SYDNEY — No more queuing for coffee, waiting for a different-sized top in the change room or only shopping until 5 p.m.

The future of retail is on display in Melbourne, Australia, at the Gen2 Retail Evolution Lab by AOPEN, and it looks very bright.

The multimillion-dollar lab, which launched Tuesday, is the first of its kind, and allows consumers and retailers to have a hands-on experience with technology that is tipped to change the retail space in Australia. As you order a cocktail from the comfort of your bar seat and purchase goods by pressing a button on a window, the evolution looks set to integrate new technology with bricks-and-mortar retail establishments.

Stephen Borg, CEO of AOPEN Australia and New Zealand, told Mashable that consumers' ability to access what they need, when they need it with available technology, will be a massive part of the retail space's future. "The future of retail is an informed-rich customer, where a consumer can get information from their mobile device. It will allow consumers to access information, and allow retailers to engage with their customers in a different way."

One example includes a cafe window that turns into a touchscreen, so you can order your meal when the store is closed, or order your coffee before you walk inside. Using a digital PayPal wallet system, consumers can use the system to place their order without cash, and can also select a time of day for pickup. No more waiting in line. This concept is already in its trial phase at 12 Melbourne cafes.

Interactive shopping is coming. Image: AOPEN

If you hate waiting in line at the bar, as the bartender takes 13 minutes to whip up your cocktail of choice, the solution may be around the corner. A tablet product will enable you to look up ingredients for the perfect concoction, or match a wine to your meal — all from your comfy seat.

Borg said this new method of service actually allows the waitstaff to focus on interacting with their clientele, rather than spending their energy learning menu details. "We are finding the wait staff can engage and have a conversation with the customer, rather than memorising a wine list," he said. "In the trials, it is creating a a higher level of engagement."

Such technology can also assist the growing number of clients with food allergies, gluten intolerance or simple dietary requirements by enabling them to research ingredients themselves.

Another type of system that is in the works, with a handful of implementations across the Asia-Pacific region, is electronic labelling in supermarkets. Having electronic markers on the shelf in front of each product would allow retailers to show whether something is gluten-free, the item's origin or food-security details.

Changerooms will assist the shopper. Image: AOPEN

A change is also expected in the clothing retail space, where consumers will be able to use a 19-inch tablet attached to a mirror to choose different sizes without waiting half naked for the shop assistant. By simply scanning a garment you can select new colours and sizes, or order it from a different store, thereby creating a seamless shopping experience.

Also, window shopping will take on a whole new meaning, as stores look to turn their windows into giant touchscreens with purchasing facilities linked up.

A pay wallet system will let consumers buy from a screen. Image: AOPEN

Borg said AOPEN noticed the recent roll-out of iPads in retail spaces were great for consumers who easily adapted to them; however, the tablets were not optimal for the commercial environment. With newly designed industrial, interactive tablets — with a similar look and feel, yet more powerful — retailers are seeing them as a positive addition to their businesses.

Clients who are getting on board with the changing space in Australia so far include Super Cheap Auto, Bedshed, Bunnings, Helloworld and Laminex.

Borg said he believes stores as we know them will not disappear in the future; instead, they will integrate technology to add value to the in-store experience, as consumers now expect to be engaged in an interactive way.