. online” debate is officially dead.
Shoppers today don’t care about channels—they care about convenience. They might:
- • Discover a product on Instagram
- • Research it on Google
- • Check reviews on Amazon
- • Visit a store to see it in person
- • Buy it online at a discounted price
And they expect this process to be seamless across all platforms.
Yet, many brands still operate with fragmented retail strategies. Their D2C team fights for margin. Their retail partners push for lower pricing. Their marketplace strategy is managed separately from their store relationships. The result? Inconsistent pricing, confused customers, and lost revenue.
📌 The brands that win in 2025 will:
- Unify their sales channels so customers have the same experience—whether they buy in-store, online, or through a reseller.
- Use real-time data to track sales, pricing, and inventory across all platforms.
- Eliminate price conflicts—no more €199 on your website, €179 at a retailer, and €169 on Amazon.
Omnichannel isn’t a buzzword anymore. It’s the only way to survive.
Experience over
Brand relevance?
2. Stores Are No Longer Just for Selling—They’re Experience Hubs
For years, the death of retail stores was a favorite industry prediction. Now? Stores are making a comeback—but not as we knew them.
Today’s most successful consumer electronics brands are transforming retail spaces into brand experience centers. Stores are no longer just places to buy—they’re places to interact, learn, and connect.
Dyson’s demo stores let customers test vacuums on different surfaces, experience its hair tools in a salon-like setting, and visualize air purification with live data displays. Even traditional retailers like MediaMarkt and Currys are evolving—turning their stores into tech playgrounds, gaming zones, and service hubs where consumers can compare, test, and get expert advice.
📌 In 2025, the best brands will:
- • Treat retail locations as marketing tools—not just sales outlets.
- • Offer hands-on product experiences to educate and engage customers.
- • Use in-store events, brand activations, and tech showcases to build loyalty.
If you’re still thinking of retail stores as just another sales channel, you’re missing the point. Retail isn’t dying—it’s evolving.
3. Sustainability Is No Longer Optional
In 2025, sustainability is just as crucial as product features. The EU’s "Right to Repair" rules demand repairable electronics, and retailers are prioritizing eco-friendly brands. If your packaging isn’t recyclable or your supply chain isn’t transparent, expect rejection. Buyers now ask about sustainability alongside price and specs—it’s a business necessity.
📌 What smart brands will do:
- • Switch to biodegradable, recyclable, or reusable packaging.
- • Design repair-friendly products to meet EU regulations.
- • Ensure full supply chain transparency.
4. AI-Powered Retail Is Here
AI is reshaping retail—optimizing inventory, personalizing marketing, and dynamically adjusting pricing. Brands that fail to adopt AI will struggle as competitors operate smarter and leaner.
📌 What to do now:
- • Use AI-driven demand forecasting to avoid stock issues.
- • Personalize product recommendations online and in-store.
- • Implement dynamic pricing instead of outdated fixed discounts.
5. D2C Is Booming—But Retailers Are Fighting Back
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) gives brands control over pricing, margins, and customer data. But retailers are countering with retail media networks, exclusive in-store offerings, and loyalty programs.
📌 Winning in 2025 means:
- • Balancing D2C with retail partnerships—cutting them out can backfire.
- • Leveraging retail media networks instead of competing against them.
- • Offering unique products and experiences across channels.
Retail’s Future: Stay Ahead or Fall Behind
By 2025, the winners in retail will be those who:✅ Master omnichannel selling.
✅ Create in-store experiences that drive engagement.
✅ Lead in sustainability.
✅ Leverage AI for smarter operations.
✅ Balance D2C with strategic retail partnerships.
The retail game is changing fast. The real question: Will your brand drive the change—or struggle to keep up?
📩 Ready to future-proof your retail strategy? Let’s talk.
The Digital Growth Playbook is breaking
Brands Aren’t Going Back into Retail, They’re Rewriting It
E-commerce was once a straightforward path to success. Brands benefited from low advertising costs, rapid growth, and direct customer relationships. However, the landscape has changed dramatically. Customer acquisition costs have increased by 60 percent, online return on investment is shrinking due to intensifying competition, and consumers are growing weary of the constant barrage of digital ads.
At the same time, traditional retail models are struggling. High rents, significant overhead costs, and declining foot traffic have made large-scale retail operations increasingly unsustainable.
💡 So where do brands go from here? They don’t go back to retail—they reinvent it.
The New Role of Physical Space
Retail is no longer just a distribution channel. Instead, it has become a strategic platform for engagement, brand-building, and digital acceleration. Successful brands are transforming their physical spaces into:
Experience Centers
Rather than merely selling products, stores now function as showrooms, educational spaces, and interactive brand activations. For example, Dyson’s Demo Stores allow customers to test products in real-world scenarios, creating a deeper connection between the brand and the consumer while driving both in-store and online sales.
Customer Acquisition Tools
Physical locations serve as powerful marketing assets, increasing brand visibility, fostering social engagement, and ultimately driving digital conversions. Apple Stores exemplify this approach, offering immersive brand experiences that build customer loyalty, generate shareable content, and strengthen long-term brand value.
Hyper-Flexible, Lower-Risk Formats
Instead of investing in large retail footprints, forward-thinking brands are adopting more agile models. Pop-up stores, showroom-style locations, and co-branded retail spaces provide flexibility, reduce financial risk, and allow brands to test and refine their strategies before committing to permanent locations.
Who is leading
the change?
Several brands are at the forefront of this retail transformation:
Samsung Experience Stores focus less on direct sales and more on immersing customers in the brand’s ecosystem, fostering long-term engagement.
Nike Live Stores are small, community-focused retail spaces that bridge the gap between digital and physical commerce, creating tailored experiences for local audiences.
Highsnobiety’s Concept Spaces merge content, community, and commerce, redefining retail as a cultural hub rather than just a shopping destination.
How We See It
The key question for brands is not whether to open retail stores but how to leverage physical spaces as scalable, profitable assets within a broader business strategy. At nonplusultra, we believe brands should:
✅ Treat retail as a brand amplifier rather than just a sales channel.
✅ Integrate physical locations into an omnichannel model, ensuring that stores complement digital efforts rather than compete with them.
✅ Use data-driven insights to optimize store formats, continuously testing and refining retail strategies just as they would with e-commerce.
✅ Explore flexible retail models, such as pop-ups and flagship experiences, to maximize impact while minimizing risk.
This is not about returning to traditional retail—it is about building the future of retail. Brands that embrace this new paradigm will unlock innovative ways to engage customers, drive conversions, and cultivate lasting loyalty without being entirely dependent on expensive digital advertising.
How Can CE Brands dominate Retail?
The Most Effective Marketing Strategies You Need to Know!
Success in EMEA retail is no longer just about shelf space—it’s about strategic omnichannel marketing, localized engagement, and data-driven decisions.
The EMEA Retail black box
The EMEA retail landscape is a black box. With thousands of brands competing for consumer attention, the question isn’t just how to survive—it’s how to win. Traditional marketing tactics are no longer enough. If you want to stand out, you need to master data-driven omnichannel marketing, hyper-targeted localization, and retail analytics that anticipate consumer behavior. Want to make sure your brand doesn’t just blend in but sells out? Read on!
Omnichannel Marketing: The Key to consistency and conversion
Omnichannel marketing is the foundation of success. If your brand isn’t visible across all customer touchpoints, you’re already losing ground. Consumers don’t distinguish between online and offline experiences anymore—they expect a seamless transition from product discovery to purchase, whether through a store visit, a social ad, a review, or a video tutorial. Brands that still rely on fragmented campaigns risk fading into the background.
The key is full-funnel thinking. If your brand isn’t driving awareness, consideration, and conversion in sync, competitors will fill the gaps. Winning brands integrate social ads, high-ranking product search results, expert content, influencer collaborations, online flyers, online activations, customer reviews, awards, and interactive landing pages to reinforce in-store efforts. If a brand has already invested heavily in awareness, budgets can be shifted towards conversion-driven tactics, but ignoring any part of the funnel is a costly mistake.
Localized Marketing: Precision Over Mass Reach
Localized marketing ensures every euro spent has maximum impact. Why blanket an entire country with the same campaign when precise targeting yields better results? Localized print flyers outperform generic national promotions in cost-efficiency and effectiveness. Selective in-store activations, such as deploying videowalls and interactive POS displays in high-traffic locations rather than all stores, optimize budgets.
Retail staff are the best brand ambassadors—proper training, in-store posters, flyers, and immersive branding make them powerful advocates who can turn hesitant shoppers into buyers. Many local stores have their own social media channels and niche events like gaming nights, offering golden opportunities for brands to directly engage with their core audience with minimal waste.
Retail Analytics: The Power of Data-Driven Decisions
Retail analytics is the most powerful tool for increasing ROI. Instead of relying on guesswork, brands must use data to determine which marketing tactics yield the highest returns. Retail analytics eliminate the scattergun approach—allowing for precise execution instead of broad, unfocused campaigns.
Some stores may benefit more from pillar branding, while others see the highest conversions from interactive screens. By analyzing retailer data and aligning it with in-house insights, brands can adjust strategies dynamically and allocate budgets more effectively, ensuring maximum impact in every location.
How to
amplify
brand reach?
Experience Zones: Turning Retail Into an Event
Experience zones are a game-changer for sales. Traditional in-store displays are no longer enough to capture consumer interest. Hands-on experiences create emotional engagement that leads to stronger purchase intent.
For brands without approved MediaMarkt Saturn displays, pop-ups and interactive zones are an effective way to boost visibility and conversions. AR try-before-you-buy stations, immersive product demos, and guided interactions not only differentiate a brand but also build trust and long-term loyalty.
Strategic Retail Partnerships: Maximize Your Brand Reach
Strategic retail partnerships amplify brand reach and credibility. Collaborating with leading retailers isn’t just about securing shelf space—it’s about becoming a priority brand within the retailer’s ecosystem.
Aligning with sales strategies at MediaMarkt, Saturn, Fnac, and similar retailers ensures better in-store positioning, increased exposure, and access to high-value customers. Co-branded promotions, exclusive bundles, and retailer-led campaigns place products directly in front of the right consumers. Sales associates hold immense influence over purchasing decisions, so ensuring they are well-trained and incentivized to recommend a brand can significantly boost conversion rates.
Ready to
take over
EMEA Retail?
Winning in EMEA retail requires more than just being present—it demands proactive, intelligent marketing. Brands that leverage omnichannel integration, localized targeting, retail analytics, interactive experiences, and strategic partnerships will outpace competitors and secure long-term growth.
Ready to dominate your market? Let’s talk.
Unlock EMEA
Retail now!
Sustainability and Building Trust
Meeting Consumer Expectations in the Electronics Market
In today’s dynamic electronics market, consumer expectations are evolving rapidly. For brands in this space, meeting these expectations is a necessity. Insights derived from the study on consumer electronics brands like Currys highlight three primary attributes that consumers prioritize: reliability, honesty/trustworthiness, and high value. This blog explores these qualities in depth and provides actionable strategies for brands aiming to meet and exceed these expectations.
The Pillars of consumer trust
According to the study, reliability, honesty/trustworthiness, and high value are the top attributes consumers seek when choosing a consumer electronics brand. Brands that fail to embody these qualities risk losing market share to competitors that do.
1. Reliability
Consumers demand products and services they can count on. In the electronics market, this means delivering high-quality products, consistent performance, and dependable customer service.
2. Honesty/Trustworthiness
Building trust goes beyond advertising; it’s about transparency in pricing, accurate marketing, and clear communication with customers.
3. High Value
While price remains a key factor, value extends to the perceived benefits and the overall customer experience—from purchase to after-sales service.
Why
Sustainability
Matters!
Sustainability is becoming an essential component of trustworthiness. More than ever, consumers are aligning their purchasing decisions with brands that demonstrate environmental responsibility. The insights from the study reveal that brands which emphasize sustainability can differentiate themselves in a crowded market.
Case Study: Currys as a Benchmark
Currys, a leading electronics retailer in the UK, scores highly on reliability and consumer trust, with an 81% loyalty rate among its users. The brand has achieved this by:
- Ensuring product quality across its range.
- Offering transparent and honest communication.
- Providing exceptional customer service to build lasting relationships.
Source: Brand KPIs for Consumer Electronics Online Shops: Currys in the United Kingdom
Strategies for Brands
To meet consumer expectations and thrive in the market, electronics brands should adopt the following strategies:
1. Embrace Transparency
Be upfront about product details, pricing, and policies. Transparency fosters trust and ensures long-term loyalty.
2. Prioritize Customer Feedback
Actively seek and implement feedback to improve product quality and customer experience.
3. Commit to Sustainability
Adopt sustainable practices, from eco-friendly packaging to reducing carbon footprints in manufacturing and logistics.
4. Deliver Consistent Value
Offer products and services that align with the price and exceed customer expectations in quality and functionality.
Conclusion
In a competitive market, building consumer trust through reliability, honesty, and high value is imperative. These insights from Currys in the UK serve as a blueprint for success, offering valuable strategies that can be seamlessly tailored and implemented across diverse European markets to drive impactful growth. Brands like Currys have set benchmarks by focusing on these qualities, proving that meeting consumer expectations leads to higher loyalty and stronger market positioning. As sustainability continues to influence purchasing decisions, it’s time for all brands to step up and adapt to this changing landscape.
By aligning with these core values and adopting the strategies outlined, brands can not only meet but exceed consumer expectations, ensuring long-term success in the electronics market.
TECH GIFT GUIDE
The Ultimate Gift Guide for Tech Enthusiasts & Lifestyle Innovators
Looking for the perfect gift for the tech-savvy or the lifestyle trendsetter in your life? Look no further. nonplusultra, the retail growth partner for some of the most innovative global consumer brands, has curated a list of must-have items that combine cutting-edge technology, sleek design, and practical utility. Whether it's enhancing home security, leveling up gaming experiences, or introducing premium sound to their day-to-day, we’ve got you covered.
We asked the NPU team and those are their favorites for Tech-Enthusiasts!
💍 For Wellness Enthusiasts: Oura Ring
Give the gift of health and insight with the Oura Ring, a sleek and advanced wearable designed to track sleep, activity, and overall wellness. Its minimalistic design makes it stylish yet practical, providing actionable insights into health metrics like heart rate, body temperature, and sleep quality. Perfect for anyone aiming to optimize their lifestyle, it’s a thoughtful gift for self-care lovers and data-driven achievers.
🕹️ For Gamers and Streamers: Razer Gaming Gear
Level up their gaming setup with Razer’s top-tier accessories. From ultra-responsive keyboards and precision gaming mice to immersive headsets, Razer delivers the performance edge every gamer needs. Designed with precision and style, it’s the ultimate choice for anyone passionate about gaming or streaming. Our personal favorite is the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro Mouse.
🎧 For Fitness Fans and Audiophiles: Shokz Bone-Conduction Headphones
Whether they’re running, cycling, or simply on the go, Shokz headphones are a game-changer. Using innovative bone-conduction technology, Shokz delivers crystal-clear audio without blocking the ear, ensuring safety and awareness during outdoor activities. Lightweight and sweat-resistant, they’re the perfect blend of form, function, and fitness.
Not quite a match yet?
Check out more of our
favorite CE brands!
🕹️ For Gamers and Tech Pioneers: Meta VR Headset
Step into the future of gaming and entertainment with Meta's advanced VR headset. Whether exploring virtual worlds, engaging in immersive gaming, or attending virtual concerts, the Meta Quest 3S delivers an unmatched experience. Lightweight, comfortable, and packed with groundbreaking technology, it’s a gift that will leave a lasting impression.
🎨 For the DIY Creative: Cricut Cutting Machines
Unleash their inner artist with Cricut’s versatile cutting machines. Perfect for creating custom designs on paper, vinyl, fabric, and more, Cricut is the ultimate tool for crafters, small business owners, and DIY enthusiasts. From personalized gifts to professional-quality designs, Cricut makes crafting effortless and fun. Check out the Cricut Joy Xtra Starter Bundle.
💇♀️ For Beauty & Hair Enthusiasts: Dreame Hair Devices
Help them achieve salon-quality hair at home with Dreame’s advanced hair devices. From hair dryers with ionic technology to versatile stylers, Dreame combines innovation and elegance to deliver professional results. Perfect for those who value beauty, style, and efficiency in their daily routines.
🍕 For Pizza Lovers: OONI Pizza Ovens
Bring the pizzeria experience home with OONI’s state-of-the-art pizza ovens. Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, these ovens reach incredible temperatures, cooking authentic, restaurant-quality pizzas in just 60 seconds. A must-have for foodies and backyard chefs, OONI makes every pizza night unforgettable.
☕ For Coffee Connoisseurs: Nunc Coffee Machines
Delight the coffee lover in your life with Nunc’s premium coffee machines. Designed to blend style with functionality, Nunc machines offer barista-quality espresso, cappuccino, and more—all from the comfort of home. A sleek, high-performance choice that transforms every morning brew into an artful experience.
Why we
chose those
products?
Each item in this guide reflects nonplusultra’s dedication to curating innovative, impactful, and meaningful products that elevate everyday life. While we proudly collaborate with leading global brands like Meta, Razer, Shokz, and more, we also admire and recommend other remarkable brands, such as Dreame, Nunc, and OONI. These companies have set exceptional standards in their industries, delivering quality, innovation, and experiences that inspire us and resonate with consumers worldwide.
We believe in celebrating brands that push boundaries and create solutions that make a difference. Whether it's Dreame’s elegant hair devices, Nunc’s coffee craftsmanship, or OONI’s pizza ovens that bring families and friends together, these brands embody the spirit of innovation and lifestyle transformation.
Ready to Wrap It Up?
From the practical to the luxurious, this guide has something for everyone. Make this gifting season extraordinary with products that inspire, protect, and elevate everyday life.
You got inspired by our work with brands, get in touch with us!
KEY TAKEAWAYS GITEX DUBAI
Our Main Insights from the Gitex Event and Market Visits in Dubai
Our recent visit to Dubai offered numerous opportunities to gain a better understanding of the local market and its dynamics. As the leading economic hub of the Middle East, Dubai opens up exciting prospects, especially for cloud- and software-focused companies as well as the retail sector. In addition to intensive networking at the Gitex technology fair and visits to major retailers, we gained valuable insights into local strategies that are particularly relevant for tech companies and retailers.
After intensive discussions and numerous store visits, here are the key learnings and actionable recommendations:
1. Regular On-Site Presence Pays Off:
Dubai shows that long-term partnerships are best strengthened through regular, personal visits. Gitex offers an annual platform for this purpose, and the expansion to Berlin in May 2025 opens a new connection to Europe.
2. Exclusivity is Essential in Retail:
In collaboration with major retailers like Sharaf DG, product exclusivity is critical. Dubai Duty Free and Sharaf DG favor brands that offer an exclusive shopping experience before expanding to other markets.
3. Strategic Development of Distribution Networks:
The right choice of distributors is crucial for sustainable market development. In the B2B sector, Mindware has proven to be a reliable partner, while Shift is relevant for multi-channel retailers, and ABM is recommended as a leader in "Retail as a Service" for retail spaces.
Learn How to
Secure Exclusive
Retail Partnerships
4. Promoters as Key Sales Resources in the Middle East:
Locally trained promoters are important for directly addressing consumers. They earn between 700 and 800 USD per month, with additional incentives up to 2000 USD – a worthwhile investment to strengthen brand presence.
5. Market Insight: Experiential Marketing as a Key in the Middle East:
Through agencies like Avantgarde, a comprehensive marketing plan can be developed to specifically target local consumer groups. Experiential marketing strategies offer a way to stand out from the competition.
6. High Potential for Meta-Experience Zones:
Dubai offers numerous premium locations for interactive product zones that can be rented exclusively. Sharaf DG, for instance, is planning new Meta-Experience Zones, ideal for tech companies to showcase products through immersive experiences.
These insights provide valuable approaches to strategically and profitably accessing the growing Middle Eastern market.
Explore new
Market Opportunities
now!
EUROPEAN RETAIL CHECKLIST
Tapping into the European retail market requires careful planning. From regional customization to certifications and strategic pricing, every detail is important to avoid problems like grey imports. Our European retail checklist is your essential guide to overcoming these challenges and building a strong market presence. Are you ready for success? Start with the checklist!
Mastering the complexity of entering the European retail market
Entering the European retail market can be a complex undertaking as the region is diverse and decentralized. It is crucial to deal with important aspects such as regional customization, certifications, pricing, POS display guidelines and quick access to decision makers.
Failure to consider these factors can lead to problems such as gray imports and price dumping, which can severely damage a brand's reputation. In this diverse market, careful planning and attention to detail are essential to navigate the complexities and gain a foothold in European online and offline retail.
Are You Ready to Enter
European Omnichannel
Retail? This is Your
Checklist:
Regional customization of listing data and content:
Ensure your product listings and content are customized to the specific regions and markets you are targeting within Europe. This includes customizing language, currency and cultural nuances to effectively connect with local customers.
Certifications for omnichannel retail sales:
Acquire the necessary certifications and compliance requirements to sell your products in brick-and-mortar retail stores. This may include meeting certain regulations and standards of the respective region for the product and packaging. For example: CE certificate including WEEE, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), specific requirements for instruction manuals or declarations of conformity (RED, Rohs, ERP).
Establish a pricing framework with all stakeholders:
Work closely with your distributor and retailers to develop a pricing structure that ensures market stability. Consider factors such as production costs, margins and competitive pricing to find a balance that benefits all stakeholders. The right distributor will already have contracts with your target retail partners; however, their primary focus is not usually to build your brand.
POS & channel marketing materials:
Research and prepare the ideal point-of-sale (POS) materials, including the right display sizes for each retailer, proven material types and set-ups. This will help maximize the visibility and impact of your products at store level, leading to increased sales and brand awareness. Especially when entering highly competitive or new product categories, the impact of channel marketing on sales cannot be underestimated.
Direct access to key decision makers:
Develop a streamlined approach, particularly through key account management, to reach key decision makers within retail organizations. Building relationships with these individuals can significantly speed up the process and open doors for potential partnerships. Decision makers and opinion leaders are not only located at headquarters, but can also be regional managers.
If you consider these essential points on your checklist, you will be well prepared to successfully enter the European retail market. Remember that thorough preparation and strategic alignment with local requirements and stakeholders are key to establishing a strong presence and achieving long-term success.
Download the complete retail checklist as an overview and start optimally prepared in the European market!
