New shopping baskets for just browsing or help wanted

South Korean beauty brand Innisfree introduced color-coded shopping baskets for customers to indicate whether or not they want to speak to a salesperson.

Eco-friendly South Korean cosmetics company Innisfree has found a low-tech way to make shopping more enjoyable and stress free. Shoppers entering the store now have a choice of two baskets – one with a green tag and one with an orange tag. The green tagged baskets indicate to the sales team that the shopper doesn’t currently need assistance, and the orange tagged baskets indicate that the shopper would like to speak with a sales person.

Awkward conversations are now much easier to avoid, helping both employees and customers save time and reduce stressful interactions. Potential problems with the initiative that have been mentioned include running out of one type of basket during a busy period and a shopper with a green tagged basket suddenly needing to ask a question. Though those situations may occur, both seem easily solvable. This is the second time in recent months that the brand has made headlines for its innovative approach to retail. Visitors to a South Korean branch power their own virtual reality journey, the Jeju Flying Bike experience, that takes them to the island where many of the company’s ingredients are grown.

Not everyone has the time or desire to shop, though, and for male shoppers in Shanghai, a relaxation room has been made available for those wanting to wait in comfort for a partner. For busy parents in the United States, one major retailer introduced an app that loads up an online cart with each student’s school supplies. What other aspects of shopping could be improved for a more pleasant experience?