Best in Retail: Top Business Innovators

Some of the most exciting changes are happening in the retail market. Read on to learn about the best innovations happening in retail today.

Best Retail Innovation © CreditDonkey

Top Retail Innovators

Flexibility has been one of the greatest inventions to happen in the retail space. Flexibility to make things that are perfect for you—customized products that won’t bust your spending budget. And you can also order items on your own schedule in whatever way you want.

The coolest innovations to hit the market make our lives easier, our businesses smoother, and connect us with things we never knew we wanted but now could never do without. At CreditDonkey, we believe in being smart with your money. This means that when you do have enough money to part with, you spend and invest it wisely, with full awareness of what companies and innovations are the best. These are companies you will want to watch in the months ahead.

Best Retail Innovation © CreditDonkey

• Venga
  

  Venga helps restaurateurs better understand their guests' preferences and habits by integrating together the technologies they use most. This integration empowers restaurants to enrich guest experiences, promote operator efficiencies and, ultimately, drive reservations.

  Why Venga is a Top Retail Innovator: At the core of the product, Venga ties check level data from the POS to guest profiles in reservation platforms like OpenTable and DineTime. By connecting the dots between diners and their purchases, Venga unlocks data that restaurants have never been able to use before, enabling them to increase guest satisfaction. Backed by some of country's biggest restaurant operators, Venga is a platform that restaurateurs can trust.

  Read: Predictive Marketing
  Follow @GetVenga

• AHAlife
  

  AHALife is a curated marketplace for creative and inspiring objects, from art to household items to jewelry and more.

  Why AHAlife is a Top Retail Innovator: From beauty products to clothing to decor, artisans and craftspeople can sell their works directly to discerning customers on this site. With over 4,000 designers and artisans in over 45 countries, AHALife is dedicated to bringing customers exceptional products from around the globe.

  Read: Brands That Give Back
  Follow @AHAlife

• BenchMade Modern
  

  BenchMade Modern lets you order the customized sofa of your dreams, controlling the process every step of the way, from by-the-inch sizing to color and style.

  Why BenchMade Modern is a Top Retail Innovator: With a range of customization options including fabric, color, and configuration, and just a seven-day wait time, anyone in the market for a custom sofa should check this company out. They'll even deliver your new sofa to your door for free.

  Read: Skinny Fat Sofa with Chaise
  Follow @BenchMadeModern

• Bonobos
  

  Bonobos is a menswear company that helps men find better-looking, stylish clothes that actually fit.

  Why Bonobos is a Top Retail Innovator: With free shipping both ways, easy returns and exchanges, and customer service that focuses on helping you find their perfect fit in the minimum amount of time, this is a carefully-crafted shopping experience for men. Customers can even schedule appointments at physical locations called Guideshops to help them find their perfect style and fit.

  Read: Give a Pair Get a Pair on Us
  Follow @Bonobos

• Man Crates
  Man Crates sends the manliest gifts straight to the recipient's door, from beef jerky to heavy-duty DIY projects to whiskey.

  Why Man Crates is a Top Retail Innovator: Anyone who's been looking for the perfect gift for the macho men in their life should check out what this service has to offer. You can even get your gifts delivered in a NATO spec. Ammo Can.

  Read: Smash and Grab Gift Card
  

• Philz Coffee
  

  Philz Coffee is a new coffee shop franchise whose owner, Phil Jaber, has crafted over 30 unique blends - one to suit everyone's taste. 25 years ago, Phil went in search of the perfect cup of coffee; he traveled around the world, and brought all he learned to bear on Philz Coffee.

  Why Philz Coffee is a Top Retail Innovator: These shops are unpretentious, with a refreshingly simple take on coffee: no lattes or macchiatos, just great coffee brewed one cup at a time. The customer experience is front and center at these stores, with knowledgeable employees helping customers find the perfect blend for them.

  Read: Shopping
  Follow @PhilzCoffee

• Artis Coffee
  

  Artis Coffee roasts their own coffee in-house and delivers the freshest coffees to your door, complete with tips on how to brew them at home.

  Why Artis Coffee is a Top Retail Innovator: Coffee fanatics looking for their next favorite brew will love this company's artisan approach to coffee. They not only roast their beans on demand, but they offer brewing equipment and advice on how best to brew your own perfect cup.

  Follow @artiscoffee

• Walker & Company Brands
  

  Walker and Company is dedicated to bringing high-quality health and beauty products to people of color all over the world.

  Why Walker & Company Brands is a Top Retail Innovator: Dedicated to wellness and loyalty to both their brands and customers, this company aims to sell only the highest-quality products that their shoppers need. Their flagship brand is Bevel, the first and only shaving system designed from the ground up for men with coarse and curly hair.

  Read: Introducing Bevel Trimmer
  Follow @walkercobrands

• DailyLook
  

  DailyLook assigns each customer their own personal stylist who will tailor your selections to your personal taste and body shape.

  Why DailyLook is a Top Retail Innovator: Shoppers who love to be on trend but are looking for some guidance on how to wear the latest styles should definitely give this company a look. Your stylist will select items tailored directly to your lifestyle and needs, and you can order them to be shipped to your door whenever you see fit. You keep (and pay for) what you love and return what you don't.

  Read: Vivian Jersey Knit Wrap Maxi Dress in Emerald XS
  Follow @dailylook

• Interior Define
  

  Interior Define offers attainable, customizable furniture that's made-to-order for each customer.

  Why Interior Define is a Top Retail Innovator: This company has eliminated intermediaries and the markups that come with them, giving customers access to designer furniture at an affordable cost. Since everything is made to order, you can customize your order without significantly inflating the price.

  Read: Kelley
  Follow @interiordefine

• Vengo
  

  Vengo creates customizable touchscreen vending machines that create more shopping and marketing opportunities for your business.

  Why Vengo is a Top Retail Innovator: Their machines feature cloud-based inventory tracking and management, and can accept payments via cash, card, Apple Pay, and more. They make it quick and easy for customers to purchase core products, and even collect data your business can use.

  Follow @VengoLabs

• Bohemian Guitars
  

  Bohemian Guitars sells handmade oil can guitars inspired by South African street musicians. Co-founded by brothers Adam and Scott Lee, Bohemian Guitars was built by their love of music and desire to create something truly new.

  Why Bohemian Guitars is a Top Retail Innovator: Their guitars are all fully customizable, and each one is tailor-made. Musicians seeking a truly unique new instrument should check these guys out.

  Read: Contest
  Follow @BohemianGuitars

• Mobee
  

  Mobee offers on-demand, custom crowdsourced analytics for retailers and other businesses.

  Why Mobee is a Top Retail Innovator: All you have to do is create a custom "mission," and Mobee will do the rest, surveying consumers and collecting valuable data you need. Their platform can collect data on just about any aspect of the customer experience, making it a potentially invaluable tool.

  Read: Earn Cash And Gift Cards While You Shop With Mobee
  Follow @mobeeretail

• Narvar
  

  Narvar helps e-commerce retailers go above and beyond for their customers by providing a great post-buy experience, with precise, automatic order updates, an improved returns method, and more.

  Why Narvar is a Top Retail Innovator: Online retailers who want to exercise more control over the shipping process to better serve their customers should take a look at this company's services. Narvar even gives you a better look at how your shipping processes are performing and what your customers really think of them, letting you make adjustments as needed.

  Read: Introducing Narvar Alerts
  Follow @narvarinc

• Ministry (Ministry of Supply)
  

  Ministry of Supply creates workday clothes built for comfort, performance, and style. CEO Aman Advani is an engineer by training and attended MIT's Sloan School of Management MBA program, and his time on the road as a management consultant inspired him to improve on the shortfalls of common menswear.

  Why Ministry (Ministry of Supply) is a Top Retail Innovator: If you're looking for clothes for your workday that are comfortable, stylish, and don't restrict your movements, you'll love this company's scientifically-designed clothing. Their clothes are designed with the human body in mind, so hot spots are well-vented and pressure points are padded.

  Read: Seamless Jacket Robotically Knit Blazer
  Follow @ministrysupply

• Kwambio
  

  Kwambio makes on-demand ceramic and metal products, and can even bring your designs to life.

  Why Kwambio is a Top Retail Innovator: Their chic, stylish home goods come from the mind of some of today's best designers, and they're all made to order. If you want to try your hand at design, it's easy to get started on their website.

  Read: Neo Bracelet
  Follow @kwambioNY

• Naja
  

  Naja makes premium lingerie using eco-friendly materials, and employs underprivileged women throughout the world.

  Why Naja is a Top Retail Innovator: If you want to buy some stylish, fun underwear and put your money toward a good cause while you're at it, check them out. Their meticulously designed, on-trend products are also all crafted by hand.

  Read: Active
  Follow @naja

• Proper Cloth
  

  Proper Cloth lets men shop for custom shirts by helping them find their size and then guiding them through the buying process.

  Why Proper Cloth is a Top Retail Innovator: Discerning men who want custom shirts instead of common, off-the-rack ones will find a great online resource here. All you have to do is use one of the provided methods for finding your size, place your order, and a custom shirt will be shipped to you in two weeks.

  Read: Iceland
  Follow @ProperCloth

• Convey
  

  Convey is a company that aims to reinvent how customers interact with e-commerce retailers after ordering by streamlining and improving the shipping process.

  Why Convey is a Top Retail Innovator: A bad shipping experience is a quick way for an online retailer to lose a customer; this company wants to ensure that your customer always knows where his or her order is, who has it, and when it's arriving. If you're a retailer, this company will help you lose your one size fits all shipping solution for something more dynamic, customizable, and intelligent.

  Follow @get_convey

• Shopperception
  

  Shopperception is a platform that provides insights and data on how customers interact with your store's shelves; think Google Analytics for the real world. CEO Ariel Di Stefano is an experienced Marketing and Technology executive, while CTO Raul I. Verano has managed development teams for international companies and COO Alfonso Perez has worked in startups, mid-size, and Fortune-ranked companies.

  Why Shopperception is a Top Retail Innovator: This company's technology not only informs you how customers are interacting with your store's merchandise and displays, but it even reads customer movements and shows them targeted marketing messages in response. The analytics Shopperception provides can be useful to retailers, marketers, brands, and more.

  Follow @shopperception

• ShelfX
  

  ShelfX is an innovative, unattended retail system that allows customers to simply wave a card or phone in front of a reader to open a door and take what they want.

  Why ShelfX is a Top Retail Innovator: Once they close the door, purchases are finalized. This simple system provides a number of benefits, such as live inventory management and extensive sales analytics.

  Follow @ShelfxUSA

• IndiaBoulevard
  

  IndiaBoulevard is a curated marketplace for Indian fashion that connects customers with designers all over the world to create stunning, custom-made ethnic Indian outfits. Founder and CEO Akta Adani is a finance geek turned fashion entrepreneur who aims to make Indian fashions more readily available worldwide.

  Why IndiaBoulevard is a Top Retail Innovator: Anyone looking for Indian fashions can peruse this site's curated collection or link up with a designer to create something new. Your new outfit will then be delivered to your doorstep in just a few short weeks.

  Read: Trend Report
  Follow @indiaboulevard

• Parker Dusseau
  

  Parker Dusseau creates functional, stylish menswear designed to keep you moving in high-quality fabrics that stretch, resist water and stains, and don't get smelly.

  Why Parker Dusseau is a Top Retail Innovator: Made with natural fibers with exceptional levels of wicking, breathability, and durability, this company's clothes are for men looking for stylish menswear that lasts. Their unique fits are tailored to look great, while still providing maximum mobility.

  Read: Fall 2016 Collection Chapter II
  Follow @ParkerDusseau