RETAIL & ECOMMERCE
It seems like every day brings news of a revolutionary retail solution – but this one goes beyond technological innovation and, for that reason, I think it’ s here to stay. As retailers move away from traditional stores, the future seems clear: dark stores.
Will we see brands shift to these fulfilment-only sites? With shifting generational consumer habits, it certainly seems possible.
Dark stores aren’ t new, but in 2025 they are fast becoming standard in high-density markets. For companies like
Walmart, which is piloting dark store sites in Dallas and Bentonville, the format offers a serious boost to efficiency and speed.
For the wider industry, it signals a reconfiguration of how goods are picked, packed and delivered.
What is a dark store? A dark store is a shop optimised for picking and packing online orders – and is off-limits to consumers. Instead, staff walk the aisles, ruled by fulfilment logic rather than shopper convenience.
88 August 2025