The retail technology week in quotes

Here are the comments that caught our eye this week

“Walmart is now a major competitive force in e-commerce and is capable of capturing shopper share from Amazon and others…It may be a mature and sizeable business, but it shows no signs of sluggishness or of reducing the pace of innovation and change.” Neil Saunders, Managing Director at GlobalData Retail

“It’s time eBay finally put its cryptocurrency where its mouth is.” ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks

“Cryptocurrency is not accepted as a form of payment on the eBay platform, nor is it part of our payments strategy.” eBay spokesperson

“Walmart needs to remember they are playing with people’s lives while they try to make billions on the stock market. Asda needs to work with GMB to sort the contract debacle causing uproar among the workforce before any float takes place. Any new investors must realise Asda is a profitable well-run company thanks to our members’ hard work." Gary Carter, GMB National Officer

“Clearly nothing is off the table in Walmart’s approach to business in the UK. And an IPO would be an interesting option - albeit not an immediate one moving forwards. The relationship between Walmart and Asda has always been of the heart and the head. Asda now needs to get its head down and have a solid plan to trade in the UK market against a competitor base that remains strong and growing.” Catherine Shuttleworth, CEO and Founder, Savvy Marketing

"The ability to collect Amazon parcels from hundreds of our UK stores provides a helpful and exciting new service for UK consumers. Amazon Counter combines the internet's power to offer unprecedented choice with all the convenience of local stores. In a tough retail environment our aim is that this will contribute to the continued relevance and vibrancy of our stores." Lord Wolfson, CEO at Next

“Next’s willingness to partner with Amazon is a sign that they don’t see them as a threat, despite Amazon building up its own arsenal of fashion brands. Never underestimate Amazon, of course, and I certainly don’t doubt that they can sell clothes, but I just can’t see them cracking fashion.” Natalie Berg, Founder, NBK Retail

“We have a mountain to climb – continuing momentum, into growth, and ultimately, sustainability – but we can make a difference. We can be brilliant for our customers today. And we can be brilliant for our customers in the future.” Asda CEO Roger Burnley

“Technology can have a significant positive impact on the world and technology companies have a responsibility to see that it does.” Jack Ma, Alibaba Group Founder and Executive Chairman

“We’re doing a blockchain prototype that shows the raw material to the finished garment. Our brand is about evolution not revolution, so we work on making the things we do better.” Matthew Williams, Creative Director at Alyx